The Kansas City Chiefs (11-6) took advantage of a semi-bye in Week 18 after securing the No. 3 seed in the AFC.
Head coach Andy Reid strategically rested several key starters, and despite the team’s approach, they managed to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers with a score of 13-12.
The uncertainty of the Wild Card round opponent lingered until the Buffalo Bills secured a 21-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football.
The Dolphins’ loss not only prevented them from clinching the AFC East but also denied them the No. 2 seed and home-field advantage.
Consequently, Miami now faces a trip to Kansas City for the opening round of the playoffs.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, addressing reporters post-game, opted not to dwell on the impactful defeat.
Instead, he expressed confidence in players and coaches redirecting their focus entirely towards the upcoming challenge against the Chiefs.
Acknowledging the disappointment, McDaniel emphasized the need to channel their energy into preparing for the Kansas City showdown, stating, “This is a feeling that I can’t console or fix it with the team. It hurts. It should. We lost a game we thought we were capable of winning.
Hats off to the Buffalo Bills… But we’ll focus on Kansas City because that’s the only way you can get through something like this.”
Despite concluding the regular season with an 11-6 record, the Dolphins’ track record against teams with winning records stands at 1-5. McDaniel addressed this sobering statistic, asserting that opinions on winning against sub-.500 teams are irrelevant until concrete actions are taken to alter the narrative.
The Chiefs and the Dolphins are set to face off on Saturday, January 13 at 8:15 p.m. ET, with the game exclusively streaming on Peacock. As the playoffs unfold, both teams are poised for a crucial clash that will undoubtedly set the tone for their postseason aspirations.
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