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The Kansas City Chiefs are playing like one of the best teams in the NFL once again. Kansas City is 11-1 heading into Week 14 and is in prime position to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. They have already clinched a playoff berth and are ready to attempt an NFL-first of winning three Super Bowls in a row.
One reason why the Chiefs have had so much success in 2024 is their success in one-score games. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce believes that the team's unusual film study approach has helped them perform better in close games.
“Just on the offensive side we’ll watch every college football game, every two-minute from the NFL, every single week, and we’ll get caught up on what’s possible,” Kelce said via his New Heights podcast on Wednesday.
Kansas City's coaching staff wants players to be able to visualize all of the possible outcomes in late-game situations.
“What can possibly happen at the end of a game with these types of scenarios and when you understand the possibilities and you start to become more familiar with anything can really f—-ing happen if we just keep playing hard until the end of the game,” Kelce continued. “No matter what’s happened, no matter the situation at hand if there is a chance to win, if there is still a chance on that board you keep playing.”
For the record, Kansas City has played in nine one-score games this season. They won all nine of those games.
The Chiefs have a record of 2-1 in games not decided by one score. Those include two wins against the Saints and 49ers plus a loss to the Bills.
Is Patrick Mahomes' ‘cautious' play style a key to Chiefs' dominance?
Another factor behind Kansas City's success could be the cautious play of QB Patrick Mahomes.
RG.org published some interesting data that suggests this is the case. Their research found a strong connection between cautious QB play and team success in the NFL.
One of the main statistics for this argument is called aggressiveness percentages. This stat aims to capture the frequency of tight-window throws, among other factors. RG.org found a clear trend between this stat and greater team success. The lower the aggressiveness percentage, the greater the team success.
Therefore, it should be no surprise that Patrick Mahomes has the lowest aggressiveness percentage (10.17%) in the NFL. Other top NFL QBs like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Jared Goff also scored similarly to Mahomes in this category.
This research, paired with Kelce's comments, seem to a pair of truths behind Kansas City's success. They are an intelligent team in terms of situational football. They also limit mistakes on offense, which reduces the frequency of giving an opponent extra chances to score points.
The formula seems to be working, as the Chiefs have been the NFL's best team for several years running.
Next up for the Chiefs is a Week 14 matchup against the Chargers.
