The Kansas City Chiefs are officially eliminated from the playoffs after losing 16-13 to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.
As if missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014 wasn’t bad enough, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL late in the fourth quarter. Just devastating news for Mahomes and the Chiefs who will now be playing for pride down the stretch.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMahomes was coming off the worst performance of his career against the Houston Texans in Week 14 and was looking to bounce back in a must win game. The two-time Most Valuable Player didn’t have his best stuff against the Chargers before he exited with injury.
He completed 16 of 28 passes for 189 yards and a costly interception while being sacked five times for a total loss of 21 yards. He did add 15 yards and a touchdown on two carries, almost leading the back field in rushing.
ESPN’s Nate Taylor broke down Mahomes’ performance prior to his horrific injury.
“Mahomes performed his best on the Chiefs' opening drive, making two clutch plays. He converted a third-and-11 snap with a timely completion to tight end Travis Kelce, and he outwitted the Chargers' zone coverage in the red zone with a 12-yard touchdown scramble,” Taylor wrote Sunday. “But the Chargers made everything else difficult for Mahomes, whether through pressure against a makeshift offensive line or in man coverage, which denied the Chiefs' receivers a chance to get open consistently. His biggest mistake was a fourth-quarter interception inside the red zone, when an incompletion could've resulted in a Harrison Butker field goal to tie the game.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt'll be a tough road to recovery for Mahomes, but he’s ready for the challenge and took to social media to address his fans.
“Don’t know why this had to happen. And not going to lie it hurts,” Mahomes wrote on X following the loss. “But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you Chiefs kingdom for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I Will be back stronger than ever.”
Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew took over for Mahomes and is expected to be the starter moving forward. He completed three of five passes for 22 yards and a game-sealing interception.
The Chiefs will travel to Tennessee to take on the Titans in a meaningless Week 16 matchup.
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