Kansas City Chiefs Finding Magical Offense Switch As Top Playoff Seed, Bye And Home-Field Advantage In Sight

Before Saturday's game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the NBC guy that rolls up his sleeves and figures out vote counts for elections, took on the assignment of figuring out the Kansas City Chiefs' chances of claiming the top seed in the upcoming NFL playoffs.

And what Steve Kornacki came up with is the Chiefs would have an 89 percent chance of claiming a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs if they beat the Houston Texans, but only a 51 percent chance if they lost.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -  Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass against the Houston Texans during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 21, 2024. Photo: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Top Seed Is Chiefs' Top Priority

Well, the 89 percent apparently sounded a lot better to the Chiefs.

"We want to try to fight and get that No.1 seed so we can be playing here at Arrowhead," quarterback Patrick Mahomes said after a 27-19 Chiefs victory. "But it's going to take our best football every single week."

The Chiefs have the NFL's best record at 14-1, and need only one more win or one more Buffalo loss to claim the top overall playoff spot.

Don't bet against them.

They're hard to beat. They have proven that repeatedly, winning 16 consecutive one-score games. And they are hard to beat at home, as their 8-0 record at home this year proves.

That's bad news for the rest of the NFL.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) fumbles a pass as Houston Texans cornerback Myles Bryant (27) defends during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 21, 2024. Photo: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Chiefs Offense Starting To Look Good

Here's worse news:

The Kansas City offense that has been unremarkable much of the season, is heating up. Again.

We say "again" because last season, the Chiefs' offense was inconsistent and unimpressive much of the season through Christmas. And then they seemingly flipped some invisible switch and didn't lose another game all season. 

Or in the playoffs.

Or in the Super Bowl.

Well, that hard-to-find switch may be flipped again.

Consider:

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) catches a pass against Houston Texans safety Eric Murray (23) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 21, 2024. Photo: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Patrick Mahomes Avoids Mistakes

Mahomes completed 28 passes to 10 different receivers. He didn't throw an interception, which was the fifth consecutive game he avoided that mistake and seventh in the last eight outings.

So, yes, Mahomes is protecting the football. And with the Saturday addition of Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and the rising performance of rookie Xavier Worthy, the quarterback has more options that also include trade-deadline addition DeAndre Hopkins.

"It was a positive day for all of those guys," coach Andy Reid said.

"You saw them in there winning versus man coverage," Mahomes said. "Those guys did a great job and won even more than when I threw them the football."

Worthy, a rookie, is developing in much the same way Rashee Rice developed late last year – late in the season. Mahomes said he saw the rookie playing faster over a month ago against the Buffalo Bills and that changed things.

"He's getting more and more comfortable," Mahomes said. "Since the Bills game you can see that. Now we have to keep working him to give him more and more opportunities downfield."

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid greets Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans after a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 21, 2024. PHOTO: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Chiefs Arsenal Adds Weapons

Brown, by the way, is great news for the Chiefs in that he's missed the entire season with a clavicle injury and Saturday was his first game back. He caught five passes for 45 yards despite being worked in slowly.

"The great thing about all those guys is they all want to play," Reid said. "And he's like that. He loves playing. He was feeling well and just wanted more."

Said Mahomes: "We'll get him involved more and more as the season goes on."

Mahomes threw 2 TD passes. He also ran for one, from 15 yards out – and that was impressive because he'd spent the entire week nursing a high ankle injury.

Mahomes improbably ran twice on the first drive and that obviously surprised the Texans. So Houston changed strategy and put a spy on the quarterback.

The Texans actually felt the need to assign a defensive player to shadow the quarterback with a bad ankle.

"My plan was to not run," Mahomes said. "And then I ended up running the first drive. But you've got to play ball at the end of the day."

The combination of all that spells great news for the Chiefs.

"All in all," Reid said, "I thought this was our best game offensively, defensively and special teams-wise."