The Kansas City Chiefs ended their regular season campaign on a high note as they took down the Denver Broncos with a 28-24 win in Week 18. Though it wasn't an ideal outing for Andy Reid and his men, they were still able to do just enough to overcome their opponents' scare and grab the victory.

For the sixth-straight season, the Chiefs continued their domination and ended with a 12-5 record as the divisional champions of the AFC West. They are currently the top seed in the conference though the Tennessee Titans can claim it with a win over the Houston Texans in their Week 18 matchup. Still, Kansas City remains to be in a good position as one of the top teams in the AFC upon heading to the playoffs.

With that said, here are three takeaways from the Chiefs' most recent win over the Broncos:

Chiefs Week 18 takeaways

3. The mid-season acquisition of Melvin Ingram is already paying its dividends for the Chiefs.

Back in early November, Kansas City beefed up their defensive rotation as they traded for linebacker Melvin Ingram in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The three-time Pro Bowler hasn't seen much action for the Chiefs though he did make his presence felt in Week 18 against the Broncos.

He made an impact on the run defense and had a forced fumble which eventually led to a touchdown by Nick Bolton. Ingram finished the game with three combined tackles for the Chiefs. He might not be the same player that he once was though he is still a solid complementary piece to Chris Jones and Frank Clark when he's healthy.

The defense will certainly play a huge factor in their upcoming playoff games and it is a good opportunity for the 32-year-old to step up and show that he can still provide valuable contributions at this stage of his career. Ultimately, the Chiefs are expected to gain a significant advantage on the defensive end if a player like Ingram manages to put on good performances in their playoff games in the near future.

2. Mecole Hardman showed his capability to contribute to Kansas City when needed.

Realistically speaking, Mecole Hardman wouldn't be the first player that comes to mind when thinking about the weapons that this team has on offense, especially in a squad that has Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Unfortunately, Hill injured his heel during warmups before their game against the Broncos which caused him to see limited action in the tilt.

With a tight contest, the Chiefs needed someone to step up and Hardman showed up at the right time. He utilized his speed on multiple occasions and got the better of his individual matchups on the field. The 23-year-old finished the game with a career-high 103 receiving yards on eight receptions for the Chiefs.

Andy Reid has been looking for someone to fill in the No.2 spot in the wide receivers room for quite some time already and Mecole Hardman surely made a good impression for him to take on that role moving forward.

1. The Chiefs are banged-up heading to the playoffs.

Kansas City didn't get to end its regular season unscathed as the team sustained multiple injuries to their key players in Week 18. As mentioned earlier, Hill sustained a heel injury during warmups while running back Darrel Williams also injured his toe in the first half and failed to return back to the game.

Wide receiver Byron Pringle was helped off the field as well after converting a third-and-20 play for the Chiefs. Tight end Travis Kelce also limped after hauling in a first-down reception in crunch time. To add, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire continued to miss action as he is still recovering from a shoulder/collarbone injury that he sustained back in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Though the injury list has gotten longer for the Chiefs, they are still fortunate to not have anyone out on a long-term basis. All the aforementioned players have roles in the team and Kansas City will definitely need all the help that it can get once the playoffs get underway in a bid to make a strong run in the postseason.