Week 15 injuries showcase the fragility of the NFL
By Andy Davies
Week 15 is one of the most crucial weeks of any NFL regular season. With Thanksgiving games done and dusted, it is officially the business end of the season, further defining the phrase every game matters.
The NFL is a short season in comparison to the majority of other sports in the world. Two straight losses in a baseball season is largely inconsequential, as it is in basketball and ice hockey. You can lose back-to-back games in a football league campaign and still go on to win the title.
You can be high flying the NFL. Everything will be going exactly to plan. However, back-to-back losses can cost you the number one seed, or winning your division. This is why every game matters. With injuries to Patrick Mahomes, Micah Parsons and Davante Adams on Sunday, the NFL has once again shown the fragility of the league and how you should never take anything for granted
Chiefs eliminated from playoff contention; could face further issues.
On February 11th 2024, The Kansas City Chiefs were flying high.
Under the confetti in Las Vegas, they were celebrating an overtime win against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. This the team their fourth Lombardi Trophy in their history, their second in as many seasons and third in the past five seasons.
The Chiefs dynasty was in full flow and they reached another Super Bowl in the following 2024 season. This had them one game away from achieving immortality by becoming the first team in the Super Bowl era to win a coveted three peat, despite being one of four teams in the league in 2024 to not scored 30 or more points in any regular season game.
You would not excuse Chiefs fans, especially the newer group, for getting complacent.
The Chiefs were embarrassed by the Philadelphia Eagles, the 40-22 scoreline being generous given that it was 40-6 in favour of Philly with three minutes left of the fourth quarter game clock
2025 has seen the Chiefs regress further, but without their usual cloak of invincibility. An offensive line struggling with injuries to the starters turning the problem into a full-blown crisis had a big say in the team’s decline.
Mahomes has not been his usual self, tight end Travis Kelce has been way off his usual standards with retirement looking more and more likely, and the wide receivers have struggled to perform.
In their 16-13 defeat at the hands of the Chargers, this officially ruled the Chiefs out of playoff contention, thanks to wins for the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans. This marks the first time since 2014 that the Chiefs have missed the playoffs, and the first in the Mahomes and Andy Reid era, a star contrast for a quarterback who had previously not been eliminated as a starter prior to the AFC Championship.
With the Chiefs facing the Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos in their final three games currently holding a 6-8 record, there is potential that with Gardner Minshew under centre, that they have their first losing season since 2012.
Mahomes’ injury is unclear in terms of when his return to the field will be. This could impact the Chiefs’ 2026 season, another example of the fragility of the NFL.
Micah Parsons momentum halted
Nothing defines the fragility of the NFL like Micah Parsons’ season ending injury on Sunday.
During a loss to the Denver Broncos on the weekend, Parsons went down after pass rushing quarterback Bo Nix.
Like Mahomes, Parsons is also confirmed to be out for the season through an ACL injury. This also brings doubt into his return for the 2026 campaign.
It goes without saying, length time on the sidelines for Mahomes in the 2026 season would hurt the Chiefs more than it would for the Green Bay Packers without Parsons.
Prior to the Parsons trade, the Packers were still seen as a playoff contender. However, the addition of the defensive star turned the team into Super Bowl contenders.
Only the Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett (21.5) and the New York Giants’ Brian Burns (13) have recorded more sacks than the 12.5 recorded by Parsons this season and the team ranked eighth against both the pass and the run.
Parsons; introduction has also allowed others to flourish on the defensive side of the ball for Green Bay. Now he is sidelined, it is hard to see this unit having the same impact.
Not only is it damaging for their Super Bowl hopes, but also their hopes of winning the NFC North or even making the playoffs
The Packers are just one win behind the Chicago Bears in the NFC North but are two wins clear of the Detroit Lions.
With a game on the road to the Bears on Sunday, this will be the making or breaking of their division hopes. A win, and they would go top of the NFC North with two games remaining and have the tiebreaker over Chicago. A loss, and they would be 9-5-1 with Ben Johnson’s side 11-4. It would also give the chance the Lions to go one game behind them as the offseason favourites for the division look to make it in despite a season of struggles without Johnson and fellow ex-coordinator Aaron Glenn.
The Lions have shown what the loss of one person can do to a team and the Packers may just learn the same thing now that Parsons is done for the year.
Will Davante Adams return for the playoffs?
Another injury picked up on Sunday was for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams.
A far less serious injury, Adams is expected to be back for the playoffs, but will he be the same player?
Whilst they had a longer time off the field, running back Derrick Henry was not the same after he returned for the number one seed Tennessee Titans in the 2021 season as they embarked upon the postseason.
It felt like Henry was forced back and the Rams will not want to rush back one of their best performers this season.
As the WR2 behind Puka Nacua, Adams has recorded 789 yards and 14 touchdowns with an average of 13.1 yards per reception.
His touchdown total of 14 ranks number in the entire NFL so far this season and even scored a hattrick at Wembley as the Rams comfortably beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 35-7 win in London.
Should he come back from his injury setback and continue where he left off, then the Rams should keep their title of Super Bowl favourites. However, if you remove a second option for quarterback Matthew Stafford such as Adams, then it becomes more difficult task for Sean McVay’s team to win their third Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
This would once again show how NFL teams and their fans should never take anything for granted as one injury setback can completely turn a season on its head.
The NFL is sometimes jokingly nicknamed Not For Long, which can be a motto used for team’s hopes for the season should they receive any injury setbacks in their Super Bowl window.
ANDY DAVIES
NFL ANALYST
ANDY IS A SPORTS JOURNALISM GRADUATE WITH OVER FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE OF NFL WRITING AND PODCASTING. ANDY HAS BEEN TO EVERY NFL STADIUM AND IS THE HOST OF THE ACROSS THE POD PODCAST. HE HAS PRESS PASS EXPERIENCE AT THE LONDON GAMES AND MANY OTHER NFL BASED EVENTS SUCH AS THE SUPER BOWL, HAVING INTERVIEWED THE LIKES OF AARON RODGERS, justin jefferson, JASON BELL, OSI UMENYIORA, PATRICK MAHOMES, TRAVIS KELCE, DERRICK HENRY, SAQUON BARKLEY AND JALEN HURTS.