Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs: Are They New England Patriots' Biggest Threat?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:05 p.m. ET

Fansided, Russell S. Baxter/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

The Kansas City Chiefs are the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs. But are they the New England Patriots’ biggest threat in the conference?

It appears that the Kansas City Chiefs need to dig themselves a little bit of a hole before they get their act together. Last season, Andy Reid’s squad opened 1-5, then didn’t lose another game until the AFC Divisional Playoffs at New England. This year, the Chiefs split their first four contests before going on a 10-2 run and winning the AFC West for the first time since 2010.

This is a team that doesn’t blow you away with impressive numbers and gaudy rankings. It’s a well-coached club that simply does everything well.

Quarterback Alex Smith completed 67.1 percent of his passes and threw for 3,502 yards this year. He connected for 15 scores and also ran for a team-best five touchdowns. But the 11-year pro did commit 12 of the team’s 17 turnovers.

There’s a lot of versatility in the backfield with Spencer Ware, Charcandrick West and wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The former ran for 921 yards and three scores. Hill equaled that touchdown total on the ground, gaining 267 yards on 24 carries.

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Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce is the team’s top pass-catcher with 85 receptions, good for 1,125 yards and four touchdowns. Hill finished second on the chiefs with 61 grabs, six for scores. Jeremy Maclin has dealt with injuries this season but remains a big-play option.

On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs definitely bent, but rarely broke. Reid’s club ranked 24th in total defense but gave up the seventh-fewest points in the NFL.

Kansas City led the league with 33 takeaways. They got numerous big plays from safety Eric Berry and second-year cornerback Marcus Peters. The latter totaled a team-high six interception and nine takeaways. The pass rush produced just 28 sacks (10 by Dee Ford). But if Justin Houston is available and healthy, things could be a whole lot different.

So, are these Chiefs the main competition when it comes to preventing the Patriots from making a seventh Super Bowl appearance in 16 seasons?

While Reid’s club continues to get the job done almost on a weekly basis, we’re not quite sure that it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers which may be the club better suited to go to Foxborough and offer the Patriots a severe challenge. Kansas City’s defensive unit has several playmakers and that takeaway total is impressive. But you can’t always count on forcing turnovers, especially in the postseason

Given the Chiefs’ limitations on offense, Reid and company look like choice 1B in the AFC when it comes to pushing the Pats.