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For the fourth time in five years, the Kansas City Chiefs are going to the Super Bowl. Despite the Baltimore Ravens hosting Sunday’s AFC Championship as the conference’s No. 1 seed, with MVP front-runner Lamar Jackson under center, Patrick Mahomes and Co. prevailed yet again, claiming a 17-10 victory to reach the Super Bowl LVIII stage.
This is the same Chiefs team that endured a 3-5 stretch starting in late October and saw Mahomes produce the least efficient passing marks of his illustrious career. So how, exactly, did they surge all the way back to the Super Bowl? Here are 10 reasons:
1. Patrick Mahomes is undeniable in the playoffs
This isn’t just conjecture. It’s backed up by the numbers. K.C.’s offense is noticeably more efficient in the postseason versus the regular season, and Mahomes is the captain of that ship. The future Hall of Fame quarterback is now 14-3 as a playoff starter with 39 touchdown passes to just seven picks.
Like his QB, the Chiefs’ star tight end saves some of his best work for the brightest lights. Despite a “quiet” 980-yard receiving season, he hit a new gear in the playoffs, logging at least seven catches for 70 yards in each of K.C.’s postseason victories at age 34. He remains virtually uncoverable.
3. The defensive front is a force
It always comes back to the trenches, and the Chiefs have two of the NFL’s best pocket-wreckers in Chris Jones and George Karlaftis. The former had a quiet stat sheet against Baltimore but made his presence felt up the gut all year, combining for 24 sacks in the regular season and playoffs to date.
4. Andy Reid hasn’t abandoned the run
The Chiefs offense runs through Mahomes and Kelce, but hard-charging ball carrier Isiah Pacheco has kept them more balanced than usual. While he struggled to find big gains against Baltimore, his heavy workload takes a toll on opponents due to his unique brand of physicality.
5. The secondary is in…
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Author : Cody Benjamin
Publish date : 2024-01-29 05:18:26
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