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Fine by me
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Win the next two and it's ours.
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only if the Bills and Pitt lose.

Think of it as.. We win 3 more, we get HFA. Pitt and Bills lose. We clinch HFA if we beat the Texans.
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They'll each lose one in that span.
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The Bills will win against Lions but lose to the Jets or Pats. That’s my prediction lol
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If the Bills and Steelers lose their games this weekend

and we win the Browns and the Texans games we get HFA.

We should rest the starters for the Pitt game and play the starters for 1/2 a game in Denver.

If Pitt or Bills win this weekend we need 3 total wins by us and or losses by Pitt/Bills to clinch HFA.
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We might dodge Pickens.

#Steelers George Pickens - Not surprising to be out Wk 15. Grade 2 hamstring reported.

Avg = 2-4 wks. WRs typically return w/strong production but high re-injury risk

— Deepak Chona, MD. SportsMedAnalytics (@SportMDAnalysis) December 11, 2024

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It would be delicious to be able to sit the starters on Christmas Day. Not just because it would be good for the team and mean the 1 seed is sewn up, but also because it would be a real f-u to the league and this scheduling nonsense.
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So, just ran the playoff machine again. Updated playoff prediction …

If the Chiefs win the next two, Steelers lose to Eagles, and Bills lose to Lions, I see it playing out as follows:

1) Chiefs rest starters on Christmas. Christmas Day game is an abject ratings disaster. (ChiefsPlanet laughs).
2) Steelers win out, Bills win out. Steelers are 2 seed. (ChiefsPlanet laughs)
3) Broncos end up as 7, and the Ravens end up as the 6. Chargers are 5. Texans are 4.
4) Lead up to playoffs is all about the “tough road” the Bills face (Ravens-@Steelers-@Chiefs). Comparisons to KC’s gauntlet last year as the 3 seed abound. People get high on predictions the Bills will make the same run.
5) Ravens destroy them again in the wild card round. And just like that, the Bills … is over. (ChiefsPlanet laughs, NFL tears).

Divisional round is then (6) Ravens @ (1) Chiefs. Chiefs show they did not, in fact, play their best game against Baltimore Week 1. (ChiefsPlanet basks in the happiness of this).

(5) Chargers @ (2) Steelers. Steelers win a physical game

Leaving us with the Arrowhead Invitational America doesn’t know it needs, but the one it deserves: (2) Steelers @ (1) Chiefs. (ChiefsPlanet laughs).

Chiefs win and get to face America’s darling, the Lions, in the Super Bowl. They break America’s heart again, defeat the darlings, and complete the 3-peat. ChiefsPlanet spends the entire offseason doing a collective impersonation of Nick Wright. Hilarity (and ChiefsPlanet laughter) ensues.
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That should be the only thing on their minds. One at a time, of course. Take care of business early.
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At this point facing and beating the Lions in the Super Bowl is probably the last thing that can unite all remaining indifferent fans against the Chiefs. It seems like an inevitability at this point.
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I feel the same way. After we win a couple playoff games and really have the animosity built to an all-time high, it could be the most emotionally invested Super Bowl in America's history.

It's a borderline miracle that the Chiefs may earn this extra rest during the regular season after getting shafted really hard on the schedule this year.

Early BYE sucks, but that happens sometimes. Early BYE AND this 3 games in 10 days circus right before the playoffs? That's cheeks.

Man it will be nice to start the playoffs with our guys playing a lot faster and physical than their opponents.
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Appreciate working out the playoff matchups and great analysis. Agree with everything except with how ChiefsPlanet spends the offseason. I'm expecting the board banter to be in full meltdown mode in roster moves to prepare for the 4-peat. Some big decisions will need to be made to address the O-line and if they resign Hollywood and/or DHop. The board can find fault with whatever Veach decides.
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If the chiefs win and bills and Steelers lose this week, the chiefs are a half game away from clinching the one seed.

I would be inclined, in this very specific scenario, to rest the starters for the Texans game just to circumvent any potential fallout from playing 3 games in ten days.
That's a ton of physical punishment.

Maybe the B team wins and you clinch anyway. Maybe the Steelers or bills stumble.

Either way you are putting up precious little usable tape for the playoff teams and protecting your players for the games that matter.
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