Amid NFL’s Nail-Biting Season, One Team Keeps Defying the Odds — Guess Who’s on Top!

The 2024 NFL season is shaping up to be one for the history books, marked by an unprecedented number of close games. No team has mastered these tight contests better than the Kansas City Chiefs, led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Chiefs Thrive in Close Contests

The Chiefs secured their 10th victory by seven points or fewer last week, tying the NFL record set by the 1978 Houston Oilers. Their latest narrow win came from kicker Matthew Wright, whose 31-yard field goal clanged off the upright but still went in, sealing a 19-17 win over the Chargers.

Kansas City has achieved three walk-off field goal victories this season — each by a different kicker. Spencer Shrader nailed a 31-yarder to beat Carolina in Week 12, and Harrison Butker secured a 51-yarder against Cincinnati in Week 2. This incredible feat highlights their clutch performance under pressure.

With a 10-0 record in games decided by seven points or fewer, Kansas City has propelled itself to a 12-1 start. They’ve already clinched their ninth consecutive AFC West title, the second-longest division-winning streak in NFL history behind the New England Patriots’ 11 straight AFC East titles from 2009-2019.

Historical Comparisons

Kansas City has outscored opponents by only 56 points this season, making them one of only three teams to win at least 12 of their first 13 games with a scoring margin under 100 points. The other two were the 1976 Raiders (+89) and the 1990 49ers (+98).

Since Mahomes took the starting quarterback role in 2018, the Chiefs have thrived in close games, boasting a 51-19 record in contests decided by seven points or fewer. This is the best winning percentage among all quarterbacks with at least 40 such starts.

Other top teams in close-game success this season include the Philadelphia Eagles (7-1), Minnesota Vikings (7-1), and Detroit Lions (6-1). On the other hand, the New York Giants have struggled, posting a league-worst 1-7 record in such games.

Josh Allen’s Heroic Performance

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen continues to redefine excellence, becoming the first player in NFL history to record three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns in a single regular-season game. He achieved this while amassing 424 yards in Buffalo’s 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Despite Allen’s brilliance, Buffalo made history for the wrong reasons, becoming only the second team ever to lose a game after scoring at least 42 points, committing no turnovers, and recording three or more passing and rushing touchdowns. The only other team to do so was the 2021 Cleveland Browns.

The Bills-Rams game featured a combined 86 points — the highest total ever recorded in a game with no turnovers.

Jets’ Playoff Drought Continues

The New York Jets’ playoff hopes vanished after a 32-26 overtime loss to Miami, extending their postseason drought to 14 consecutive seasons — the longest active streak in major U.S. professional sports. The Buffalo Sabres of the NHL follow closely with 13 straight missed playoffs.

The Jets haven’t reached the playoffs since the 2010 season, when they advanced to the AFC Championship Game under head coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez. Since then, the franchise has endured five head coaches and 15 starting quarterbacks.

Only four NFL teams since the 1970 merger have experienced longer playoff droughts, including the Browns (17 seasons), Bills (17), Saints (17), and Cardinals (15).

New York has endured five fourth-quarter collapses this season, trailing only the 2022 Las Vegas Raiders, who had six.