Playoff success has become synonymous with Kansas City Chiefs football in recent years, but it certainly wasn’t always the case. This team has seen some crushing losses in the playoffs, from the earliest rounds to the games that could send them to the Super Bowl.
Our friend Mark Lane at Touchdown Wire, recently recapped some of the most exciting playoff runs that didn’t result in a Super Bowl win. The article got us thinking about the playoff opportunities the Chiefs have failed to take advantage of, especially those in the AFC Championship Game.
Lane coved the Chiefs’ 1993 playoffs run with Joe Montana, which ended at the AFC title game when Montana went down with a concussion and was replaced by Dave Krieg. The biggest problem was that the Kansas City defense was unable to stop Thurman Thomas, who recorded over 200 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns in the victory.
Could that loss be considered the team’s biggest missed opportunity in the playoffs? There is certainly an argument to be made, but there are others in more recent memory that should also be in consideration.
Since taking over as the team’s starting quarterback in 2018, Patrick Mahomes has known nothing but AFC title game appearances. It certainly feels like the team let the stage get the best of them back in 2018. It was the team’s first AFC title game appearance since that 1993 game and while the offense performed admirably, the defense fell short in a crucial moment. Dee Ford’s offsides penalty led to the inevitable Tom Brady game-winning drive in overtime.
Even more recently, the Chiefs’ collapse to the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2021 AFC Championship Game should be considered. K.C. had a commanding 11-point lead at halftime before the team’s offense disappeared in the second half and allowed the Bengals back into the game. Cincinnati would go on to lose to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI.
So what do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? Which AFC title game loss is the biggest missed opportunity in the playoffs for Kansas City? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.
