The Kansas City Chiefs have made it to the Super Bowl for the first time in fifty years, and that’s despite taking part in the first-ever edition of the biggest game in the NFL.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the road they followed this season to make it against all the odds. We’ll also give our prediction on whether they could take home the coveted Vince Lombardi trophy this season. Let’s get into the story of their NFL campaign so far.
Kansas City Chiefs' Regular Season
The Chiefs started their season in the NFL with four wins on the bounce, including impressive victories over AFC West rivals the Raiders and the season-long outstanding Baltimore Ravens, in an early surge. Setbacks came in the next two fixtures for Kansas as they succumbed to the Colts and the Texans back to back in two disappointing outings, although because of the relative weakness of their division, they went unpunished in the standings.
Their season was a little rocky after that for a few games, as they went from wins to losses for four games, but fans could take some joy from the quality of the team’s performances. In a dominant victory when they destroyed the Broncos, the players looked unstoppable, and even the defeats in this period could have gone either way.
It was Game Week 11 as the Chiefs faced the Chargers that their Super Bowl credentials started to look like a possibility. Despite still being a long shot in any football fan’s eyes, that win of 24-17 saw the rise of quarterback Philip Rivers, and Kansas never looked back.
They went on to seal victories in all five of their last NFL regular-season games, and that kind of momentum is gold dust at the business end of the campaign. The most impressive of those outings was the 23-17 destruction of the New England Patriots, current holders of the Vince Lombardi trophy.
NFL Divisional Round
The NFL Divisional Round saw the Kansas City Chiefs come up against the team that beat them earlier in the season, and the winners of the AFC South. The Texans were the favorites for this game without a doubt, and it was one for the history books. Both offenses left it all on the field with high points totals recorded by both sides.
After the first quarter, it looked like those pre-game predictions were on point, and it seemed hopeless for Kansas after they conceded 21 points without reply. Whatever the Chiefs coach, Andy Reid said to them after that must have made all the difference. Travis Kelce started the charge for Kansas as they scored 28 points in that second period of the first half. At that stage, it could have gone either way, with the scoreboard showing 28-24 at half time.
The third quarter was much tighter, with both teams feeling the weight of what could come next for the victors. The Chiefs edged it, leaving it virtually impossible for the Texans to come back into the game and take the glory. Kansas put in another 10 points in the last fifteen minutes of play, scoring ten points without reply. The game ended at a staggering 51-31 in favor of Kansas, and the fans were jubilant as they confirmed progression to the NFL Conference Championships.
NFL Conference Championships
The next challenge for Kansas came in the form of the Titans, another team that has beaten them in the early stages of the regular season and surprised the Ravens in their Divisional Round game. This battle was on a knife-edge, with the odds so tight that a winner was almost impossible to call out. The Kansas Chiefs boasted the better record of the two at this stage, but it would take a brave person to bet against either side making it to the Super Bowl.
Unlike the last game Kansas came through, this one was a nervous and tight affair from the outset. The first quarter ended with just 3 points separating the two teams, with the Chiefs slightly behind at 10-3. The second quarter swung the other way, and it looked like the Titans had thrown away a golden ticket to the Super Bowl. When both teams came off the field at half time, it was 21-17 and still too close to call a winner.
That nerves showed in the following quarter, and neither the Titans nor the Chiefs managed to register a single point. It all came down to that final 15 minutes, and Kansas grabbed the chance at a long-awaited Super Bowl with both hands. A repeat of the points totals for each side in the second quarter meant that the Chiefs booked their place in the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years, running out 35-24 winners over the Titans.
MVP for the Chiefs this Season
Look no further than last season’s NFL MVP for the answer to who has delivered the most for the Kansas City Chiefs this season. Despite his injuries, Mahomes has put in a respectable 26 touchdowns for Kansas this term, but what’s more impressive is his form in the last two postseason games.
When the Chiefs faced the Titans, he bagged 3 touchdowns and put in a rating of 120.4. It got even better in the next game against the Titans, where Mahomes scored five touchdowns and attained a rating of 134.6. Those numbers are astounding, and he could make all the difference this Sunday.
Prediction
This Super Bowl really could go either way, and it may well be down to the performances of one or two key individuals. It’s not an easy one to call, but we’re putting our money on the 49ers, with the caveat of Mahomes having the game of his career to date. Don’t miss out on the action this Sunday.
