Kansas City Chiefs look like clear favorites for Super Bowl trip
The Kansas City Chiefs are trying to reach a third straight Super Bowl, and while history says it’s tough, it’s tougher to pick against them.
Over the course of the NFL’s 101-year history, few teams have reached the title game in consecutive seasons. In the Super Bowl era, it has happened less than a dozen times.
The teams to make it thrice consecutively? Only three of them. The 1971-73 Miami Dolphins, winning twice. The 1990-93 Buffalo Bills went four times in a row, losing them all. The 2016-18 New England Patriots, like the Dolphins, also earned two rings.
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Now, entering 2021, it’s the Kansas City Chiefs trying to become the first non-AFC East team to turn the trick.
While a gambling man might take the field over Kansas City in its quest to dispatch the AFC again, it’s also difficult to find the team who will knock the Chiefs off. After a tremendous offseason, general manager Brett Veach has Kansas City’s offense looking more formidable than ever behind an offensive line which now includes veteran left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., star guard Joe Thuney, and rookies Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith at center and right guard, respectively.
Defensively, the Chiefs lost starting corner Bashaud Breeland but added defensive tackle Jarran Reed to a line which includes All-Pro Chris Jones — who is now shifting to end — along with two-time Pro Bowler Frank Clark. The secondary also has stars in it, including safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Juan Thornhill, and second-year cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
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In Vegas books, the Chiefs are 5/1 to win Super Bowl LVI. The next AFC team on the list is the Buffalo Bills at 12/1, more than twice the odds. For the AFC title, Kansas City sits 5/2 while Buffalo follows at 6/1. The Baltimore Ravens are 13/2 while the Cleveland Browns are 15/2.
In essence, the Chiefs are enormous favorites with Patrick Mahomes under center, Andy Reid on the sideline and Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill running routes. And, with fans coming back en masse to NFL stadiums this autumn, Arrowhead Stadium will be vaunted once more as one of the toughest places to play in the league.
Yes, history says the Chiefs are going to have a tough time getting back to the Super Bowl for a third straight year.
Of course, few teams in history have been as great as the Chiefs.
