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A have a look at the journey the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have taken to achieve Tremendous Bowl LVII

The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are again in one other Tremendous Bowl – their third within the final 4 years – however how did they get there?

With the retirement of document seven-time Tremendous Bowl winner Tom Brady nonetheless contemporary within the reminiscence, the person who seems to be the best challenger to his throne because the ‘GOAT’, Patrick Mahomes, will get the possibility so as to add a second ring to his assortment at Tremendous Bowl LVII in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles in Arizona on Sunday.

That stated, not solely are the Eagles a fearsome opponent standing of their manner, however there are harm considerations over the Kansas Metropolis star QB heading into the large recreation.

Right here, we have a look again on the Chiefs’ highway to Tremendous Bowl LVII…

What went proper?

The Chiefs as soon as once more proved themselves to be the elite of the NFL, notably on offense, proudly owning the No 1 unit in factors per recreation (29.2), yards per recreation (413.6) and passing yards per recreation (297.8).

Kansas Metropolis’s 14-3 regular-season document not solely wrapped up a seventh-straight AFC West divisional title, nevertheless it additionally secured them the No 1 seed within the convention for the third time of their dominant present-day stretch.

Highlights from the 12 months embrace a 44-21 thumping of the Cardinals, in Arizona, on the opening day of the season to sign their intent, whereas they edged out Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers 27-24 in a thriller per week later.

Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had been comfortably put away 41-31 in Week 4, as had been the San Francisco 49ers 44-23 in Week Seven – each enormous highway victories in opposition to main NFC contenders.

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Highlights of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers from Week Seven of the NFL season

The victory over the 49ers would kickstart a run of 10 wins throughout 11 video games to shut out the season, with solely a defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals sandwiched in between.

However the Chiefs would finally have the final chuckle, with star quarterback Mahomes gaining revenge for that defeat, and for his three complete losses in three profession video games to Joe Burrow and the Bengals, with their 23-20 victory within the AFC Championship recreation over the identical opponents to e book their Tremendous Bowl spot.

What went flawed?

As traditional, not a terrific deal. Though there was the odd hiccup alongside the way in which, none weirder and unaccounted for than the 20-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week Three – a crew which might finally finish the season a dreadful 4-12-1.

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Highlights of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts in Week Three of the NFL season

Additionally, a 24-20 loss at residence to the Buffalo Payments in Week Six that dropped the Chiefs to 4-2 on the 12 months would trace in direction of a doable altering of the guard within the AFC, with Buffalo incomes a second-straight regular-season win at Arrowhead (and after having pushed Kansas Metropolis all the way in which in an unbelievable extra time end to their divisional spherical match-up within the playoffs the earlier 12 months).

However, whereas the Payments and the Bengals – who would themselves defeat the Chiefs in Week 13 – threatened to steal Kansas Metropolis’s throne, neither had been capable of ship the decisive blow, with Buffalo bested by Cincinnati within the divisional spherical this time, earlier than they themselves had been undone within the AFC title recreation by Mahomes and co.

And a banged up Mahomes and Chiefs offense, at that. One of many greatest considerations going into Tremendous Bowl LVII this Sunday is actually the well being of Kansas Metropolis’s star quarterback, who picked up a excessive ankle sprain of their divisional spherical win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Watch the second Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes picked up an ankle harm within the first quarter in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars

He has not regarded the identical since, limping his manner via the next one-and-a-half outings, solely serving to make his sensational match-winning performances in these wins over the Jags and the Bengals all of the extra spectacular.

Wideout Mecole Hardman has already been dominated out of the Tremendous Bowl as a consequence of harm, whereas JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kadarius Toney had been additionally banged up in opposition to the Bengals, weakening Mahomes’ receiving corps, with progress to be monitored this week.

Star names

Beginning with the obvious choice of all of them, Mahomes, after all. The 27-year-old is favorite to win a second league MVP title this season in simply his fifth 12 months as a starter within the NFL.

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A have a look at a few of the greatest performs from Mahomes this season, in his bid to seize his second league MVP award

Mahomes set a brand new document for essentially the most offensive yards (5,614) in NFL historical past this season – breaking down as 5,250 passing yards, 358 rush yards and 6 receiving. He additionally led the league in passing TDs in the course of the common season, with 41, six higher than Josh Allen (Payments) and Burrow (Bengals) tied for second on 35. And Mahomes did all of it regardless of the crew buying and selling away his greatest receiver too, with Tyreek Hill shifting to the Miami Dolphins within the offseason.

