Triad of Challenges: Navigating an 11-Day Gauntlet for Four Teams

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes clearly recalls his response seven months ago when the NFL unveiled the 2024 schedule, revealing a taxing December phase that included three games within 11 days.

“Not a pleasant feeling,” Mahomes noted.

While attention should be directed toward the Chiefs aiming for the NFL’s inaugural Super Bowl three-peat, Kansas City alongside three additional AFC playoff hopefuls—the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, and Pittsburgh Steelers—encounters a challenge nearly as rare. Since 1933, an NFL team has only played three games in 11 days during December once: the 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars.

“You never want to compete in this many games in such a brief period,” Mahomes expressed. “It’s simply not beneficial for your body. Nevertheless, ultimately, it’s your profession, your job. You must arrive and fulfill it.”

An instance of three games in 11 days has not transpired from 2019 to 2023. This season, four teams have already achieved it: the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, and Dallas Cowboys.

Yet, this situation presents a different obstacle. It arises at a moment when players have felt the toll of 14 games played and are now gearing up for matches that could shape the AFC playoff picture.

Since the beginning of this strenuous sequence of games, the Steelers have forfeited their two-game advantage in the AFC North as the Ravens are on the rise, while the Chiefs have cemented their position as the conference’s No. 1 seed.

“It’s wild,” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews commented. “Yet at the end of the day, anyone in that position shares the experience, so we are all navigating the same circumstances. And Coach Monk [offensive coordinator Todd Monken] stated it: ‘If you find yourself in such a situation, it indicates you’re a strong team, and everyone in that grouping is performing well.'”

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin frequently inquires if his players are thriving or merely surviving. For the final complete month of the regular season, it’s more about adaptation.

With reduced recovery days between matches, teams will have fewer high-intensity practices and rely more on walk-throughs. The Ravens donned helmets for only two practices in the interim between their Dec. 15 game against the New York Giants and the game on Wednesday against Houston.

There’s also heightened emphasis on physical upkeep, which comprises massages, nutritional habits, hot and cold baths, and cryotherapy.

“We’re still attempting to restore our bodies, and there’s a fast turnaround,” Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud remarked. “Regaining our mental sharpness is equally essential. Therefore, we might engage in fewer physical activities, leaning more towards mental exercises. I believe that’s the way to preserve your body, but at the same time, ensure you maintain good practices and habits throughout the week.”

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NOBODY HAS endured a more strenuous season than Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams. If Williams takes the field for Pittsburgh in the last two games, he and his teammate Preston Smith will join Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams as the only players in the modern era to participate in 18 regular-season encounters.

This series is the result of a trade during the season. Williams was exchanged from the Jets on Nov. 5 before their bye week and joined the Steelers following their bye. He has been in action every week since Sept. 9.

“I can utilize some of these rest days,” Williams stated.

Williams comprehends what it demands to compete in three games in 11 days better than most — it’s the second instance he has faced this season. He played with the Jets when they initiated the season with such a schedule.

Is it different managing this stretch earlier in the season in contrast to December?

“No, no, no,” Williams replied. “Some arrive early, some come later. We all have a role to fulfill, so yes, understand your timeline, know your strategy, and adhere to it.”

The Steelers are facing the toughest stretch of games as they are the sole team to take on three opponents with positive records: the Philadelphia Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs. The defeats on the road against the Eagles and Ravens within a span of six days have affected the Steelers’ position in the AFC North.

If the Steelers succumb to the Chiefs on Wednesday and the Ravens triumph against the Texans, Pittsburgh will slip one game behind Baltimore.

“We have ambitions heading into February,” Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson stated. “We perceive each day as an opportunity to keep our bodies conditioned, maintain our fitness, and feel well. Given that this is my seventh year in the league, I have developed a solid routine that I rely on…simply performing my usual tasks and preparing to play.”

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WHEN RAVENS PLAYERS entered their team meeting on Dec. 9, coach John Harbaugh presented them with a message on the display.

“December Football Season. Commit Everything. Save Nothing.”

Baltimore and Houston had an edge when contending in December this year. Prior to the three-game

stretch, the Ravens and Texans enjoyed a Week 14 bye.

Not merely did the athletes benefit from additional relaxation — quarterback Lamar Jackson referred to the time off as a “breath of fresh air” — but the coaching team also gained extra time to plan ahead and conduct some preliminary scouting.

“It’s advantageous in that we’ll see who is most equipped down the line, and it poses a real challenge for all teams — everyone involved,” Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton remarked. “Ultimately, it boils down to culture. We could play the very next day; it doesn’t faze us. We just have to show up and perform well.”

