The Kansas City Chiefs have had plenty of unsung heroes emerge as pivotal contributors in their AFC playoff run so far this season.

In the Chiefs’ AFC wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the usual stars on offense stepped up to the plate and delivered with keen performances, including both wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce. The two hauled in a receiving touchdown en route to a blowout home playoff victory.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes posted a performance to remember in the AFC divisional round against the Buffalo Bills. However, history will not forget the contributions that the likes of wideout Byron Pringle and defensive tackle Jarran Reed had in the thrilling back-and-forth, high-scoring contest. Pringle recorded a key receiving touchdown in the second quarter, while Reed notched six tackles and one sack.

As the Chiefs are set to meet the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2022 AFC Championship Game, there is much expectation that Mahomes will produce an encore showing from his standout performance against the Bills. Still, for the Chiefs to advance to a third straight Super Bowl, they sure will need more than both Hill and Kelce to lead the way on offense.

Overall, the Chiefs must have this versatile offensive talent rise to the occasion and be their X-factor this week.

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Chiefs X-Factor vs. Bengals in 2022 AFC Championship game

If the Chiefs aim to have the last laugh on Sunday, then running back Jerick McKinnon must deliver arguably the most prolific performance of his career so far.

McKinnon has had quite a roller-coaster season in his debut campaign with the Chiefs. The veteran running back missed time in the regular season due to a hamstring injury, which featured a stint on injured reserve. He was activated off injured reserve ahead of Kansas City's Week 18 home encounter with the Denver Broncos, and since then, he has proved to be a focal point in the Chiefs offense.

McKinnon shined in the Chiefs’ playoff win over the Steelers earlier in the month. Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy not only opted to provide McKinnon with notable rush attempts over the course of the contest, but the veteran back also factored into the team’s game plan in the passing attack; he hauled in eight receptions for 81 receiving yards, as he kept the Steelers front seven on its heels during the game.

Even though Chiefs starting running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire notched a fair share of touches in the divisional round win over the Bills, Bieniemy sure did not forget about McKinnon. Overall, McKinnon featured in 70 percent of snaps on offense and combined for 78 yards from scrimmage against the reigning AFC East champions.

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As the Chiefs are set to meet a Bengals front seven that features multiple standout tacklers in the open field, Bieniemy must not only provide McKinnon with his usual fair share of carries in the contest but also call for him to be involved in the passing game once again.

The use of McKinnon in the pass offense sure caught the Bills off guard plenty of times last week, including in one key sequence late in the game. In a notable second down play during the overtime period, Bieniemy opted to call for a simple screen play for McKinnon. Thanks to his speed in small spaces on the field coupled with his ability to veer while running the football, the veteran back was able to pick up 16 yards on the play to move the ball into the Bills’ own half of the field.

The Chiefs offense sure is one of the more creative ones in the NFL today with one of the noteworthy reasons being how Bieniemy utilizes his running backs. He has been quite innovative with each of the team’s four running backs on the roster, and in the upcoming AFC title game against the Bengals, he must once again open up the playbook for McKinnon.

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In the big picture, Bengals linebackers Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt sure may see plenty of McKinnon this week. The Chiefs running back has what it takes to break off tackles and weave into the open field for big-yard gains.

As was the case in the divisional round against the Bills, the Chiefs may be in for a high-scoring duel with the Bengals. The two AFC powerhouses provided for such a contest in Week 17, as both Mahomes and Joe Burrow combined for six passing touchdowns. This time around, the Chiefs are aiming to avenge the loss to advance to Super Bowl 56.