The NFL playoff rounds are almost over, and the league is eagerly awaiting the most important conference game of the season. The Kansas City Chiefs host the Cincinnati Bengals at Arrowhead Stadium for the AFC Championship game. As the two giants of this season collide for the second-best prize, let’s take a look at the Chiefs’ star QB Patrick Mahomes’ numbers heading into the game.
Patrick Mahomes signed with the Chiefs back in 2017, who picked him 1oth overall in the Draft. His debut start came in week 17 against the Denver Broncos, where he gave fans and his team a glimpse of his capabilities. The very next year, Mahomes became the starting quarterback. That move proved to be the deciding factor in the Chiefs’ successes over the years.
In his first year as a starter, Mahomes led the Cheifs to their third straight division title. They also made it to the AFC Championship, losing to the New England Patriots on home ground. However, his performance earned him a spot in that year’s Pro Bowl, and became the first-ever Chiefs player to win a regular season MVP award.
In 2019, he staged two incredible comebacks in the postseason to gift his team a Super Bowl win after 50 years. First, he pulled back a 24-0 deficit against the Houston Texans in the Divisional round to win 51-31. The next one came in the Super Bowl, where he successfully pulled back from a 20-10 deficit to win 31-20.
Mahomes would lead them to the AFC Championship win, and the Super Bowl in 2020 too. Unfortunately, he finally fell short of winning the trophy when pitted against the legendary QB Tom Brady, and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This is also the year when Mahomes signed a massive 10-year, $503 million contract with the Chiefs.
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Patrick Mahomes has a knack for winning Championship games
Although last year the Bengals beat the Chiefs in the Championship game, Mahomes does have a numerical advantage. He has won 2 of his 4 Championship games. He has also won 9 out of his 12 post-season appearances, which might give the Bengals a headache. The only thing in the Bengals’ favor is their 3-game win streak against the Chiefs. Also, maybe, the return of Jackson Mahomes.
Patrick Mahomes will want to win this game badly. Not only will a win give them the Championship, but also potential bragging rights. Who knows, maybe the regular season MVP award will be decided with this game. With such high stakes at play, Mahomes cannot afford to make mistakes. Not that he makes a lot, but this time around, there will be some big cats around waiting to pounce on him.
As for the Bengals, they’ll have to do their best to mitigate and maybe overturn the onslaught coming their way. Who will win this game between the two best teams in the AFC? Will the Bengals get another shot at their first-ever Super Bowl? Or will the Cheifs get their revenge for last year’s loss?
