It's probably safe to assume that no ankle has been talked about more than the ankle that belongs to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Since last Saturday, every day has featured some kind of update on Mahomes' injured ankle. And why not? The most dynamic part of Mahomes' game is what he can do on the move and he had a heavy limp against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

A high-ankle sprain is no joke. It typically sidelines players for 4-6 weeks, if not more. And, it's a slow-healing injury that can be easily tweaked down the road.

So, that's why all of the recent updates have been so exciting for the Chiefs and their fans. Mahomes' ankle looked solid during Wednesday's practice and head coach Andy Reid said Thursday that he's on track to play against the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship game.

But Mahomes put a touch of reality on his situation when he spoke with reporters Thursday.

"Wednesday isn't the hardest practice of the week," said Mahomes. "So you kind of get through the motions and you're able to do some stuff and move here and there. Today [Thursday] will be another test – it's a little bit harder practice, a little bit more speed.

"You're not going to be able to prepare yourself 100% for the game, but you can do the best you can of putting yourself in those positions. And hopefully by the end of the week you're in an even better spot that you can go out there and do what you need to do to win."

There's another layer to his situation, as well. Sure, things look promising now, but the only day that really matters is Sunday when the game kicks off.

No one, not even Mahomes himself, knows how his ankle will react and hold up until he gets on the field and plays.

"Obviously, I still feel like I can do a lot of things," Mahomes told reporters Thursday. "But we'll see as we get closer and closer and we'll see during the game. I mean, you can't fully know what exactly you're going to be in those moments in the game. But all I can do is prepare myself the best way possible.

"And then, when you get in the game you hope the adrenaline takes over and you can make those throws when you need to."

Mahomes is taking the right approach. It'd be a mistake to quantify the expectation for his level of play on Sunday against the Bengals. It's simply something that requires a wait-and-see approach.

"I think people will see on Sunday where I'm at and I'll see on Sunday where I'm at. I'm just going to prepare my body the best way during the week to be in the best position, possible."

The good news is the Chiefs have a more-than-capable backup in Chad Henne, as we've seen. That in itself is a big win for KC.

But, as we all know, the only win that matters to the Chiefs is the one they want on Sunday.

And, hopefully, Mahomes will be a big positive in said win.

Featured image via Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports