Reigning Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) Patrick Mahomes will be required to pass the NFL’s concussion protocol to play in this weekend’s AFC Conference Championship against Buffalo.
Key points:
- Kansas City will play the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game after the Chiefs defeated Cleveland 22-17
- Tampa Bay will play Green Bay in the NFC Championship after the Buccaneers defeated New Orleans 30-20
- Patrick Mahomes is expected to face the NFL’s concussion protocol after being forced from the field
Mahomes suffered the head knock in the third quarter of Kansas City’s win over the Cleveland Browns, putting his status for this weekend’s game in question.
He had been shredding the Browns most of the game, completing 21 of 30 passes for 255 yards with touchdowns on the ground and through the air and helping the Chiefs take a 19-3 lead at halftime.
They still led 19-10 after Baker Mayfield’s touchdown pass to Jarvis Landry early in the third quarter, and were on the move again near midfield.
But on third-and-1, the Chiefs decided to run an option play toward their sideline and Mahomes elected to keep the ball, ducking for the first-down yardage just as Browns linebacker Mack Wilson got him around the head.
Mahomes remained crumpled on the turf afterwards.
When he tried getting to his feet, his leg buckled and Mahomes nearly went down again.
It took the training staff to help him get to the blue tent on the sideline, and he emerged from that a few minutes later and jogged to the locker room.
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In a matter of minutes, he had been ruled out with a concussion.
Mahomes had enough wits about him after the concussion to get a rather clever hashtag trending on Twitter.
“HenneThingIsPossible,” it read.
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It was a reference to his backup, Chad Henne, who came on when Mahomes got hurt midway through the third quarter Sunday.
Henne pulled off two edge-of-your seat plays in the closing minutes, scrambling for 13 yards on third-and-14 before a fourth-down completion to Tyreek Hill, which allowed the Chiefs to run out the clock and preserve a 22-17 victory.
Mahomes faces concussion tests
Now, the question is whether Mahomes will be cleared to play the Bills in the AFC title game next Sunday.
He will have to pass the five-step concussion protocol mandated by the National Football League for head injuries in order to take the field.
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If he doesn’t, the defending NFL champion Chiefs — who posted a league best record of 15-2 in the regular season — will go from Super Bowl favourites to underdogs against the Bills.
“He’s doing great right now, which is a real positive as we look at this. He passed all the deals he needed to pass and we’ll see where it goes from here,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the game.
“I just talked to him and he’s doing good. We’ll see how he is tomorrow, but right now he’s feeling good.”
The concussion protocol mandates rest and recovery before increasing aerobic exercise, with players cleared only after cognitive and balance tests as well as an examination from an independent consultant.
Buccaneers to face Packers, as Brees ponders retirement
While the NFL sweats on the status of one of the game’s young superstar quarterbacks, two of the greatest quarterbacks of their generation will face off on Sunday following Tampa Bay’s 30-20 defeat of New Orleans.
Tom Brady booked a date with Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers in the NFC Conference Championship by besting Brees and the Saints, despite New Orleans having beaten the Buccaneers twice in the regular season.
Over the course of their respective historic careers, Brees’ team had beaten Brady’s team in five of seven meetings.
But on Sunday, Brady threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third score as Brees threw three interceptions.
“I think our defence was the key to the game,” Brady said after the game.
“We were going up against a really good defence, and they challenged us. Their defence played really well, but our defence really balled and got the turnovers that we needed.
“We locked in and played a lot better than we did the first two games. The last times we played them, we had a lot of turnovers, and today they had the turnovers. That’s usually the story of football games.”
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Brees, who turned 42 on Friday, very nearly retired after last season and might have played his last game Sunday.
“I’m going to give myself an opportunity to think about the season,” Brees said. “I’m going to think about a lot of things just like I did last year. I have no complaints, and I have no regrets.”
Rodgers and Brady will face against each other in the NFC Conference Championship for the first time, after Brady moved to Tampa Bay from the perennial AFC title threat New England Patriots in the offseason.
Brady is only one win away from another Super Bowl appearance and only two wins from claiming his seventh title ring.
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