Arrowheadlines: Chiefs enter postseason boasting league’s No. 1 scoring offense

The latest

Chiefs clinch AFC West title, home-field advantage | NFL

Kansas City enters the postseason boasting the league’s No. 1 scoring offense (35.3 points) and total offense (425.6 yards). The Chiefs scored at least 26 points in every game. They allowed an average of 41 points in their four losses, all of which were to playoff teams.

Patrick Mahomes and the challenge ahead for the Kansas City Chiefs | Kansas City Star

The work of turning that hat into a trophy begins now. If you look at their past, you would want to go fetal and protect all vital organs. If you look at their quarterback, you would make plans to be in Atlanta.

The truth is one extreme or the other, likely to be decided in a blink, when the quarterback who’s better faster than anyone expected is asked to do it one more crucial time.

Mahomes, Barkley enjoy historic, record-setting seasons | ESPN

The Best [of Fantasy Football]

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs:

For Mahomes, it wasn’t a handful of big games that inflated his seasonal point total but rather a consistently excellent performance that did, as he scored at least 15 fantasy points in each of his 16 games played, joining Tom Brady (2011) as the only quarterbacks in history who can claim that.

Injuries we’re tracking in Sunday’s Week 17 games | NFL

10. Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry (heel) and running back Spencer Ware (hamstring) were inactive for Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders.

19. Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi was ruled out with a concussion.

Latest Arrowhead debacle doesn’t change Carr’s status as Raiders’ QB | The Reporter

But if there was one important development which could pay off wherever the future is for the Raiders, it’s that Gruden and Carr seemed to grow together in a coach and CEO quarterback partnership which is the bedrock for a strong NFL franchise in an era dominated by offense.

Patriots’ Playoff Position Finalized After Chiefs Beat Raiders In Week 17 | NESN

In order to earn the top seed, the Patriots would have needed to win and have both the Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers lose. Kansas City’s victory locks the Chiefs into the No. 1 spot. L.A. will be the fifth seed and will play next weekend in the wild-card round.

49ers’ George Kittle breaks season receiving yard record by a tight end | ESPN

But Kittle would not be denied of the single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end. In Sunday’s 48-32 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Kittle posted nine catches for 149 yards to surpass New England’s Rob Gronkowski and Kansas City’s Travis Kelce for the most receiving yards by a tight end in a season.

Chargers beat Broncos 23-9 despite feeble offense | Fox Sports

The Chargers (12-4) are headed to the playoffs for the first time in five years, but they’ll go in as a wild-card thanks to a last-second loss to the Broncos at home in November.

Were it not for that slip-up, the Chargers and not the Kansas City Chiefs would have earned No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs and the first-round bye that comes with it.

Around the league

Baltimore Ravens clinch AFC North title | NFL

For the first time since 2014, the Baltimore Ravens are heading to the playoffs.

With its win over the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore clinched a playoff berth and the AFC North title, its first since 2012 and fifth overall.

Nick Foles narrowly missed out on a $1 million bonus in the unluckiest of ways | For The Win

Philadelphia Eagles QB Nick Foles was playing for his team’s season Sunday – and also for a nice little $1 million bonus.

But just when it looked like he’d get it, disaster struck as he suffered a rib injury late in his team’s win over the Redskins and missed the few final plays.

Jets fire coach Todd Bowles after four seasons | USA Today

Bowles finished with a 24-40 record with New York. He went 10-6 in his first season in 2015 before posting consecutive 5-11 campaigns, followed by a 4-12 mark in 2018. After jumping out to a 3-3 start this year, the Jets dropped nine of their last 10 games.

Vikings’ Kirk Cousins, Adam Thielen shrug off sideline exchange | ESPN

The mounting frustrations on offense were visible for the Minnesota Vikings during a 24-10 season-ending loss to the Chicago Bears. At the end of the first half, tensions between Kirk Cousins and Adam Thielenboiled over on the sideline in an exchange captured by broadcast cameras.

Aaron Rodgers’ Concussion Is Rock Bottom for the 2018 Green Bay Packers | Bleacher Report

The Packers have for years shown a lack of appreciation for Rodgers. There’s that stale offense, built on isolation routes, which puts far too much pressure on the quarterback and his receivers to win one-on-one or even one-on-two matchups. There’s the team’s general unwillingness to support the quarterback by pursuing star-caliber weapons. And now, there’s their decision to start an already-unhealthy Rodgers in inconsequential late-season games.

Baker Mayfield breaks rookie passing TD record | NFL

Baker Mayfield is alone atop at least one page of the NFL record book.

With three passing scores in Sunday’s 26-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Brownsquarterback surpassed Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson as the only rookie to throw 27 passing touchdowns.

2019 NFL Draft order: Cardinals own top pick; Giants to take QB? | NFL

The Cardinals will get the party started in Nashville on April 25. Arizona clinched the first overall pick with its loss to Seattle on Sunday.

In case you missed it at Arrowhead Pride

Defense steps up as Chiefs hammer Raiders 35-3 to win the AFC West

The Kansas City Chiefs defense took the lead in the first half — notching four turnovers and a touchdown — and the offense played consistently enough throughout to run up a 35-3 victory over the Oakland Raiders to finish the 2018 season 12-4, winning their third consecutive AFC West title.

NFL Playoff Schedule: Chiefs game times announced

The Kansas City Chiefs will host Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens or Indianapolis Colts/Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, January 12, at 3:35 p.m. Arrowhead Time. The Chiefs face the lowest remaining seed from the AFC’s wild guard round in their first game:

Patrick Mahomes becomes third player in NFL history to throw for 50 touchdowns in one season

With his second touchdown of the game, an 89-yard pass to Demarcus Robinson, quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the third quarterback in NFL history to throw for 50 touchdowns in one season. Mahomes’ earlier touchdown was a 67-yard pass to Tyreek Hill.

Tyreek Hill becomes franchise’s all-time single-season receiving leader

It took just one pass for Tyreek Hill to become the Kansas City Chiefs’ all-time leader in receiving yards for a single season on Sunday afternoon against the Oakland Raiders. It was a 67-yard touchdown to give the Chiefs a 7-0 lead over the Raiders in the first quarter.

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