For the second straight year, the Kansas City Chiefs have a chance to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
Head coach Andy Reid hasn't been to the Big Game since way back in 2004, when Donovan McNabb was his quarterback, Terrell Owens was still happily a Philadelphia Eagle and Tom Brady was only two Lombardi Trophies into his career. But there might not be a better opportunity for Big Red to get that ever-elusive ring than this year, with Brady and the New England Patriots long gone, reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes already comfortable in a postseason setting and a familiar opponent on tap for this weekend's AFC Championship.
Most importantly, Reid has maybe the NFL's most efficient and most explosive team on his side in the 2019 Chiefs.
Days removed from a remarkable Divisional Round performance, in which Mahomes basically looked at a 24-point deficit, laughed and then proceeded to rattle off five touchdown passes in a 51-31 blowout, Kansas City is now the favorite to win it all.
Can they actually go the distance? We'll get to that in a bit. First, let's rewind and see how Reid and the Chiefs got here in the first place, taking a look at the roster moves and in-season victories that influenced their journey the most:
Key acquisitions
Free agency:
Draft:
Trades:
Mahomes is obviously the centerpiece of all the Chiefs do, somehow making a 4,000-yard season with a 105.3 passer rating look just "good" after his breakout of 2018. But he and other familiar weapons, like Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, got some serious support from the club's crop of 2019 additions.
Clark is the biggest name of the bunch, and his presence has certainly helped offset injuries to interior studs like Chris Jones. Credited with three sacks in K.C.'s Divisional rout alone, he added eight sacks and three forced fumbles during the regular season. Breeland and Wilson, meanwhile, have quietly had steadily productive seasons after coming in as lower-tier pickups, while the team's top two rookies -- Hardman and Thornhill -- couldn't have had a better start to their careers. The former has flashed as a big-play threat in relief of or alongside Hill, putting the cherry on the Chiefs' offensive sundae, while Thornhill has been sturdy when healthy at the back end of the secondary opposite the versatile Mathieu.
Turning point
Week 10 vs. Tennessee Titans
It's easy to forget now that Matt Moore actually helped the Chiefs stay afloat during Mahomes' two-game absence, which initially looked as if it might be a lot longer thanks to the QB's scary knee injury, but the moment things finally clicked for Reid's squad might have come -- funny enough -- after Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry and Mike Vrabel's scrappy Titans upset K.C. in a 35-32 shootout.
After starting the season 4-0, the Chiefs didn't win back-to-back games for more than two months, slipping up in two straight home games and nearly falling to the Minnesota Vikings during a 2-4 stretch from October to November. Then the Titans happened. Tennessee's inspiring victory spoiled Mahomes' anticipated return, dropped the Chiefs to 6-4 and gave new life to Kansas City's AFC West rivals -- but it also lit a fire under Reid's team.
The Chiefs weren't perfect in their follow-up, a 24-17 defeat of the Los Angeles Chargers, but considering the "W" came on the road in Mexico City (and without Hill for much of the game), it was a clutch performance. It was also the start of a winning streak that's still intact. Since coming off their Week 12 bye, the Chiefs haven't lost, racking up four 20-point routs along the way. So while Week 10 may be reason to fear the Titans this weekend, it also marks the last time K.C. didn't look like a pristine Super Bowl contender.
Key win
Week 14 vs. New England Patriots
It might not be surprising, in retrospect, that the Chiefs were able to knock off the Patriots this season. But consider the circumstances at the time: New England was fresh off an upset loss to the Houston Texans, primed to rebound in typical Bill Belichick/Tom Brady fashion. The Pats defense was still playing like one of the best in the league. They were in Foxborough. They were less than a year removed from beating the Chiefs in Arrowhead to advance to the Super Bowl.
Didn't matter. The Chiefs went on the road, and they earned a statement win. Not only did it give them another tick in the AFC "W" column, avenge the title-game loss and allow Mahomes to stand out in one of his first big tests since returning from injury, but it confirmed they weren't going to bow to the bright lights or the big stage. They put one of the NFL's best defenses to bed, boosted their morale in the process, and coasted the rest of the way for a 12-4 finish and first-round bye.
Full 2019 results
| Week | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
@ Jaguars |
W, 40-26 |
|
2 |
@ Raiders |
W, 28-10 |
|
3 |
vs. Ravens |
W, 33-28 |
|
4 |
@ Lions |
W, 34-30 |
|
5 |
vs. Colts |
L, 19-13 |
|
6 |
vs. Texans |
L, 31-24 |
|
7 |
@ Broncos |
W, 30-6 |
|
8 |
vs. Packers |
L, 31-24 |
|
9 |
vs. Vikings |
W, 26-23 |
|
10 |
@ Titans |
L, 35-32 |
|
11 |
@ Chargers |
W, 24-17 |
|
13 |
vs. Raiders |
W, 40-9 |
|
14 |
@ Patriots |
W, 23-16 |
|
15 |
vs. Broncos |
W, 23-3 |
|
16 |
@ Bears |
W, 26-3 |
|
17 |
vs. Chargers |
W, 31-21 |
|
Divisional |
vs. Texans |
W, 51-31 |
AFC Championship prediction
The coaches will say all week that the previous Chiefs-Titans game doesn't matter, but it does -- at least a little bit. Tennessee knows from experience that it can run the ball against K.C.'s front, especially if Chris Jones can't go at full health, if at all. If Vrabel is smart, he'll ensure Tannehill takes what's there and lets Henry control the clock, hoping the "D" can do just enough to lift them again.
But as we've seen, especially recently, the Chiefs don't need to win time of possession to win the game. They are so explosive it's not even funny -- the passing version of the Baltimore Ravens. Mahomes is at the top of his game -- awesome with both his arm, legs and mind -- and should benefit from staying at home. The Chiefs' pass defense is also solid enough not to give up 30-plus points to the Titans again. Clock-management woes or not, Reid will finally be headed back to the Super Bowl.
Pick: Chiefs 28, Titans 24
"Key" - Google News
January 16, 2020 at 10:15PM
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How Chiefs reached 2020 AFC Championship game: Key acquisitions, turning point, key win, results, prediction - CBS Sports
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