Examining the likeliest path that the Kansas City Chiefs will take to reach Super Bowl LIX…

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For the fourth time in the past seven years, the Kansas City Chiefs are the No. 1 seed in the AFC for the postseason.

That means they’ll get to sit out and rest during Wild Card Weekend. Kansas City will then host the lowest seed remaining in the divisional round, and if they win the Chiefs will advance to the AFC Championship Game for the seventh year in a row.

Let’s take a look at the AFC’s Wild Card games this weekend.

• #7 Denver Broncos at #2 Buffalo Bills
• #6 Pittsburgh Steelers at #3 Baltimore Ravens
• #5 Los Angeles Chargers at #4 Houston Texans

Regardless of how things shake out, matchups against the Bills and Ravens are not possible for K.C. in the divisional round. That leaves either Denver, Pittsburgh, L.A, or Houston. As nice as it would be for the Broncos to upset Buffalo, it’s tough for me to say with any confidence that will happen.

I like the Ravens to take care of business at home against a reeling Steelers team that is entering the postseason on a four-game losing streak. The Texans are also limping into the playoffs a bit, so I’ll take the more complete Chargers team. That would lead us to…

Divisional round: Chargers at Chiefs

This would be the third matchup of the season between these AFC West division foes. The Chiefs swept the season series, but won each game by just one score.

Beating the same team three times in a year is very difficult, but K.C. is peaking right now and has postseason experience on it’s side. As mentioned above, the Chiefs will also be well-rested heading into this matchup.

AFC Championship Game: Bills at Chiefs

This just feels inevitable. Buffalo should edge out the Ravens at home in the divisional round to earn it’s date with destiny against the Chiefs. The Bills beat K.C. 30-21 during the regular season, but as we know, the Chiefs have gotten the last laugh against Buffalo during each of their last three playoff matchups.

The Chiefs are a very different team now than when they lost to the Bills back in Week 11, and Buffalo is yet to prove it can get over the hump.

Super Bowl LIX: vs. Detroit Lions

There are a number of talented teams from the NFC that could make it to the Super Bowl, but we’ll keep it simple with the top-seeded Lions. This would be a rematch from the 2023 season opener in which Detroit marched in K.C. and upset the reigning champion Chiefs.

That game put coach Dan Campbell and his team on the map. The Lions fell just short of facing K.C. in the Super Bowl last year, but are in great position to get there this time around. Outside of their own fanbase, the Chiefs would definitely be the villains in this matchup. But, whether anyone wants to admit it or not, not many are picking against K.C. with a three-peat on the line.