The Kansas City Chiefs have secured the AFC’s top playoff seed after clinching a 29-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day. With their win, Patrick Mahomes and company will enjoy a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Mahomes, who led the team to a season-high 389 yards, spoke about the importance of getting healthy players back for the playoffs. “It’s just going to be nice getting guys healthy,” he said. “We have some guys banged up, and to get them back healthy now and we’ll see how Week 18 goes.”
The Chiefs’ victory also showcased their tough mentality, as they navigated a grueling stretch of three games in 11 days. Mahomes praised his team’s resilience, saying, “It showed the toughness of the team, and I think we got better as, obviously, the games went on.” The team’s defense was particularly impressive, sacking Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson five times and forcing a Pittsburgh fumble.
Coach Andy Reid called it the Chiefs’ most complete game of the season, highlighting their success across all three phases. Mahomes expressed confidence in his passing game, noting that he has built chemistry with receivers Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown. The duo combined for 12 catches, 125 yards, and a touchdown against the Steelers.
Tight end Travis Kelce set a team record for career touchdown receptions after scoring on a 12-yard catch in the fourth quarter. However, his celebration drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Despite this, Kelce remained humble, saying he gave it “some love” to his predecessor Tony Gonzalez.
The Chiefs still have one regular-season game left against the Broncos, which will be meaningless in terms of the standings or playoff seeding. Mahomes expressed confidence that he would start, but emphasized his trust in Coach Reid’s decisions. With their dominant win, the Chiefs are excited for the playoffs and look to continue improving as they head into Week 18.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43159475/chiefs-grateful-playoff-bye-clinching-afc-top-seed