Here are the Chiefs’ clinching scenarios for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs
It was a Sweet 16 for the Chiefs on Saturday.
The Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 27-19 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, and that was their 16th straight victory in one-score games.
That also finished a perfect home slate in the regular season, as the Chiefs went 8-0 at Arrowhead Stadium. The last time that happened was in 2003.
If all goes well for the Chiefs, they’ll look to push that unbeaten streak in KC to 10 games. Should the Chiefs, 14-1, get the top seed in the AFC playoff field, they potentially could play two more games at Arrowhead Stadium.
More importantly, they’d also get a bye in the first round of the postseason.
To get that top seed one of two things needs to happen.
Scenario 1
The Chiefs can give their fans a great gift on Christmas. With a victory over the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Christmas Day, the Chiefs will win their 15th game of the season. That’s one more victory than the Buffalo Bills, 11-3, can achieve this season.
Buffalo has the tiebreaker over the Chiefs based on the Bills’ win over Kansas City on Nov. 17, so Kansas City needs to end the season with more victories.
Even if the Chiefs lose to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, they can clinch the No. 1 spot with a win over the Broncos in Denver in Week 18.
Scenario 2
The Bills end the season against teams that have won a combined seven games: the Patriots and Jets. Buffalo plays host to New England on Sunday and the Jets on Dec. 29. The Bills play the Patriots in Foxborough in Week 18.
Should the Bills lose any of those games, then the Chiefs would secure the top seed in the AFC playoff field. That means the Chiefs could clinch the overall No. 1 spot in the postseason as early as Sunday.
Fans in Kansas City will be able to watch Sunday’s Bills-Patriots game. It will air Sunday at 3:25 on KCTV (Ch. 5).
This story was originally published December 21, 2024 at 3:35 PM.
