Oh, Nelly! The Chiefs got blanked—38-0—by the Broncos in a blowout that had fans reaching for the remote. But hey, no one’s hitting the panic button; this one was expected. Even if backup QB Carson Wentz had other ideas before kickoff. “I want to play well… Get a win. That’s the goal,” he said. Bold talk, Chief.

You’d think after the Chiefs paid a cool $3.3M for his role in week 18, Wentz might have hit the nail… Alas, he wrapped up with 98 yards, 4 sacks, and a one-way ticket out of Denver on his mind. Yikes! Plus, the weather wasn’t just a backdrop; it turned into a full-on antagonist for Wentz and the Chiefs.

Postgame, the team couldn’t even leave Denver. As Wentz put it during the presser, “We can’t leave town yet, tonight. Unfortunately, the blizzard’s all across the Midwest.” Tough break, right? But here’s the thing—it wasn’t exactly a surprise.

It turns out that the delayed travel plans were on the team’s radar before kickoff. CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson spilled the beans pregame: “Kansas City has to stay overnight in Denver because of weather issues in KC. Eight inches of snow have already fallen, and they’re expecting up to 12 inches. There’s two inches of ice underneath the snow, and the airport is closed.” But at that time, they didn’t know the game was going to be this bad. So, we can say that it turned out to be a double whammy!

To make things worse, getting to Denver wasn’t a cakewalk either. Winter storms wreaked havoc at Kansas City International, grounding flights left and right. And when the Chiefs tried to leave early, mechanical issues with their charter flight said, “Not today.” Talk about a rough start to an already icy showdown.

Thankfully, the travel drama won’t derail their postseason prep, thanks to that first-round bye. But after a brutal end to the regular season, Wentz isn’t ready to hang his head. He’s still banking on Mahomes and the squad to flip the script come playoff time.

Carson Wentz reveals Patrick Mahomes and Co.’s mindset

The Chiefs’ final regular-season game in Denver? Let’s just say it was more ‘trial run’ than ‘showdown’. With a 38-0 loss to the Broncos, it was clear Kansas City’s backups aren’t playoff material. But does anyone care? Not really. The starters, led by Patrick Mahomes, were on the sidelines, soaking up their well-earned rest. After all, Andy Reid had the No. 1 seed locked up, and the team’s focus is on a record third straight Lombardi Trophy. Priorities, right?

Backup QB Carson Wentz summed it up best: “Patrick and everybody, all the starters, know what’s ahead of us… where we’re trying to go, and what we’re capable of doing.” In case you’re wondering, yes, the Chiefs know exactly what’s at stake.

The mindset is clear: laser-focused on the playoffs. And with a first-round bye, they’ve got time to heal up and fine-tune. Chris Jones (calf), Isiah Pacheco (ribs), and a few others are on the mend, giving Kansas City’s loaded roster even more firepower heading into January.

Sunday’s disaster wasn’t without its silver linings. No major injuries and the starters got a mental breather. Plus, it highlighted how stacked the Chiefs’ first string is compared to their backups. The drop-off? Let’s just say it was eye-opening.

As for Wentz’s shaky performance? We’ll cut him some slack. With Mahomes at the helm, Wentz’s job is to hold the clipboard, not the offense. Now, all eyes are on who Kansas City will face in the divisional round. Arrowhead’s about to get loud.