Oh, Nelly! The Chiefs got blanked—38-0—by the Broncos in a blowout that had fans reaching for the remote. If the blowout loss wasn’t enough, football fans had a field day upon realizing that CBS had pulled from broadcasting the game as early as the third quarter for a “more competitive” one and started playing the Chargers-Raiders faceoff instead! But hey, no one’s hitting the panic button; this one was expected. Even if backup QB Carson Wentz had other ideas before kickoff. “I want to play well… Get a win. That’s the goal,” he said. Bold talk, Chief.

You’d think after the Chiefs paid a cool $3.3M for his role in week 18, Wentz, who had a 99.8 passer rating in leading the Rams for a regular-season-ending game last season against the playoff contender 49ers, might have hit the nail… Unfortunately, the Bismarck native wrapped up at the Empower Field with 98 yards, 4 sacks, and a one-way ticket out of Denver on his mind. Yikes! Plus, the weather wasn’t just a backdrop; it turned into a full-on antagonist for Wentz and the Chiefs.

Postgame, the team, who already were bogged down by bad weather after spending about four hours stranded on the tarmac owing to icy conditions and mechanical issues with their chartered airplane at the Kansas City International Airport, couldn’t even leave Denver. As Wentz put it during the presser, “I don’t fully know the schedule yet, to be honest. I’m excited to find that out. I know we can’t leave town yet, tonight. Unfortunately, the blizzard’s all across the Midwest.

“But I think we’ll get a little time to rest, recover, and all that stuff. But I know we’ll kind of get geared up for next week, and try and do something special as a team. Today, obviously, was not great but we know what’s ahead of us as a team. Pat, everybody, all the starters… So, mindset is on that.” Tough break, right? But here’s the thing—it wasn’t exactly a surprise.

It turns out that the delayed travel plans were on the team’s radar before kickoff. CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson addressed pregame: “Kansas City has to stay overnight in Denver because of weather issues in KC. Eight inches of snow have already fallen, and they’re expecting up to 12 inches. There’s two inches of ice underneath the snow, and the airport is closed.” So, what’s the latest?

Unlike routine travel that would dictate the team to be back home after the game, they will stay in Denver overnight and are scheduled to leave for Kansas City on Monday morning. Thankfully, the travel drama won’t derail their postseason prep, thanks to that first-round bye, which means they won’t play until the AFC Divisional Round in a game on Jan. 18 or 19 comes as a blessing in disguise.

To make things worse, getting to Denver wasn’t a cakewalk either. Winter storms wreaked havoc at Kansas City International, grounding flights left and right. And when the Chiefs tried to leave early, mechanical issues with their charter flight said, “Not today.” Talk about a rough start to an already icy showdown.

After a brutal end to the regular season, Wentz isn’t ready to hang his head. He’s still banking on Mahomes and the squad to flip the script come playoff time.

Carson Wentz reveals Patrick Mahomes and Co.’s mindset

The Chiefs’ final regular-season game in Denver? Let’s just say it was more ‘trial run’ than ‘showdown’. With a 38-0 loss to the Broncos, it was clear Kansas City’s backups aren’t playoff material. But does anyone care? Not really. The starters, led by Patrick Mahomes, were on the sidelines, soaking up their well-earned rest. After all, Andy Reid had the No. 1 seed locked up, and the team’s focus is on a record third straight Lombardi Trophy. Priorities, right?

Backup QB Carson Wentz summed it up best: “Patrick and everybody, all the starters, know what’s ahead of us… where we’re trying to go, and what we’re capable of doing.” In case you’re wondering, yes, the Chiefs know exactly what’s at stake.

The mindset is clear: laser-focused on the playoffs. And with a first-round bye, they’ve got time to heal up and fine-tune. Chris Jones (calf), Isiah Pacheco (ribs), and a few others are on the mend, giving Kansas City’s loaded roster even more firepower heading into January.

Sunday’s disaster wasn’t without its silver linings. No major injuries and the starters got a mental breather. Plus, it highlighted how stacked the Chiefs’ first string is compared to their backups. The drop-off? Let’s just say it was eye-opening.

As for Wentz’s shaky performance? We’ll cut him some slack. With Mahomes at the helm, Wentz’s job is to hold the clipboard, not the offense. Now, all eyes are on who Kansas City will face in the divisional round. Arrowhead’s about to get loud.