Patrick Mahomes is surely the heartbeat of the Chiefs. But people are now suggesting Andy Reid’s play-calling might have jeopardized his playoff run.
Mahomes limped off the field with a suspected MCL injury, late in a blowout win against the Cleveland Browns. The Chiefs’ blowout win left fans wondering about the team’s future. When they should have been celebrating their 21-7 victory. And former Broncos OL Mark Schlereth didn’t hold back on The Rich Eisen Show. He blatantly questioned Reid for risking Mahomes unnecessarily. “You’re up 21-0. Why are you still throwing the ball?” Schlereth questioned. He highlighted Reid’s refusal to lean on the run game, a criticism the coach has faced for years.
Mahomes dropped back to pass and was hit by 2 Browns defenders. When? With less than 8 minutes left and a comfortable 21-point lead. Limping off the field, Patrick was eventually carted from the locker room, sparking fears of a serious injury. Backup Carson Wentz finished the game. But the damage to Mahomes and the Chiefs’ future seemed done.
Reid’s history of aggressive play-calling has often been lauded, but at what cost? Schlereth pointed to the Chiefs‘ issues protecting Mahomes. “You’ve had a history this year of not being able to protect your quarterback; you’ve got on your fourth offensive left tackle in this game and yet you’re still throwing it with the lead. I really don’t understand that philosophy from Andy Reid.” According to Schlereth, the decision to pass in this scenario seemed careless, fueling growing criticism of Reid’s judgment. However, Mitchell Holthus had a different perspective on the coaching staff.
“I’ve never seen this coaching staff or this athletic training staff ever force a guy back from an injury. They have gone out of their way to show discretion. They will not hurry a guy back and risk further injury.” Holthus said during his appearance on 96.5 The Fan. But fans are wondering. Did Reid’s philosophy prioritize flash over the team’s future?
Mahomes’ MCL injury raises concerns for the Chiefs’ playoff run
Showtimes’s health has become a critical storyline after sustaining the mild high ankle sprain. As per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Monday’s evaluation confirmed the prognosis. Leaving his status for the upcoming games uncertain. The high-low hit from multiple defenders has now made things incredibly dicey for Kansas City. While sources assure the reigning Super Bowl MVP will be fine long-term, the short-term implications could affect playoff positioning. Coming back to Reid’s playcalling.
This wasn’t the first time. Schlereth accused Reid of ignoring a dominant run game. In which game? The Chiefs’ 2021 Super Bowl loss against the Buccaneers. There he opted for passes that eventually backfired. Critics noted similar patterns in games this season. As Mahomes frequently took unnecessary hits.
According to ESPN, Mahomes faced pressure on 54% of his dropbacks against the Browns. Despite this, Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy called 18 second-half pass plays. Adding fuel to the crisis, the Chiefs face a grueling schedule with 3 games in 10 days. Mahomes himself admitted before the Browns game that such schedules strain players physically.
“It’s not a good feeling. You never want to play this many games in this short of time. It’s just not great for your body,” he said, acknowledging the toll of consecutive games with such short intervals. Now, losing Mahomes can derail the Chiefs’ Super Bowl aspirations with playoff seeding on the line. Reid’s history and Sunday’s decisions have critics questioning his ability to balance aggression with pragmatism.
Reid is undoubtedly a Hall of Famer, but could his (alleged) reluctance to adjust cost the Chiefs dearly? For Kansas City, the hope now rests on Mahomes’ swift recovery and smarter decisions moving forward.
