The Kansas City Chiefs held on for a victory and are eyeing a return trip to the Super Bowl.
The Kansas City Chiefs are likely fond of Miami. 10 months ago, they were showered with confetti as Super Bowl champions. On Sunday in Week 14, they were given the opportunity to face the team that uses the exact same field, Hard Rock Stadium, as their home. A 33-27 victory over the Miami Dolphins gives the Chiefs the AFC West title and a guaranteed playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium.
The story wasn’t pretty as reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes threw three interceptions on a day where has was off. But if the Chiefs can win when he has an off day, what does it say about them when he is on his best day?
Additionally, given just how prolific Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill can be when Mahomes is struggling, it shows that this team is just built to win and establish themselves as a powerhouse of the NFL
Defensively, Andy Reid‘s team is nowhere near the flashiness that attracts the viewers but they are productive and held their will against a Dolphins team that played with pride and playoff hopes of their own on the line. Four sacks and an interception by Tyrann Mathieu allowed the defending champs to leave with their fifth consecutive division title.
The Kansas City Chiefs have flaws but not enough to keep them from contending.
In the NFL, a win allows you to proceed forward with confidence — just ask the Kansas City Chiefs. This win showed that even the defending champions have issues that bear cleaning up. However, given the pedigree of Reid and the résume of Mahomes, there is no reason to doubt them.
The Chiefs defense seems to have found its groove after being considered an afterthought. Steve Spagnuolo’s unit is led by players who have put their personal pride aside in favor of team success.
This win was not pretty but the job was accomplished and with it, the pride of winning the division and guaranteeing a home playoff game in the postseason. Whether or not the road to Tampa Bay goes through the Midwest remains to be seen, but the team has shown that in the toughest of circumstances, they can persevere. A true testament to the great players who won before them.