The Kansas City Chiefs certainly have made things interesting this year, and no this isn’t a reference to the musically gifted Taylor Swift, who’s been seen at several Chiefs games this season. When I hear the term “living on the edge”, the first thing that pops into my mind is an image of Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.
The Chiefs have won an NFL record 14 consecutive games in which the outcome was decided by seven points or less, including last year’s Superbowl thriller over the Niners. The term winning ugly has certainly been referenced in a few conversations over the course of the 2024 campaign when mentioning K.C.
Despite having an 11-1 record and on the verge of capturing their ninth consecutive AFC West title, Kansas City hasn’t always played their best brand of football this year. They certainly pulled off an unthinkable victory a few weeks ago when the Broncos were lining up to kick the game winning field goal which was subsequently blocked with no time left, securing another nail biter win for the Chiefs.
Denver clearly outplayed Kansas City in that game, but all that matters in the end is that they got the “W”. The Chiefs also struggled on the road against a very scrappy Carolina Panthers team, which at one point tied the game up late in the fourth quarter after trailing by two scores. Mahomes did Mahomes like things and led K.C. down the field late, setting them up for the game winning field goal.
Patrick Mahomes even acknowledged himself that it would be nice to get an easier path to victory than having to constantly create these late game heroics, but that has yet to happen consistently for the Chiefs.
The Kansas City offense hasn’t been lighting up the score board like it has in years past, and the defense is still solid but not as dominant as it was last year. Currently, the Chiefs rank 8th in league in total defense, giving up an average of 19.6 points per game.
The injury bug has hit the Chiefs this season, particularly on the offensive side of the football. The good news for Kansas City is that they have some key weapons returning. Isiah Pacheco recently came back to the lineup and “Hollywood” Brown will be returning in week 16 from that shoulder injury that has sidelined him all year.
December, January, and February seem to bring out the best in Mahomes, Kelce, Reid, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Kansas City seems to have that playoff pedigree, big game experience, and composure to overcome any obstacles. This is not speculation, as it’s been clearly proven over the last 2-3 years based on their play on the field.
“Winning Ugly” isn’t necessarily always a bad thing, as long as you’re still getting the Dub. This year seems to hit differently though with the emergence of the Bills, (the only team to beat the Chiefs) Steelers, Chargers, and don’t count out the Broncos either. Denver has always played K.C. tough and they match up very well against them.
Andy Reid is one of the greatest coaches of all time, particularly when it comes to in game adjustments. Spanuolo will surely have some tricks up his sleeve defensively, and the Chiefs are starting to get healthy.
If the road to New Orleans in the AFC has to go through Kansas City, I truly won’t be surprised if we see them once again back in the Super Bowl with a chance to make history via a “3-peat”. Get your soda and popcorn ready folks, for I feel this movie will have a historical and climatic ending.