The Texans hold an advantage over the Chiefs, Ravens, and Steelers in terms of travel. Houston uniquely has two home games during this three-game span.

“There’s an increased focus on rest and recovery as best as we can manage, while also grasping the game plan and securing those mental repetitions,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans noted.

The Texans have not worn pads in practice since their game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 15 and even conducted a helmet-less practice on the Tuesday leading up to their matchup with the Chiefs. The coaching staff made it clear that their training sessions would emphasize mental repetitions and mastering the intricacies of the players’ roles while focusing on recovery.

“We prioritize our players’ well-being and ensure their bodies are cared for to recuperate since you are rapidly taken away from a game, and recovery takes a significant amount of time, especially within a short week,” Ryans expressed. “There’s an elevated focus on rest and recovery as best as we can, while also understanding the game plan and gaining those mental repetitions.”

The Texans’ receiving unit took a blow when Tank Dell suffered a dislocated knee and torn ACL during Houston’s 27-19 defeat to the Chiefs last week. Dell’s injury transpired during a touchdown catch from Stroud on the Texans’ first series of the second half when Houston receiver Jared Wayne collided with Dell’s knee.

The Texans acquired veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers from the Ravens on Monday to help mitigate the loss. Baltimore waived Johnson on Friday after a tumultuous seven weeks that included a suspension and the organization excusing the receiver from team activities last week.

Houston will need to navigate the emotions tied to losing Dell, as he is one of the most cherished players on the roster.

“It’s life. You need to keep chopping wood, keep hauling water. Given our current position, there aren’t many chances to dwell on feelings for too long,” Stroud said. “You simply have to keep moving forward. I believe that reflects life as a whole. Everyone has their burdens. Everyone is experiencing something. Just because we’re in this situation doesn’t mean you ought to feel sorry for yourself, or anything akin to that.”

Games on Wednesdays are uncommon. The last occurrence of a game on that weekday was in 2021, when a COVID-19 outbreak compelled the Ravens and Steelers to postpone their scheduled Thanksgiving matchup to the subsequent Wednesday.

Nonetheless, with all four teams competing in their preceding games on Saturday, it’s essentially the same three days of rest that teams typically have prior to Thursday matchups.

The Ravens have a track record of excelling during abbreviated weeks. Under Harbaugh, Baltimore boasts an 11-5 record on Thursday games, which ranks as the third-best performance during that timeframe.

“The key to succeeding in this is sleep, recovery, and relying on the coaches, on those within the organization to assist you,” Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey stated. “Accomplish as many tasks as possible here [before] heading home, as things are turning around quickly, and it’s crucial to be aligned. Bodies will feel it, but I believe both sides will experience the same, yet whoever can execute the minor aspects most effectively will emerge as the victor.”

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IF THIS IS part of another championship campaign for the Chiefs, they would have earned it. However, some players are displeased about participating in such a number of matches in a brief timeframe, given they haven’t enjoyed an extensive break since mid-October.

The two-time reigning Super Bowl champions had the earliest bye — Week 6 — among the four teams playing on Wednesday.

“One of the actions I plan to take this offseason is to approach the NFLPA, especially due to us playing three games in an 11-day stretch that necessitates a late bye week,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones stated. “With our schedule, it’s rather unusual, to say the least. … That’s a topic for conversation this offseason. If a team faces a schedule similar to that, they ought to be granted a late-season bye.”

“A Week 6 bye isn’t what we need. Allocate it to us in Week 8, Week 10, something along those lines.”

This will be the first instance where the Chiefs, Ravens, and Texans compete in three matches within 11 days. The last time the Steelers experienced such a regimen was in 1939.

“I’ve never played this many games in such a condensed timeframe,” Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins remarked. “I believe the league ought to take some measures regarding that, offering teams a type of mini-bye. They advocate for player safety. I don’t find this to be the optimal situation for any team to contend in three games over this number of days.”

The Chiefs and Ravens have emerged victorious in their first two games within this brief span and can join an elite group should they triumph on Wednesday. The only Super Bowl era teams to have secured victories in all three games over an 11-day period are the 1992 Saints and the 2011 Green Bay Packers.

“I tend to liken this to a basketball perspective,” Hamilton stated. “Those players frequently engage in back-to-back games, so I suppose there’s validity to us expressing concerns about it. However, they navigate 82 games, MLB athletes manage 162 games, and we have 17, with attempts to extend that to 18 presently. I think it’s beneficial in that we will observe who is most ready as we move ahead.”

NFL Nation reporters D.J. Bien-Aime, Brooke Pryor, and Adam Teicher contributed to this report.