Making it to the playoffs is an accomplishment for any team, but not all postseason journeys are created equal. At Sports Radio America, we previously ranked all 14 playoff teams by tiers. Now, let’s assess the playoff performances of the eliminated AFC teams and assign grades. The NFC playoff runs will be discussed soon. 

Cleveland Browns: C- 

The Cleveland Browns encountered adversity throughout the season, cycling through four different quarterbacks. In spite of the formidable odds, the team’s fourth QB of the season, Joe Flacco, orchestrated a 4-1 stretch in his five games as the starter. They ended up winning 11 total games and securing a playoff spot. Still, it is my opinion that they fell short of expectations. Despite boasting the top defense in the regular season, led by Myles Garrett, and featuring former Super Bowl-winning quarterback in Flacco, the Browns couldn’t live up to the hype. Their disappointing 14-45 loss to rookie quarterback CJ Stroud highlighted the gap between expectations and reality. 

Miami Dolphins: D+ 

The Miami Dolphins faced expected challenges in the playoffs, dealing with injuries and an unfavorable matchup. Dropping to the sixth seed after losing their last two games and contending with injuries to over six starters, the Dolphins also dealt with unfavorable weather conditions in Arrowhead Stadium. A disappointing 7-26 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round marked the end of a season that fell short of the high hopes the Dolphins had, highlighting the difficulties they encountered. 

Photo Cred: Arrowhead Pride 

Pittsburgh Steelers: B- 

The Steelers’ playoff appearance was unexpected, given their challenges throughout the season. Under the guidance of coach Mike Tomlin, the team made it to the postseason with yet another above-.500 regular season record (10-7). Despite that, they were facing the Bills with a lackluster roster, missing a key player in T.J. Watt. The 17-31 loss to Buffalo exposed their limitations, raising questions about the team’s future, particularly concerning the quarterback position. Regardless, I will give them a B-. 

Houston Texans: A+ 

Houston enjoyed a dream season, led by emerging star quarterback CJ Stroud. Even though they were the underdogs, the Texans thrilled their fans by crushing the Browns in the Wild Card Round. While their playoff journey ended 10-34 against the formidable Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round, the Texans demonstrated promise for the future. The victory of a rookie quarterback against the best overall defense adds further credibility to their impressive playoff run. 

Photo Cred: Toledo Blade 

Buffalo Bills: C 

The Buffalo Bills experienced a season with various highs and lows but entered the playoffs as strong contenders regardless. Dismantling the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card game was imminent, setting the stage for a showdown with the Chiefs. A missed field goal to tie the game brought an end to their most promising chance to defeat Kansas City at home, leaving Bills players and fans disheartened. Regardless, the Bills still had a competitive playoff journey this season despite the 24-27 loss. 

Baltimore Ravens: D 

Baltimore suffered a demoralizing playoff defeat this year. Despite possessing the league’s best regular-season record and showcasing now two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, the Ravens were ousted in the AFC Championship following a convincing win against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round. The 10-17 loss, marked by a distinct game plan against Kansas City, was notably disappointing given the high expectations for a Super Bowl appearance. The Ravens’ season had a clear “ring-or-bust” narrative, making the fact that they fell short of reaching the Super Bowl all the more disappointing. This is why I have to give them a D. 

Photo Cred: Yahoo Sports  

In conclusion, every eliminated AFC team had its own unique playoff journey, showcasing the unpredictable nature of the NFL postseason. Some teams fell short of expectations, while others surpassed them. The fans are now left with memorable moments and building anticipation for the upcoming season.

Chiefs vs. 49ers. Patrick Mahomes vs. Brock Purdy. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. How did we get here? The country may be collectively shaking its heads in disappointment, but the Chiefs and 49ers are indeed two of the NFL’s best teams, and they’ve both consistently proven it this season. It’s been four years since the Chiefs and Niners squared off in Super Bowl 54 and they both look remarkably different from their 2020 versions. The Chiefs dealt with adversity throughout the season, leading the NFL in drops and suffering from poor offensive line play. Particularly, both offensive tackles racked up holding and false start penalties too often, not to mention allowing a higher sack total than usual.

Photo Cred: Depor

Kansas City has shifted into much more of a run-heavy team, while their defense has evolved to become one of the best in the league. That’s something that the Mahomes era Chiefs have not seen much of. Even last year, the Chiefs allowed 35 points but scored 38 to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57. Meanwhile, the 49ers have put together arguably the most talented roster in the NFL. Quarterback Brock Purdy is surrounded by weapons at running back, wide receiver, tight end, and even fullback, while the Niners’ defense is anchored by their vaunted defensive line with multiple All-Pros rushing the passer.

