Several days after completing their Week 17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Kansas City Chiefs finally know when they’ll face off with the Denver Broncos in Week 18.
The NFL maintains a flexible schedule for the final week of the season, with two games set for a doubleheader on Saturday, kicking off at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. CT. On Sunday night, the league announced that the Chiefs would take the stage on Sunday afternoon to close out the regular season.
The day of the game should be largely immaterial to the Chiefs, as Kansas City has already locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC, securing the first-round bye that will allow the Chiefs to skip the first round of playoff action. Though head coach Andy Reid hasn’t made an official declaration publicly, the Chiefs will have no reason to suit up most of their stars and starters for a game with no playoff implications. The Broncos, however, have plenty to play for.
Following their overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, the Broncos would still clinch the No. 7 seed with a win over the Chiefs in Week 18. If the Broncos lose to the Chiefs, the Bengals or Miami Dolphins could take the final spot in the conference.
The AFC North will dominate Saturday’s slate, with the Cleveland Browns facing the Baltimore Ravens at 3:30 p.m. CT and the Bengals and Steelers taking the prime time slot at 7 p.m. CT.
Kansas City, for certain, doesn’t have to play in the Wild Card round of the postseason. That gives key players like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones and others some time to rest ahead of a key January run.
Following Wednesday’s victory in Pittsburgh, Reid spoke about how the bye will help various members of the team.
“I think it will definitely help with some of the guys that are banged up,” Reid said. “To get guys back and freshened up a little bit, I think, will be a positive for us.”
Additionally, having the one-seed locked up makes Week 18’s contest against the Denver Broncos far less important in terms of outcomes. That leaves the door open for injured players to avoid aggravating current ailments or accumulating new ones in the regular-season finale. While Mahomes was optimistic about managing his high-ankle sprain entering Week 17, there’s a case to be made that a multi-week break could be the best thing for the two-time NFL MVP.
How does Mahomes feel about the Denver game? When asked if he’s going to play, Mahomes said he’d prepare as such but is leaving the decision up to Reid.
“That’s completely up to Coach (Reid),” Mahomes said. “I’ll prepare regardless, either way. Denver is probably going to be a playoff team regardless, so I’m going to prepare for them like I’m going to start and if Coach wants me to go out there and play, I’ll go out there and play. If he doesn’t, I’ll sit back. I have full trust that Coach Reid knows what he’s doing, and he’s done it for a long time.”
Given that his wife Brittany is still pregnant with their third child, Mahomes thinks the extra time off could come in handy.
“I told my wife, my pregnant wife, I was gonna get her the No. 1 seed so we can go have that baby, so we got the one-seed,” Mahomes said in an on-field postgame interview.
It doesn’t take a trip too far back in the time machine to find an example of Mahomes sitting out a late-season game with not a ton to play for. After the Baltimore Ravens clinched the one-seed on New Year’s Eve last year, Kansas City sat Mahomes and others in their finale versus the Los Angeles Chargers. They ended up winning that game by a final score of 13-12, finishing an 11-6 regular season and helping preserve momentum en route to a second Super Bowl title in a row.
Only time – and perhaps Reid – will tell if Mahomes will experience a similar fate this time around. Reading between the lines suggests that it’s certainly on the table.
The Kansas City Chiefs are back in action this week, and it’s a Christmas Day game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the docket. Week 17 brings plenty of playoff implications along with it, ensuring that both teams will be looking to play at their best on Wednesday.
How will the game unfold? The Kansas City Chiefs On SI crew makes its predictions for Week 17 of the 2024-25 campaign.
a Brisco: This game has all the makings of a bizarre anybody’s-game holiday showdown. If Chris Jones is absent, the Chiefs’ defense could be unrecognizable. The Steelers’ pass rush is a scary matchup for a KC O-line that has struggled to protect Patrick Mahomes, though Joe Thuney’s move to left tackle has stabilized the unit a bit. Ultimately, I’m picking the Chiefs to secure the AFC’s No. 1 seed on Christmas Day, though the Steelers have significant Grinching potential.
