Week 16 saw the Kansas City Chiefs get a big win over the Houston Texans on Saturday afternoon, as Patrick Mahomes and company did what they had to do to keep the team at the top of the AFC.

Following the win over Houston, head coach Andy Reid updated us on some key injury situations. Among the injuries Kansas City endured was one by defensive lineman Chris Jones, who appeared hobbled in the second half at one point.

Reid noted that Jones suffered a strained calf and was asked about the veteran’s status for Week 17, which happens to be a Christmas Day game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Yeah, It’s probably too early to tell right now. We’ll just see how he does here, but I can’t tell you that. I mean, he’s going to get the MRIs and all that stuff, so I don’t have any of that information,” Reid said.

Chris Jones’ chances of playing on Christmas Day against the Steelers could be slim

With the Week 17 matchup happening on Christmas Day, it just so happens to fall on Wednesday, which is only four days from the team’s win against the Texans. That’s not going to be an easy road to recovery for Jones, even if it was just a strain.

For Jones, health is of the utmost importance at this point in the season. Aside, of course, from winning, December and January football is many times about which team can stay the healthiest. And, Jones is obviously the heartbeat of this Chiefs defense. Keeping him on the field and allowing him to heal from a strain could mean skipping Week 17 against Pittsburgh.

Depending on which outlet you trust, a calf strain can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months to fully heal. Just ask San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.

The Chiefs don’t necessarily have a whole lot to play for, after all but locking up the AFC’s number one seed, anyway, so if Jones were to sit this one it wouldn’t be the worst decision for Reid to ultimately make. Kansas City wants to see Jones suit up in the postseason, above all else.

The quest for a three-peat is more realistic than ever, having gone through this season only losing one game and proving the doubters wrong, thus far. Critics can question what they’d like, but the Chiefs’ reality is a 14-1 team sitting at the top of the AFC. Jones’ odds of helping them win yet another Super Bowl are high, and ensuring he’s at 100 percent health (or close to it) has to be a key priority.

Aside from Jones, Reid also announced details on the injuries of linebacker Jack Cochrane and tackle Jawaan Taylor. Cochrane will be out for the year with a fractured ankle, while Taylor’s status is up in the air with a knee strain.