The Chiefs have looked shaky at times during the 2023 season, but their playoff debut was as good a performance as they’ve had all season.
Patrick Mahomes threw a touchdown pass, Isiah Pacheco ran for another and the Chiefs defense joined the weather to make life miserable for the Dolphins offense. The result was a 26-7 win that moves the Chiefs into the divisional round of the playoffs for the sixth straight season.
If the Bills beat the Steelers on Monday, the Chiefs will play the first road playoff game of Mahomes’ career next week. If the Steelers win, the Chiefs will host the Texans at Arrowhead Stadium.
Mahomes was 23-of-41 for 261 yards as the Chiefs came out throwing a bit more than expected given the cold and wind in Kansas City on Saturday night. His touchdown went to rookie wideout Rashee Rice to cap the first drive of the game. Tight end Travis Kelce had seven catches for 71 yards, Pacheco ran 23 times for 82 yards to lead the team’s ground attack and Rice finished with eight catches for 130 yards in his playoff debut.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s first postseason action was not as enjoyable. The best play of the day for Miami was an underthrow that Tyreek Hill turned into a 53-yard touchdown and Tagovailoa finished the game 17-of-35 for 171 yards. The Dolphins had just 261 total yards and the poor outing was a disappointing way to end the year for a unit that had found much greater success at other points this season.
The performance and the Dolphins’ low number of wins against quality competition will likely renew questions about the team’s long-term future with Tagovailoa. They have already picked up his fully-guaranteed option for 2024, though, and that means the short-term is likely to be focused on finding ways to improve on a season that ended with three losses in five games than handed the AFC East to the Bills.
Kansas City won’t have to take the same kind of stock this week. Their offense moved the ball and their defense continued a…
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