Patricks Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL when healthy. And he’s still pretty damn good when not healthy.
But he’s currently not healthy, at least not fully healthy. Mahomes has a lingering ankle injury.
James Palmer of NFL Network suggests that the injury is worse than people realize. Palmer, who was present for the games in Week One, Week Five, and Week Six during which the ankle was injured and then aggravated, said that opposing defenses began to use more man-to-man coverage after Mahomes became hobbled.
And he’s clearly a different player when hobbled. He’s still extremely good, he’s just not full-blown Mahomes.
Complicating matters for the Chiefs is that Mahomes has had only four days between the most recent aggravation of the ankle to prepare for Thursday night’s game against the Broncos in Denver.
It’s enough to make the upset attractive. For the picks in tonight’s game from Simms and me, check out the attached clip from Thursday’s joint #PFTPM/Unbuttoned podcast.