Travis Kelce believes the Kansas City Chiefs rediscovered something resembling their best in Sunday’s victory over the Bengals – just in time for the NFL playoffs.
The reigning Super Bowl champions secured an eighth consecutive AFC West crown with a 25-17 win at Arrowhead on New Year’s Eve.
It came after a dismal run of five defeats in eight matches which plunged into doubt the Chiefs’ hopes of a fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years.
Kansas City’s offense has particularly struggled this year but Kelce said he, Patrick Mahomes and Co found some crucial ‘rhythm’ in their comeback win over the Bengals.
The tight end also sensed a shift on the sidelines – with a familiar ‘energy’ returning among Andy Reid’s players.
Travis Kelce believes the Chiefs found something resembling their best against the Bengals
‘Offensively it felt like we caught a rhythm there,’ the tight end said after the 25-17 victory
‘It’s probably the first game I’ve had in a while where the energy felt right on the sideline,’ Kelce said. ‘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.’
During the Chiefs’ previous home game – against the Raiders on Christmas Day – both Kelce and quarterback Mahomes lost their temper, with the tight end throwing his helmet and clashing with head coach Reid.
Speaking on the latest episode of New Heights, Kelce continued: ‘We had a really good week of preparation, especially on the offensive side… our defense played their a**es off again, but offensively it felt like we caught a rhythm there and it all kind of started with that offensive line.
‘Those five guys came and made a statement: we were going to control the line of scrimmage and sure enough (they did).’
Kelce also suggested the victory helped erase any self-doubt among the Chiefs’ team, adding: ‘It was a fun game to be part of because everybody just rallied together to prove to ourselves that we can do this with the guys we have in this the locker room.’
Kelce was speaking with brother Jason on the latest episode of their New Heights podcast
‘Everybody just rallied together to prove to ourselves that we can do this,’ the tight end said
Kansas City are in the playoffs for a ninth consecutive season – the second longest streak in NFL history.
Kansas City’s defense has held its season together and on Sunday, the Bengals were limited to just 80 yards – and not a single point – during the second half.
The home side ended with six sacks at Arrowhead – with Taylor Swift among the crowd – and Kelce said: ‘Love to see it, baby. Four of them coming in that last drive. The place was absolutely electric – it was loud, ferocious – everybody was screaming their tail off on first, second, third down on all the fourth-quarter drives – when the defense was out there – and we felt that on the sidelines.
‘You get a big sack here, big sack there and now everybody on the sidelines is acting like crazed animals at the zoo – just screaming at everything and getting excited about everything, chest bumping, just being electric and ecstatic about your teammates’ success.
‘That’s the energy I think we’ve been missing leading up to that game. I think we caught a good vibe by doing it.’
