Does there seem to be less buzz about the Chiefs playoff game this weekend against the Titans? The ticket sales aren’t booming. The Jaguars standing room only tickets are going for $160 bucks on Stubhub. The Chiefs get-in price is currently $38. Our traffic to the website is up but not an outrageously high number. It just doesn’t seem like a playoff week this week. My pal Carrington Harrison on 610 said it felt like this was Week 18 and not the first round of the playoffs. I sense it too and I have a couple of theories why.
The Titans are not a sexy matchup. They’re probably the worst playoff team. The Chiefs gain nothing by beating the Titans (well, uh, except for going to the next round). They’re expected to win. Even a 17-point win wouldn’t do much for me. That’s because ...
This season is about the Patriots and Steelers. Chiefs fans want go further than they did last year (which would be the AFC Championship game) and beat one of those Hall of Fame quarterbacks that is always representing the AFC in the Super Bowl. This season will be judged on how the Chiefs do against the Patriots or Steelers in the Divisional round, not how they do on Wild Card weekend.
There’s also the Mahomes factor. Chiefs fans saw a glimpse of the future last week. It’s no secret some fans don’t want Alex Smith as their QB. They see this as merely another step to getting to Mahomes.
That’s why I think this matchup feels a little bleh even though it’s the playoffs. The Chiefs got the playoff win monkey off their back a couple years ago. This is one they should win.