Mahomes has at the least retained the consolation blanket Travis Kelce on offense, with the famous person tight finish notching his seventh-straight 1,000-yard season, ending 2022 with 1,338 yards together with a career-high 12 TDs.

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A have a look at the very best performs this season from essentially the most spectacular tight finish within the NFL, Travis Kelce

Additionally, following on from final week’s AFC Championship recreation, just one quarterback and receiver duo have linked for extra postseason touchdowns than Mahomes and Kelce’s 13 (Brady and Rob Gronkowski with 15).

Additionally, look out for seventh-round rookie Isaiah Pacheco, who has added an actual spark to this Kansas Metropolis offense since his introduction halfway via the season, averaging over 5 yards per carry, whereas defensive sort out Chris Jones is the standout from an underrated protection, having equalled his profession excessive of 15.5 sacks this season.

Playoff push

REPORT: Jaguars 20-27 Chiefs – Divisional Spherical

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Highlights of the Jacksonville Jaguars in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the divisional spherical of the NFL playoffs

Kansas Metropolis are 5-0 within the divisional spherical of the NFL playoffs with Mahomes at quarterback. Although, having stated that, this specific victory in opposition to the Jaguars to open their playoff run nearly got here with out their star QB on the helm.

Mahomes missed many of the second quarter as a result of harm he sustained to his proper ankle, however finally returned to complete 22 of 30 passing for 195 yards and two touchdowns, whereas back-up quarterback Chad Henne additionally threw a scoring cross in his absence.

Kelce’s 14 receptions (for 98 yards), in the meantime, tied for the third most in NFL postseason historical past, with Marquez Valdes-Scantling additionally including a landing catch for Kansas Metropolis.

REPORT: Bengals 20-23 Chiefs – AFC Championship

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Highlights of the Cincinnati Bengals in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the AFC Championship Sport

The Chiefs had by no means earlier than hosted a single Convention Championship recreation in franchise historical past, however at the moment are coming into the Tremendous Bowl off the again of internet hosting a fifth in a row, with Mahomes and co this time getting the higher of the Bengals in a repeat of final 12 months’s AFC title recreation which they misplaced.

Regardless of being hampered by his injured ankle, Mahomes threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns within the contest and the Chiefs’ star QB additionally helped arrange the game-winning area purpose on an important five-yard scramble for a primary down with 12 seconds left.

As he crossed the sideline, Mahomes was shoved when already out of bounds by Cincinnati defender Joseph Ossai, leading to a 15-yard penalty to additional support Harrison Butker’s game-winning kick to interrupt a 20-20 tie after one other epic battle with the Bengals.

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The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are introduced with the AFC Championship as Kelce sounds off on their opponents, the Cincinnati Bengals

Tremendous Bowl pedigree

Regardless of their dominance over the previous 5 seasons – showing in five-straight AFC Championships – since Mahomes grew to become the starter at QB in Kansas Metropolis, it has up to now translated into only one Tremendous Bowl title over that span.

They lifted the Vince Lombardi Trophy on their first go to to the Tremendous Bowl in 50 years once they beat the 49ers to cap the 2018 season, with Mahomes named MVP after engineering a comeback from 20-10 down halfway via the fourth quarter.

Mahomes and the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in Tremendous Bowl LIV to wrap the 2019 season

They’ve made all of it the way in which to the Tremendous Bowl on 4 events in complete, dropping to the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the first-ever Tremendous Bowl to be performed, again within the 1966 season, earlier than triumphing over the Minnesota Vikings three years later.

After their Tremendous Bowl LIV win over the Niners to interrupt the drought, the Chiefs missed the possibility to go back-to-back as they had been overwhelmed by Brady and the Bucs within the massive recreation following the Covid-disrupted 2020 season.

Tom Brady obtained the higher of Mahomes in Tremendous Bowl LV, stopping the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs from claiming back-to-back titles

The priority for the Chiefs can be that, very similar to he’s heading into this recreation, Mahomes was hobbled by harm in that recreation, making it simpler for Tampa Bay’s ferocious cross rush to get after him and restrict his explosive Chiefs offense to solely 9 factors.

With the Philadelphia Eagles, and their very own hugely-intimidating defensive position filled with monsters, awaiting in Tremendous Bowl LVII, Mahomes’ means to nonetheless ship sufficient magic moments regardless of his ankle harm will show key to deciding the end result of the sport.

Watch Tremendous Bowl LVII – Kansas Metropolis Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles – reside on Sky Sports activities NFL and Fundamental Occasion from 10pm on Sunday, February 12