The Kansas City Chiefs faced a challenge they had never come across with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes during their Divisional Round matchup against the Buffalo Bills. They had to go on the road for a playoff game.
Before this past weekend, every playoff game Mahomes had led the Chiefs in was played at their home field, other than Super Bowls. People wondered if this would be the chance for Josh Allen and the Bills to get past their rivals, but it ended up not being the time.
Kansas City went into Buffalo and won 27-24. That has earned them the chance to face off against the Baltimore Ravens with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. This is the sixth straight year that the Chiefs have advanced to the AFC Championship Game, becoming a juggernaut the second Mahomes took over as their starting quarterback.
As a team that has been there before, it should come as no surprise that when Reid addressed his team after the victory over the Bills, it was a subdued message. While it was an impressive achievement to win a road game, the job was not yet done.
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He told his team that there would be no dancing in the locker room as more work lay ahead. However, that message is being taken by some as a shot at their upcoming opponents. After defeating the Houston Texans in their Divisional Round matchup, the Ravens players were seen dancing and celebrating in their locker room.
Could this have been a subtle shot at the Ravens from Reid? It is certainly possible, as the two teams could not have responded much differently to their playoff victories. There is a lot to celebrate in Baltimore, as this will be the first time in franchise history they will be hosting an AFC Championship Game; the Chiefs had hosted the last five.
Teams this far along in the postseason certainly don’t need a reason to be motivated, as a trip to the Super Bowl should be more than enough. But, if the Ravens were seeking a little extra something to get them going, Reid and the Chiefs have provided them with it.
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