While the Chiefs lost games uncharacteristically in the regular season, they managed to silence their doubters in the playoffs. The Niners rolled through most of the regular season but had to develop a comeback instinct to overcome deficits in back-to-back playoff games. Both teams overcame adversity to get back to the big game and both teams being battle-tested could help them when the lights shine brightest at Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ Regular Season

Let’s start with the Kansas City Chiefs. They opened their title defense with a surprise upset loss to the Detroit Lions in the NFL kickoff game. The game was remembered most for the series of drops by wide receiver Kadarius Toney, as well as crucial penalties made by offensive tackles Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor. The upstart Lions escaped Arrowhead Stadium with a 21-20 win, which they rode to a 12-5 season. They did win the NFC North title but eventually lost to the Niners in the NFC Championship game, despite holding a 24-7 lead at halftime. That game served as an omen for the season to come for KC. Despite the Chiefs being the defending Super Bowl champions, getting back there would be anything but easy. 

Nonetheless, they rattled off six straight wins by relying on Isiah Pacheco, tight end Travis Kelce, and a stifling defense. Pacheco’s physical running was complemented by Kelce often leading the team in receiving yards, and the defense ranked second (in points and yards allowed) in the NFL. The defense only allowed 289.8 yards per game and was particularly effective against the pass, allowing just 176.5 passing yards per game. Some of the biggest playmakers on the Chiefs’ defense include star defensive tackle Chris Jones, defensive end George Karlaftis, the linebacking trio of Willie Gay, Nick Bolton, and Drue Tranquill, and the secondary featuring cornerback L’Jarius Sneed as well as safety Justin Reid.

Photo Cred: Arrowhead Pride

An unusual 24-9 defeat to the Broncos snapped the Chiefs’ 16-game winning streak against Denver and came on a rare day when Mahomes threw two interceptions. He was reported to have flu-like symptoms before the game and played through it. The Chiefs bounced back next week, knocking off former Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill and the Dolphins 21-14 in Germany. However, they struggled mightily after their bye week in Week 10. In the following week, the Eagles knocked off the Chiefs 21-17 in a Super Bowl 57 rematch despite trailing by 10 at halftime. With the Chiefs trailing and time running low in the fourth quarter, Marquez Valdes-Scantling dropped what could have been a game-winning pass. It was the first loss in a stretch where the Chiefs lost three out of four games.

Despite the Chiefs knocking off the Raiders one week later, Kansas City proceeded to lose at Green Bay and back home against the Bills. A potential game-winning touchdown against the Bills was called back, as Toney was called for offensive offsides with his foot past the line of scrimmage. A closer-than-expected victory against the struggling Patriots was followed by a loss to the Raiders on Christmas, a game where the Raiders returned a fumble and interception on back-to-back plays. The Chiefs’ season appeared to be heading toward an early playoff exit, but the team responded with a big win over the Bengals on New Year’s Eve.

Photo Cred: Chiefs Wire – USA Today

Kansas City found an answer for their widespread receiver struggles, as rookie receiver Rashee Rice answered the bell for Mahomes time and time again. He became KC’s most dependent wideout late in the season, having a 127-yard game to combine with Pacheco rushing for 130 yards on the ground in the 25-17 win against Cincinnati. With the AFC West locked up by the final week of the season, the Chiefs rested their starters but still came away with a win over the reeling Chargers to improve to an 11-6 record and clinch the 3rd seed in the AFC. For the first time in Patrick Mahomes’ career, KC would have to win playoff games on the road to advance to the Super Bowl. The AFC no longer ran through Arrowhead Stadium, but the Chiefs were about to shock the world in the postseason.

Now Comes the Playoff Run

The Chiefs opened up postseason play at home in frigid temperatures when they hosted the Miami Dolphins, who came in with the same 11-6 regular season record but finished as the AFC East runner-up to the Bills. Rice got the scoring going for KC on an 11-yard pass, while kicker Harrison Butker increased the lead to 10-0. Hill caught a long touchdown pass from Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa early in the second quarter, but that was all the scoring Miami managed. Kansas City added two field goals before halftime and one in the third quarter to extend their lead to 19-7. Early in the fourth quarter, Isiah Pacheco found the end zone to ice the game. The Chiefs’ defense would do the rest by holding the Dolphins scoreless for the rest of the game, allowing KC to advance to the divisional round. 

