Chiefs on Verge of Risky Week 18 Decision to Please Team Veterans
The Kansas City Chiefs locked up the No.1 seed in Week 17 with a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. As a result, fans and analysts assumed the Chiefs would rest their starters for the entire game in Week 18. Yet, that doesn't seem to be the plan.
During his press conference Wednesday, Andy Reid told reporters that starters who can reach achievable streaks, milestones, and contract incentives will be taken into account for Sunday's game, according to Charles Goldman of A to Z sports.
#Chiefs HC Andy Reid confirmed on Wednesday that the team will take achievable streaks, milestones, and contract incentives into account during Week 18 against the Broncos. That means at least two starters should see some action on Sunday. https://t.co/vngSPlXdms pic.twitter.com/0wbKEy1U0U
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) January 2, 2025
Is it a mistake for the Chiefs to allow starters any playing time in Week 18?
Reid and the Chiefs are providing the slightest possibility for certain starters to play in Week 18, which is problematic. As the Chiefs and their fans have figured out this season, injuries are possible at any moment. For instance, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown suffered an injury that kept him out till Week 16 after one snap in the preseason.
Additionally, Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles after just three snaps in the first game of the 2023 season. Everyone understands that football is a violent sport, and that is why providing even limited snaps for starters in Week 18 is risky.
Two notable starters for the Chiefs that this playing time could apply for are Creed Humphrey and DeAndre Hopkins. Humphrey has a consecutive start streak to continue, but he only needs to start the game and take one snap. Therefore, there's not much risk involved with this one.
Hopkins, on the other hand, needs to earn a $250,000 contract incentive on a touchdown and could earn up to $750,000 from other incentives. Playing Hopkins is more risky, given how unpredictable touchdown output can be. Even if the Chiefs try to force Hopkins to get a touchdown, he still might not get it.
Given those circumstances, it might be smart to just sit Hopkins so he doesn't suffer an injury. If the Chiefs were to lose Hopkins before the playoffs, it would leave a decent hole in their receiving corps.
With that being said, it will be interesting to see what the Chiefs end up doing on Sunday.
More Kansas City Chiefs News:
feed