The Kansas City Chiefs have showcased their dominance in the face of adverse weather during their last few games. They secured a massive victory against the Miami Dolphins in the fourth-coldest game in the history of the NFL. The defending champion kept up the form and advanced to their sixth straight AFC Championship game after smashing the Buffalo Bills 27-24 on the road.
Besides solidifying his playoff record, the win against the Bills was a challenge for the Chiefs’ quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, as he had never played a playoff game on the road. The signal-caller has successfully overcome the challenge by securing a win, but now he is on the way to face another challenge: “Josh Allen Curse.”
Chiefs risk the “Josh Allen curse”: what is it?
The “Josh Allen curse” has emerged as a topic of intrigue and concern, especially for the Chiefs. The curse, as it’s dubbed, revolves around the peculiar trend where teams that defeat Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills in the playoffs subsequently falter in their next postseason game.
The curse’s origin traces back to 2019, when the Houston Texans managed to defeat Allen and the Bills in the Wild Card round. They later succumbed to a loss against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round a week later. The trend continued into the 2020 season, with the Chiefs becoming recipients of the mystifying curse. After defeating the Bills in the AFC Championship Game, they ultimately lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl.
Two instances might be dismissed as coincidences, but the Chiefs experienced déjà vu in 2021. Despite securing a win over the Bills in the Divisional Round, they faced defeat against the Cincinnati Bengals the following week.
The most recent manifestation of the Josh Allen curse unfolded last year. The Bengals, who benefited from the curse in the previous season, were once again vanquished. After defeating the Bills in the Divisional Round, they fell prey to the eventual Super Bowl-winning Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
The Mahomes-Allen rivalry, characterized by seven meetings, sees Pat holding a slim 4-3 edge. Allen boasts a 3-1 record in regular-season clashes, but Mahomes has emerged victorious in all three playoff encounters.
Chiefs have bigger picture in mind over “curse”
Amid the buzz of the “Josh Allen curse,” the Chiefs focus extends far beyond superstitions. With a remarkable four-year track record behind it, the so-called curse might raise eyebrows, but the team refuses to let it dictate their fate.
However, breaking the curse is just one part of the Chiefs’ broader aspirations as they venture into Baltimore this weekend. A victory against the Ravens would propel the defending champion into an elite class, joining the 2014–18 Patriots as the only teams to reach four Super Bowls within a five-year span.
For quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a win would bring him closer to an exclusive club, as only four starting QBs have secured at least three Super Bowl victories. The Chiefs signal-caller stands just two wins away from etching his name in NFL history.
On the other side, the Ravens, hosting their first AFC Championship, aim to make their mark with a third Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. Lamar Jackson’s electrifying season has paved the way for them. However, the road to the Super Bowl goes through the Chiefs, who have now reached this stage for the sixth consecutive year. Even ex-NFL star Richard Sherman betted against Lamar Jackson, expecting Pat’s squad to lead the Chiefs to victory.
The New England Patriots’ back-to-back Super Bowl victories in 2004 remain a rare feat in the NFL. Now, the Chiefs have the opportunity to etch their names alongside that historic accomplishment.
