12/30/2018 – Chiefs 35, Raiders 3
The 2018 Kansas City Chiefs were a wonderful aberration for a region that hadn’t seen its football team dominate the rest of the NFL so handily in decades. This team, helmed by first-year starter Patrick Mahomes, showcased one of the statistically great offenses in NFL history en route to a third straight division title.
The final game of the season, the second time the Chiefs had faced their hated rivals from Oakland, marked a number of significant milestones for the franchise. It was the first time the Chiefs had ever won the AFC West three straight seasons, as they pummeled their black and silver opponent 35 to 3.
It also marked an impressive achievement from the NFL’s newest phenom. Patrick Mahomes, the first round draft pick from a year before, delivered on the dreams of thousands of fans around the region. For the first time, the Chiefs had “the guy” on their team as he became only the second player in the 99-year history of the league to surpass 5,000 passing yards and 50 touchdowns in the same season.
The win against the Raiders also culminated an accomplishment the team had not achieved in several seasons, the top seed in the NFL Playoffs and home field advantage throughout. The Chiefs would end up hosting Arrowhead Stadium’s first ever conference championship game, with the Sea of Red screaming their hearts out to help their team beat the visiting evil empire from the Northeast.
Though this season would end in defeat, the direction of the franchise was clear. Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and the Chiefs would be a formidable force for years to come.