Kansas City Chiefs Clinch AFC West, Prove Can Beat Bad in Super Bowl Quest

It also confirmed why I still believe the Chiefs are well positioned to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls:

This team knows how to win badly.

Sunday’s second win marked Kansas City’s fifth win of the season by three points or less. Heck, each of its last wins came that way. There have been two victories for the Chiefs decided by one ball, and none of them came out with more than 13 points.

I wouldn’t argue that Kansas City’s fortunes this season have been disproportionately good, though.

It started in the first week, when the Chiefs were stunned 27-20 after Isaiah Cishe of Baltimore sprained his toe in the last game of regulation.

Two weeks later, Kansas City escaped Atlanta with a 22-17 victory following a controversial no-call on what looked like defensive pass interference in the end zone when the Falcons were driving late in the fourth quarter.

Then came the worst part in Week 13, when Las Vegas came within striking distance of a potential game-winning field goal before a poor shot helped the Chiefs to a 19-17 victory.

Of course, Kansas City should have at least three or four losses at this point. But a number of its wins have also come from a clean sweep that few, if any, other teams have.

Take Week 10 against Denver, when the Chiefs took advantage of a soft spot in the Broncos’ end zone and blocked what would have been a 35-yard game-winner as time expired for an improbable 16-14 victory.

Or in Carolina in Week 12, when Patrick Mahomes calmly drove Kansas City 57 yards in just under two minutes to set up Spencer Shrader’s 31-yard field goal, giving the Chiefs a 30-27 victory.

Then Sunday night, when Mahomes converted two critical moments on Kansas City’s final drive to set up Wright’s winner.

The Chiefs aren’t blowing teams out like they used to, but that probably makes them more scary. It is difficult to imagine that the team will win against Kansas City, and the Chiefs have proven many times that they will not explode when the pressure reaches high.

In addition, look at their last two playoff contests. Aside from that 19-point home win in last year’s wild-card game against the Dolphins (who had no business competing in those frigid conditions), Kansas City has won six of its last seven postseason games by one possession.

The Chiefs have four regular season games left to find another gear, but even if they don’t, they are still guaranteed at least one playoff game at home.

Kansas City has done enough to hold the AFC’s best record heading into the last four weeks, and we all know that Mahomes can cut through defenses to help fuel the Chiefs’ seemingly overdue fight.

Teams like Buffalo and Pittsburgh have emerged as potential contenders for Kansas City in the conference, but the playoffs are a different beast.

Every snap adds up, and mistakes can be fatal.

It’s easy to panic and lose your identity when the game doesn’t go as planned. But the Chiefs have the ability to stay on track, no matter how difficult it is.

It might not be the most exciting way to win, but Kansas City’s ability to stay calm could bring another Super Bowl ring with the shine that has been missing from the Chiefs’ success this season.