The Kansas City Chiefs prepare to host the Chargers on a short week, which means cramming two days of study into one.
Listening to Patrick Mahomes or Andy Reid describe the preparation for Week 15 sounds a bit like a student around finals. Terms like “cramming’ came up for the Kansas City Chiefs when talking to the media on Monday, just hours after the team capped an emotional and exhausting overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Typically the Chiefs would have seven or so days to rest and recover, prepare and practice. This week, they only have three full days before there’s another official game day. Thursday Night Football is the National Football League’s attempt to grab more ratings by ruling another night of the week for fan’s attention, and this week is an extra special game for both teams involved—since both the Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers are jostling for position at the top of the AFC West and even the entire conference.
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The Chiefs come into the game at 11-2 and sitting atop the entire AFC for the top seed heading into the last three games of the year. They’re in the driver’s seat for not only a first-round bye but home field advantage during the most important time of the year. That said, they still have to face the Chargers, who are a game behind at 10-3 and then stave off further competition against the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. The Chargers face the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens after Thursday’s game.
Given the short week, it’s safe to say the players don’t really get much time off between games. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes says the days are about 12 hours of film study on both Monday and Tuesday plus attending to workout regimens, practice time, training sessions, etc.
"“You really just have to come into work every single day even more. [Monday], you’re here from about nine to nine, just to make sure that you get two days’ worth of film and game-planning in,” said Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes. “It’s the same thing [on Tuesday]. You want to make sure you’re just as prepared as you would be for a Sunday game.”"
In addition, what makes it tough is that players who are nicked up won’t have any real time to heal. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill‘s ankle was hurting after the game on Sunday and he also left briefly with a wrist injury. Left guard Cam Erving left and never returned with a knee injury. Running back Spencer Ware also left and returned due to injury and those are just the ones we know about.
Fortunately for the Chiefs, they are in the driver’s seat in both the standings and by playing a home game. If there’s any real comfort, it can also be found in the fact that the Chiefs will have a few extra days off after the game—about a 10-day window until they play again in Week 16 in Seattle.
Here’s hoping the team’s exhaustive efforts to turn right around and play again at Arrowhead are rewarded and that there’s no real long-term damage to any player on either team in the process.