The Kansas City Chiefs have proven that they are once again one of the teams to beat in the NFL this season. The Chiefs have rolled through the supposedly tougher AFC West this season, and are the number two seed in the AFC with just two games left on the season. As a result, it's safe to expect the Chiefs to go on another deep playoff run this postseason, and potentially make it back to the Super Bowl after missing out last season.
The Chiefs strategy is fairly simple; anytime Patrick Mahomes takes the field wearing their bright red uniform, Kansas City is going to have a shot to win. Despite losing their top offensive playmaker in Tyreek Hill over the past offseason, the Chiefs offense hasn't missed a beat, and their 12-3 record gives them a shot to grab the top seed in the conference before the regular season wraps up.
While the Chiefs are obviously in a great spot, the playoff bracket could be particularly tough on them this season, and unless they finish as the top seed in the AFC, it looks like they could have a nightmare playoff scenario on their hands. Let's take a look at what that scenario is and see why it could end up disrupting Kansas City's hopes of returning to the Super Bowl this season.
Chiefs nightmare playoff scenario
If the season were to end today, the Chiefs would have to participate in the wild card round as the number two seed, and would draw an interesting matchup with the Miami Dolphins. The season obviously doesn't end today, but Miami is in the middle of a four-game losing streak, so this would be a pretty favorable matchup for Kansas City.
The problem for the Chiefs isn't their wild card matchup, as they should be favored to beat whichever team they come across if they end up playing in the wild card round. The problem is what would come after the wild card round the Chiefs if they were to end up in either the two or three seed in the AFC this season.
At this point, the Chiefs cannot fall any lower than the three seed. But their standing in the two seed right now is contentious to say the least. They could catch the Buffalo Bills in the top seed, but they would have to have a better record than Buffalo since they own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Chiefs. The Cincinnati Bengals also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over KC, and they sit just a game behind them in the standings right now.
These three teams are likely going to be the top title contenders in the AFC this season. Having the top seed is a huge advantage because it means the top team will avoid facing the second or third seed until the AFC Championship Game. That is a massive, massive advantage considering the state of the rest of the AFC playoff bracket.
Right now, the Chiefs are positioned to have to go through a gauntlet that would see them likely play the Bengals in the divisional round before playing the Bills in the AFC Championship Game. Things can change, of course, and upsets always happen in the playoffs, but right now, it's looking like the Chiefs are on a collision course with the Bengals in the divisional round.
If that happens, it could immediately be a problem for the Chiefs. They have been relatively indestructible since Mahomes took over under center, but the one team that has had their number is the Bengals. Cincy beat the Chiefs twice last season, including in the AFC Championship Game, and also beat them again in their regular season meeting this season.
Even if the Chiefs beat the Bengals, they likely will have to go through the Bills in the Championship Game, with Buffalo getting a much lighter matchup in the divisional round against the lowest remaining seed from the wild card round. Right now, that seems like it will be the Baltimore Ravens, and while they have talent, they are beat up right now, and are not on the same level as the Chiefs and Bengals.
The Chiefs found themselves tasked with taking down the Bills and Bengals in the playoffs last season, and were unable to do so. Unless they find their way into the top seed, they will have to do the same thing this season, and it will be even more difficult given the improvements both squads have made since last season. Mahomes will always give the Chiefs a chance to win, but right now, it seems like their path to the Super Bowl is going to be quite difficult.
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