The Kansas City Chiefs, according to some, "let" the Denver Broncos in the playoffs. If that is true, the Chiefs may have made a terrible choice. So, let's set the stage a bit. Coming into Week 18, the Cincinnati Bengals were able to still keep their playoff hopes alive.
The only way they would have been able to get it is if the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets beating the Miami Dolphins. Well, the Jets did beat the Dolphins, so the only thing the Bengals needed was a Chiefs' win.
Did the Chiefs make a mistake?
The main issue with that is the Chiefs were resting just about all of their starters when they came to Denver in Week 18. In fact, I am not sure a single notable starter notched more than about five snaps in this game. The Broncos shutout the Chiefs 38-0 in a no-doubt type of game for Denver. They did it in their throwback jerseys and clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2015.
A 10-7 record got them into the postseason for a date with the Buffalo Bills. Various people who were more on the Bengals' side said that the Chiefs purposely lost in Week 18 and 'let' the Broncos into the playoffs to avoid playing Cincy at some point. While I do think the Chiefs would rather the Broncos be in than the Bengals, the Chiefs may have made a horrible decision.
Denver has beaten KC in two of the last three times they played, and it was almost three times in a row. In Week 10, Denver walked into Arrowhead and outplayed the Chiefs. They had a chance to kick a game-winning field goal. And we all know what happened. No one really argued with the idea that the Chiefs got outplayed in that game. And in a scenario where the Broncos probably had a 95% chance to win as they were lining up for the kick, the 5% happened.
Is it plausible that the Broncos beat the Bills in the Wild Card Round and walk into Arrowhead and do the same against the Chiefs? Absolutely. Heck, the Broncos beat the Bills in Buffalo last year and clearly have a formula to beat the Kansas City Chiefs.
In a year where the Broncos have been exceeding expectations and playing with house money, they could end up being the most dangerous club in the AFC playoffs. The Kansas City Chiefs could have made a big mistake.