The Final Sprint

The 2017 NFL regular season had officially entered its final stretch, with teams fighting tooth and nail for the remaining playoff spots.

The rules for securing a playoff berth were straightforward—

The AFC and NFC remained separate.

Each conference's four division champions automatically qualified for the playoffs, earning the No. 1 to No. 4 seeds based on their regular-season records. In addition, the two teams with the best records in each conference that didn't win their division would secure the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds as Wild Cards.

That was it.

However, since the NFL regular season consisted of only 16 games—far fewer than the 80+ games in basketball and hockey, or the 160+ games in baseball—it was common for teams to finish with identical records.

To address this, the league established a detailed set of tiebreaker rules to determine rankings when two or more teams had the same record.

Head-to-head results between the tied teams. Conference record, meaning a team's win-loss record within their respective conference (AFC or NFC). Record against common opponents to see which team performed better in shared matchups. Strength of victory, calculated based on the combined win percentage of teams a given team had defeated. Strength of schedule, determined by the combined win percentage of all teams a given team had played throughout the season.

If a tie persisted beyond these metrics, additional factors would come into play, such as point differential within the conference, point differential across the entire league, total points scored in conference games, total points scored in all games, and even total touchdowns.

In short, the rankings would be determined one way or another.

For the Kansas City Chiefs, a rollercoaster season had taken them from soaring highs to crushing lows. Sitting at 9-6 heading into the final week, their record wasn't necessarily impressive compared to other AFC contenders.

However, due to strong performances in division matchups, the Chiefs had already clinched the AFC West title a week earlier, securing their place in the playoffs.

The postseason was divided into four rounds:

Wild Card Round The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in each conference earned a first-round bye and home-field advantage. The No. 3 seed faced the No. 6 seed, while the No. 4 seed faced the No. 5 seed. These were single-elimination games, with the winners advancing. Divisional Round The No. 1 seed played the lower-seeded Wild Card winner. The No. 2 seed played the higher-seeded Wild Card winner. Conference Championship The two remaining teams in each conference faced off to determine the AFC and NFC champions. Super Bowl The AFC champion played the NFC champion for the Lombardi Trophy.

This meant that even with the playoffs included, an NFL team could play a maximum of 20 games in a season.

Because of the single-elimination format, teams not only fought for a playoff spot but also aimed for the highest possible seed, as a better seed came with home-field advantage.

For Kansas City, their record secured the division title, but they couldn't compete for a top-two seed in the AFC. Since their final game would have no impact on their playoff seeding, Andy Reid decided to rest the starters and let the backups take over.

While the Chiefs had already locked up their place in the postseason, the rest of the league was still in absolute chaos.

Countless games had playoff implications—some would determine whether teams got in, while others would decide higher seeding.

This was widely considered the most unpredictable and competitive NFL season in the last decade, leading the league to take an unprecedented step.

To ensure fairness, the NFL scheduled all games with no playoff impact for early afternoon kickoffs. Meanwhile, every game that could affect the playoff race was set for 4:25 PM Eastern Time.

For the first time since 2009, there would be no Sunday Night Football in Week 17.

More significantly, for the first time since 1977, the entire regular season would conclude without a single primetime game—not even a Monday night matchup.

This decision could affect TV ratings and the league's broadcasting contracts, yet Commissioner Roger Goodell prioritized competitive integrity, ensuring teams wouldn't gain an advantage based on earlier results.

Games like:

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans

were all scheduled to kick off simultaneously in the late afternoon because each of these matchups could directly alter the playoff picture.

Even the Super Bowl race could be impacted.

The tightest and most unpredictable playoff race in the last decade had turned Week 17 into a battlefield.

No clear-cut powerhouse. No overwhelming favorite.

Every team that made the playoffs had a legitimate shot at winning the Super Bowl.

Anything was possible.

Would the 2012 Baltimore Ravens miracle run repeat itself?

Back then, the 10-6 Ravens barely made the playoffs. With legendary linebacker Ray Lewis announcing his retirement, they seemed like an aging team past its prime.

And yet—

Quarterback Joe Flacco, who had been average at best, suddenly exploded in the playoffs, delivering one of the most legendary postseason performances in NFL history.

The Ravens upset Andrew Luck's Colts, Peyton Manning's Broncos, and Tom Brady's Patriots en route to the Super Bowl.

Then, they defeated the San Francisco 49ers to claim the championship, with Flacco being named Super Bowl MVP.

That magical playoff run remains one of the biggest mysteries in NFL history—

Because after the Super Bowl, Flacco immediately reverted back to mediocrity.

No one could explain it.

But that was the beauty of sports—miracles happened.

Would the 2017 season be another legendary Cinderella story?

With the entire football world watching, the final week of the regular season kicked off.

For once, Kansas City was out of the spotlight.

Quietly, they traveled to Denver, away from the league's playoff drama.

In his first career start, Patrick Mahomes took the field—but he was clearly nervous.

Against a struggling Broncos team, he played cautiously, producing a modest stat line:

35 pass attempts 22 completions 284 passing yards 0 touchdowns, 1 interception

A subpar debut.

However, running back Kareem Hunt stepped up.

With Lance sitting out, Hunt seized the moment, delivering a dominant performance:

156 rushing yards 77 receiving yards 2 total touchdowns

For the first time all season, Hunt had the spotlight.

Without Lance's presence, he proved he was a star in his own right.

Final score: Chiefs 27, Broncos 24.

Kansas City sealed the victory with a late-game field goal, winning their fourth straight game to end the season.

10-6.

With four straight wins, the Chiefs had officially closed out the regular season.

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Powerstones?

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