The Chiefs moved closer to completing a Super Bowl-era threepeat than any other team. While this space attempted to establish some distance between the 2022-24 Kansas City squads and some of the truly all-time great teams shortly before the Eagles' dominant Super Bowl LIX victory, it remains a tremendous accomplishment for Andy Reid's bunch to reach a third straight Super Bowl.
Kansas City's 2024 season turned out to have fool's-gold elements. DVOA ranked last year's AFC champions eighth, while EPA per play placed the 15-2 team's offense and defense outside the top 10. Even when the Broncos' 38-0 win over Chiefs backups is discounted, Kansas City's plus-97 point differential was the worst for any 14- or 15-win team in the Super Bowl era. Officiating- and injury-generated breaks also boosted last year's Chiefs edition that far, to a degree preventing some issues from bubbling to the surface for most of the campaign.
The 2025 team carries similar numbers to the 2024 squad that pounced on those breaks en route to a fifth Patrick Mahomes-era Super Bowl. This year's team outflanks last year's edition in EPA per play on offense and defense and is significantly better in yards per play (5.5) compared to 2024 (5.1). Kansas City's DVOA figure (14.5) nearly mirrors its 2024 number (14.7).
As you may have heard, the Chiefs have struggled in close-game situations after going a preposterous 12-0 in one-score contests last year. Despite being 6-8, this is far from a broken team. That will make the autopsy more challenging compared to how Brett Veach repaired the offensive line in 2021 or executed the Tyreek Hill trade in 2022. Crucial tweaks are necessary, but challenges stand in the organization's way as it attempts to design another chapter of its dynasty.
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A much better title for this would just be like “Chiefs Off-season Outlook”