The Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes had little at stake in their Week 18 matchup against the Denver Broncos, entering the game with a dominant 15-1 record and the AFC’s top seed already secured.

With a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage locked, it was the perfect opportunity for Kansas City to rest its starters.

But while most players took the day off, Mahomes couldn’t help but express frustration from the sidelines as his team endured a 38-0 shutout loss to a desperate Broncos squad fighting for their playoff lives.

Chiefs’ backups struggle

Kansas City fielded a roster of backups for the game, giving Carson Wentz the start at quarterback. Despite his past success, including a Super Bowl win with the Eagles, Wentz had a rough outing. He completed just 10 passes for 98 yards, failing to spark the offense in any meaningful way.

The Broncos, on the other hand, were laser-focused, needing a win to secure the seventh seed in the AFC. They took full advantage of the Chiefs‘ weakened lineup, dominating on both sides of the ball and shutting out the reigning AFC champions.

Mahomes’ solid season

While Mahomes was sidelined for this game, his season has been another showcase of leadership and talent. He finished the regular season with 3,928 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, along with 307 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

he mad asfk pic.twitter.com/T5zbrlVQHA

— nich (@sohighschooll) January 5, 2025

This marked the first time in Mahomes‘ career as a starter that he failed to eclipse the 4,000-yard passing mark, a statistic partly attributed to a season plagued by injuries to key offensive players.

As the Chiefs prepare for the postseason, they’ll be buoyed by the return of key players such as Isiah Pacheco and Marquise Brown, whose presence should help rejuvenate the offense. With Mahomes at the helm, Kansas City remain favorites to make another deep playoff run, and the Week 18 loss will likely serve as a minor blip in an otherwise stellar campaign.