Important lessons learned from KC Chiefs victory over Jaguars

The importance of the bye

Ever since the NFL got rid of one of two first-round byes that used to be available to the best teams in each conference for the Wild Card round of the postseason, it’s been a mad dash to the end of the race atop the AFC and NFC to grab that brass ring. That’s because the stats are overwhelmingly in favor of those teams who get a chance to take a week-long break to start the postseason—at least in terms how often those franchises get to the Super Bowl.

From the very first drive of the game, the Chiefs looked focused and crisp. The offense was operating on all cylinders as Mahomes delivered one highlight pass after another, and the full offensive drive itself made the Chiefs look nearly unbeatable. After all, how can any team defend that many options?

For anyone who was worried about rust instead of rest for the Chiefs after they had a couple of weeks away, it showed that Reid knows what he’s doing when it comes to creating a schedule for his players. The Chiefs not only enjoyed the results of having a first-round bye when it comes to long-term health but there were no short-term side effects from time away.