The Chiefs' (Realistic) Path to the AFC One Seed

How things need to shake out, and who you need to cheer for these next three weeks

I sometimes enjoy starting out my articles by reminding people that the Chiefs know nothing less in the Patrick Mahomes era than an AFC Championship Game appearance hosted in Arrowhead.

The Chiefs have not always been the one seed in these scenarios, yet have always found a way to host a game in late January for the right to go to the Super Bowl.

With three games to go, the Chiefs find themselves two games behind the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore, was the top team in the AFC the first time the Chiefs won a Super Bowl in the Mahomes era — losing to the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round and giving the Chiefs a chance to eventually host Mike Vrabel’s team for a trip to Miami in 2020.

The one seed is now more valuable than it was back then because it’s now the only bye week in the playoffs for any team. The two seed plays on Wild Card weekend these days.

While it may seem bleak, there are completely reasonable scenarios that could see the Chiefs yet again the top team in the AFC heading into the playoffs. In fact, a fantastic set up for the Chiefs is quite reasonable.

Here’s a reasonable path to the Chiefs’ ideal seeding in the AFC, and who you should be rooting for on the path to hosting the Arrowhead Invitational yet again.