Where do Chiefs stand in NFL power rankings ahead of Week 17?

They’ve got a path to the AFC’s No. 1 seed, and that starts with holding serve against Denver … and then hoping Bengals beat Buffalo in that massive Monday night matchup in Cincinnati.

Mahomes is in a tier by himself in terms of quarterback play this season. No one is doing it better than him right now, and the Chiefs are juggernauts because of it.

The Chiefs are not the most well-rounded of the league’s elite teams. Their defense ranks 21st in EPA (expected points added) per drive, 21st in overall DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average), 19th in weighted DVOA (which weighs recent performance more) and, concerningly, 32nd in red zone defense. But offense matters more than anything, and Kansas City has the best offense in the league by almost any measure — and has the league’s best quarterback. That’s enough to break what feels like a four-way tie, even if Nos. 2 and 3 have both beaten the Chiefs already.

The Chiefs played clean football in Sunday’s workmanlike 24-10 win over the Seahawks at Arrowhead. It’s a welcome change for a team that hasn’t always been on top of its game, even as it has continued to win. The offense finished without a turnover for the first time since Week 5, while a young K.C. defense yielded few big plays to Geno Smith and Co. “I mentioned it the other way the last couple of weeks, that they need to get better,” Reid said of his defense. “They’re making progress and I thought they did a nice job today.” Kansas City can still claim the No. 1 seed in the AFC with two wins and a loss by the Bills.

There has been no shortage said and written about the Kansas City offense this season, and with good reason. Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, the Chiefs rank first in the league in total offense and first in the AFC in scoring.

But it could be the defense that determines how far Kansas City advances in the playoffs. And after struggling a bit in recent weeks, Kansas City excelled defensively in Saturday’s win over Seattle. The Seahawks managed 10 points and converted just two of 14 third downs.

The Chiefs picked up draft picks and salary-cap room when they sent their top wide receiver to Miami back in March. They appear to have not only lengthened their window to win one or more Super Bowl championships with the picks they acquired in the trade, but they look to have done so without hurting their chance to win one this season. Even after trading Hill, the Chiefs were still among the league leaders in scoring. At 12-3, they are in position to make a deep run in the playoffs, but they’ll have to deliver some victories in the postseason to completely vindicate the trade.

When your LeBron James-esque quarterback one-hand push-ups a touchdown, you have to be demoralizing teams on a different level. The Chiefs are succeeding at an unprecedented level despite the fact that almost everyone knows they’re going to pass. Look at this chart. Would you just look at it? 

They didn’t quite light up the scoreboard against Seattle, but the good news is the defense played well. That’s progress.

I still can’t shake the feeling that they’ll get back to the Super Bowl and win it.