The Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up for their first game of the playoffs in the 2024 NFL season when they host the Houston Texans on Saturday.
With a full week off, Kansas City has been able to rest and re-set before a run to try for a possible third straight Super Bowl title.
After a season of some struggle in the connection between Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, the duo are now preparing to shine on the stage they’re the brightest: the playoffs.
Speaking to the media after a practice, Mahomes said that the presence of Kelce has been a boost to the rest of the Chiefs and they’re all locked in on the same mindset.
‘I think it just inspired the team, and I think he kind of has the heart of a champion,’ Mahomes said proudly.
‘I think that inspires everybody, and so when your leaders and your Hall of Fame guys are doing that, I mean, I think everybody knows that they gotta put it all on the line.’
Despite the strong 15-2 record that the Chiefs put up this season, neither Mahomes nor Kelce were particularly dominant like they have been in the past.
Last season, despite the rough campaign, Mahomes still managed to throw for over 4,000 yards and earned a Pro Bowl nod.
This year was the first time in Mahomes’ career as a starter that he failed to surpass 4,000 yards in a season. He also missed out on a Pro Bowl selection for the first time since he was named the Chiefs starter in 2018.
Similar to Mahomes, Kelce had a slow start to the season. The 35-year-old finished with only 823 receiving yards – the lowest of his career, barring his rookie season. The three touchdowns he caught this year are also the least he’s ever had.
Another sign of these struggles is that the Chiefs were one of three teams that failed to score more than 30 points in a game this year. The other two teams were two of the worst franchises in the NFL: the New England Patriots and the Las Vegas Raiders, which both finished with 4-13 records.
Of KC’s 15 wins this season, ten of them finished within one score – including five games with a margin of victory of three points or less.
Nevertheless, the Chiefs have earned themselves the top seed in the AFC and have home field advantage through the playoffs.
If they win at home this week, they’ll advance to their seventh straight AFC Championship game. That’s one shy of the all-time record, held by the dynasty era Patriots from 2011-2018.