Jordan Foote: It’s hard to get a read on the ceiling of this Steelers team, or at least how legitimate that ceiling is. Things seem to be normalizing a bit recently as Russell Wilson comes back down to earth and the team flirts with an AFC North title, but this is still a dangerous squad. Wilson will push the ball vertically, which is something Kansas City has to be aware of. On offense, Patrick Mahomes and company will have their hands full against an elite defense. I’m taking the Chiefs to win on the road here but like Brisco alluded to, there isn’t a ton of certainty behind that pick for Christmas Day.
Zack Eisen: Another year, another Christmas game for the Chiefs. Kansas City knows it can lock up the top overall seed in the AFC with a win against the Steelers. The offense will continue to grow based on their performance last Saturday. “Hollywood” Brown’s debut was very impressive in a limited amount of snaps. He should be more involved this week and could score his first touchdown as a Chief. The defense may be without Chris Jones, but they should be able to hold down this Steelers offense even without him. With the one-seed in sight, I expect a focused Chiefs team knowing they get almost a month off before their first playoff game.
Mark Van Sickle: It’s the toughest game in an 11-day stretch for the Chiefs. A road game in Pittsburgh awaits, and the Steelers are another playoff team on the schedule. The Steelers are playing on similar short rest, but they played in an even later game on Saturday. Advantage: Chiefs. Russell Wilson has been much better with the Steelers than he was with the Denver Broncos. He’s not playing at an elite level, but it’s the best quarterback play they’ve had since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
The Steelers’ defense continues to be solid and with T.J. Watt rushing the passer, it’s going to be tough for any opponent, let alone a Chiefs offensive line that has struggled much of the season. The good news is the Chiefs’ offense looked the crispest it had all season in a win over the Houston Texans last week. Joe Thuney at left tackle has surprisingly been a nice fit the past few games. Hopefully, that trend continues. One more win for the Chiefs would give them the only bye in the AFC and home-field advantage once again. This feels like a game the Chiefs win nine out of 10 times. Hopefully, it’s not the one bad game where they lose the turnover battle and make things weird.
When the Kansas City Chiefs take the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, the team itself can accomplish a first-time feat. Additionally, strong performances from individual players on Christmas Day can see them rise up the ranks if they hit specific benchmarks.
Let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing stats and milestones within reach for the Chiefs in Week 17.
With their Week 16 win over the Houston Texans, the Chiefs matched their highest single-season win total with their 14th victory of the 2024-25 campaign. That tied the 2020 and 2022 seasons at No. 14. On Wednesday, Andy Reid’s crew can stand alone with a win in Pittsburgh. It’s uncommon, even in a 17-game season, that a club hits the 15-win mark. Given all the injuries and adversity Kansas City has dealt with this year, doing so would be a massive testament to the team’s championship DNA.
Since opening the year with six touchdowns and eight interceptions, Patrick Mahomes has been playing much better. Dating back to a Week 8 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the two-time NFL MVP has thrown 17 touchdowns to just three picks. Should he toss three touchdowns on Christmas Day, he’ll pass Pro Football Hall of Fame signal-caller Peyton Manning for the most touchdown passes in a player’s first eight seasons. Considering Mahomes made just one start as a rookie and may not play in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos, he’ll need a big-time Week 17 performance to leapfrog Manning.
Another week, another chance for Travis Kelce to etch his name in the Kansas City history books yet again. Having last scored in Week 10 against the Broncos, the football world has waited quite a while for Kelce to pass Tony Gonzalez for the most receiving touchdowns in Chiefs history. Is this finally the week? Potentially, and Kelce can also hit the 1,000 career receptions mark with just four catches in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. There’s plenty on the line for him as he wraps up year No. 12 in the NFL.
In recent weeks, Chiefs rookie wideout Xavier Worthy has been growing on the fly and becoming a more potent option for opposing defenses to account for. That continued against Houston when he hauled in a season-high seven passes for 65 yards and a touchdown. With one additional touchdown in Week 17, Worthy can enter a tie for second place for the most touchdowns by a rookie in Chiefs history. Rashee Rice’s seven touchdowns from 2023 spoiled the team, but Worthy’s debut campaign has also delivered plenty of ups as of late.
