Key Moments– Regular Season 

1. Week Three, vs Baltimore– This was the second ever meeting between Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes. Both entered as two of the three undefeated teams in the AFC. I expected a close game and that’s exactly what we got. I also think this is one of the next quarterback matchups to watch for. Baltimore cut it close, but in the end, it was too much Kansas City. The Chiefs prevailed in the home opener to improve to 3-0 for the third straight season with a 33-28 victory.

2. Week Four, at Detroit– I was intrigued by this game. The thing about the Detroit Lions is they always find ways to keep themselves in games against teams many think they have no shot in. They gave the AFC champs all they could handle. This was also the first games that Patrick Mahomes didn’t throw a touchdown pass. My biggest takeaway from this game was their defensive struggles which has been the issue surrounding them for the last year. The Chiefs were able to escape another close game.

3. Week Five, vs Indianapolis– A playoff rematch on Sunday Night Football! This was the first meeting between the Colts and Chiefs since their divisional showdown which would also end up being Andrew Luck’s final NFL game. The Colts physically wore down the Chiefs. Mahomes was hobbled with an ankle throughout the game. The Chiefs were held to 13 points, their fewest since Mahomes became the starting quarterback. The one thing I’ll say is the Chiefs defense did impress me. This would be the Chiefs first loss of the regular season.

4. Week Eight, vs Green Bay– This game ended up losing some of the hype. It was supposed to be the first ever matchup between Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes, but Patrick’s was still sidelined with a knee injury. It was still a big game between two division leaders. The Chiefs defense struggled once again to contain Aaron Rodgers and limit Aaron Jones. Matt Moore did everything in his power to keep Kansas City in the game, but it still wasn’t enough. This was the third loss for the Chiefs in their last four games.

5. Week Ten, at Tennessee– The Chiefs got some good news prior to this game. The quarterback was set to return. Mahomes being back was a good thing not just for the team, but for the league. He didn’t miss a beat. This was also the game where he made a jump throw from the pocket to find Mecole Hardman for the touchdown. When the offense builds up a lead, the defense comes in to blow it. That’s exactly what happened. The Titans came back to stun the Chiefs for the win. This was now four out of five games that the Chiefs had lost.

6. Week 11, at Los Angeles– The bleeding for Andy Reid had to stop eventually, right? It was divisional tilt on a Monday night in Mexico City. I noticed a different approach from the Chiefs. They wanted to slow the game down which they did by running the ball. Their defense was extremely locked in for once! They rushed the passer, got takeaways and even got off the field on third down when it was necessary.

7. Week 13, at New England– I had this game circled as I’m sure the Chiefs did. This was the team that ended their season. How would they approach this game? Kansas City’s defense was ready to play. I saw consistent pressure on Brady, they stopped the run and the offense made timely plays to move the ball down the field. The Chiefs got their revenge and escaped with a seven-point win. This would be Mahomes’ first victory over the Patriots.

8. Week 17, vs Los Angeles– The AFC West was theirs once again. However, there was still something to play for. With a win and a Patriots loss against the Miami Dolphins, the Chiefs would clinch the two seed and a week off in the AFC playoffs. Kansas City was able to run the football once again as Damien Williams rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns. What they needed to happen happened! New England was stunned at the hands of the Miami Dolphins and the Chiefs handled their business. Mission accomplished!

Postseason

9. Divisional Round, vs Houston– Another rematch in the playoffs. This would mark the second ever showdown between Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes. The Houston Texans entered this game surviving the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round. The Chiefs looked rusty early on. They allowed 24 points in the first half which made me think they reverted to their old defensive ways. Then came the second quarter when things turned around. The Chiefs finished off the Texans by scoring 51 unanswered points. I also saw the mental toughness on display from them. The defense allowed only seven points in the second half.

10. AFC Championship, vs Tennessee– The conference title game was back at Arrowhead for the second straight year. This was also a rematch with the Tennessee Titans who handed the Chiefs their last loss. Tennessee entered as the talk of the playoffs. They took down New England and stunned the Ravens just the week before. In the beginning, it looked as if things were beginning to get away from the Chiefs. Here’s my thing: No game is ever over with this Chiefs offense. They got back into their rhythm and never looked back. The Lamar Hunt trophy came back home to Kansas City!