It’s no secret that the Kansas City Chiefs are chasing history by way of a three-peat. It’s also no secret that they seem to be living a charmed life as of late by winning games that are coin flips.
Be that as it may, Kansas City hasn’t dropped a game since last Christmas, and anything near a 12-month unblemished run is noteworthy. Including the playoffs, where does this current run rank among the best teams in NFL history?
Kansas City Chiefs Winning Streak
Many people remember the Chiefs’ last loss — a Week 16 disaster against a Las Vegas Raiders team that they handled by 14 points less than a month prior. Patrick Mahomes and company got off to a slow start and, as 11.5-point favorites, led by only four points with five minutes left in the first half.
Still, “upset” wasn’t on the mind of most until everything flipped in seven seconds. The Raiders scooped and scored on an Isiah Pacheco fumble to take the lead and, on Kansas City’s very next offensive play, took an interception 33 yards to the house, turning a four-point deficit into a 10-point lead and one that they wouldn’t surrender against their division rivals.
This loss impacted the Chiefs’ playoff seeding, but as you might have heard, not their level of success. Since suffering that defeat:
- Week 17 vs. Bengals: 25-17 win
- Week 18 at Chargers: 13-12 win
- Wild Card vs. Dolphins: 26-7 win
- Divisional Round at Bills: 27-24 win
- Conference Championship at Ravens: 17-10 win
- Super Bowl vs. 49ers: 25-22 (OT) win
- Week 1 vs. Ravens: 27-20 win
- Week 2 vs. Bengals: 26-25 win
- Week 3 at Falcons: 22-17 win
- Week 4 at Chargers: 17-10 win
- Week 5 vs. Saints: 26-13 win
- Week 7 at 49ers: 28-18 win
- Week 8 at Raiders: 27-20 win
- Week 9 vs. Buccaneers: 30-24 (OT) win
- Week 10 vs. Broncos: 16-14 win
Not a bad run. During that stretch, Kansas City has twice as many wins in games decided by a single score (12) than any other team and has won five games decided by a field goal or less.
During this win streak, the Chiefs have won five games when entering the fourth quarter with a deficit, a situation in which the other 31 NFL teams have recorded a win 13.3% of the time.
Exploiting a matchup when it mattered most 💪
Coach Belichick analyzes the field goal tape for the Broncos that led to the Chiefs game winning block. pic.twitter.com/6m8Tiy0klJ
— Inside the NFL (@insidetheNFL) November 14, 2024
You can call it black magic, you can call it luck, you can call it whatever you’d like. The fact of the matter is that the same team keeps winning these sorts of games, and that is rare.
That said, Kansas City still has some work to do in order to go down as the most dominant team over a stretch of time in the history of the sport.
Where the Chiefs’ Run Ranks Historically
Everyone is aware of the Miami Dolphins’ undefeated 1972 season, if for no other reason than we get the champagne popping when it becomes official that no team will mirror that level of single-season success. That is remembered as the single most successful season, but in terms of consecutive wins, that’s not the gold standard.
1. New England Patriots (2003-04): 21 straight victories
2. Green Bay Packers (2010-11): 19
T-3. New England Patriots (2007-08): 18
T-3. Denver Broncos (1997-98): 18
T-3. San Francisco 49ers (1989-90): 18
T-3. Miami Dolphins (1972-73): 18
T-3. Cleveland Browns (1947-48): 18
T-3. Chicago Bears (1933-34): 18
T-3. Chicago Bears (1941-42): 18
10. Oakland Raiders (1976-77): 17
T-11. Kansas City Chiefs (current): 15
T-11. Pittsburgh Steelers (2004-05): 15
There is no denying that a three-peat is more on the mind of this franchise than chasing the longest win streak in NFL history, but one can’t help but look ahead and see if this team can make history well before the Big Game.
- Week 11 at Bills
- Week 12 at Panthers
- Week 13 vs. Raiders
- Week 14 vs. Chargers
- Week 15 at Browns
- Week 16 vs. Texans
- Week 17 at Steelers
In a weird twist of fate, the Chiefs would break the all-time record on the one-year anniversary of their last defeat. A run to the top of this list will require more than beating the teams in front of them — they have three short rest games to overcome in order to get it done.
Betting against the Chiefs during the Mahomes/Andy Reid era has been dangerous. Do you see a loss in Kansas City’s future?