Would the Chiefs rather face the Bills or Ravens in the AFC Championship Game?

After defeating the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round, the Kansas City Chiefs await the winner of the highly anticipated Baltimore Ravens-Buffalo Bills showdown. But which team would the two-time defending Super Bowl champions rather face on their quest to accomplish the first-ever three-peat in NFL history?

The top-seeded Chiefs will host whoever prevails in the highly anticipated win-or-go-home matchup between Buffalo and Baltimore in the AFC Championship Game. Notably, Kansas City played against both squads in the regular season, beating the Ravens and losing to the Bills. Yet, oddly enough, the five-time defending AFC East champs are a more ideal opponent heading into an impending encore battle.

The Chiefs would rather face the Bills than the Ravens in the AFC Championship Game

A lot has changed since the Chiefs and Ravens met to kick off the 2024 campaign. This notably marked All-Pro running back Derrick Henry's first game with Baltimore. Integrating such a high-profile player into a group takes time, and reasonably so. But he and superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson have come a long way compared to where they were in Week 1.

Henry had his worst outing as a Raven in the regular-season opener versus the Chiefs, amassing 46 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 13 touches. He logged a 46 percent offensive snap share rate, which tied for the lowest tally of the year for him. From that point forward, the 31-year-old bell cow quickly settled in, forming the NFL's best backfield tandem with Jackson.

Kansas City is a fairly stout run-stopping unit from a basic statistical standpoint. Nonetheless, they ranked 19th in expected points contributed by rushing defense this season, indicating they can be exploited through the ground. Considering the Chiefs typically play with a lead, that hasn't been an issue, though that could change in a rematch with the Ravens.

Baltimore finished first in rushing yards per attempt and game (5.8 and 187.6, respectively), as well as expected points. Henry and Jackson accumulated nearly 3,000 yards with their legs, highlighting how unstoppable they've been (excluding Week 1).

Moreover, as great as MVP favorite Josh Allen and the Bills are, they're underdogs for their Divisional Round clash with the Ravens -- at home. If that doesn't speak to Baltimore's current form Baltimore is in, then what will?

If the Bills aren't favored against the Ravens in front of their fans at Highmark Stadium, they'll be given virtually no chance in Kansas City. With that in mind, the Chiefs should be rooting for a Buffalo victory, but they won't back down regardless of the challenger.