David Chao, MD
2 min read • January 23, 2023
Posted in
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II helped the Chiefs advance to their fifth straight AFC Championship, but suffered a right ankle injury in Saturday's win.
By video, Mahomes suffered a mild-to-moderate high ankle sprain when his right leg was landed on by Jaguars defender Arden Key with just under 2 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Mahomes finished the drive, but backup Chad Henne played the rest of the half – extending the lead with a 98-yard touchdown drive.
The 5-time Pro Bowler returned after receiving X-rays and getting his right ankle taped, going 12 of 18 for 118 yards and a touchdown in the second half.
He had 9 total rushing yards in the game, with 5 on one rush in the first half and 4 on one rush in the second half.
While Mahomes was clearly hobbled in the second half, he was still able to play effectively.
That may be, in part, because of his propensity to throw off balance even when healthy, according to the Pro Football Docs.
The main effect will likely be limited mobility in the pocket, potentially leaving him vulnerable to the pass rush.
With that, the AFC championship may come down to how much pass rushers Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard can bother Mahomes in the pocket.
Hendrickson led the Bengals with 8 sacks during the regular season, while Hubbard was second on the team with 6.5.
They also led the team in QB hits with 24 and 22, respectively.
The Chiefs are favored by 1.5 points at home against Cincinnati and the over/under is 47.5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Kansas City is +240 to win Super Bowl LVII, while the Bengals are +250.
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Written by David Chao, MD
