NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center:Is Patrick Mahomes playing in Chiefs' Week 18 game? Kansas City to sit QB for finale

Week 18’s Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers game will feature backup quarterbacks.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid announced Wednesday that Patrick Mahomes won’t play Sunday versus the Chargers,NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center and Blaine Gabbert will get the start at quarterback. Reid also indicated that reserves at various positions will get snaps in Los Angeles.

"(Patrick Mahomes) won’t play," Reid told reporters. "Blaine (Gabbert) will take over at that spot and we’ll rotate the other guys in as we go."

Backup QB Easton Stick is slated to start again for the Chargers with Justin Herbert out for the season.

Why Patrick Mahomes won’t play in Week 18?

The Chiefs have nothing to play for.

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The Chiefs won their eighth straight AFC West title last week and have the AFC’s No. 3 seed already locked up. The result of Sunday’s game won’t impact their playoff standing.

Reid’s choice to sit the reigning MVP and two-time Super Bowl champion isn’t surprising. But the inconsistency of Kansas City’s offense this year might’ve made Reid’s decision a little more difficult. The Chiefs have lost three of their last five games and the offense’s 356 yards per game average is the lowest since Mahomes took over as starter in 2018. While the wide receiving corps has struggled with drops and creating consistent separation. Rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice is the Chiefs' only wide receiver with over 30 catches.

Mahomes’ regular season ends with 4,183 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 16 starts. It’s the star quarterback’s lowest passing yards and touchdowns output since 2019. His 14 interceptions are a single-season career high.

Who will the Chiefs face in the playoffs?

The Chiefs will host the AFC’s No. 6 seed in the first round of this year’s playoffs.