December 25th 2024.
On Christmas Day, in the Kansas City Chiefs' locker room, head coach Andy Reid surprised his team by showing up in a Santa Claus suit. It was a fun and festive moment, but Reid had an even bigger gift for his team: home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. This is the fourth time in seven years that the Chiefs have secured the top seed in the AFC, and it's no mystery how they keep managing to do it year after year.
The answer is simple: a lot of Patrick Mahomes, a dash of Travis Kelce, and a splash of speed. Not to mention, a solid defense that stays focused and does their job, even when their leader is just standing on the sideline in sweatpants. The Chiefs may have had some rough patches this season, but as the playoffs approach, they seem to be finding their groove and getting back into championship form.
And once again, the road to the Super Bowl will go through Arrowhead Stadium, a place the Chiefs are very familiar and comfortable with. As Mahomes said after throwing for 320 yards and three touchdowns in their recent victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, getting the top seed is like winning a playoff game. Even though the way they secured it may not have felt like a typical playoff game.
The Chiefs dominated the Steelers, taking an early 13-point lead and never looking back. Pittsburgh, who has now lost three straight games, had no answer for Mahomes and his offense. In fact, Mahomes is now 4-0 against the Steelers and has thrown 17 touchdowns with just one interception in those games. He connected with Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson for first-half touchdowns and made history with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Kelce in the fourth quarter.
That touchdown was Kelce's 77th career scoring reception, breaking a franchise record previously held by Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. To celebrate, Kelce did a signature dunk over the goal post, which unfortunately resulted in a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. But it didn't matter in the end, as the Chiefs were firmly in control of the game.
Aside from their high-powered offense, the Chiefs' defense also stepped up, even with star defensive end Chris Jones out due to injury. Playing their third game in just 11 days, the Chiefs' defense held their own against the Steelers and helped secure the win.
On the other hand, the Steelers have been struggling lately, losing their last three games by at least 14 points. They may even end up starting the playoffs on the road after losing their two-game division lead in just three weeks. Quarterback Russell Wilson acknowledged that every season has its highs and lows, and the Steelers need to end the regular season on a positive note.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs seem to be hitting their stride at the right time. Mahomes, who was dealing with an ankle injury from a previous game, showed no signs of slowing down as he led the offense to victory. With the regular season coming to a close, the Chiefs are looking like a strong contender for a third straight championship.
Injuries were minimal for both teams, with RB Isiah Pacheco leaving the game in the second half for the Chiefs due to a rib injury, and DT Cam Heyward briefly exiting for the Steelers in the fourth quarter before returning.
Next up for the Chiefs is a trip to Denver to finish up the regular season, while the Steelers will host Cincinnati in their final game. As always, you can stay updated with the latest NFL news and analysis by signing up for the Broncos Insider.
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