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The Kansas City Chiefs survived another close game Friday, defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 19-17 after they recovered a botched snap in the closing seconds with the Silver and Black on the enemy 32-yard line.
The 11-1 Chiefs clinched a playoff berth with the win and will now have a chance at the NFL’s first-ever Super Bowl three-peat, but quarterback Patrick Mahomes admitted to reporters postgame that the team isn’t playing its “best football” right now (1:30 mark).
“We just hold ourselves to such a high standard that we don’t feel like we’re playing our best football altogether and it seems like every game it’s offense does good, defense does good, kind of vice-versa. We gotta find a way to build up so we can play great as a full entire team. It’s awesome that we’re finding ways to get wins. At the end of the day that’s what you’re going for, but our goal is to get to that Super Bowl. So, we’re going to try to continue to get better and better so that we’re playing our best football hopefully by the end of the year.”
The Chiefs haven’t been playing their best football, and they’ve been pretty lucky too.
Kansas City is now 9-0 in one-score games. The Chiefs’ point differential at the end of regulation in their last four wins has been plus-seven.
Despite being 10 games over .500, the Chiefs are just 11th in point differential in the NFL. They’re third in their own division, the AFC West, behind the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos on that front.
Historically, the Chiefs don’t compare well with other NFL teams that started 11-1 either.
Stathole @Statholesports
It is indeed a statistical fact that the Kansas City Chiefs are the worst 11-1 team in modern NFL history with just a +54 point differential. pic.twitter.com/EcQs8OrnCY
On the flip side, Kansas City certainly has the talent to be playing to its potential and providing some more breathing room in these games.
Statistically, Mahomes is having a down year by his career standards, but this is a two-time NFL MVP and three-time Super Bowl MVP who consistently turns it up when the lights are brightest.
He has a host of weapons, including longtime partner-in-crime Travis Kelce, three-time All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins and Isiah Pacheco, who just returned after missing nine games with a broken fibula.
The defense, led by Chris Jones, remains stout, although the pass rush hasn’t been getting home this year (24 sacks in 12 games). The linebackers have starred for this unit, with Nick Bolton in particular looking sensational (58 solo tackles).
And three-time Super Bowl winning head coach Andy Reid is the best sideline leader in the game, so the team remains in good hands.
Kansas City does have a daunting schedule, though, with four of the team’s final five regular-season games against teams currently in the AFC playoff picture. The other is the Cleveland Browns, which sport upset wins against two eight-win teams (the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers) since Jameis Winston took over at quarterback.
The Los Angeles Chargers are up next on Sunday, Dec. 8 at home.
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