Photo Cred: SBNation.com

Next up, the Chiefs had to travel to Buffalo for another playoff showdown with Josh Allen and the Bills. They previously knocked off the Bills in Kansas City twice in the postseason but, with the series shifting to Buffalo, Mahomes would have to deal with the raucous Buffalo crowd in his first-ever away playoff game. The game did not disappoint, as the teams took turns scoring in the first half. The Bills ended an exciting first half up 17-13. In the third quarter, Travis Kelce caught his second touchdown pass, but it was countered by a 13-yard Khalil Shakir touchdown from Allen. KC answered back with a Pacheco rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter, then forced a three-and-out from the Bills. The Bills ran a fake punt with Damar Hamlin but were stopped short, giving the Chiefs the football back up three points and a short field. They were then stopped at first-and-goal, with Mecole Hardman fumbling out of the end zone to give the football back to Buffalo without any points scored.

With the Bills still trailing 27-24, both defenses held up strong, forcing the opposing offense off the field on multiple possessions. Later on in the fourth quarter, BUF recovered their own fumble and converted a fourth-and-three to keep their drive alive and get into field goal range. Bills kicker Tyler Bass lined up for a 44-yard field goal with 1:47 left in the game but missed wide right, eerily similar to the Bills’ Super Bowl loss to the Giants. In that game, Buffalo lost when kicker Scott Norwood missed a 47-yard field goal that would have won them the championship. The Chiefs hung on to win 27-24 without needing any more heroics due to Bass’ miss, and Kansas City broke the hearts of Buffalo fans once again. KC was headed back to the AFC Championship game, but this time they faced an even tougher opponent: the #1 seed Baltimore Ravens.

Photo Cred: San Diego Union-Tribune

The Ravens were fresh off a 34-10 win in the divisional round over the upstart Houston Texans and featured a now two-time MVP star quarterback Lamar Jackson. They additionally carried a plethora of offensive playmakers as well as a vaunted defense of their own. Baltimore was 3.5-point home favorites against the Chiefs and had dispatched fellow playoff teams in the regular season. This included blowout victories against the Lions and Dolphins, in addition to a two-touchdown win against the Super Bowl-bound 49ers on Christmas. Despite all this, KC opened the scoring in Baltimore, with Mahomes connecting with Kelce several times on the opening drive. He concluded the drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass, throwing the ball in a way where Kelce would be the only one to make a play on the football.

The Ravens answered back, with Jackson escaping a sack, dropping back, and launching a beautiful pass downfield to rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers. Flowers extended to make an acrobatic catch in the end zone for the tying touchdown. Kansas City would force a Jackson fumble on the Ravens’ next possession but were stopped on downs themselves and failed to convert a fourth-and-one deep in Ravens territory, giving the ball back to Baltimore. Lamar Jackson was involved in a play where he caught his own batted pass, but the Chiefs defense forced the Ravens to punt on that drive regardless.

The Chiefs went up 14-7 on a Pacheco touchdown before adding a Butker field goal right before halftime to head to the locker room with a 17-7 lead. In the second half, both defenses were ingrained further into the story of this game. Kyle Hamilton and the Ravens were all over the Chiefs, preventing the Kansas City game from getting anything going. However, KC held BAL scoreless as well throughout the third quarter. Baltimore nearly cut the lead to 17-14 early in the fourth quarter, as Flowers caught another deep pass from Jackson to set them up in the red zone. Despite a taunting penalty on Flowers pushing the Ravens back, he caught another pass from Jackson inside the 10-yard line, but Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed punched the football out at the 1-yard line to keep the score at 17-7. With Baltimore desperately needing a score, they drove down the field late in the fourth quarter and got into scoring position.

Photo Cred: Kansas City Star

However, Lamar Jackson threw a pass into triple coverage, which was intended for tight end Isaiah Likely. Instead, it resulted in an interception in the end zone by the Chiefs’ Deon Bush. The Ravens finally broke the scoring drought with under three minutes left in the game to cut the lead to 17-10, but it was too little too late. Valdes-Scantling redeemed himself for the drop against the Eagles by catching a deep pass from Patrick Mahomes to give the Chiefs a first down deep in Ravens territory to ice the game. For the second straight game, KC had won a road playoff game against a tough opponent that was favored against them. Despite an underwhelming regular season filled with frustrating drops, penalties, and uncharacteristic losses, Kansas City got it together in time for the playoffs. They delivered three of their best games all season to advance back to football’s ultimate showdown in the Super Bowl.

