Road to the Super Bowl
On the night of Sunday, February 29 to Monday, February 30, the two best teams from the AFC, one of the two conferences within the NFL, will face each other. In a head-to-head matchup, the team will compete for a coveted spot in the Super Bowl where they will face the winner of the NFC.
History AFC Championship
The first AFC championship game was played on January 3, 1971, when the Baltimore Colts defeated the Oakland Raiders at home. Both teams now have different locations. The Colts can be found in Indianapolis, and the Raiders have been playing in Las Vegas for a few years.
In recent years, the Kansas City Chiefs have been almost always present during the battle for the AFC title. In the last four years, the team led by Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has reached the championship final every time, winning two games.
Before the Chiefs were the dominant team in the AFC, for years there was no match for the New England Patriots led by coach Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady. Since Tom Brady became the starting quarterback of the Pats in 2001, the team has reached the AFC finals no fewer than twelve times. In nine editions, the team eventually managed to advance to the Super Bowl.
The four highest-placed teams are all individual division winners. It is therefore possible that a team with a better season record is lower on the placement list.
#1 Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs have grown into a giant within the AFC under coach Andy Reid and star player Patrick Mahomes. With a 14-3 record, they not only became division winners of the AFC West but were also the best team in the entire conference during the regular season. As a result, the team from Kansas City is once again present in the playoffs. Since Mahomes became the playmaker in 2018, the Chiefs have managed to reach at least the Conference championship game every time.
Although they had to say goodbye to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who was traded to the Miami Dolphins, the offense once again proved to be the best defense. In addition to the Chiefs having perhaps the best quarterback in Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce is also a mainstay of the offense. Add to that the fact that veteran running back Jarrod McKinnon is in top form and the Offensive Line is also fine.
#2 Buffalo Bills
Before the season started, the Buffalo Bills were already one of the big favorites with international bookmakers to go to the Super Bowl. Also, many of the best real money online casinos in Kuwait offer slots inspired by this team as it is very popular among Kuwaiti gamblers. And the Bills have largely lived up to their high expectations so far this season. They were in the running for a bye week for a long time, but the missed game against the Bengals meant that they had to settle for second place on the placement list. The game against the Bengals was stopped because safety Damar Hamlin suffered a heart attack on the field. He is now doing well, and there is a good chance that the Bills will gain strength and confidence from this.
The team managed to achieve a record of 13-3 under the leadership of quarterback Josh Allen. With this, they managed to win the AFC East division for the third consecutive time. Josh Allen is also the Bills’ most important weapon in the offense because he can pass but is also excellent when he runs with the ball in his hands. His main offensive partner is wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
#3 Cincinnati Bengals
The reigning AFC champion has also qualified for the AFC playoffs, and can therefore still defend its title. Quarterback Joe Burrow is now two seasons removed from his horror injury, and he continues his good form from last season.
The team has two alpha wide receivers Ja’MarrChase and Tee Higgins. In addition, primary running back Joe Mixon is also a player who is frequently involved in the Bengals’ feared offense.
Like the Bills, the Bengals also played one fewer regular-season game than the rest, meaning the chance at the #1 seed, and the bye week, disappeared after Week 17. A win against the Ravens eliminated the need for a coin toss to determine home-field advantage, as both teams will also meet in the wild-card round. On Monday, January 16, they will once again meet the Baltimore Ravens at home for a place in the Divisional round.
