Chiefs clinch AFC’s No. 1 seed, first-round bye

01/08/2023

Covered Chiefs for 20 seasons for Kansas City Star
Joined ESPN in 2013

LAS VEGAS — The Kansas City Chiefs clinched the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed and the conference’s only first-round bye with its 31-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night.

The 14-3 Chiefs will play at Arrowhead Stadium in the divisional round in two weeks. Home field advantage for the AFC Championship Game, should they advance that far, is not guaranteed after the NFL changed some of its playoff seeding rules.

The game, under certain circumstances, could be played at a neutral site. But it would be played in Kansas City if the 12-3 Buffalo Bills lose on Sunday to the New England Patriots, assuming the Chiefs advance.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has never played an AFC playoff game in a stadium other than Arrowhead. All nine of his postseason games leading up to a Super Bowl have been played in Kansas City. The Chiefs are 7-2 in those games.

The Chiefs have advanced to the AFC Championship Game in each of the past four seasons. They are the AFC’s No. 1 seed for the third time in five years.

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