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How the Kansas City Chiefs could stay undefeated in 2024

How the Kansas City Chiefs could stay undefeated in 2024

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For the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era in Kansas City, the Chiefs are 7-0 and have a chance to extend that winning streak in their Week 9 Monday Night Football home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This is somewhat uncharted territory for a franchise that has appeared in four of the last five Super Bowls and won three of them.

They have a chance at an undefeated season in 2024 despite several major injuries on offense, and two-time MVP Mahomes is on pace for a career-high in interceptions and a career-low in yards per game. Defense, like last year, is the team's strength as the offense makes enough plays every week to win. Five of the Chiefs' seven wins were decided by a margin of eight points or less.

Kansas City hasn't had a chance to have an undefeated season with Mahomes like it did in 2024. Here's what it'll take.

It's mathematically possible, but could be difficult. Of the nine matches on the Chiefs' schedule after Week 9, only three are against teams with a losing record at the time of publication.

The toughest remaining Chiefs games

Three games stand out as potential losses: at Buffalo in Week 11, against Houston in Week 16 and at Pittsburgh in Week 17.

Bills-Chiefs has become one of the most important rivals in the AFC. They have met seven times in the last four seasons. Kansas City is 1-3 against the Bills in the regular season but 3-0 in the playoffs during that span. The Buffalo Bills continue to have a top-10 offensive and defensive scoring record this year, but quarterback Josh Allen is playing the most efficient football of his career with just four total turnovers in nine games.

Houston has lost two of its last three games but could do much better against Kansas City in December. They will have top wideout Nico Collins back until then, unless he gets injured again, as well as defensive starters Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmie Ward, who missed the Texans' Week 9 loss due to injury.

Pittsburgh will play the Chiefs at home on a short week immediately following the Kansas City-Houston game. The Steelers have the best defense on the Chiefs' schedule and an improving offense. But Pittsburgh will also have just come off a crucial road game against Baltimore the week before.

It is also unknown whether or not Kansas City will even have an undefeated season. They could win both the division and the top spot in the AFC playoffs before Christmas and could rest their starters in the final few weeks, opening the door for a loss.

Kansas City Chiefs remaining schedule

Kansas City Chiefs overall win percentage

The Chiefs have the highest over/under win total, according to the latest NFL odds from BetMGM. Here's what their chances look like for the Monday Night Football matchup in Week 9:

  • Win overall over/under:14.5
  • To reach playoffs
  • Win the AFC West: -5000
  • Be the top seed in the AFC: -350
  • How to make Super Bowl LIX: +195
  • To win Super Bowl LIX: +425

BetMGM odds have a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions at +900 as the favorite for Super Bowl LIX.

Would you like to bet? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promotions in 2024, including the ESPN BET app and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

Undefeated teams in NFL history

Only one team has finished a full season undefeated: the 1972 Miami Dolphins. They went 17-0 in 14 regular season games and three playoff games, culminating in Super Bowl VII. The Dolphins repeated as Super Bowl champions in the 1973 season. Bowl champions, but this title remains the franchise's last Super Bowl victory.

Another team had an undefeated regular season: the 2007 New England Patriots, who went 16-0. They tied the NFL record for single wins (regular season and playoffs combined) with 18 wins, but lost Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants.

In the Super Bowl era (since 1966), there have been 14 teams with a loss in the regular season. The most recent team was the 2015 Carolina Panthers team that went 15-1 and reached Super Bowl 50, but lost to the Denver Broncos.

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