Mahomes looks close to returning
Patrick Mahomes, who has missed the Chiefs’ last two games with a dislocated right kneecap, is closer to returning to action.
Mahomes put in a full practice Wednesday, according to the official injury report, marking the first time the starting quarterback has been able to get in a complete workload since suffering the injury in Week 7. He participated on a limited basis the last two weeks before not playing in the last two games.
Wednesday proved a big step after coach Andy Reid said earlier in the day that Mahomes would get pushed a little more in practice this week.
“Patrick is going to practice today,” Reid said. “I can’t give you an answer how much. I think it’s going to be day to day, and see how he handles it. He didn’t take a ton of reps last week. So we’ll try to increase him more a little bit and see how it works out.
“He obviously wants to play. That’s him. He wanted to play 20 minutes after it happened.”
“It” happened in the first half of the Chiefs’ win over the Broncos on Oct. 17. Mahomes suffered the injury while picking up a first down on a sneak.
Backup Matt Moore entered the game in relief and has taken every snap since then. He has completed 64.8% of his passes for 569 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. The Chiefs beat the Broncos that day and have since lost a close game to the Packers and beaten the Vikings.
The Chiefs visit the Titans on Sunday.
Cooks out with concussion: Rams receiver Brandin Cooks won’t play Sunday against the Steelers while he seeks further medical help for his second concussion in a month.
It’s at least his fifth concussion during his six-year NFL career.
Cooks was hurt Oct. 27 during the Rams’ win over the Bengals in London, and he hasn’t cleared the concussion protocol. He flew to Pittsburgh on Wednesday for the second time since his latest injury to meet with specialists.
“There’s no setbacks or anything like that,” McVay said. “It’s all moving in the right direction, but you can’t be smart enough with the human being, more than anything, with something like this. That’s the precautionary measures we’re taking, and he feels good about it.”
Cooks first went into the concussion protocol this season during the Rams’ loss to the Seahawks on Oct. 3 after a hit from safety Tedric Thompson. Cooks returned swiftly from that injury, but McVay says the Rams are being cautious.
Cooks has 27 receptions for 402 yards and a TD in eight games this season.
Jets feel good about Bell: Running back Le’Veon Bell sat out practice with ankle and knee soreness, but an MRI taken Tuesday revealed no structural damage and the Jets are optimistic he will play Sunday against the Giants.
Bell was hurt late during the Jets’ loss to the Dolphins last weekend but finished the game.
The three-time Pro Bowler is off to a sluggish start in his first season with the Jets, averaging a career-low 3.3 yards per carry. But he ranks second on the team with 40 receptions.
Extra points: Cardinals RB David Johnson said Wednesday that he’s “definitely playing” Sunday against the Buccaneers left after missing the last two games with an ankle injury. ... With WR DeSean Jackson out for the rest of the regular season with a torn abdominal muscle that requires surgery, the Eagles re-signed veteran Jordan Matthews. Matthews, 27, previously played for the Eagles from 2014-16 and again in 2018. ... Police in the Dallas suburb of Frisco announced that Cowboys DL Daniel Ross was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana and unlawful carrying of a weapon Wednesday morning. Ross, 26, is on IR with a shoulder injury.