NFL fans are convinced the Kansas City Chiefs deliberately lost their regular season finale to the Broncos… in an effort to avoid the Bengals in the playoffs!
Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and Co. traveled to Colorado for their Week 18 matchup with little to play for and Andy Reid rested most of his big guns ahead of the postseason.
While the stakes were low for the reigning Super Bowl champions, the game had major ramifications elsewhere, with the Bengals on the outside looking in and hoping that Kansas City would do them a favor and stop the Broncos from winning.
Instead, the Broncos sealed their first playoff spot in eight years with a remarkable 38-0 win over the Chiefs, who entered the game 15-1.
The Bengals and Chiefs have a lot of recent history, with Joe Burrow and Co beating KC at Arrowhead in the 2021 postseason en route to a Super Bowl loss.
The following year, the Bengals defeated the Chiefs again, 27–24, for a notable game in the 2022 playoffs in which the Chiefs won after Harrison Butker kicked a 45-yard field goal with just three seconds left on the clock.
Patrick Mahomes could only watch from the sidelines as the Chiefs were badly defeated
Travis Kelce was also inactive as the Chiefs lost 38-0 for only their second loss of the year
Fans claimed that the Chiefs were afraid of facing Joe Burrow and the Bengals again in the playoffs
In 2023, the Bengals traveled to Arrowhead for the AFC Championship game and the build-up was dominated by trash talk, with Cincinnati cornerback Mike Hilton famously calling the Chiefs’ stadium “Burrowhead.”
At the time, Burrow was 3-0 in Kansas City, but he has since lost his last three outings, the most recent being an incredible 26-25 win over the Chiefs in September.
Fans are convinced the Chiefs wanted to avoid a repeat of this season’s playoff game, preferring instead to see the Broncos head into the postseason.
About MY GAWD.”
Another fan added, “Chiefs beat the Bengals three years in a row,” while one said, “The Chiefs are scared of the Bengals! That’s why they rested their starters and let the Broncos win.”
Others, meanwhile, disagreed, claiming the Bengals had plenty of chances to seal their own fate, reminding others that they started the season 0-3 and then went 1-5.
Trey Wingo wrote: “All games count equally. Better start!’ in a targeted message to Cincinnati fans.
Bo Nix put in a brilliant performance to help the Denver Broncos reach the 2024 NFL Playoffs
Carson Wentz is sacked by Jonathan Cooper for the backup QB in Denver on a tough afternoon
In the game in Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon, the second-ranked Chiefs were easily defeated with Carson Wentz as QB.
Bo Nix threw four touchdown passes and 321 yards of total offense in a remarkable performance that saw the Chiefs fail to score a touchdown for the first time this season.
The Broncos will now face the Bills in Buffalo in next weekend’s Wildcard round, while the Chiefs have a bye into the divisional series a week later.
Elsewhere, the Steelers take on the Ravens and the Chargers take on the Texans, while the Chiefs wait for the winner.