KANSAS CITY — Most days, Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr wish the Chiefs season would last forever. Their team is 1-4, but the rookie cornerbacks are playing well and can hardly feel at blame.

Soon, they will feel that the season is lasting forever. The Chiefs have 11 games remaining, or almost the equivalent of a full college season — so while they might not feel beaten down yet, it’s just a matter of time.

It’s a phenomenon most rookies deal with because the NFL’s marathon regular season lasts almost four months.

“They’ll get to a point when the college season would have been over that it starts to feel really long,” safety Jarrad Page said. “They’ll hit that rookie wall, and that’s something they will have to fight through. All rookies do.

“Some guys can’t handle it. Mentally, these two are in a good place. I believe they can handle it.”

Rookies wobbling to the season’s finish line is nothing new in the NFL. Counting the four exhibition games, the pro season becomes as long as the typical college year toward the end of October.

Some rookies can’t handle the extended season and crash just as the weather turns cold.

It’s more of an issue for the Chiefs this season because they are so heavy with rookies. Many of their 16 rookies are starters or play an otherwise significant role.

“That’s what’s great about having the bye week now,” coach Herm Edwards said. “All of a sudden, they get to go through that and then come back and play 11 games. They get a little refresher this weekend (and) come back in Monday. So that’s a good thing for them, I think. It helps them. We haven’t beat them up this week a whole lot, so they can refresh their bodies.”

Advice aimed at not only surviving but thriving for the rest of the season is flying at Flowers, Carr and the rest of the rookies.

From Pat Surtain: Vary the daily routine so it’s not so much of a grind.

From Donnie Edwards: Eat right and get plenty of rest.

From Page: Consider liberal use of the Chiefs’ spa facilities.

“The most important thing for them is to take care of their bodies,” Page said. “Be in the training room, the cold tub. You don’t have to go in the training room just when you’re hurt. It’s preventative also.”

Massages. Time in the hot tub. Appointments with the chiropractor. It’s all stuff the veterans already know.

“Sometimes, my body gets tired,” said Carr, who usually played long college seasons because Grand Valley State often advanced deep into the Division II playoffs.

“I keep thinking like, ‘How do guys last 15 years in the NFL?’ They get the chiropractor and the massages and all of that stuff, and I’ve started to incorporate that into my daily routine.

“I’ve heard a lot of stories about the rookie wall, that you hit it halfway through the season. Luckily for me, my (college) season wasn’t over until December, so I’m used to playing that long. I’m just trying to stay focused, not get distracted and worry about football.”

“There are so many distractions off the football field. As you get deeper into the season, there are more things that come about. You just have to remember what you get paid to do.”

Playing with the inevitable bumps and bruises that collect during a football season are one challenge, but the mental challenge of preparing and staying sharp for 16 games is another.

“Physically they’re in pretty good shape, but I think what happens to them, mentally they break down because it’s so difficult,” Herm Edwards said. “A lot of these guys in college, not only are they the best players on their teams, but probably in their conference. Their athletic ability gives them a little bit of an advantage.

“Here, not so. Your athletic ability is good, but you’re playing against veteran football players that have more knowledge than you. So all of a sudden your brain is always working trying to catch up. The things you thought you knew, you really don’t know that well. That’s what always gets guys. The classroom. They’re here all day. Not like in college where you have a couple of hours with them. There’s certain things you can do with them and certain things that you can’t.

“Here, it’s a job. They get here at 7:30, they leave generally during the season around 3, 4 o’clock. So it makes for a long day.”