Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IINovember 30, 2024
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
The Kansas City Chiefs endured another close video game Friday, beating the Las Vegas Raiders 19-17 after they recuperated a messed up breeze in the closing seconds with the Silver and Black on the opponent 32-yard line.
The 11-1 Chiefs clinched a playoff berth with the win and will now have a possibility at the NFL's first-ever Super Bowl three-peat, however quarterback Patrick Mahomes confessed to press reporters postgame that the group isn't playing its “finest football” today (1:30 mark).
“We simply hold ourselves to such a high requirement that we do not seem like we're playing our finest football entirely and it looks like every video game it's offense does excellent, defense does great, type of vice-versa. We got ta discover a method to develop so we can play terrific as a complete whole group. It's amazing that we're discovering methods to get wins. At the end of the day that's what you're choosing, however our objective is to get to that Super Bowl. We're going to attempt to continue to get much better and much better so that we're playing our finest football ideally by the end of the year.”
The Chiefs have not been playing their finest football, and they've been quite fortunate too.
Kansas City is now 9-0 in one-score video games. The Chiefs' point differential at the end of guideline in their last 4 wins has actually been plus-seven.
In spite of being 10 video games over.500, the Chiefs are simply 11th in point differential in the NFL. They're 3rd in their own department, the AFC West, behind the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos on that front.
Historically, the Chiefs do not compare well with other NFL groups that began 11-1 either.
Stathole @Statholesports
It is certainly an analytical reality that the Kansas City Chiefs are the worst 11-1 group in modern-day NFL history with simply a +54 point differential. > pic.twitter.com/EcQs8OrnCY
Sheil Kapadia @SheilKapadia
Considering that 2000, there have actually been 23 group with 11+ wins through Week 13. > None have actually had an even worse point differential than the 2024 Chiefs, and it's not close. > Average point differential for those groups was +139. Chiefs are +54– 34 points even worse than every other group because sample.
On the other hand, Kansas City definitely has the skill to be playing to its possible and supplying some more breathing space in these video games.
Statistically, Mahomes is having a down year by his profession requirements, however this is a two-time NFL MVP and three-time Super Bowl MVP who regularly turns it up when the lights are brightest.
He has a host of weapons, consisting of long time partner-in-crime Travis Kelce, three-time All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins and Isiah Pacheco, who simply returned after missing out on 9 video games with a damaged fibula.
The defense, led by Chris Jones, stays stout, although the pass rush hasn't been getting home this year (24 sacks in 12 video games).
