Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs back to AFC dominance after win over Raiders

Updated Dec. 13, 2021 7:31 p.m. ET

Now these are the Kansas City Chiefs the NFL world has grown accustomed to seeing.

Kansas City is an entirely different incarnation of the squad that America saw open the season with a porous 3-4 record, as the franchise found itself engulfed in question marks and left many wondering whether the Chiefs were even on track to make the postseason.

Well, that question has been loudly answered.

The Chiefs have now won six straight after pounding the division-rival Raiders in a 48-9 explosion on Sunday.

Patrick Mahomes & Co. put on an offensive masterclass against a Raiders squad that didn't look like it belonged on the same field as the defending AFC champs.

Mahomes completed 20 of his 24 pass attempts, tossing two TDs and finishing the outing with zero giveaways. K.C. also found the end zone three times in the ground game and added a defensive score, courtesy of a fumble return from Mike Hughes on the game's first play.

The victory lifted the Chiefs back into a spot they've been in many times in the past few years: the perch of the AFC. They're now in a three-way tie with New England and Tennessee for the conference's top-seed.

And while NFL fans have plenty of recent memories of K.C. flat-out dominating opponents from top to bottom, the Chiefs' recent string of showings is a surprise to most given the way they started the season.

Through their first seven contests, the Chiefs' defense was virtually non-existent. It allowed 1,710 yards through the first four weeks and also allowed six of its first seven opponents to score 25-plus points. Five of those first seven opponents had more than 100 yards rushing, while four opposing quarterbacks registered a QB rating over 100.

And Mahomes' play didn't make things much easier on the offensive end. He was mistake-ridden to say the least, gambling on a number of possessions, as he tossed an interception in six straight games, finishing three with multiple INTs.

The Chiefs had the most turnovers in the NFL (17) through seven games, five more than their closest challenger.

But despite nearly being capsized by calamity in those opening showings, K.C. has found fresh life.

After entering Week 8 with the third-worst point differential in the NFL (minus-52), the Chiefs have undergone a massive makeover, holding the top spot league-wide at plus-79 through the last six weeks.

During the six-game winning streak, the Chiefs have also held all of their opponents under 20 points, while keeping four of their six foes from the 100-yard mark on the ground. In addition, every opposing QB has been limited to a sub-100 QB rating in the last six.

Mahomes and his offense have undergone a similar shift. K.C. is tied for the fourth-best mark in turnovers (six) during its streak, tied for fifth in sack margin (plus-six), and is ninth in both points per game (27.2) and yards differential (+43).

Mahomes has relinquished just three INTs in the past six weeks.

For Nick Wright, this isn't just the look of a team that's been able to string together a few decisive wins. It's the full-fledged coming-out party for what he believes is the best K.C. team ever.

"With respect to Len Dawson, the great defenses of the '90s, Priest Holmes and Tony Gonzales, this is the most dangerous Chiefs team we've ever seen," Wright asserted Monday on "First Things First."

"They were up 35-0. You can poo-poo wins over the Raiders all you want — when the Raiders don't play the Chiefs, they're 6-5. [Kansas City has] had the toughest schedule in football, and the best defense the last two months. The [NFC] can draft their Super Bowl opponent: Their last pick is the Chiefs. They've been the best team in football for a month now."

Chris Broussard didn't take it that far, but he did acknowledge the threat that K.C. poses to the rest of the AFC.

"Every other contender in the AFC is inconsistent, except the Patriots," Broussard stated.

"As much as I like Mac Jones, he's nowhere near Patrick Mahomes. I'll give [the Chiefs] credit. That defense was criticized beyond measure in the first seven weeks and they answered the bell. They have proven to me that they are now a legitimately great defense."

The Chiefs have a chance to take sole possession of the AFC's top spot in a crucial divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday.

As of now, K.C. is one of the conference's top teams to beat on paper. But Friday morning could present an entirely different reality — one that puts the Chiefs in the driver's seat in the AFC.