Heading Over to the San Francisco 49ers’ Regular Season

A year after a heartbreaking loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game, when the Niners ran out of healthy quarterbacks, Purdy recovered from a torn UCL and delivered a spectacular season. Despite being the last pick of the 2022 draft (Mr. Irrelevant), he has proved to become more than a “game manager”, authoring comebacks in the playoffs and using his legs to scramble and extend plays in addition to his accurate passing. SF has one of the league’s best running backs in Christian McCaffrey, who finished the season with 1,459 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.

Photo Cred: Getty Images (Icon Sportswire)

They feature one of the best receiving corps in the league, with the explosive Deebo Samuel complemented by Brandon Aiyuk. George Kittle rivals Travis Kelce as one of the league’s best tight ends, while fullback Kyle Juszczyk provides an extra burst in the backfield and another pass option for Purdy. Even the Niners’ third-best receiver, Jauan Jennings, has been an important piece and a reliable third-down option for San Francisco. The Niners’ offensive line has been relatively stable as well, led by first-team All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams.

On defense, SF’s defensive line is second to none in the NFL. Defensive tackles Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave are flanked by star defensive ends Nick Bosa and Chase Young, with Young being acquired in a midseason trade from the Commanders. The linebackers feature a very solid duo of Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner. The secondary includes former Chief Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, as well as safeties Ji’Yair Brown and Tashaun Gipson Sr. Former Rutgers Scarlet Knights Sebastian Joseph-Day and Logan Ryan both signed with the Niners late in the season to assist with their Super Bowl run.

Photo Cred: X.com

The 49ers started their season back in Pennsylvania, this time to take on the Steelers. Purdy, McCaffrey, Aiyuk, and the defense all had big games, and the Niners won 30-7 to open their 2023 campaign. San Francisco then survived a tougher test against their division rival Los Angeles Rams before two more victories against the Giants and Cardinals. One of their more impressive victories came in Week 5, which featured a 42-10 blowout win against the Cowboys, a team that eventually finished the regular season with the NFC’s #2 seed.

The Niners then hit a tough stretch, losing three consecutive games to the Browns, Vikings, and Bengals, falling to 5-3. Stronger defenses limited the prolific Niners offense and inconsistent performances by Purdy saw him throwing many interceptions in all three games. However, SF roared back to dominate the AFC South-leading Jaguars 34-3 and followed that up with comfortable victories over the Buccaneers and Seahawks.

Photo Cred: AS USA – Diario AS

The following week, the Niners avenged their NFC Championship game loss to the Eagles by handing the Birds a 42-19 loss in Philadelphia. They knocked off the Seahawks for the second time in two weeks on Thanksgiving night, before sweeping the season series with the Cardinals. This set up a Christmas night showdown between the top two teams in the league, as the 49ers were set to host the Ravens in a battle of conference #1 seeds and dual 11-3 teams. 

In an uncharacteristic performance, Brock Purdy threw four interceptions and Baltimore dominated, pulling away in the second half to earn themselves a 33-19 statement victory. The 49ers bounced back the following week against the reeling Commanders to lock up the NFC’s #1 seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Niners and Rams rested many starters for the last game of the regular season to prepare for the playoffs. Los Angeles edged out San Francisco to send the 49ers to a 12-5 record entering the postseason.

Photo Cred: The Mercury News

Showing a New Side to Their Story in the Playoffs

After the Packers upset the Cowboys in Dallas during Wild Card Weekend, Green Bay made the trip to face a familiar postseason rival in the Niners. This matchup produced many great matchups between Hall of Fame quarterbacks over the years. More recently, SF defeated the Packers in the 2019 NFC Championship game before eliminating them in the 2021 Divisional Round in Green Bay due to a strong defensive and special teams performance. This year, it was a matchup between Jordan Love and Brock Purdy instead of Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Garoppolo. The Packers got off to a good start on the road and hung in there to trail the Niners 7-6 at the half in what seemed to be a defensive slugfest. However, the scoring broke out in the third quarter, when Love launched a pass that former Rutgers receiver Bo Melton caught in the end zone on a toe-tapper to put the Packers up 13-7. San Francisco answered right back with Christian McCaffrey breaking into a 39-yard run for a touchdown to go up 14-13. 

