There are still some issues to overcome, to be sure, but if you ask Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce about the feeling at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday afternoon, it was the sort of feel-good energy that's been missing for some time in 2023.
The Chiefs put away the visiting Cincinnati Bengals a final score of 25-17 in Week 17, a victory that earned them a postseason berth, clinched an 8th consecutive AFC West title, and ended the Bengals' season. More importantly, it helped the team at least temporarily shed the feeling of losing three of their last four games down the stretch in a competitive AFC field.
While Marquez Valdes-Scantling still dropped key passes and the offense often settled for three points instead of six, the truth is that the overall performance was clicking in ways that had been missing from Kansas City for quite some time. And to hear Kelce tell the story, it's clear the team was feeling the vibe.
The Chiefs' win over the Bengals had the sort of overall feeling that the team has been missing for several weeks.
On the newest episode of Kelce's podcast, New Heights, he spoke with his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, about the win and what it was like to get back on track.
"That was a fun game to be a part of," Kelce said. "It’s the first game I’ve had in a while where the energy felt right on the sideline—the excitement for everybody’s success, not just out there trying to do your job. And guys were making plays. Guys were comfortable out there.
"We had a really good week of preparation, speaking of the offensive side, knowing that our defense played their asses off again," he continued. "Offensively, it felt like we caught a rhythm there and it all kinda started with that offensive line. Those guys came together and made a statement that we were going to control the line of scrimmage.
"Sure enough, Isiah Pacheco 100 plus yards with a touchdown. The wide receivers gettin’ dirty inside the hashes and getting some big blocks. It was a fun game be a part of because everybody rallied together to prove that we can do this with the guys we’ve got in this locker room."
You can listen to Travis Kelce's entire breakdown here: