KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is preparing to play against Houston on Saturday, unless his ailing ankle puts the two-time MVP in such a precarious position that he can’t protect himself or he “puts the football team in a bad position.”

Mahomes suffered a mild high-ankle sprain late in a 21-7 win in Cleveland on Sunday. He began to receive treatment on the plane ride home — “I wasn’t doing high-knees or anything like that,” he quipped — and spent more than 12 hours getting additional work on it at the practice facility Monday, even though most of the team was given the day off.

Mahomes was back on the practice field Tuesday with Carson Wentz there to back him up.

“You don’t want to go out there and put yourself in harm’s way. It’s football. You’re going to take hits. But you want to be able to protect yourself,” Mahomes said. “And I don’t want to limit the game plan. I want to be able to move around the pocket.”

Mahomes has plenty of experience with ankle injuries to draw from. He sustained a similar one against Jacksonville in Week 1 of the 2019 season, then a more serious one against the Jaguars in the 2022 playoffs. In that case, he was unable to end the game but got enough treatment to play against Cincinnati for the AFC title and Philadelphia in the Super Bowl.

“Jacksonville was worse. That one was pretty significant,” Mahomes said. “Obviously it’s responded better, quicker. That would be the best thing to say. But I want to be in a better spot than I was that next game going up against the Bengals.”

Mahomes has the luxury of time that he didn’t have two years ago. The Chiefs already have clinched the AFC West title and a spot in the playoffs, and he could conceivably miss a game or two if it meant being fully healthy for the postseason.

Yet there is much riding on this three-game stretch against Houston on Saturday, the Steelers on Christmas Day and the Broncos the final weekend of the regular season. The Chiefs (13-1) are clinging to a two-game lead over the Bills for the No. 1 seed and the lone playoff bye, but Buffalo holds the tiebreaker over them by virtue of their victory earlier this season.

“Every game counts,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “If your guys can play, they play, as long as medically they’re fine to go.”

While Mahomes has a reputation for playing through pain and even arguing with Reid on the sideline to stay in games in which he’s been hurt, Reid believes his quarterback will be honest with how his ankle feels throughout the week.

“He’s going to go through some stuff and we’ll see how that works out for him. And if he can’t work, then Carson will take those reps that Pat doesn’t,” Reid said. “We have full confidence in Carson if he has to step in and play. I think everybody — coaches and players — have full confidence he can go in and do a nice job.”

Wentz, who signed a $3.325 million contract with Kansas City to replace Blaine Gabbert as Mahomes’ backup, has appeared in nearly 100 games during his NFL career. He completed both of his pass attempts for 20 yards in the closing minutes against the Browns, allowing the Chiefs to run out the clock on their victory.

“Got my feet wet a little bit at the end of last game and felt good out there,” Wentz said. “Nothing is going to change this week. Patrick has had some nicks and bruises all year and I’ve prepared myself the same way.”

Notes: DB Chamarri Conner (concussion) and LT D.J. Humphries (hamstring) did not practice Tuesday. … WR Marquise Brown (shoulder surgery) could make his regular-season debut against Houston after looking good in practice last week. “The doctors say it’s healed up nice. We’ll just see,” Reid said. … CB Steven Nelson is less likely than Brown to play this week, Reid said. He came out of retirement by signing with the Kansas City practice squad last week.