Kansas City Chiefs: 15 wins – 2 losses, AFC West champions, 1st in AFC
The regular season was just the long warm-up. The Kansas City Chiefs season probably begins now with the playoffs. After a week of rest, Patrick Mahomes' teammates will have only one goal: the hat-trick. No franchise in the history of the Super Bowl era has achieved this to date.
How did they get there?
If we only look at the record without watching the games, you have to tell yourself that Patrick Mahomes has once again stepped on NFL defenses. Nay! That's not at all what happened.
This qualification with a week of rest, the Chiefs owe it mainly to their defense. They have never conceded more than 30 points in a match, except in the last one where the team played with the substitutes. Also, they knew how to be decisive or lucky in key moments.
A successful field goal against the Chargers, a forced fumble against the Raiders, a missed field goal by the Broncos, all in divisional games. A piece of foot to prevent the equalizer against the Ravens in the meeting which opens the 2024 season. In short, all these details are perhaps not just luck.
It is also quite simply the strength (and perhaps the beginnings) of a future champion…
The key player: Isiah Pacheco (RB)
It seems obvious to put Patrick Mahomes or Travis Kelce in this section.
But, here, we will rather talk about a player who has not yet returned to his best level in the regular season. Running back Isiah Pacheco could return to a level consistent with what he showed in the regular season in 2023. The runner can relieve Patrick Mahomes who can often find himself under pressure.
Kareem Hunt performed well in the regular season, but he will not be able to keep up the charge on the ground for 60 minutes. With his electric style, the Rutgers alum is different from Hunt, and can be a more than determining factor. Last season, he managed to score 3 touchdowns before the Super Bowl. Its best level can therefore be reached at the best of times.
When they say that everything falls into place…
Why are they going to go through with it?
Patrick Mahomes, quite simply.
The quarterback has already won 3 Super Bowls, and can definitely make history with a 4th personal. Capable of brilliant inspirations, he learned to transcend himself in important moments. He has the keys to leading the Chiefs back to the top.
For this, he can count on the help of a future hall of famer at the tight end position. Travis Kelce is less important in the regular season. But, in the playoffs, it's another player. He is still the quarterback's main aerial weapon. The other aerial threats exist, notably with the experience of the precious DeAndre Hopkins and the recklessness of the flying rookie Xavier Worthy.
In addition to him, there is another man who can make the difference, Steve Spagnuolo. The defensive coordinator has been shaping the Chiefs defense for 4 years. This season especially, this defense has become a benchmark. The many patterns he presents are sometimes indecipherable for a quarterback. No matter which players he puts on the field, the coordinator will always find a way to frustrate opposing attacks.
And it's not like he's already won 4 Super Bowls too…
Why won't they go?
Being an ultra favorite has not always been the Chiefs' favorite costume during a playoff game. With this status, they sometimes fail brutally. The 2020 and 2021 seasons can attest to this, and only the 2022 season smiled on them after finishing at the top of the conference.
The weak point of this squad before the season is always the same before the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes is sometimes capable of improvising, but the external protection is often faulty. Jawaan Taylor and Wanya Morris are 2 of the worst tackles in number of penalties and sacks conceded. When we face the defensive lines of the Ravens, the Texans or the Bills, the quarterback will once again have to fight for his survival.
Mentioned above, other aerial threats exist, and Patrick Mahomes is capable of making any receiver shine. However, will they be able to be as decisive as Rashee Rice was last season in addition to Kelce?
The quest for the hat-trick will have to go through the response to this more than complicated problem…
Injured players
Injured at the start of the season in the knee, Rashee Rice should miss the playoffs. However, there are rumors that he could be available for the Super Bowl if the Chiefs go that far. Same observation for Skyy Moore, injured in the abdominals, and who should experience the same fate as Rashee Rice.
Decisive with his winning touchdown during the last Super Bowl, Mecole Hardman is on the other hand available after missing the last matches of the regular season. With a calf injury, Chris Jones should also be available.
Otherwise, the players rested during the last game of the regular season should all return for the first game of the playoffs.
Prognosis
Resting last week, the Chiefs will face the Texans in Divisional RoundEdit. CJ Stroud and his teammates have just taken out the Chargers after a successful defensive performance. So be careful of the trap in front of a team that has just regained confidence. In their last meeting, the Chiefs won, taking first place in the American conference.
In the playoffs, their last meeting is an excellent memory for Patrick Mahomes and his teammates. Kansas City came back 24-0 to win in the end 51-31 with 5 touchdowns from Mahomes.
After this meeting, anything other than a Super Bowl appearance would be a failure. The Kansas City Chiefs have the opportunity to make NFL history by becoming the first team to achieve the three-peat.
