By Paige Albright
Boston University News Service
For the first time in almost 20 years, the NFL could’ve had an undefeated team. The Kansas City Chiefs were 9-0 going into week 10, however, after being outscored in the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills, the Chiefs’ hopes for a perfect season were dashed during a 26-yard rush in the last two minutes of the game.
The last undefeated season came in 2007 from the New England Patriots, who ultimately earned their first loss of the season in Super Bowl 42.
More than halfway through the NFL regular season, the Chiefs are the favorite to win the Super Bowl. Even with their first loss dropping them from the top spot in standing, the Chiefs remain a dominant contender in the division standings.
Prior to the rivalry game, the Chiefs had only a 3% chance of staying undefeated throughout the rest of the NFL regular season. If they had beat the Bills, their chances of staying undefeated would have doubled.
The Chiefs’ schedule has not been easy as they took on the Baltimore Ravens, the number one seed in the AFC, in the opening game of the season. The game ended in a photo finish that reversed a Ravens’ rushing play that would have taken away the Chief’s lead. The Chiefs have won seven of their games so far this season by a one-possession margin and have trailed in eight of their games.
The Chiefs also narrowly beat the Denver Broncos in week 10 as they blocked a late-game 35-yard field goal that would have given the Broncos the win.
Ultimately these games ended with Chiefs wins, just like every game of the Chiefs’ since last season’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in week 16.
The Chiefs, since their loss to the Bills, have returned to the winning side, winning their last two games. The Chiefs now sit with an 18.2% chance of winning the Super Bowl, and with five games left in the season, it is now up to Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid to keep his team in playoff contention.
