After winning their third Lombardi trophy in franchise history following a tremendous contest at Superbowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Kansas City Chiefs are now raring to repeat as world champions and establish the club as the next dynasty in the making.
The Chiefs entered the 2022/23 season with a shed of doubt from fans and analysts surrounding their Superbowl contender status in a loaded AFC, mainly due to the shocking departure of star wide receiver Tyreek Hill in the offseason.
However, after claiming another clinical AFC West divisional title and a first seeded placement in the conference standings, Kansas City entered the postseason in high spirits as they aimed to claim their second Superbowl trophy in just four years.
Following a tough divisional round matchup against a talented Jacksonville Jaguars roster, which saw star QB Patrick Mahomes suffer a serious ankle injury, the Chiefs would advance to their fourth straight AFC Championship game where they would meet their latest postseason adversary in the Cincinnati Bengals who famously defeated the Chiefs in the same matchup during the previous season.
The contest provided all the usual thrills of NFL postseason action with Kansas City narrowly edging out the Bengals thanks to a 45-yard Harrison Butker field goal which sent the Chiefs back to the Superbowl where they would face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in an entertaining game.
With the score tied at 35-35, KC were once again able to see off the Eagles with another game winning field goal following a crucial holding call against the defense during the final stretch of the fourth quarter, with the conversion ensuring that the Chiefs would once again reign supreme over the NFL landscape.
After another successful campaign, the Chiefs are entering into the highly anticipated 2023/24 season as major favorites to win the Superbowl again, yet there maybe some glaring difficulties surrounding their chances of becoming one of the rare teams to win consecutive Superbowl’s.
- What factors may prevent the Chiefs from going back-to-back champions?
In the latest Super Bowl betting odds, KC are tipped as the team to take the glory, ranked at an impressive +600 outrights to win the Super Bowl again this upcoming season.
While it certainly appears that the Chiefs maybe entering the new campaign as the NFL’s best team, there should still be a few minor woes that may have KC fans under duress in spite of their stacked roster.
One of the most obvious threats that is likely to affect the Chiefs tenure atop the NFL mainly stems from the fact that the AFC is simply loaded with talent ahead of the new campaign, especially at Quarterback.
Mahomes maybe widely considered to be the best QB in the NFL heading into 2024, yet there is certainly plenty of competition and star power at the position across the entire conference that is sure to impact KC’s chances of winning the conference again.
The likes of Burrow, Allen, Jackson, Herbert, Lawrence, Rodgers and Tagovailoa are all ranked amongst the top ten for the current QB’s within in the league, with all these renowned names also possessing a talented core of star receivers, tight ends and running backs that can remain a focal point of their offensive output.
There also remains speculation surrounding the current contract status of KC’s superstar DT Chris Jones who is still demanding a hefty sum from the Chiefs which currently has resulted in the All-Pro talent being absent from training camp.
With Jones seeking a contract extension which maybe currently outside of the Chiefs’ preferred amount, there remains plenty of queries surrounding their defensive presence heading into the 2024 season which could ultimately prevent the team from winning another Superbowl.
Another major worry came with the offseason departure of LT Orlando Brown Jr. who signed a four-year deal with fellow AFC contenders Cincinnati Bengals, which is certainly a significant departure that may affect their status atop the standings.
- What factors can ensure that the Chiefs will return to the Superbowl:
The general consensus amongst NFL fans is that as long as KC still have Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce under contract, then they are always likely to remain as a viable Superbowl contender, especially if head coach Andy Reid maintains his post at the helm of the roster management.
To ensure that Mahomes is well protected in the back field from opposing defenders, KC has built a strong offensive line that has proven to be amongst the best in the league.
As an effort to further bolster their O-Line, KC signed up Jaguars free agent RT Jawaan Taylor on a four-year deal which is an instant upgrade over the once vacant position that was previously upheld by Andrew Wylie.
Despite the departure of the aforementioned Orlando Brown Jr., the Chiefs still operate a stacked roster and an established coaching staff which should ensure their spot atop the AFC West and as perennial Superbowl contenders thanks to their sublime QB play and their many other offensive weapons.