After months of football, the 2022 NFL regular season is officially in the books. Without a surprise, the Kansas City Chiefs once again secured a playoff spot, this time as the No. 1 seed in the AFC. As they wait for their Divisional Round matchup, it is a safe bet to say the Chiefs are one of the frontrunners for the Super Bowl.

Kansas City finished 14-3 and clinched the AFC West. Notably, the team won 10 out of its last 11 games of the season. With that, the Chiefs tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the best record in the league.

Last season, the Chiefs had one of the craziest playoff runs in recent memory. They defeated the Buffalo Bills in overtime in the AFC Divisional Round, where there were four lead changes in the last two minutes of regulation. Then, the team lost to the Cincinnati Bengals on a walk-off field goal in overtime.

Although the playoff road is always tough, fans have many reasons to believe this is the year Kansas City returns to the big stage. With that being said, here are 3 reasons why the Chiefs will win the 2023 Super Bowl.

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3. Kansas City's defense is getting better

While Kansas City's offense gets the most attention, its defense also deserves its praise. The unit played a crucial role in the final stretch of the season, allowing the team to hold on to leads in close games.

The Chiefs finished second in the NFL with 55 sacks. Defensive tackle Chris Jones had 15.5 sacks, tied for fourth-best this season. Thanks to his strong performances, he earned his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl selection.

Especially early in the season, the defense was a major area of concern for the Chiefs. Entering Week 14, they allowed an average of 101.4 QB rating with a 68.1% completion rate. Additionally, they allowed 237.3 passing yards per game and had only six interceptions against 24 touchdowns.

Kansas City almost doubled the number of picks from six to 11 and managed to get opponents' completion rate down to 65.9%.

Even though they will likely face some offensive powerhouses such as the Buffalo Bills or the Cincinnati Bengals, the late improvement on the defensive end should be a good sign for the Chiefs.

2. Andy Reid and the Super Bowl-winning team are still there

Every great team needs a great head coach. Luckily for the Chiefs, that is their case. Andy Reid has been with Kansas City since 2013 and his résumé with the franchise is very solid.

Under Reid, the Chiefs are 117-45 and made the playoffs in all but one season. They also made it to the Super Bowl twice, winning in the 2020 season.

And his achievements go beyond his time with Kansas City. Reid became the first coach to win 100-plus games with two different franchises, doing so with the Philadelphia Eagles.

To make things even better for the Chiefs, Reid is not the only one from their Super Bowl-winning team who is still with them. Key players such as Travis Kelce, who is cementing his name as one of the best tight ends of this century, and sack-leading Chris Jones are not slowing down. Both were Pro Bowlers in their championship season and are once again this year.

If experience counts for something, Kansas City has plenty. This should help if the Chiefs face teams such as the Miami Dolphins or Jacksonville Jaguars in the Divisional Round or even the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

1. Patrick Mahomes

Prior to the 2022 regular season, there were many questions surrounding the Chiefs' offense after they traded away wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins. He was a Pro Bowler in all six seasons he played for Kansas City. Fortunately, the Chiefs had Patrick Mahomes playing some of the best football of his career.

The quarterback completed a career-high 67.1% of his pass attempts for 5,250 yards and 41 touchdowns, both league-bests, against 12 interceptions. He also added 358 rushing yards for four scores. He set an NFL record for most total yards in a season by a quarterback (combined passing and rushing) with 5,608.

Mahomes had 10 games with at least 300 passing yards, including two with 400-plus yards. He reached the 300-yard mark in nine out of the team's last 12 games of the season.

For his performances, Mahomes is one of the favorites to win the MVP trophy this season. This would be the second time he takes home the award in just five full seasons as a starter. With him, the Chiefs already have two Super Bowl appearances and a title. Before he was drafted in 2017, the team had one postseason victory in nearly two decades.

Should the Chiefs want a shot at a Super Bowl ring, they need the best version of Mahomes they can get. If the regular season is any indicator, the quarterback will certainly be the X-factor for the team to conquer the Lombardi Trophy.