PITTSBURGH — The Kansas City Chiefs have obtained a first-round playoff bye earlier than, however Patrick Mahomes mentioned they’ve by no means wanted it fairly like this season.
The Chiefs clinched the AFC’s high playoff seed — which implies they will get a first-round bye and have home-field benefit all through the postseason — by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 29-10 on Wednesday to succeed in 15-1.
“It’s simply going to be good getting guys wholesome,” mentioned Mahomes, who was 29-of-38 for 320 yards and three touchdowns. “I believe this was the earliest [regular-season] bye I’ve ever had simply usually. To sort of have this grind of no matter it’s — I believe we had our bye Week 6 — so it is like nearly 10 weeks of simply soccer and grinding after which this quick schedule on the very finish of the 12 months.
“We have some guys banged up, and to get them again wholesome now and we’ll see how Week 18 goes and who performs and who does not play. That’s as much as Coach [Andy Reid]. But even getting this little break, getting again wholesome after which getting ourselves able to go for the playoffs, it was tremendous essential.”
Mahomes performed in opposition to the Steelers with a excessive ankle sprain sustained two weeks earlier. Defensive sort out Chris Jones did not play in Pittsburgh due to a strained calf. The Chiefs are hopeful offensive sort out D.J. Humphries, who has sat out the previous three video games due to a sore hamstring, will be able to play when the postseason begins.
The Chiefs, by successful on Christmas Day, survived a stretch of three video games in 11 days. They received all three, however Mahomes mentioned they spent a substantial quantity of power in doing so.
“It confirmed the toughness of the crew, and I believe we bought higher as, clearly, the video games went on,” Mahomes mentioned. “The guys, they’re mentally robust and so they’re bodily robust, and we performed some actually good soccer groups, [had] some hard-fought battles.
“That No. 1 seed is essential. It’s like successful a playoff sport, and so I used to be glad to get that completed.”
The 19-point margin of victory was the biggest of the season for the Chiefs. They racked up 389 yards, greater than they’d in all however one different sport. Even with out Jones, they sacked Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson 5 occasions and intercepted him as soon as whereas additionally forcing a Pittsburgh fumble.
Reid referred to as it the Chiefs’ most full sport of the season.
“All three phases had been rolling,” Reid mentioned. “The essential factor is that we proceed that after which we hold getting higher and never flatten off. Not go backwards however hold climbing on it.”
Mahomes was inspired by the passing sport. The Chiefs just lately introduced one broad receiver, Hollywood Brown, again to their lineup after a season-long damage and expanded the function of one other, rookie Xavier Worthy.
The two mixed for 12 catches, 125 yards and a landing in opposition to the Steelers.
“We constructed as much as the right spot,” Mahomes mentioned. “We’ve gotten higher and higher earlier than Hollywood bought right here. Xavier began taking part in higher, being extra assured. I’ve bought a greater chemistry with him. Other guys that stepped up began making performs, and then you definitely throw Hollywood in there and it sort of units all people completely of their roles. You noticed that immediately. I do not know the precise stats, however it appeared like we unfold the ball round rather well and guys made performs; and when you could have that many weapons on the market, it is exhausting for protection to account for.
“We really feel like we will proceed to get higher and higher. But clearly, we’re taking part in, particularly offensively, our greatest soccer on the finish of the 12 months and getting guys wholesome, and we’re excited for it. We’re going to maintain working. This is not the tip. This is just the start, and we’ll proceed to work to get even higher as we go into the playoffs.”
Tight finish Travis Kelce had eight catches, and his 12-yard scoring catch within the fourth quarter set a crew report for profession landing receptions. Kelce has 77 TDs, which handed Tony Gonzalez, who had 76 for Kansas City and 111 complete.
After his landing, Kelce did Gonzalez’s signature TD celebration transfer by dunking the ball over the goalpost. The “tribute” drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, although Harrison Butker made the PAT strive anyway, from 48 yards as a substitute of 33.
“I knew the rating, and I knew that my man Harrison had my again on the [PAT],” Kelce mentioned. “So, it is displaying Tony some love and only a huge tribute to who he is been on this, not solely this group however who he is been for soccer, and we all know how iconic it was that he would dunk the ball over the goalpost on a regular basis. I gave my greatest effort. I do not know if I did it fairly like him.”
The Chiefs nonetheless have one regular-season sport left, in opposition to the Broncos in Denver, although it will likely be meaningless by way of the standings or playoff seeding. Reid would not say how the Chiefs would method that contest.
If he decides to relaxation Mahomes, Jones, Kelce and different key gamers, that may imply they will have a break of over three weeks by the point the playoffs start.
But Mahomes mentioned that was a superb downside for the Chiefs to have.
“That’s fully as much as Coach,” Mahomes mentioned. “I’ll put together [to play against the Broncos] regardless.
“I’m going to [plan to] begin, and if Coach desires me to go on the market and play, I’ll go on the market and play. If he does not, I’ll sit again. I totally belief that Coach Reid is aware of what he is doing, and he is completed it for a very long time.”
