The Texans would not be able to play Patrick Mahomes in Week 16 due to a move

The Houston Texans could get a taste of what awaits them in the AFC playoffs next week when they travel to Arrowhead Stadium for a showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Patrick Mahomes may be waiting to debut in January instead of Week 16 against second-year gunslinger CJ Stroud.

The three-time MVP passer suffered an ankle injury during Sunday’s win against the Cleveland Browns. During his postgame press conference, Mahomes said he wasn’t sure if he would play next week when the Texans come to town.

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“It’s hard to say right now,” Mahomes said after the Chiefs’ 14-point road win in Cleveland. “You still get that rush of adrenaline, and you usually don’t get a good feeling for it until the next day.” . I feel like I could have finished the game under different circumstances, but I thought the smart decision was to use Carson Wentz.

“…You just do what you have to do to get back, and I think that’s the most important thing. And now we’re just going to go back to the rehab part, the treatment part, and try to get ready for a short week against a good football team.

According to NFL Network, Mahomes will be listed as week-to-week if he participates in the final three games of the regular season. Kansas City has already won the AFC West and is 12-1 in the conference standings.

Mahomes’ absence could benefit Houston in several ways. If the Indianapolis Colts beat the Denver Broncos on Sunday, a win next week would secure the Texans’ second division title.

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If Houston were to win the AFC South in Week 15, everything would move toward the seedings. With a straight win over the Buffalo Bills, the Texans could move up to No. 2 in the AFC postseason rankings and thus earn a home game against the No. 7 seed.

While Mahomes is expected to undergo an X-ray, Chiefs coach Andy Reid told reporters after the game that he could have returned to the game, but the team felt it was best to sideline him.

“He wanted to fight for it, but we have a good support behind him in Carson and it was good to give him a few reps there as well and let our guys hear that snap in case he had to go,” Reid said.

Should Wentz start, Houston has a strong case for limiting the former No. 2 overall pick. He completed 2-of-2 passes for 20 yards in mopup duty and would likely be confident that a game on the ground would beat Houston next weekend.

Houston, which improved to 9-5 after Sunday’s 20-12 win over the Miami Dolphins, has not played at Arrowhead since the 2020 season opener.

Most fans remember the duel against the Chiefs for a 24-0 lead in the first quarter of the AFC Divisional Round in 2019. Houston ultimately lost behind a Mahomes comeback by a score of 51-31.

Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans may not play Patrick Mahomes in Week 16 because of one play