The Kansas City Chiefs clinched their ninth straight AFC West championship, but this year’s title came with a twist. The 12-1 team had to rely on third-string kicker Matthew Wright to make a 31-yard field goal as time ran out in a thrilling 19-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Wright’s game-winning kick capped off an unusual season for the Chiefs, who have won six games decided by one point or less. Coach Andy Reid praised his team’s resilience and ability to close out tough contests.
“This year’s division championship is different,” Reid said. “We’ve got a lot of tight games, and our guys keep hanging in there.”
Wright’s walk-off kick was his third of the season, joining previous winners Harrison Butker and Spencer Shrader. The kicker has been instrumental in two of his teams’ wins, including last week’s four-field goal performance against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Chiefs now focus on securing the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed, which would grant them a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout their postseason run. With the Bills and Steelers trailing by just two games, the stakes are high for Kansas City as they chase their ultimate goal: Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
The Chiefs’ nine-division title streak is the second-longest in NFL history, behind the Patriots’ 11 AFC East championships from 2009 to 2019. With four regular-season games remaining, Coach Reid urged his team to maintain its aggressive style and keep battling towards their ultimate goal.
“This is just a small step,” Reid said. “We’ve got to keep playing and playing aggressively if we want to get to our ultimate goal.”
Source: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/42868035/chiefs-beat-chargers-walk-field-goal-clinch-afc-west