1 bold prediction for all 32 teams in 2023

Kansas City Chiefs’ Bold Prediction – The AFC Championship Game Streak Ends

This will certainly qualify as bold since the Chiefs have become the NFL’s modern dynasty with a future Hall-of-Fame head coach in Andy Reid and the league’s best quarterback in Patrick Mahomes. The pair has thrived since Mahomes became the full-time starter in 2018, getting to at least the AFC Championship Game each year with three Super Bowl appearances and two Lombardi Trophies.

The success of Kansas City has led to a massive arms race in the AFC as Buffalo, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Miami, Los Angeles and the New York Jets have built teams capable of making deep playoff runs. The salary cap has also forced the Chiefs to make difficult choices, losing key contributors along the way while trying to maintain their title-winning core.

This season’s big changes include both offensive tackles as Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor were brought in to replace Orlando Brown and Andrew Wylie. The receiving corps also took more hits as Juju Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hartman left in free agency with second-round pick Rashee Rice being the most notable addition to the group.

That talent gap will catch up to Kansas City this year as they win the AFC West but fail to get back to the AFC Championship Game for the first time in six years. The long-term outlook is still strong for the Chiefs but the depth of the AFC will take them down in 2023.