The Kansas City Chiefs watched as their star quarterback went down with an ankle injury early but still did enough to dispatch the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-20, in the Divisional Round on Saturday.
Patrick Mahomes took a hit to his right ankle towards the end of the first quarter and missed most of the second quarter having the injury treated, putting quarterbacking respoonsibilities on the shoulders of 37-year-old Chad Henne for a substantial amount of time against a spirited Jaguars team. Henne entered the game with his team up 10-7, and he immediately got to work in leading the Chiefs on a 98-yard drive to the end zone.
Henne's target on the scoring play was Travis Kelce, who had also scored the game's opening touchdown and went on to set a new playoff record for tight ends with 14 catches in the game. The Jaguars would then hit a field goal near the end of the half to send the teams to the locker rooms separated by seven points.
Mahomes then re-entered the game to start the second half with his ankle heavily wrapped up. The 27-year-old was nowhere near his best in terms of mobility, and with his scrambling ability all but nullified he still managed to lead his team to another field goal and touchdown. The Jaguars matched their hosts' output in the second half but it wasn't enough as the Chiefs were able to hold on for the victory.
With eight days until the AFC Championship, all eyes will be on Mahomes' ankle.
DAZN provided text commentary of Saturday's contest. Here's how it all happened.