The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ determination to relaxation their starters of their Week 18 matchup in opposition to the Denver Broncos has sparked debate throughout the NFL.
Although the transfer appears logical on paper — the Chiefs don’t have anything to achieve with the No. 1 seed within the AFC locked up — some analysts imagine this conservative strategy may come again to hang-out them.
Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms has been notably vocal concerning the dangers concerned.
Whereas he understands the logic behind resting Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones, Simms strongly disagrees with holding out extra of the roster for the ultimate common season recreation.
“They’re gonna go three and a half weeks with out significant soccer, a significant soccer recreation. That’s scary. That’s a recipe for getting upset within the divisional spherical. That’s what occurs,” Simms mentioned, by way of the “Dan Le Batard Present with Stugotz.”
“The best way it units up proper now… They will go three and a half weeks with out significant soccer. That is scary. That is a recipe for getting upset within the divisional spherical.” @CSimmsQB on why the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs resting gamers could also be a mistake.
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— Dan Le Batard Present with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) January 3, 2025
His considerations stem from the rust issue that might set in throughout an prolonged break.
Simms drew consideration to a cautionary story from the previous, pointing to the Baltimore Ravens’ playoff upset loss to the Tennessee Titans after sitting their starters for 2 weeks.
Regardless of the Chiefs’ dominant place, they might discover themselves weak to an identical destiny in the event that they don’t preserve their aggressive rhythm.
Simms additionally referenced the New England Patriots’ historic strategy, suggesting that utilizing core gamers for substantial parts of ultimate common season video games helped maintain the group sharp for its playoff runs.
It’s a method that contrasts sharply with Kansas Metropolis’s present plan.
The state of affairs presents a basic risk-reward situation. Whereas resting gamers may shield stars from harm, the prolonged break from aggressive play may disrupt momentum.
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