Here's how the Chiefs can clinch the AFC No. 1 seed before Week 17's Christmas Day game vs. Steelers

The Kansas City Chiefs' identity this season has been winning games by any means necessary, and that remained true in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers.  The team took things down to the wire, executing in the final 4.5 minutes of the fourth quarter to set up a game-winning field goal as time expired. […]

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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Chiefs HC Andy Reid dressed as Santa Claus.
Chiefs.com

The Kansas City Chiefs' identity this season has been winning games by any means necessary, and that remained true in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers. 

The team took things down to the wire, executing in the final 4.5 minutes of the fourth quarter to set up a game-winning field goal as time expired. The win helped Kansas City clinch their ninth consecutive AFC West title. You have to go all the way back to 2015 to find the last time they didn't win the division.

The Chiefs still control their own destiny as the AFC's No. 1 seed, and with a little help from some friends in the NFC, Kansas City can get it locked up before Santa Claus and the Pittsburgh Steelers come to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for a matchup on Christmas Day.

Let's dive into how the Chiefs can clinch the No. 1 seed before their Week 17 game. . .

Current AFC Playoff Picture

(* means a team has clinched division & playoff berth)

1. *Kansas City Chiefs (12-1)
2. *Buffalo Bills (10-3)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)
4. Houston Texans (8-5)
5. Baltimore Ravens (8-5)
6. Denver Broncos (8-5)
7. Los Angeles Chargers (8-5)

On The Bubble: Indianapolis Colts (6-7), Miami Dolphins (6-7), Cincinnati Bengals (5-8)

Eliminated: Cleveland Browns (3-10), Jacksonville Jaguars (3-10), New York Jets (3-10), New England Patriots (3-10), Tennessee Titans (3-10), Las Vegas Raiders (2-11).

How the Chiefs can clinch the AFC No. 1 seed before Christmas Day?

The Chiefs can clinch the AFC's No. 1 seed before Santa arrives, but they're going to need some help to do it. Kansas City clinches the AFC No. 1 seed by winning two out of their last four games, but only so long as the Bills and Steelers both lose one of their remaining four games. It's not out of the realm of possibility for Kansas City to win their next two. It's also not out of the realm of possibility for the Bills and Steelers to have another loss in the win-loss column as early as Week 15's conclusion. 

Next week, Buffalo plays perhaps the best team in the NFC with a matchup against Dan Campbell's 12-1 Detroit Lions team. That's probably the last game on their schedule that they even have a chance to lose, though. They play the Patriots twice and the Jets once in the final two weeks of the season. Both of those teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention and don't have much to play for other than ruining the Bills' shot at the No. 1 seed. But they're also not very good football teams (see records above). 

As for the Steelers, they're set to face the 11-2 Philadelphia Eagles in The Battle of Pennsylvania on Sunday. Pittsburgh is probably feeling pretty good, given Russell Wilson's flawless record against Philly (5-0) and the dysfunction playing out in social media between Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown right now. Still, it's going to be a tough game and a win isn't a given for Mike Tomlin's team. That'll especially be the case if Steelers WR George Pickens is unable to play due to injury. Now, if the Steelers do happen to win against the Eagles, their Week 16 matchup isn't a walk in the park either. They'll face a division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, on the road. 

Of course, all of this is moot if Kansas City does not win their next two games against the Cleveland Browns (Week 15) and Houston Texans (Week 16). If the Chiefs can go on the road and win those two games, while the Bills and Steelers each drop games in Week 15 or Week 16, Christmas Day's game could turn into a question of whether Chiefs HC Andy Reid wants to rest his starters or not. 

There also exists a scenario where the Chiefs and Steelers are playing for the No. 1 seed in the AFC on Christmas Day. The NFL would probably like that outcome just a bit more in terms of the ratings. 

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