Big Injuries Hit NFL in Week 15 – Including Patrick Mahomes, Micah Parsons

Week 15 in the NFL not only eliminated the Kansas City Chiefs from a playoff spot, but also saw quarterback Patrick Mahomes sustain a season-ending injury.

The three-time Super Bowl champion suffered a torn left ACL in a 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The team is now weighing options on the next move.

“Patrick and the club are currently exploring surgical options,” the team said in a statement.

The loss snapped a 10-season playoff streak. The franchise had appeared in five of the last six Super Bowls, winning three of those. NFL futures bettors who booked a wager on the team winning another championship will now have to seek other options.

Other Injuries Hit Frontrunners

A few other injuries stood out in Week 15. Green Bay defensive lineman Micah Parsons also was dealt an ACL injury on Sunday in a 34-26 loss to the Broncos.

Parsons was traded from the Cowboys before the season began and had helped the Packers become one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl.

He’s now expected to be out for the remainder of the season and will make that shot at a title a bit more difficult for Green Bay. He had been fourth in the league in sacks at 12.5 and also had two forced fumbles and 41 tackles.

The Rams also were also hit by the injury bug. Wide receiver Davante Adams suffered a hamstring injury in the team’s 41-34 victory over the Lions. He was at least able to walk off the field and to the locker room under his own power.

Adams entered Week 15 with 56 catches, 718 yards, and 14 touchdowns. Any missed time could be a setback for the Rams, but the team has at least virtually locked up a playoff spot and can rest the star pass catcher for a couple weeks if needed.

The Rams are now the betting odds favorite to win the Super Bowl at +350. Team officials are hopeful that Adams will be back soon, but is possibly out at least for Thursday’s matchup on the road against the Seahawks.

“He was optimistic. He knows his body really well,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “We’ll see what that means. I can’t imagine that’s good for Thursday with just the short amount of time, but I certainly wouldn’t rule him out quite yet. But it didn’t look good.”

A Look at the Playoffs

With three weeks remaining in the season, the playoffs are now a lot less murkier. In the AFC, the Broncos have now locked up a playoff spot. The Patriots, Bills, and Jaguars all now have more than a 98% shot at the postseason, with the Texans and Chargers also checking in at 95%, according to ESPN.

The Steelers have the most tenuous spot at 7-6 and a 55% chance. The Ravens have the most likely possibility to leapfrog the Steelers and are at 45%. The two teams meet in a huge matchup in the final week of the season that could decide the issue, depending on how things play out.

The NFC playoff positioning isn’t quite as solid, but most teams sitting in a nice spot now are certainly in the driver’s seat. The Rams, Eagles, Seahawks, and 49ers all stand at 98% or higher.

The Packers are also a 90% favorite to get in, with the Bears and Buccaneers both standing at 75%. The Buccaneers appear to be reeling, but a Panthers loss to the Saints still has Tampa in a prime position. The Lions still have a 37% chance to move on and the Panthers are down to 25%.