The Chiefs entered the 2023 NFL playoffs with perhaps more questions than at any point in recent memory, going 4-5 in Patrick Mahomes' final nine starts and struggling to match the explosive production of past title bids. One game in, however, fresh off a 26-7 rout of the Dolphins on Saturday night, is it premature to suggest Kansas City has already returned to form?
Miami was banged up, after all, and the Dolphins came into Arrowhead Stadium with other red flags, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's winless record in cold-weather games, plus 2023 struggles against opponents with winning records. Isn't it possible the Chiefs simply took advantage of a fraudulent contender? Well, sure, but that would also ignore K.C.'s own big-stage resume, as well as Andy Reid's squad showcasing tried-and-true ingredients for another deep playoff run.
Let's start with the track record. It's one thing to assume the Chiefs will always turn it on once it matters most, regardless of how they've played previously. Anyone with eyes has seen their operation hasn't been nearly as seamless throughout 2023, with Mahomes sorely lacking a reliable receiving corps for long stretches. Then again, there's no denying their postseason experience. Since Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback in 2018, the Chiefs have won at least two playoff games in four of their last five seasons -- a win next week would make it five of six -- and Mahomes himself is 12-3 in the playoffs. The QB and Coach Reid are the modern-day equivalent of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick during their peak Patriots years.
Better yet, the Chiefs' recent stretch, including their blowout of the Dolphins, suggests they're only on the upswing. The defense, for example, was already a strong suit, finishing the regular season ranked No. 2 in the NFL. Even when Mahomes and Reid couldn't offset miscues by maligned weapons like Kadarius Toney, Steve Spagnuolo's unit often could. (And speaking of Spagnuolo, he's now led three top-10 scoring defenses in the last four years, marking the best run of his career.) That dominance carried over against the Dolphins, who mustered just seven points and 264 yards in their sad wild-card showing.
The Chiefs defense, which propelled several key prime-time wins earlier this year, plays an imposing brand of ball at every level. There's Chris Jones and George Karlaftis in the trenches; they've now combined for 23 sacks on the year. There's Nick Bolton in the middle. And L'Jarius Sneed, who outmuscled Tyreek Hill on some key reps, always bringing an edginess on the boundaries. Every team talks the talk when it comes to playing physical, but this group actually does it. And that translates extremely well to the cold-weather outings of January, where the Chiefs are guaranteed an outdoor divisional round matchup.
But shouldn't the effortless dominance of young QBs like Jordan Love and C.J. Stroud against so-called "elite" defenses reduce the value of K.C.'s own "D"? Well, there's more to like -- or fear, if you're the opponent -- on the other side of the ball. Consider Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs' No. 1 running back. His 89 yards were crucial against Miami, reaffirming his underrated ability to balance Reid's attack. K.C. is now 8-2 this year when Pacheco gets at least 15 carries, as opposed to 2-3 when he doesn't. And even when he isn't averaging a ton of yards per carry, he makes defenders work to bring him down with such a powerful stride.
Beyond that, perhaps most important of all, Mahomes finally appears to have himself a No. 1 receiver. Travis Kelce remains the go-to outlet at tight end, but rookie Rashee Rice has emerged as both a reliable and explosive downfield option. His 130 yards against Miami marked a season high, but after a quiet two-and-a-half months to start 2023, he's now topped 90 yards in four of his last seven games while securing well over 75% of his targets. The second-rounder has even outpaced Tyreek Hill, that notorious ex-Chiefs speedster, over the last seven games -- not only in catches, but yards and first downs.
Could an obstacle still prevent the Chiefs from yet another Super Bowl appearance? Such as, say, Josh Allen and the Bills? Stroud and the Texans? Lamar Jackson and the Ravens? Of course. But put all of these things together -- the playoff history, the sterling defense, the steady ground game and the emerging big-play threat for Mahomes -- and you've got yourself reason to believe K.C. is still just as much a contender as it's ever been.
