After locking in the number one seed going into the 2024/25 NFL playoffs, the Kansas City Chiefs are on course for an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl success this season.
The Chiefs ended their campaign 15-2, however, their defeat in week 18 against the Denver Broncos should have an asterisk next to it, as head coach Andy Reid rested his big-name starters, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Chiefs Welcome Back Some Key Offensive Players
Kansas City go into the playoffs at 7/2 in the Super Bowl betting. Their chances have been boosted by the return of running back Isiah Pacheco. He has started just six games this season, but he is now fit again, so joins Kareem Hunt in what is a strong committee of RBs that can support Mahomes on offence.
The Chiefs are the 11/8 favourites in NFL betting odds for the AFC Championship. Their two-time MVP is bidding to win his fifth conference championship this year. He has been boosted this season with the addition of some experienced wide receivers to the Chiefs roster. Marquise Brown and DeAndre Hopkins are now settled at the franchise and are two players he will be targeting in the post-season.
Mahomes ended the regular season with his highest passing rating since he joined the league. After completing 392 of his 581 passing attempts, he finished the campaign with a 67.5 passing percentage.
The Chiefs have won their last seven playoff matches so they will be confident of getting the job done once again in the off-season. They are guaranteed home advantage through to the Super Bowl, and they are the only team in the AFC Conference with a bye through to the Divisional Round.
Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens Biggest Threat From AFC
The AFC Conference is seen as the most competitive conference in the NFL this season, with the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills also having strong Super Bowl claims. Those two teams are expected to be the biggest challengers to the defending champions.
Baltimore won the AFC North title after finishing their campaign with a 12-5 record. In Lamar Jackson, they have one of the leading candidates to win the regular season MVP award. The Ravens QB threw for 4,172 yards, recorded 41 touchdowns and rushed for 915 yards. His goal now will be to win his first Super Bowl ring.
The Bills were winners of the AFC East crown, going 13-4 for the season. They, too, have an MVP candidate in their quarterback Josh Allen. Buffalo defeated the Chiefs 31-20 earlier in the season in a thrilling contest at the Highmark Stadium.
Detroit Lions Could Be Super Bowl Opponents
In the NFC Conference, the Detroit Lions snapped up the number one seed thanks to a victory over divisional rivals the Minnesota Vikings in week 18. Dan Campbell’s team prevailed 31-9 to bring their record up to 15-2 for the season.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Complementary 🏈 <a href=”https://t.co/ynJnoK6mz0″>pic.twitter.com/ynJnoK6mz0</a></p>— Detroit Lions (@Lions) <a href=”https://twitter.com/Lions/status/1877061709510136040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Detroit were the highest-scoring team in the 2024/25 regular season, scoring an impressive 564 points through their 17 matches. They also had one of the best defences in the league, conceding only 342 points.
A clash between the Chiefs and Lions would make for one of the best Super Bowl showdowns in recent history. If each team can take advantage of their number one seed, by winning two matches in their respective conference, NFL fans around the world can expect fireworks on February 9 at the Superdome in New Orleans.
