Week 16 game preview: Chiefs aim to turn page against Titans after playoff elimination
Kansas City has been eliminated with three games remaining, opening the door for young players and roster evaluation.
The Kansas City Chiefs (6-8) will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014, and they were eliminated with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
The reality was not lost on head coach Andy Reid.
“I’m not happy about it,” Reid said. “Nor is anybody here. We strive for excellence; we try to do that every year. Things happen, though, in this league, and it’s a ton of parity, and sometimes you end up on the short end of it, and you’ve got to go back and look at things, and that can be healthy.”
It is truly shocking when you think about how emphatically the streak has come to an end. Since 2018, the Chiefs’ season has ended no earlier than overtime of an AFC Championship Game.
It is truly shocking when you think about how emphatically the streak has come to an end. Since 2018, the Chiefs’ season has ended no earlier than overtime of an AFC Championship Game.
Instead of jockeying for playoff position in Week 16, Kansas City heads to Nashville as a 3-point favorite against the 2-12 Tennessee Titans in a seemingly meaningless game.
“Listen, every game you go into can be Yahtzee if you want to win,” Reid said earlier this week. “We’re in America here, that’s what we do. You want to go in to play your best, and if the guys are available, they’re going to play.”
So, how do you find meaning in a meaningless game? Let’s dive in.
If some eyes are on 2026, there could be a few players who are in line for an uptick in playing time. That is especially true when you think about the myriad of injuries Kansas City has listed on the injury report.
After missing the last handful of games, right guard Jawaan Taylor has yet to practice this week. Others who will not play this week include linebacker Leo Chenal (shoulder), swing tackle Jaylon Moore (knee), cornerback Trent McDuffie (knee) and wide receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton, who are both in the league’s concussion protocol.
One could argue whether it is worth it to bring guard Trey Smith (ankle) at this point, but he has no game-day designation and appears good to go. Star defensive tackle Chris Jones (hamstring) has been limited so far this week, with an unspecified status.
All in all, the Chiefs have 18 players listed on the report with various degrees of severity, making way for players further down the depth chart.
“I know one thing about this team, that whoever is going to get the opportunity is going to step up and make the most out of it,” defensive end George Karlaftis said. “There’s guys that haven’t seen the field all year that are hungry. Guys that want to prove what they’re made of.”
Esa Pole and Chukwuebuka Godrick are in line for additional NFL experience, with Taylor and Moore settled as out for this week. Left guard Kinsgley Suamataia, center Creed Humphrey, and right guard Trey Smith should fill out the rest of the lineup, giving Minshew a solid nucleus from the interior.
In terms of the 2025 rookie class that you could see more of, wide receiver Jalen Royals, linebacker Jeffrey Bassa, and running back Brashard Smith seem like prime candidates for more volume.
Royals has played 3.64 percent of the offensive snaps this season, but with Thornton and Rice still in concussion protocol, he could potentially earn a heavy share. He was projected as a yards after the catch merchant coming out of the draft as a fourth-round pick. The Chiefs may want to see if backup quarterback Gardner Minshew can utilize that ability.
“Some of it’s a numbers thing for him, and it’s somewhat of a redshirt year in a way,” offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said. “ … Whether it’s these next three games or the future, it’s going to give some kids an opportunity to maybe get some more time that they wouldn’t have gotten, and it’s our job to see that and to give them those chances.”
Bassa, the Chiefs’ fifth-round pick, has seen just 13 defensive snaps in 14 games. He is more of a Drue Tanquill-type than he is a Chenal-type linebacker. Still, with Chenal out, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo may be able to find a place for him on the field, but gave solid reasoning to Bassa sitting out for the majority of the season up to this point.
“We haven’t seen any reason to pull the other guys out,” Spagnuolo said. “Hopefully, everybody stays healthy, and it doesn’t become an injury thing. But I have a lot of confidence in Jeff (Bassa). I was talking to him the other day. The growth process as a weakside linebacker is just in walkthroughs now. We haven’t seen him in a game, haven’t seen him since preseason, but I’m real hopeful for Jeff going forward.”
Brashard Smith has had the opportunity this season, but mainly as a receiving weapon. With 2025 going down the drain, Smith could get some run as an actual tailback. The same could be said for the newly signed Dameon Pierce, since featured backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are likely not pieces of the future.
