The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans on Sunday in a thrilling game. It included the Texans jumping out to a 24-0 lead, only for the Chiefs to respond with a 41-0 run of their own.
In the end, Kansas City ended up winning 51-31. This set up a date with the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship game. To be more specific, a Titans team that shocked the NFL world two weeks in a row, beating the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens to advance.
While the Chiefs are the favorites to win, a lot of people have been made believers of the Titans. So this really is anyone's game. So why will Kansas City still pull out a victory?
Here are four reasons the Chiefs will beat the Titans in the AFC Championship Game.
4. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes
There is a very simple way to figure out just how ridiculously good Patrick Mahomes is. Whenever the Kansas City quarterback does something amazing, it does not surprise anyone.
Against the Texans, Mahomes became the youngest quarterback in NFL history to throw five touchdown passes in a single playoff game. This not only surprised very few people, but it was also almost expected.
Mahomes has had so many ridiculous games, we have become numb to it. He might be the best quarterback in football and he's only 24, that's scary.
As long as he is throwing the football for the Chiefs, they have a serious chance to win. Oh, and he reminded everyone last week that he has some wheels too. He really can beat you in any way, and that's simply not fair. Can the Titans stop him? No one else has been able to.
3. Chiefs Have Weapons Galore
Want to make Mahomes even scarier? Give him elite weapons. Not a single elite weapon, I'm talking weapons.
Travis Kelce might be the best tight end in football. He reminded everyone of that with his 10 receptions for 134 yards and three touchdown performance against Houston.
Tyreek Hill is the fastest player in football. He shows that every time he's on the field. Seriously, there are highlights of other players scoring 80-yard touchdowns where Hill steals the show because he not only catches up to them, he beats them to the end zone. It's almost like he challenges himself to see if he can win the race, and he always does.
Hill is electric and can score on a defense in a second. At any given moment he can change the game.
Sammy Watkins isn't as fast as Hill, but he's close. He can do the same, scoring on a defense at any given moment and change the momentum of a game. Even if Watkins has no receptions through three quarters you have to be wary, he could burn you quick.
Damien Williams is not a superstar running back, but he has those game-stopping moments. He'll break off massive runs, haul in a couple of receptions and make things easier for Mahomes.
This offense is simply way too loaded.
2. Tennessee Defense
Speaking of Kansas City's offense. Can anyone stop them? A lot of people are very high on the Titans defense at the moment. They have shut down the Patriots and Ravens in back-to-back weeks.
They really weren't all that great this year though. Tennessee allowed 25.1 points per game (10th worst in the NFL) and 362.8 total yards per game (12th worst in the NFL). Not really great.
Admittedly, they have limited points against them recently. Holding the Ravens to 12 points was impressive.
They still allowed 530 yards of offense in that game though. And Baltimore hurt themselves multiple times. Tennessee got lucky a few times, and it's hard to imagine the Chiefs cut them the same breaks.
Lamar Jackson was great all year and is the MVP. Mahomes is on a different level though. So are his weapons. The Titans have an impossible challenge ahead of them. Can the defense keep up their recent level of play? Or will they return to the below-average unit they were in the regular season?
1. Ryan Tannehill
Okay, I don't want to be a hater here. But the Titans are winning these playoff games despite Tannehill.
A lot of people are talking about Tannehill and seriously believe he's beaten Tom Brady and Jackson. He hasn't though, his team has.
Tannehill went 8-for-15 with 72 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Patriots. Then he went 7-for-14 with 88 yards and two touchdowns (also had a rushing touchdown and two fumbles) against the Ravens.
The four total touchdowns in two games is really solid. He has 160 passing yards and three turnovers in that time too though. That's bad, really really, really bad.
Tennessee played a New England team that's struggled offensively recently. Then they got a Baltimore team that was tripping all over themselves. If they get into a shootout with the Chiefs, can Derrick Henry carry the offense alone? Or will they need Tannehill to pull his weight?
If the Titans have to lean on Tannehill, do you seriously trust him to do that with his 160 total passing yards in two playoff games this year?
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