Don’t be misled by the Kansas City Chiefs’ (latest) lackluster performance on Saturday.

Did they deliver an outstanding display in their playoff debut against the Houston Texans, winning 23-14? Not really. Is this surprising – especially for a team aiming for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat? Not really.

Most know that three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes has a perfect 7-0 record in the divisional playoff round since becoming K.C.’s starting quarterback in 2018. This highlights his ability to consistently take the team to the AFC championship game. However, it might not be as well-known that the Chiefs – despite their dynasty status – often face challenges on their way to Super Sunday. This marked the first instance in five years that Kansas City won a divisional game by more than seven points; their previous instance being a remarkable comeback from a 24-0 deficit against Houston, ultimately winning 51-31. Since then, their average victory margin in this round has been six points.

“The goal is just to keep advancing in the playoffs,” Mahomes said on ESPN’s broadcast after the final whistle. “It was another solid team win, but we need to improve offensively in certain areas. But at the end of the day, a win is what counts.”

The theme is all too familiar.

▶ The Chiefs’ defense proved to be solid, especially in critical moments, preventing the Texans from scoring on two of their three red-zone opportunities. Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked eight times (three by George Karlaftis), including a crucial fourth-and-10 in Kansas City territory with 10 minutes remaining in the game.

▶ The Chiefs made few mistakes, with the offense recording no turnovers and receiving only four penalties for a total of 29 yards.

▶ Mahomes, often perceived to be overly protected by officials, benefited from a couple of nearly accidental personal foul calls, which led to 10 points for the Chiefs in those drives.

Yet they could only produce 212 yards and two touchdowns on offense, despite making five trips to the red zone.

“That’s a good defense, and we still managed to score 23 points against them,” Mahomes stated, rejecting the idea that the team’s performance was hampered by the break after their first-round bye.

“I won’t blame any rust. We came to fight, we found ways to score points, and we’ll be even sharper next week.”

As usual this time of year, Mahomes and Travis Kelce were pivotal.

Kelce, who didn’t make any offensive plays as a rookie in 2013, is on track to retire with a strong case for being the greatest tight end in over a century of professional football. However, at 35, he is experiencing a decline, with 2024 shaping up to be his least productive season (averaging only 51.4 receiving yards per game), the lowest since his rookie year.

You wouldn’t have guessed that on Saturday.

Throughout the game, he frequently found gaps in Houston’s defense, with Mahomes reliably targeting Kelce for his signature open-field runs. They connected seven times for 117 yards – marking Kelce’s ninth playoff game reaching the century mark, a new league record for the postseason – culminating in an 11-yard touchdown connection just three minutes into the fourth quarter while Mahomes was nearly brought down. This marked the 18th postseason touchdown connection for the duo, setting another league record.

“You know 8-7 will always show up in crucial moments, and he did just that,” Mahomes remarked. “Everyone was wondering, ‘Where’s Travis Kelce?’ I think he clearly showed his presence.”

As a team, the Chiefs find themselves one step closer to making history – but winning a third straight Lombardi Trophy, as both Mahomes and Kelce acknowledged after their overtime win against the 49ers in Super Bowl 58, is far from a given.

“I think we’re lucky to have many character-driven players in the organization,” Kelce mentioned. “As the years have passed, we’ve reached this point by concentrating on the task at hand. This victory is great – we’ll enjoy it tonight – but the next goal is that AFC championship. You can’t achieve a three-peat by overlooking that.”

In 2024, the Chiefs haven’t managed to overlook anyone, with their increasing number of victories (16, including Saturday’s) typically decided by narrow margins – averaging a victory margin of just 7.2 points.

The next opponent could be either the Baltimore Ravens or Buffalo Bills. The Ravens narrowly lost to the Chiefs in the regular season’s opening game, while the Bills handed K.C. their first loss on November 17 after a 9-0 start, albeit in Buffalo. Both teams have proven to be formidable opponents, displaying stronger offenses and featuring quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, who are likely to be the top two candidates for this season’s MVP award.

“Those are certainly two of the best teams in the NFL. They possess a lot of talent throughout their roster, particularly at the quarterback position,” said Kelce.

This likely sets the stage for yet another thrilling game at Arrowhead Stadium.

Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid, who achieved his 300th NFL win (including playoffs) on Saturday, have led the Chiefs to an 11-2 postseason record at home since their partnership began. However, the average point margin in their six AFC title games together has only been 4.3 points.

But as the Chiefs reminded us on Saturday, there are no extra accolades given in mid-January. Winning another couple of games by that same 4.3-point margin – give or take – will lead them to unprecedented territory.

“I know this means a lot to him – 300 wins are no small feat,” Mahomes noted about Reid’s milestone, which only three other coaches in the NFL have achieved. “But I think he’s aiming for 302 by the end of the year.”

Achieving that goal will require not just Reid, Mahomes, Kelce, and Chris Jones, but the entire roster – one that has consistently performed just well enough this season.

“Everyone on this team has a winning mentality, and I believe that’s what makes us exceptional,” Mahomes stated.

“So, it doesn’t always have to be an overwhelming offensive performance, nor does it have to be a perfect defensive game. It’s about finding ways to win, and that’s what makes us a unique football team. We’ll carry that mindset into next week.”

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Stay updated with YSL News Sports’ Nate Davis on X, previously known as Twitter, @ByNateDavis.