A Chiefs Super Bowl run is again written in the stars.
Another year, another phenomenal Chiefs team. The final boss of the NFL, Kansas City is trying to become the first team in history to three-peat the Super Bowl, and once again their path goes through the Buffalo Bills.
In what’s become the league’s premier non-conference rivalry, there’s just something special about a Bills vs. Chiefs game. Two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, a legendary coach in Andy Reid, and two franchises who knew sorrow for so long — but only one of them was able to break through and hoist the Lombardi.
The Chiefs are the funniest team left in the playoffs. It’s rare that a 15-2 team in the regular season, with back-to-back Super Bowl wins, and the best quarterback in football are being disregarded as an underdog, but here we are. Perhaps they shouldn’t be, and this game won’t nearly be as close as we’re left to believe.
No. 1: Coaching
For all the deserved credit that Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones get, none of it would be possible without Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo. It’s not just the experience they bring to the table in big games like this, but the ability to completely reinvent their game plan in order to counter what’s happening on the field.
One of the underrated qualities to the Chiefs this season is their ability to pivot in the second half and find a new path forward that snatches wins from the jaws of defeat. Mahomes has a career-high five fourth-quarter comeback wins this season to go along with another career-high seven game-winning drives. It hasn’t been as easy or pretty this season, but nobody is better at coaching a team out of a hole that Andy Reid and company.
It’s for this reason the Chiefs could steal a win. It doesn’t matter what happens in the first half, because Kansas City can reinvent themselves at halftime, throw out the game plan, and come out with totally different looks after the break. This ability is pivot is not something that Sean McDermott and his staff possess nearly as well, and in the end players might win games, but coaches win championships.
No. 2: Patrick Mahomes is still Patrick Mahomes
Heavy is the crown when you’ve turned in as many ludicrous seasons as Mahomes has. We’ve become so numb to the brilliance of the Chiefs’ QB that anything short of complete domination is written off as a failure.
While it’s certainly true this hasn’t been his best season, and that Kansas City has surrounded him with his weakest supporting cast in years, there’s still something that’s just special about Mahomes when it comes to the biggest games.
Every quarterback in the league has a baseline of performance, the great ones can find another gear when it matters — Mahomes can still shift into 8th like a Formula 1 car and start lapping the entire NFL, with barely a moment’s notice.
The whole meme about “never count out Touchdown Tom,” that applies to Patrick Mahomes as well — and no matter how much he’s struggled this season, he’s still the best in the business.
No. 3: The defensive edge
It’s so wild to see the transformation of these two teams over the years that the Chiefs are now the ones with the more terrifying defense. There’s simply no area that Kansas City is bad, or any solid way to attack it.
The defensive line, anchored by Chris Jones has become even more scary with the emergence of George Karlaftis as a pass rusher. The linebacking duo of Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquil make running on the team even more difficult if you can even get past the line of scrimmage. The secondary is littered with stellar backs like Trent McDuffie, Justin Reid, and Jaden Hicks — all of whom excel at playing the ball in the air.
If you look statistically at the Chiefs on defense it’s clear why teams have struggled against them.
- 12th in the NFL in passing TDs allowed
- 10th in the NFL in rushing TDs allowed
- 14th in the NFL in first downs allowed
- 12 in the NFL in average starting position
None of these numbers are impressive in isolation, but when combined the defense is 4th in the NFL in points allowed. The Chiefs typify “bent, don’t break” and opponents have struggled all season to make explosive plays against them.
If you take away the home run threat of the Bills this could be a gritty game, and the Chiefs love to take teams into deep waters like that.
