Following a successful Lombardi trophy-winning season, the Kansas City Chiefs’ high hopes were dashed when they suffered a narrow one-point loss to the Detroit Lions in their season opener. Though Mahomes’ team soon found their footing, Weeks 13 and 14 brought their struggling look back and handed them back-to-back losses.
The 8-4 Chiefs are scheduled to play the New England Patriots on Sunday at noon Arrowhead Time. Prior to the game, both teams revealed their injury reports, with some notable mentions.
Will the Chiefs start Patrick Mahomes tonight?
Leading up to the critical Week 14 clash against the Bills, Patrick Mahomes found himself on the Kansas City Chiefs’ official injury report, nursing a pectoral issue that hinted at underlying challenges for the star quarterback. Despite the unclear origin of the injury, Pat took the field, only to witness his team succumb to a blowout loss against the Bills.
Known for his composure, Mahomes faced a moment of frustration during the game, and his emotional outburst toward the referees resulted in a substantial $50,000 fine from the NFL.
Nevertheless, as the Chiefs unveiled their injury report for Week 15, Mahomes’ name was conspicuously absent, signaling a positive trajectory for his participation as the team’s starter.
This wasn’t the first time Mahomes found himself on the injury list, as his participation had been questionable before the showdown with the Denver Broncos. Unfortunately, fate dealt another disappointing blow to Mahomes and the Chiefs, snatching away his “two impressive records” over the Broncos in a night that didn’t unfold as planned.
Patriots vs Chiefs injury report
Both the Chiefs and Patriots have included eight players on their injury report for their clash on Sunday, December 17 at Gillette Stadium, according to Fox Sports.
For the Chiefs, Donovan Smith (neck) and running back Isiah Pacheco (shoulder) were absent from practice throughout the week, having sat out the Week 14 defeat against the Buffalo Bills. Both have been officially ruled out for Sunday’s game. Receiver Justin Ross, despite fully participating in practice, has also been ruled out, although the nature of his injury was not specified.
In contrast, safety Mike Edwards, linebacker Leo Chenal (illness), linebacker Nick Bolton (wrist/abdomen), linebacker Drue Tranquil (concussion), and safety L’Jarius Sneed (knee) were all full participants in Friday’s camp. However, their game status has not been updated as of now.
Turning to the Patriots, running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) has been declared out for the upcoming game after missing all practices this week. Several other players, including receiver Tyquan Thornton (hamstring), receiver Matthew Slater (NIR), linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (knee), receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle), and receiver DeVante Parker (knee), had limited participation in practice, and their game designation remains questionable.
Defensive lineman Christian Barmore (shoulder) and offensive lineman Trent Brown (hand) did not take part in Friday’s camp and are also listed as questionable for the game.
Patriots vs Chiefs H2H
The historic rivalry between the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs has spanned 39 encounters, blending regular season battles and playoff clashes. With a cumulative record of 16-20-3, the Patriots find themselves trailing the Chiefs, marking a 44.9% win rate for Kansas City in this enduring matchup.
In regular-season contests alone, the Patriots’ struggles persist, holding a 14-20-3 record against the Chiefs, reflecting a 41.9% win rate. The recent narrative further deepens as the Patriots currently grapple with a two-game losing streak against their formidable counterparts.
Notably, the Patriots once enjoyed a period of dominance, claiming a three-game winning streak from December 4, 2000, to November 22, 2004. However, recent history tells a different tale, with the Patriots suffering a 10-26 loss on the road in their last showdown with the Chiefs on October 5, 2020.
Analyzing their last five meetings, the Patriots emerge with a mixed bag of results, securing three wins against the Kansas City team. Despite this, New England has encountered challenges, being outscored by 6 points over the course of these recent matchups.
Do you think the Patriots can hand the KC team another nightmare amid rumors regarding Bill Belichick’s potential farewell?
