The early 3-4 skid by the Kansas City Chiefs left them no room for error, and in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals, they felt the full weight of that.
The 34-31 loss in Cincinnati meant the end of the eight-game winning streak that got them to this point, but it also meant that Kansas City no longer held the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Tennessee Titans now lay claim to the lone first-round bye and just like that, the Chiefs no longer control their own playoff destiny as it relates to a bye week.
If Kansas City takes care of business in Denver in Week 18, they’ll lock up the No. 2 seed at a minimum. Should they lose to the Broncos they could drop down all the way to the No. 4 seed. In years past, getting the No. 2 seed wouldn’t matter so much. However, with the expanded playoff system it makes all the difference. Yes, the No. 2 seed will still amount to a minimum of two home playoff games, but losing the week off to recuperate and recover is a big deal.
In this week’s morning after column, we take a look at what went into Steve Spagnuolo’s decision on the infamous third-and-27 call. We also marvel at Joe Thuney and discuss the NFL’s officiating problem.
