A Game of Probability

With that, the first round of the playoffs—the Wild Card games—came to an end.

The New Orleans Saints won. The Jacksonville Jaguars won. Along with the Kansas City Chiefs' victory the day before, all the higher-seeded teams advanced.

The lone exception? The Los Angeles Rams.

And unlike the tightly contested battles in the other games, the Rams' matchup against the Atlanta Falcons was the only one-sided affair. From start to finish, the Rams never stood a chance, suffering a crushing defeat.

Roger Goodell could only sigh.

Despite his strong desire to establish a new face for the league and create fresh rivalries, some people simply failed to seize the opportunity. There was nothing he could do—after all, becoming a superstar required a bit of luck.

Goff: "Wait… is he talking about me? Oh, never mind. My bad."

The real main character, Donald, had just one response: "See you next season."

Regardless, with the Wild Card games concluded, the NFL wasted no time. Just fifteen minutes after the Saints defeated the Panthers, the league officially announced the schedule for the Divisional Round.

January 13th:

Afternoon: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Atlanta Falcons Evening: New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs

January 14th:

Afternoon: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Evening: Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints

It was finally happening—

Lance vs. Brady.

Though Lance had been hoping for a rematch with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Jaguars had other plans, shaking up the bracket. Now, the entire league would witness a matchup they had been waiting for.

The league's biggest star and its biggest draw going head-to-head, reigniting debates everywhere.

No one had forgotten the shocking upset in the season opener, when Brady himself had been reduced to the backdrop of Lance's breakout moment. That game set the tone for the entire season, and the momentum had carried through all the way to the playoffs.

From a storyline perspective, the ideal scenario would have been the Chiefs facing the second-seeded Steelers first, then challenging the top-seeded Patriots in the AFC Championship—much like the Baltimore Ravens' path in the 2012 season.

But instead, the Chiefs would be facing the Patriots one round early. It felt like a premature climax, yet no one was complaining. The anticipation was already at a fever pitch, sweeping through the league like a storm.

So, who would have the last laugh?

"The New England Patriots."

Bart declared.

A hush fell over the "Inside the League" set. All eyes turned to Bart, their gazes a mixture of shock and pity.

Blair, haven't you learned your lesson yet?

Even Bart himself felt uneasy. Internally, he had already cursed two hundred times. He never expected the Chiefs to stage a comeback against the Titans, proving their toughness against a physically dominant team.

Yet again—he was wrong.

It had happened so often that even the internet had stopped making fun of him. At this point, all that remained were memes.

Maybe… maybe Lance was his personal curse?

To be fair, Bart had been humbled. His pride, professionalism, and credibility had all been shattered. He wanted nothing more than to simply support the Chiefs and enjoy the ride.

But after a deep, objective analysis, he still reached the same conclusion—

The New England Patriots.

This time, he was purely professional. One hundred percent objective.

Bart swore on it.

"The Chiefs have exceeded all expectations this season. Smith played the best football of his career. Lance shattered rookie rushing records. Most importantly, their defense stepped up in key moments."

"Those are undeniable facts."

"But—"

"This team is too young. They're not mature enough. They still have room to grow. In critical moments, they tend to waver. Their mindset and consistency remain unstable."

"Their game against the Titans was proof of that."

"When Mariota pulled off that miraculous touchdown in the second half, the Chiefs completely lost their composure. Their weaknesses were exposed on both offense and defense. If not for Derrick Henry's late-game fumble shaking the Titans' confidence, Kansas City might have already been eliminated."

"From the very first game of the season, the Chiefs have struggled with these same issues. Win or lose, they've lacked stability, and that remains true even now."

"In a single-elimination playoff format, that inconsistency becomes an even bigger liability. It's the biggest obstacle standing between the Chiefs and a breakthrough."

"Maybe next season, they'll mature into a legitimate Super Bowl contender. But this year? No."

On the surface, Bart seemed to have evolved—more objective, more rational, less blindly dismissive.

But at his core, nothing had changed.

He still didn't believe in the Chiefs. Or rather, he didn't believe that a running back could be the key to a team's transformation. He especially didn't believe that a rookie running back could reshape the entire league.

It was as simple as that.

"And let's not forget who they're facing in the Divisional Round—"

"Bill Belichick and Tom Brady."

"For the past fifteen years, no duo has been better in the playoffs. The postseason is a completely different beast—the atmosphere, the pressure, the tempo, the intensity—everything changes."

"No matter what happens in the regular season, Belichick and Brady always find a way to elevate their game in the playoffs. The Patriots are, without question, the toughest team to beat in the postseason."

"And this season, they've looked every bit like defending champions."

"They lost just three games all year—two of them in September. Over the next three months, they lost only once."

"Their list of victims includes four playoff teams: the Saints, Falcons, Bills, and Steelers. Aside from a narrow three-point win over Pittsburgh, all of those victories were by multiple possessions."

"As the AFC's No. 1 seed, the Patriots are ready to defend their title. They are the ultimate measuring stick, the team everyone has to go through."

Not believing in the Chiefs was one thing. Plenty of people disagreed with Bart on that—Lawson, for one.

But believing in the Patriots was a different matter. Even Lawson had to admit that the defending champions looked dominant. Their three losses? Two came in the first month of the season, proving they simply needed time to find their rhythm.

Once they did, no one could stop them.

On that, even Lawson agreed.

The Patriots were the favorites. That much was clear.

Bart figured that, at the very least, the odds had to be in his favor this time.

Surely, the Chiefs couldn't keep proving him wrong all season… could they?

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