The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into their Week 18 game against the Denver Broncos with very little on the line. The Chiefs have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC, a bye to the divisional round, and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Broncos, on the other hand, have a lot to play for with a playoff berth on the line. They do control their own destiny and if they can beat the Chiefs this week then Denver is heading to the NFL playoffs.
With the Chiefs not being able to improve their playoff positioning, expect Kansas City to make a few roster adjustments and sitting key players in the final game of the regular season.
Who Isn’t Playing for the Chiefs This Week?
At this point in the NFL season, every team is banged up, so getting a bye in the playoffs is a big deal. The Chiefs will not be playing until the Divisional Round of the playoffs, so the Chiefs won’t play another game until Jan. 18 or 19th.
Resting some starters in Week 18 will give those Chiefs players even more time to heal up to make a run at their third consecutive Super Bowl. Head coach Andy Reid has made the decision that starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be sitting out this weekend with Carson Wentz getting the nod.
Plus, there is a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that says tight end Travis Kelce, running back Isiah Pacheco, and a few defensive starters could also be sitting out the Week 18 game against the Broncos.
Other potential Chiefs rest candidates Sunday vs. the Broncos aside from Patrick Mahomes include:
🏈Travis Kelce
🏈Isiah Pacheco
🏈Chris Jones
🏈George Karlaftis
🏈Trent McDuffie https://t.co/Lh4ReA5k8b— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 1, 2025
Coach Reid was asked about the move to sit some players, and the veteran coach has no concerns about sitting some players with not much to play for in Week 18.
“It wasn’t a hard decision,” Reid said about resting starters during his press conference this week. “I’ve been through that before, so I’m not too worried about all that. It just gives the other guys an opportunity here to grow, and you can use everybody.”
With Mahomes sitting this week, it means that the Chiefs will not have the No. 10 ranked quarterback in the Pro Football Network Quarterback+ (QB+) metric. Although ranked 10th, PFN’s metric has clearly identified that he has not been his same old self this year.
“Whenever you watch Patrick Mahomes, there are always a couple of “wow” moments, but you rarely come away from the game thinking he was absolutely dominant. However, Mahomes rarely costs his team the game, either. That is demonstrated by his range in QB+ grades in individual games this season, having not once ranked above a B but having not had a game graded below a C-.
That consistency continues in Week 17 with a B-grade performance that ranks as his second-best of the season. He finished with a 0.43 EPA/DB, thanks to an incredible 0.92 EPA/DB when pressured, which led the league this week. However, he finished 15th in EPA/DB from a clean pocket (0.32) and 21st on third downs (37.5% conversion rate).
Mahomes, who has posted a similar QB+ over the last two seasons, is clearly not playing at the same level he was earlier in his career, but the way this team is built means he has to adapt his style. His 47.8% third-down conversion rate leads the league, and at times it feels like the march to the end zone is inevitable when they are driving.”
Wentz is getting his first start of the year and he has not seen much playing time this season with the Chiefs. He has played in two games, completed a pair of passes for 20 yards.
The decision for the Chiefs to sit key players will have an impact on the AFC Wild Card race. Three teams are vying for the final Wild Card spot between the Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and the Cincinnati Bengals.