The AFC Championship will feature two of the most explosive offenses in the NFL when the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Kansas City Chiefs. However, one of the most important elements of the Chiefs’ offense, tight end Travis Kelce, is currently a game-time decision and could miss this important matchup. Is Kelce going to play, and what can we expect either way?
Is Travis Kelce Playing Today?
Kelce suffered what is being reported as back spasms during practice this past Friday. According to FOX’s Jay Glazer, Kelce will be a legitimate game-time decision as the team waits to see how the tight end feels after getting on the field ahead of the game.
The Chiefs spent most of the week worrying about the health of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who suffered a high ankle sprain during their win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Divisional Round. Mahomes was left off the final injury report, which seemed to be good news, but the announcement was accompanied by the revelation that Kelce was now in doubt.
The four-time All-Pro has been a huge part of this Chiefs offense. Just last week alone, he was a pivotal part of the team’s victory over Jacksonville, hauling in 14 catches with two touchdowns.
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However, Kelce’s dominance has extended way beyond just the playoffs. Kelce didn’t miss a game this regular season, bringing in 110 catches for more than 1,300 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns. He had 152 targets on the year, which is a whopping 51 more than the next Chief pass catcher, JuJu Smith-Schuster. Kelce has long cemented himself as Mahomes’ favorite weapon.
In an AFC Championship Game against the Bengals, Kelce will again be expected to shoulder a heavy load if he plays. The Bengals have turned a corner late in the season and are now one of the best offenses in the league. Joe Burrow has been a thorn in Kansas City’s side as of late, amassing a 3-0 record when the two teams have played. In fact, the Bengals actually eliminated Kansas City in this exact game last year on their way to the Super Bowl.
When these two teams met earlier in the year (Week 13), Kelce was pretty much a non-factor in their 27-24 loss. He only had four catches for 56 yards. However, Kansas City can hang on to the hope that last year’s playoff Kelce returns, where he hung 10 catches for 96 yards and a score on this Bengals team.
Regardless, with a less than 100% Mahomes throwing the ball, the team is going to need his favorite target if they want to remain competitive. Now, all eyes will be on Kelce when he takes the field during warmups.