The Kansas City Chiefs are no longer aiming for perfection.
However, their 30-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills last week hasn’t changed their goal of winning a third straight Super Bowl. In fact, it may have made them even more determined.
The Chiefs (9-1) are expected to be highly motivated when they play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Patrick Mahomes’ first game at Bank of America Stadium.
Kansas City still has a half-game lead over the Bills (9-2) for the top seed in the AFC playoffs, so there’s little room for mistakes with Buffalo holding the head-to-head tiebreaker.
“It’s a long season, and as you get to this backstretch you want to be playing your best football,” Mahomes said. “You want to start showing progression, and stuff you’ve been working on throughout the year.
I think we’re close, but you want to keep building so you’re playing your best football at the end of the season.” The Panthers (3-7) are definitely playing their best football.
After starting the season 1-7, Carolina has won two games in a row and will be well-rested coming off a bye week.
Bryce Young hasn’t put up impressive numbers, but his two wins against the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants match his total number of victories in his previous 19 NFL games. He’s beginning to play with more confidence, and that’s starting to inspire his teammates.
“The Chiefs are a great team and they seem to do everything right at times,” said Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard. “But we’re a hungry team as well. We’re coming off a win and now we’re trying to take this to another level.”
