The odds are increasing that Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes will start at home on Saturday against the Houston Texans.
Even though today was a light practice, the Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach listed Patrick Mahomes and Hollywood Brown as Full Participants in the team practice on Tuesday. With a short week, the Chiefs will likely take it easy again on Wednesday.
However, after Thursday’s practice, we should learn about Mahomes’ attempt to bounce back from his ankle injury against the Cleveland Browns. Mahomes indicated the high ankle sprain was not as severe as his one in the AFC Divisional round against the Jacksonville Jaguars two years ago.
The way he talked to the media earlier in the day, he sounded like a player preparing to suit up with his teammates on Saturday. If he can’t play, back-up Carson Wentz, who will take more snaps this week in practice, will pinch-hit for Mahomes.
Kansas City aggressively signed Wentz, with other teams interested in his services. However, the chance to work with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid was too enticing.
In other news, Hollywood Brown is also on pace to return on Saturday. The team cut Running Back Clyde Edwards-Helaire on Monday to make room for Brown to make his 2024 debut in a Chiefs uniform. With the injury to his shoulder, he’s done extensive leg and bodywork to stay in shape.
Either way, Vegas, which opened the game with the Texans favored by 2.5 points, has now swung, making the Chiefs a 2.5 point. That five-point swing indicates that the oddsmakers believe Mahomes is starting this weekend.
This game is the second leg of the Chiefs daunting December schedule. They defeated the Browns 21-7 Sunday and faced the Texans Saturday, and four days later, they traveled to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers on Christmas Day.
The schedule was daunting enough, but now the team has to balance the health and availability of Mahomes during that stretch. The good news is if the Chiefs win the next two games, they’ll clinch the AFC, and Mahomes can rest during the 11 days heading into the regular season finale against the Broncos in Denver.
If that game is meaningless for the top spot in the conference, Reid can rest Mahomes and all of his wounded heading into their postseason bye week.
