So often, uneasy is the head that wears the crown. Yet the Kansas City Chiefs followed up their first Super Bowl title in half a century by posting the NFL’s best record at 14-2, earning the AFC’s only first-round bye in the expanded playoff format.
Before their “B” team lost to the Chargers last weekend with Andy Reid resting his stars, the Chiefs had won 23 of 24 games, a 40-32 loss to the Raiders in Week 5 their only hiccup.
The Chiefs didn’t dominate teams as much as they withstood challenge after challenge like a champion boxer who knows how to avoid the big hit while chipping away until he wears down his opponent.
Mahomes won his last seven starts by 2, 4, 3, 6, 6, 3 and 3 points.
While the Chiefs get another week’s rest, the six other AFC playoff teams get going this weekend.
On Saturday, the Indianapolis Colts visit the Buffalo Bills, who ended New England’s 11-year reign as AFC East champ with their first division title since 1995 and earned their first home playoff game since 1996.
The Cleveland Browns make their first playoff appearance since the 2002 season on Sunday when they visit Pittsburgh, where they haven’t won since 2003, and the Tennessee Titans host the Baltimore Ravens.
For just the second time since the 1970 league merger, every team in the AFC playoffs has at least 11 wins. It also happened in 1980.
1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (14-2). AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 1. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 54, 31-20 over the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 2, 2020, at Miami. Last year: No. 2 seed, beat Houston 51-31 in divisional round, beat Tennessee 35-24 in AFC championship to reach the Super Bowl, where they overcame a 20-10 fourth-quarter deficit. Sixth consecutive trip to the playoffs and fifth consecutive AFC West title.
HOPE: The Chiefs won 10 straight games before playing their backups in Week 17. Patrick Mahomes has had another MVP-caliber season, throwing for 4,740 yards with 38 TDs and six interceptions, and is surrounded by an even more dynamic supporting cast than last season. TE Travis Kelce has had a record-setting season with 105 catches for 1,416 yards and 11 TDs, WRs Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins should be healthy, and rookie RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire should return from a high ankle sprain.
NOPE: The Chiefs won seven consecutive games by one possession, which could be taken as proof of their championship mettle or evidence that they have been riding razor-thin margins to victory. The only team to beat the Chiefs when they played their starters was Las Vegas, which built a big enough lead early in the fourth quarter in Week 5 to weather a patented late K.C. comeback.
DOPE: “We always rise up and play better in the big games. I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I know I’m going to get the best effort possible out of everybody on this team. I’m excited for it. I know what this team can do.” –Mahomes.
2. BUFFALO BILLS (13-3). AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 3. No Lombardis in four Super Bowl appearances. Last year: No. 5 seed, squandered 16-0 third-quarter lead in 22-19 overtime loss at Houston in a wild-card playoff. Third trip to the playoffs in four seasons under coach Sean McDermott after snapping a 17-year playoff drought in 2017. First AFC East title since 1995.
