Kansas City just had a scare in Week 9 that sent their medical staff scrambling, even reaching out to MLB doctors to get a handle on star QB Patrick Mahomes’ elbow. The dude got slammed into the ground, came up holding his throwing arm, but somehow didn’t miss a snap because, let’s be real, he’s one of the toughest QBs ever. But the Chiefs organization wasn’t taking any chances, making an extra effort to ensure their two-time MVP was 100%.
The Elbow Scare That Called In the Baseball Pros
It wasn’t just the Chiefs’ own docs poring over scans of Mahomes’ elbow. Nope, sources told ESPN that they branched out, getting second and third opinions from renowned doctors connected with the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. Talk about bringing in the big guns for a quarterback’s arm! What they found was a muscle strain, and get this, one source described it as “a very small sprain of his UCL.” A small UCL sprain? That’s the kind of phrase that makes every fan’s stomach drop a little, even if he didn’t miss time. The team is clearly being super cautious, which, frankly, is exactly what you want for a player like Mahomes.
Jones’ Surprise Trip and a Crucial Matchup
On another note, Chris Jones has rejoined the team in Atlanta after traveling on his own, which is a bit unusual for road games, especially with that nationwide ground stop messing with travel. The team called it a personal matter, but the good news? He’s playing tomorrow. That’s a relief for the defense, especially heading into a game where pressure is going to be key. Speaking of which, the Chiefs are coming off one of their best games this season in terms of getting after the opposing quarterback, racking up five sacks against New York last week with a 50% pressure rate. That’s big, because Atlanta’s Penix has struggled hard when pressured this season. He’s completed a league-low 18% of his passes under pressure, and last week specifically, he was 1-of-9 for -3 yards and an interception when under duress. Sounds like a golden opportunity for KC’s defense to feast, doesn’t it?
The national experts are mostly leaning Chiefs for tomorrow’s game against Atlanta. Four of five NFL.com writers are picking Kansas City, with scores ranging from 26-23 to 31-19. Only Jeremy Bergman is taking the Falcons, 24-20. Part of the reasoning for the Chiefs’ favor? Atlanta’s rushing defense has been gashed recently, allowing a whopping 190 rushing yards per game over the last three weeks, and 182 rushing yards over expected. A huge chunk of that came from the Buccaneers’ insane 324 rushing yards in a wet Week 8 tilt. So, can the Chiefs exploit that on the ground?
What’s Next for KC
Tomorrow’s game against the Falcons is huge, not just for picking up another W, but to see how Mahomes looks and how that defense keeps bringing the heat. Can they keep Penix under pressure all game and force those mistakes? And will the offense lean on the run game to exploit Atlanta’s soft front? Keep an eye on that game, it’s gonna tell us a lot.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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