The Kansas City Chiefs are closing in on an historic three-peat in the NFL, but head coach Andy Reid isn’t treating this playoff run any differently. The Chiefs are two wins away from becoming the first team in the Super Bowl era to win three-straight NFL championships, which became the goal as soon as Kansas City won Super Bowl LVIII last February. Rival fans are hoping that the added pressure may work against the Chiefs, but Reid isn’t looking to complicate things.
Reid appeared extremely calm when looking ahead to the AFC Championship game, showing unwavering confidence that his team will get the job done. “They’re good players that love to play the game,” Reid said after the Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 23-14 on Saturday. “We’re sitting here, and it’s that time of the year. Guys stepped up and did just a nice job,” the Chiefs head coach added. After securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 15-2 regular-season record, the Chiefs enjoyed a bye week before facing the Texans in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
The Chiefs haven’t looked as dominant this season as they have in previous years, but they continue to find ways to win. “It was good to get back in the swing of things,” Reid added. “I thought the guys knocked a little rust off early, kept working, and then finished up strong.”
The game started slowly, but Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt scored the first touchdown with four minutes remaining in the second quarter. Texans running back Joe Mixon hit back with a 13-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, but Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce capped off his best game of the season with a decisive touchdown in the fourth quarter. “We probably need to start with Trav [Travis Kelce], with seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown,” Reid said when praising the Chiefs offense. “That’s why he’s the greatest tight end there’s been… It was all good.”
Kelce has been questioned this season, and rightly so as he’s recorded career-lows since he first became a starter in 2014. Kelce’s 823 yards and three touchdowns were way below his career average, but just like the Chiefs do when it gets to the playoffs, he turned up.
Although Kelce was pivotal on Saturday, it was the defense that starred as they sacked Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud eight times and only gave up 14 points. “I thought our defense did an outstanding job,” Reid said. “George [Karlaftis] led us with three sacks, but there were eight team sacks overall. “That doesn’t normally happen against a great offense like they’ve got. My hat goes off to Spags [Steve Spagnuolo]. The plan he had, and then, again, the players for executing.”
The Chiefs will now face either the Baltimore Ravens or the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game, and unlike last year, they’ll have home advantage. The Chiefs may have the experience at this stage, but quarterbacks Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are the standout candidates for NFL MVP.