Green Bay then got a Tucker Kraft touchdown and scored a two-point conversion as well, taking a 21-14 lead. Niners kicker Jake Moody hit a field goal early in the fourth quarter to cut the Packers’ lead to 21-17. GB proceeded to get stopped on downs and kicker Anders Carlson missed a pivotal field goal, giving San Francisco the football near midfield trailing by just four points. Purdy led San Francisco down the field for the game-winning drive, culminating in yet another McCaffrey touchdown to now give the 49ers a 24-21 lead over the Pack with just 1:07 remaining in the football game. Love attempted to give Carlson one last shot to send the game to overtime, but an errant pass thrown across his body was intercepted by Niners’ linebacker Dre Greenlaw. Effectively, the game was over, despite a valiant effort from the Packers. The 49ers survived at home and advanced to the NFC Championship game, where an even tougher Detroit Lions team awaited them.

Photo Cred: Reno Gazette Journal

The Lions had their best season since their last championship in 1957. They won their first NFC North title, hosted and won two playoff games, and advanced to the NFC Championship for the first time since 1991. Taking their momentum into San Francisco, Detroit took an early lead on a creative play design that ended with Lions’ wideout Jameson Williams finding the end zone on a 42-yard handoff. DET doubled their lead before the end of the first quarter on a David Montgomery touchdown, with both the passing and running game going along smoothly. The Niners answered with McCaffrey punching it in from two yards out, but the Lions extended their lead with electric running back Jahmyr Gibbs eluding defenders for a touchdown. Michael Badgley added a field goal right before halftime.

The Lions were in complete control up 24-7 and it appeared that Detroit was headed to their first-ever Super Bowl at the expense of a sleepwalking 49ers team! However, San Francisco woke up in the second half and was helped out by some controversial decisions by DET head coach Dan Campbell. After a Moody field goal cut the Lions’ lead to 24-10, Detroit was deep in Niners territory with a chance to kick a field goal of their own. They could have taken back their three-score lead to start the half, but Campbell elected to keep his offense on the field and try to convert a fourth down. Jared Goff attempted a pass to receiver Josh Reynolds, who dropped the pass and gave SF the football down 24-10.

Photo Cred: San Francisco 49ers

With help from an incredible Brandon Aiyuk catch that went off Lions safety Kindle Vildor’s helmet, Purdy made sure the big play didn’t go to waste by finding Aiyuk in the end zone to get the Niners within one score, 24-17. The Lions, seemingly fazed by the comeback, were not able to complete a pass on their ensuing possession and punted the ball back to San Francisco. SF quickly drove down the field and tied the game 24-24 on McCaffrey’s second touchdown of the evening. With all of the momentum going their way, the Niners made sure their comeback didn’t go to waste by taking the lead on a Moody field goal to go up 27-24 with under 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Detroit finally found some life on offense again on their next possession but was stopped on third down, which prompted another critical fourth-down decision.

Once again, Campbell elected to go for it on fourth down, but the play (an attempted pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown) failed and SF subsequently regained possession. San Francisco made sure to make the Lions pay, driving down the field and taking a 34-24 lead with just over three minutes to go in the game. DET was able to answer with another Williams touchdown to cut the lead to 34-31, but there was only a minute left in the game. The decision to run on third down in the previous play cost Detroit a key timeout. It forced them to have to onside kick in order to have any chance of getting the football back. Badgley’s attempt failed, and the Niners were able to kneel out the game, cementing an incredible second-half comeback and setting up a rematch with the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

How Will the Big Game Go?

So what does all this mean? As we can see, both the Chiefs and Niners proved their ability to overcome adversity. KC reinvented their offense, relied on the strength of their defense, and put it all together to knock off tough opponents in the playoffs. SF overcame a three-game losing streak and multiple playoff deficits to advance back to the big game themselves, benefitting from a big season from quarterback Brock Purdy as well as a talented offense and defense. 

In the end, Super Bowl 58 brings together the two best teams in the NFL. If I had to pick, I’d give the edge to the Chiefs. You just can’t bet against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs or a team relying on Pacheco, Rice, and Kelce. With the Chiefs likely to bring their A-game from the beginning, giving them the lead may be too much for even San Francisco to overcome, especially with the best defense in the Mahomes era. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will send blitzes for Purdy to handle in obvious passing situations, and the Chiefs will stifle the Niners offensively while keeping their own run game dominant. Despite a Christian McCaffrey touchdown giving the Niners the lead midway through the fourth quarter, Isiah Pacheco ices the game with a late rushing touchdown to give the Chiefs their second-consecutive Super Bowl win and their third in five years.

Final score: Chiefs 27, 49ers 24

Photo Cred: The Wall Street Journal