KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs have another chance this weekend to secure their seventh-straight AFC West title.
The Chiefs almost clinched the division last weekend with their win against the Denver Broncos, but they also needed the Los Angeles Chargers to lose to the Miami Dolphins. That didn’t happen.
This weekend as the Chiefs take on the Houston Texans, the worst team in the league, the requirements to win the division are a little more simple.
Win the game and the Chiefs win the division.
That’s right, Kansas City can snag its seventh-straight AFC West title with a win over Houston on Sunday.
That division title would also secure the Chiefs’ spot in the playoffs. After Week 14, the Chiefs are currently the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture, behind only the Buffalo Bills who win the tiebreaker.
But if a win isn’t in the cards Sunday, a Chargers loss — or a Chiefs tie and a Chargers tie — will also give Kansas City the division.
The Chiefs could also still clinch a playoff berth on Sunday if they don’t beat the Texans.
Three other scenarios on Sunday send the Chiefs to the playoffs, but they all require the Kansas City to tie with Houston — and get some help across the league:
- Chiefs tie + Jets loss + Patriots loss
- Chiefs tie + Dolphins loss + Patriots loss + Jets tie
- Chiefs tie + Dolphins loss + Jets loss + Patriots tie
Of course securing a trip to playoffs is just the first step. Then the Chiefs will have to finish out the regular season strong — with games against the Seahawks, Broncos and Raiders — to try to get back in the top playoff seed.
But first: The Chiefs’ matchup with the Texans kicks off at noon Sunday in Houston.