Why another Hollywood finish awaits the Chiefs in Week 18

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The Kansas City Chiefs enter the final week of the NFL campaign locked in as the #3 seed in the AFC.

Sunday will be their second matchup of the season against the Los Angeles Chargers with KC beating them at Arrowhead in October, 31-17.

Kansas City secured the AFC West once again thanks to a 25-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on New Year’s Eve.

At the beginning of the season the Chargers were considered the best hope of unseeding the Chiefs in the division, but they’ve fallen on hard times with a record of 5-11 at the bottom of the AFC West.

It will be the first time that the Chiefs play the Chargers at SoFi this season, a stadium which has only been in operation for NFL games since September 2020.

Located near the Los Angeles International Airport and occupying the former site of the Hollywood Park racetrack, that venue has been good to the Chiefs over the years.

Sunday will be the fourth time they visit that stadium to face the Chargers, and every time KC comes to town, it’s been a memorable show.

Memorable finishes

Kansas City are 3-0 at SoFi Stadium against the Chargers, with the Chiefs having to rally in the second half to win each game.

In their previous visit to SoFi Stadium, the Chiefs were down 20-16 heading into the fourth quarter but were able to emerge victorious thanks to Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, who connected on two TD throws in the final 15 minutes.

The dynamic duo worked their magic under the Hollywood lights in December 2021, as they combined to tie that game late in the fourth before Mahomes found #87 for a game-winning score in OT.

In their first visit to SoFi Stadium in 2020, special teams won the day for KC, namely Harrison Butker.

The Chiefs kicker forced overtime with a 30-yard field goal at the end of the fourth quarter but decided that was too easy and won the game in OT with a 58-yarder to hand his team the victory.

That could be a good omen for a Chiefs team that has not fared well late in games this season, usually relying instead on their defense to close things out.

In those three visits to sunny California, though, it’s been the offense which has carried the load, with the Chiefs giving up over 400 net yards in two of those three games, 365 the last time out.

Conversely, KC have put up over 400 net yards in each of those three contests, with their best performance coming in their previous visit (485 net yards).

Patrick Mahomes has thrown for over 300 yards in each of those victories with multiple touchdown passes.

Forget all of the attention surrounding the Chiefs #1 fan, Taylor Swift the real show for pure sports fans happens when KC comes to SoFi Stadium.