The Kansas City Chiefs have done it again, securing the 2022 AFC West division title.
They had a chance to lock up the division a week ago, but they didn’t get the help they needed to do so. This time around, all the Chiefs needed was to take care of business against the Houston Texans in Week 15. They managed to do so with a victory in overtime, now winning another AFC West title and clinching a playoff berth.
Kansas City has now won the AFC West for seven consecutive seasons, the longest active streak for a division winner in any NFL division. The Chiefs set the record last season for the most consecutive AFC West division titles with six and now they extend that record to seven. Each of the Broncos (2011-2015) and Raiders (1972-1976) has seen five consecutive wins.
This marks the eighth consecutive season that Kansas City has made it to the playoffs, extending a franchise record set a season ago. It’s again the longest active streak of playoff appearances by a team in the NFL.
This playoff berth marks the fifth consecutive season that a Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs team has gone to the playoffs. They’ve still never missed the playoffs since No. 15 has been the team’s starting quarterback.
Speaking of Mahomes, he spoke about the possibility of winning yet another AFC West title after Week 14’s win in Denver.
“Our goal is just to continue to get better each and every week,” Mahomes said. “We go into every season saying we want to win the AFC West, we want to get home field in the playoffs and we want to win the Super Bowl. We have not done it yet, but if we win the AFC West, that is our first goal. It is special. I want to make sure that guys remember that it is special to win the AFC West. Our next goal is to try to establish a home-field advantage. That is going to take us playing great football week in and week out. Then we will try to win the Super Bowl. That all takes building. You are not going to play your best football every week, but how can you build on your past week for the rest of the season to make sure you are playing your best football when the playoffs come around.”
This is merely one goal on the checklist to cross off for the Chiefs. Next up, they’ll look to keep pace with the Bills in hopes they slip up and surrender the No. 1 seed.