Smith has carried the ball only 32 times, but many of which have come in garbage time with backup offensive linemen. He will still be behind a backup offensive line this week, but if he is a more featured part of the gameplan, he may find more success. Pierce, still on the practice squad, would be a fun gameday call-up after rushing for 1,674 yards in 20 career starts with the Houston Texans over three years and some change.
Rookie defenders in defensive end Ashton Gillotte and cornerback Nohl Williams have already seen a massive increase in snap counts, and the Chiefs’ being eliminated should only improve that even further. Left tackle Josh Simmons (wrist) is likely done for the season, and defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott (knee) for sure is, rounding out the seven recent draft picks.
Gillotte, who hauled in his first career interception last week, is the one Spagnuolo is excited to see more of in the final three games.
“I think he’s on a great trajectory as far as what you want to get out of a rookie, a young guy,” Spagnuolo said. “ … I’d like to get him more in these next three games because I think he can do some things for us, but I’m real happy with what he’s done so far.”
Safety Bryan Cook (shoulder) has been a full participant this week, but is listed on the injury report. The impending free agent center fielder of the defense may well end up being good to go, but it would be wise to see what the team has in second-year safety Jaden Hicks in a full-time role.
The most significant development following last week’s elimination was that franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ season is finished after damage to his ACL and LCL. Minshew, who threw a game-costing interception in the final minute of the Week 15 matchup, will take it over from here.
The games may not mean anything, and it may actually behoove the Chiefs to lose to improve their draft position, but Minshew will play a key role in the development of the youth movement. Over these next three weeks, he can prove he is the man to be Mahomes’ backup in 2026, a season of which it is no guarantee the six-time Pro Bowler will be able to start on time.
“I’ve got a ton of confidence in Gardner (Minshew),” Reid said. “I’ve watched him play with these other teams. He’s started in the league. Our guys have confidence in him.”
As far as the matchup itself goes, the Titans are about as lowly as they come. They had lost seven in a row before beating the Browns two weeks ago, and won one of their last 18 before that.
Quarterback Cam Ward, the 2025 first overall pick, has struggled to start his career, surrounded by a roster with plenty of holes. He is 19th in the NFL in passing and has thrown just 11 touchdowns to seven interceptions.
His top three receivers are Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, and Van Jefferson, to his defense. Tight end Chig Okonkwo has the most receiving yards on the team with 459.
Seasoned running back Tony Pollard, who has a shot at his fourth-straight 1,000-yard season, is the bright spot of their offense. Both he and backup Tyjae Spears are averaging over 4.2 yards per carry.
That said, whether it is points, passing yards, or rushing, Tennessee ranks 30th or worse in all of those offensive categories. If Kansas City’s defense can stop the run, they should have a pretty good day in Nashville, forcing Ward and the offense to be one-dimensional.
The scary thing for the Chiefs and their banged-up offensive line is that the Titans’ brightest spot is their defensive line, by far. Jeffrey Simmons is still a star, racking up nine sacks from the interior this season. Arden Key and Jihad Ward are proven veterans along the edge, and Sebastian Joseph-Day plus T’Vondre Sweat fill out a fairly potent interior defensive line.
“They’re playing good football,” Reid said. “Particularly on that defensive side with that defensive front. It’s another week that I’m telling you this, but they’ve got a heck of a defensive front.”
They are in the top half of the league in sacks, but they do allow over 28 points per game, so they can be had nonetheless. They are the NFL’s eighth-worst pass defense. Minshew’s experience should afford him a decent day if he gets the ball out quickly, which is his forte.
There may not be much to root for on this noon slate, but the Chiefs will turn their focus to finishing the season and getting some potential young pieces ready for a showcase.
Quarterback Gardner Minshew said the focus has quickly shifted to moving forward after a challenging week.
“A quick turnaround from a very emotional game and obviously the situation with Pat’s (Mahomes) situation and our playoff picture,” Minshew said. “But you know what, you are where you’re at, and we have to turn this thing around and go get a win this week.”
Key game details
Location: Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee
Date: Sunday, Dec. 21
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. CT
TV/Streaming: CBS
Broadcasters: Kevin Harlan and Trent Green
Radio: 96.5 The Fan
Head Referee: Clete Blakeman
Betting Line: Chiefs -3 | Moneyline: -180 | Over/Under: 37.5
Weather Forecast: Partly cloudy, low of 43°, winds 5-10 mph, 4% chance of rain