NFL Power Rankings: Ranking teams most likely to de-throne Chiefs in playoffs
The Kansas City Chiefs look to win their third Super Bowl in a row, but which teams could be most likely to beat them in the playoffs? No team in NFL history has won three Super Bowls in a row, and it's for a reason.
The Patriots won three Super Bowls in four years to kick off the 21st century, and the Denver Broncos won two Super Bowls in a row in 1997 and 1998. The Chiefs have won three Super Bowls since the 2019 NFL Season, so they are right in the middle of a dynasty.
Even the "Evil Empire" Patriots were unable to win three Super Bowls in a row. Anyway, the Chiefs may have a ton of tough competition that could get in their way in their quest to go back-to-back-to-back. Let's power-rank the teams most likely to de-throne the Chiefs in the NFL playoffs.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking teams most likely to de-throne Chiefs in playoffs
5. Denver Broncos
The last two times the Denver Broncos have played the Kansas City Chiefs, they've outplayed them. The most recent time was in Arrowhead with rookie QB Bo Nix outplaying Patrick Mahomes. If it wasn't for the Chiefs finding a way to block a game-winning field goal attempt, Denver would have beaten KC two times in a row.
The last time these two teams played before that was in Denver in the 2023 NFL Season. The Chiefs weren't able to get into the end zone in that game. So in total, the Denver Broncos have allowed just two touchdowns against the Chiefs in their last two matchups and have outscored them.
Being that the Broncos have a top-shelf defense and may have their franchise QB, the Broncos could most definitely go into Arrowhead and play spoiler in the NFL playoffs. They are built to beat the Chiefs.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to have struck (black and) gold with Russell Wilson coming in for Justin Fields. Wilson has been able to air the ball out down the field and get the offense into another level. Now yes, the ceiling with Pittsburgh might be limited, as Mr. Unlimited is not unlimited anymore.
However, we can all see that this Steelers team is very good and is built similarly to those mid-2010s Seattle Seahawks teams that went to two-straight Super Bowls and were a force for about five years. The Steelers play a brand of football to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in January.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs met in the Super Bowl two years ago, and through four games in 2024, Philly was 2-2 and struggling, but since then, the Eagles have won nine games in a row and are 11-2 on the season.
Philly is led by their MVP-candidate running back Saquon Barkley, who is on pace to eclipse 2,000 yards this year. The Eagles have a clear weakness at QB with Jalen Hurts, but their roster is just so much better than most other teams that they've been able to win a ton of games despite Hurts being more of an average QB than anything else.
2. Buffalo Bills
A team slightly better than the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills fell to 10-3 on the season and are now two games behind the Chiefs in the AFC standings, so it may not be likely that Buffalo catches up to them. Buffalo may again meet KC in the playoffs, and it could be in the conference championship game.
The Bills are better than the Chiefs this year, but they've never been able to get past them in the postseason in this Mahomes/Allen era. Perhaps this year could yield different results.
1. Detroit Lions
Unquestionably the best team in the NFL this year, the Detroit Lions pose the biggest threat to the Kansas City Chiefs, and obviously, the only way these teams meet in the 2024 NFL Season is if they meet in the Super Bowl. I'd not be shocked if this was the most likely Super Bowl matchup, and it probably should be. Both teams are 12-1 on the season and hold the top seed in their conferences.
However, Detroit is better from top to bottom and would probably be able to win this game.