The Kansas City Chiefs got out of Cleveland with a 21-7 win but it came at a cost. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter and couldn't finish the game.
After the game, head coach Andy Reid delivered some positive news. There was no fracture and Mahomes could have gone back into the game if needed. The team opted to play it safe and let Carson Wentz close out the victory.
It's understandable not to risk Mahomes after seeing him get hit like this:
Patrick Mahomes limps off after getting tangled up on a failed 4th down pic.twitter.com/WnIgmsscfN
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 15, 2024
However, a whole lot of Chiefs fans wanted to know why Reid and company weren't more cautious with Mahomes before he took that hit.
Kansas City was up by 14 at the half and early in the third quarter they took a 21-point lead. All they had to do was give the ball to the running backs and kill the clock. Instead, Reid and Matt Nagy dialed up 18 second-half pass attempts. There were two three-and-outs in the third quarter featuring six Mahomes incompletions.
Chiefs fans rant at Andy Reid over risk-taking with Patrick Mahomes
Andy Reid should be held to account after this game. just complete malpractice.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) December 15, 2024
One of the more stupefying ways to play a second half I've ever seen, and now Mahomes is hurt
Andy Reid is doing that thing again where he forgets to run the ball…it’s even more frustrating while up two scores.
— DMac Wake (@DMacWake316) December 15, 2024
Andy Reid would rather get Mahomes killed than run the ball with Pacheco
— Josh Allanson (@josh_allanson) December 15, 2024
Andy Reid is a terrorist. Up two scores with no real left tackle against Myles Garrett and you keep passing the ball.
— HollywoodYuji 🏹💥 (@TonyIsNotWorthy) December 15, 2024
This is how we blew games in the past
He hasn’t fucking learned
This is likely the worst Andy Reid performance in the Mahomes’ era.
— DJ Jazzy Juris Doctor 2.0 (@ChiefsfanCHI23) December 15, 2024
Andy Reid with a 2 score lead pic.twitter.com/FwO9bg4YlH
— Powellite (@PowelliteSZN) December 15, 2024
Those fans make some good points, especially when you consider the stats. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Mahomes was pressured 54 percent of the time at on point against the Browns.
Andy Reid is insane for continuing to pass https://t.co/xPVpkIy0gr
— connor (@TRAVlSKELCE) December 15, 2024
We've known for a while that the Chiefs have a pass protection issue. They can't figure out how to keep Mahomes' jersey clean, and that's true even when they're not playing Myles Garrett.
When your tackles are an issue in pass pro, the best way to deal with that is to run the ball. Sometimes, teams don't have that luxury whether because they're trailing or just don't have a running back worth handing the ball off to. That's what's got Chiefs fans so angry this week. They had a two touchdown lead over a team that turned the ball over four times. And they had Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt available.
Mahomes is day-to-day so Reid got lucky this time. Unless something new is learned, this injury shouldn't slow down Mahomes too much. Still, setting your quarterback to get hit the way Mahomes gets hit on a game-by-game basis eventually has consequences.