Spreadsheet Warriors: Steelers

The latest newsletter from KCSN Sports Data Scientist, Joseph Hefner

The Chiefs played three games in eleven days. Two of those games were against playoff teams. The other was against a division rival. They won all three of those games. Two by 8 points. This weeks’ 29-10 victory over the Steelers is the Chiefs largest margin of victory this season, and by quite a bit. That victory locked up the #1 seed and a first round bye in the playoffs for the Chiefs.

With that bye week, the Chiefs are guaranteed to be one of the final four teams in the AFC. Seeding is still up in the air for the Ravens and Steelers, who can be either the 3 seed or the 5 seed. If the Ravens beat the Browns, they are the 3 seed. If they lose, and if the Steelers win against the Bengals, then the Steelers are the 3 seed.

The Ravens as the 3 seed would guarantee the Chiefs don’t face both them and the Bills in the playoffs, as the 2 and 3 seeds would play each other in the Divisional Round. The Chiefs would face the lowest seed remaining, which could not be higher than the 4 seeded Texans. Last year, the Chiefs took the hardest playoff path in the history of the NFL (per DVOA) to get to the Super Bowl. I personally would prefer a more reasonable 1 seed path. That means I am rooting for the Ravens this week.