The Kansas City Chiefs might see a similar fate as the 2011 Green Bay Packers.
The Kansas City Chiefs locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs after taking down the Falcons on Sunday but it wasn’t the prettiest of wins. The Chiefs have struggled to put opponents away this season but are still sitting pretty with a 14-1 record and the knowledge that they won’t have to travel again until Super Bowl LV (assuming they get there).
While the Chiefs are on an amazing tear this season, it’s really hard to repeat as Super Bowl champions no matter how great a team is. The Chiefs are a lot of people’s pick to win the title this season but when looking at this team, the 2011 Packers come to mind because of similarities with the two.
For those who might not know the story, let’s dive in. The 2011 Packers were the defending Super Bowl champions, defeating the Steelers in the big game the season prior. After hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers went 15-1 on the year (with their only loss coming to the Chiefs, oddly enough) and looked poised to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Green Bay had the top seed in the NFC so they had Wild Card weekend off while awaiting their Divisional Round opponent. The New York Giants ended up being that opponent and, well — It didn’t go according to plan for the Packers, as Green Bay fell 37-20 and was one and done in the playoffs.
The Kansas City Chiefs could see this very same thing happen to them.
As of now, the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs have just one loss on their resumé (a Week 5 loss to the Raiders) and very well could finish 15-1, just like the Packers did. They already have the No. 1 seed locked up too and look like they can beat anyone.
Everyone thought the Packers making the Super Bowl was a shoo-in that year because of their previous title and the fact that they went 15-1. Green Bay looked head and shoulders above the rest of the league. A lot think this about the Chiefs too and with how much KC has struggled to close out games, an early playoff exit wouldn’t be shocking and it’d end the same exact way it did for the Packers.
Of course, none of us know what’s going to happen with the Chiefs just yet. If they do get knocked out of the postseason in the Divisional Round, however, they’ll be forever linked to the 2011 Green Bay Packers because of how similar their stories played out.