Marquez Valdes-Scantling's Chiefs redemption arc deserves more attention

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills, 27-24, in a thrilling AFC Divisional Round matchup at Highmark Stadium. The victory will send the Chiefs to their sixth consecutive AFC Championship Game. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was playing in his first road playoff game, was able to silence critics who believed the team would struggle in a hostile environment.

Since 2016, the Chiefs have been known for their explosive aerial attack under head coach Andy Reid. The 2023 Chiefs offense, however, struggled throughout the regular season. Among the many maladies that plagued the offense, the Chiefs wide receivers had trouble catching the ball. Kansas City finished the season averaging a league-high 44 dropped passes (2.6 drops per game).

In 2022, the Chiefs signed wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a three-year, $30 million deal. The hope was that the deep-threat specialist could help mitigate the loss of All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill. So far, it hasn't gone as well as they hoped. The 2023 campaign was the worst of the former Packer's career. Valdes-Scantling finished with just 21 catches for 315 yards and one touchdown — all career lows.

Valdes-Scantling hasn't been the main culprit in the Chiefs' issue with dropped passes — he only accounted for three of the Chief's 44 drops. He was, however, the culprit of the Chiefs most infamous dropped pass of the season. In a Week 11 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, Valdes-Scantling failed to reel in a potential game-winning touchdown.

Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling redeems himself after regular season drops

The Chiefs entered High Mark Stadium without wide receivers Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney. Without much depth at the wide receiver position, the Chiefs needed Valdes-Scantling to provide a spark if they were going to beat the Bills.

The big-play threat didn't disappoint. Valdes-Scantling's performance earned him the highest grade among all wide receivers in the Divisional Round by Pro Football Focus.

After a season of criticism, the much-maligned receiver blocked out the noise and made his impact on pivotal plays.

Valdes-Scantling caught only two passes, but both of them went for 30-plus yards. The first one came at the start of the third quarter, with the Chiefs trailing the Bills, 17-13. Despite tight coverage by second-team All-Pro slot cornerback Taron Johnson, Valdes-Scantling pulled in the 30-yard pass to set up the Chiefs for a go-ahead touchdown. Then, the receiver pulled in another 32-yard reception on the game-winning drive.

While his efforts may not atone for the receiver's struggles in the regular season, the game was a reminder that the receiver has the capability of being a reliable presence in the postseason. Valdes-Scantling stepped up his game in last season's postseason run as well. In the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Valdes-Scantling had six receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Valdes-Scantling will look to continue his conference championship game. He'll need to make some crucial catches again if Kansas City stands a chance against the No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game.