Teams Poised to Challenge Kansas City’s Super Bowl Run
The Kansas City Chiefs have been spectacular this season in the NFL. The franchise is the only team to remain unbeaten, having obtained a 10-0 record through 11 weeks of football.
They’ve come close to seeing that record be blemished, having had to produce a handful of comeback performances along the way to get to where they are today. This year alone, they have managed to win games from losing positions at the half on four separate occasions.
Their showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the eighth time in a row that they’ve managed the feat, having secured victory in overtime after trailing 17-10 heading into the fourth quarter.
Can Anyone Beat The Chiefs?
A run like this does start to create questions. Can anyone beat the Chiefs this season, or will they go undefeated?
The last time a team did that was in 2007 when the New England Patriots went 16-0 through the regular season before being beaten in the Super Bowl by the New York Giants. There has only been one instance whereby there has been a perfect season, with the legendary Miami Dolphins achieving it in 1972.
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Could the Chiefs be able to replicate it? It does seem difficult to bet against them. While sportsbooks don’t believe they will be able to go all the way without being defeated, they do remain the current Super Bowl favorites. According to NFL betting odds in Australia, Patrick Mahomes and co are favored at a price of 5.00, slightly shorter than those provided to the Detroit Lions (6.00).
Who Could Still Beat the Chiefs?
Given that the odds don’t suggest that the Chiefs will go all the way and achieve a perfect season like the ‘72 Dolphins, let’s take a look at the remaining fixtures and where they could come unstuck…
● @ Buffalo Bills (8-2) Sunday, November 17
● @ Carolina Panthers (3-7) Sunday, November 24
● Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) Thursday, November 29 *Divisional Game
● Los Angeles Chargers (6-3) Monday, December 9 *Divisional Game
● @ Cleveland Browns (2-7) Sunday, December 15
● Houston Texans (6-4) Saturday, December 21
● @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2) Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day Game)
● @ Denver Broncos (5-5) Sunday, January 5 *Divisional Game
Of the eight games that remain to be played, the Chiefs will have three at home and five on the road. Of those five on the road, three of them will be AFC West Divisional Games. At the same time, they will feature two teams that have winning records, and one that is currently tied through 10 games.
Indeed, it’s the road games that could present the biggest challenge for Mahomes and Andy Reid.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills have become somewhat of an AFC rival. The two franchises have had exceptional clashes in the playoffs when jousting for a place at the Super Bowl. The pair have played twice in the AFC Championship Game, with the Chiefs winning once and the other being a tie. The win in 2020 saw the game go to overtime, which also brought about the controversy regarding fairness following the coin toss.
The Bills are on a hot streak, as they will head into the game with wins in their last five contests. Josh Allen has been performing extremely well, and the Bills have scored at least 30 points in their last four consecutive games.
Pittsburgh Steelers
If the Bills don’t end the unbeaten streak, some may consider the Steelers the franchise to do it. The AFC North organization is 7-2 on the year at the moment and will face the Chiefs on Christmas Day.
A lot of NFL football will take place between now and then, but there is every possibility that we could see this being a time in which Mahomes is beaten. The Steelers have been able to grind out their own results this year, with both of their defeats being by three points. They have a habit of keeping games close, but they’ve shown they can get the win that is needed to edge them closer to the playoffs once again.
Wait and See
It will be a case of waiting and seeing what happens between now and the conclusion of the regular season.
As NFL fans have seen repeatedly, anyone can beat anyone on their day. The Chiefs’ perfect record might go at the hands of one of those that we least expect.
They have a fixture schedule that will see them face four teams with winning records (as of Week 11) and three with losing records. Nonetheless, that may not matter, as winning records don’t always translate to the type of performance that can be encountered on the pitch.
