In trying to do something unprecedented, the Kansas City Chiefs are starting from familiar territory.
Coach Andy Reid’s team is the No. 1 seed in the AFC, has homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, and carries strong Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl odds. It’s the fourth time in the past seven years that the Chiefs have had the top seed and the first-round bye that comes with it as Kansas City pursues an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title.
Before Kansas City’s home playoff game on Saturday against the Houston Texans, BetKansas.com looks at how previous No. 1 seeds fared since the 2009 season in the AFC and NFC.
Year, Team, Record | Playoff result |
2023 Ravens (13-4) | Lost Conference Championship |
2022 Chiefs (14-3) | Won Super Bowl |
2021 Titans (12-5) | Lost Division Round |
2020 Chiefs (14-2) | Lost Super Bowl |
2019 Ravens (14-2) | Lost Division Round |
2018 Chiefs (12-4) | Lost Conference Championship |
2017 Patriots (13-3) | Lost Super Bowl |
2016 Patriots (14-2) | Won Super Bowl |
2015 Broncos (12-4) | Won Super Bowl |
2014 Patriots (12-4) | Won Super Bowl |
2013 Broncos (13-3) | Lost Super Bowl |
2012 Broncos (13-3) | Lost Division Round |
2011 Patriots (13-3) | Lost Super Bowl |
2010 Patriots (14-2) | Lost Division Round |
2009 Colts (14-2) | Lost Super Bowl |
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Since 2009, four of the 15 No. 1 seeds in the AFC went on to win it all. In addition to those ’22 Chiefs, the Patriots pulled off the feat twice (in the 2014 and 2016 seasons) and in between the 2015 Denver Broncos sent Peyton Manning into retirement as a champion in Super Bowl 50.
This weekend, the Chiefs will try to avoid the fate of the 2021 Tennessee Titans, 2019 Baltimore Ravens, 2012 Broncos and 2010 Patriots – all those teams tripped over the first hurdle by losing in the Division Round.
For Saturday’s game against Houston (3:30 p.m. Central kickoff, ABC and ESPN), Caesars Kansas Sportsbook lists the Chiefs as an 8.5-point favorite, with -480 moneyline odds and 41.5 points as the over/under.
The Chiefs have trends going their way: They have not lost at home in the Division Round since the 2016 season and their opponent, the Texans, have never won a Division Round game. Houston is 0-5 in trying to reach the AFC Championship Game.
In their three previous times as a No. 1 seed since 2018, the Chiefs always at least reached the AFC Championship Game. They got to the Super Bowl twice and claimed the Vince Lombardi Trophy as the No. 1 seed in the 2022 season, just months after legal, regulated Kansas sports betting launched.
Year, Team, Record | Playoff result |
2023 49ers (12-5) | Lost Super Bowl |
2022 Eagles (14-3) | Lost Super Bowl |
2021 Packers (13-4) | Lost Division Round |
2020 Packers (13-3) | Lost Conference Championship |
2019 49ers (13-3) | Lost Super Bowl |
2018 Saints (13-3) | Lost Conference Championship |
2017 Eagles (13-3) | Won Super Bowl |
2016 Cowboys (13-3) | Lost Division Round |
2015 Panthers (15-1) | Lost Super Bowl |
2014 Seahawks (12-4) | Lost Super Bowl |
2013 Seahawks (13-3) | Won Super Bowl |
2012 Falcons (13-3) | Lost Conference Championship |
2011 Packers (15-1) | Lost Division Round |
2010 Falcons (13-3) | Lost Division Round |
2009 Saints (13-3) | Won Super Bowl |
Kansas sportsbook apps have an enormous number of lines and prop bets for this weekend’s NFL playoff action.
The past 30 teams that achieved top seed status (15 in each conference since 2009) have a combined record of 395-91 for an .813 winning percentage. The balance is almost dead even – NFC No. 1 seeds are a cumulative 198-45 (an .815 winning percentage) while their AFC counterparts are a combined 197-46 (.811) in that span.
Both top seeds reached the Super Bowl six times in the past 15 years, including that 2022 season when the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles for the title. At DraftKings Kansas Sportsbook, a parlay on both the Chiefs and the NFC’s top seed, the Detroit Lions, making the Super Bowl has +370 odds.
But nothing is guaranteed. Eight top seeds lost in the Division Round since 2009 – and twice, in 2010 and 2021, both No. 1 seeds were ousted at home at that stage.
USA Today photo by Denny Medley
Author
Jim Tomlin edits and writes about sports, gambling and the intersection of those two industries. He has 30 years of experience with companies such as the Tampa Bay Times, FanRag, Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition. He now lends his expertise to BetKansas.com, among other sites.
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