Chiefs already in a unique position for playoff seeding despite it being early in the season

It's never too early to talk about the playoffs for the Kansas City Chiefs.

It's only Week 2, but the Chiefs are already in a unique position when it comes to playoff seeding. They already beat the Baltimore Ravens, who are a safe bet to be a playoff team come January. Up next are the Cincinnati Bengals, who will likely be a contender when it's all said and done even if they do begin the season 0-2.

Fast forward two weeks from now, Kansas City will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers. That provides the Chiefs with yet another opportunity - their third in just the first quarter of the season - to beat a potential playoff team. If they can knock off the Bengals and Chargers, they'll have a huge leg up on playoff positioning before the calendar even turns to October.

Of course, it won't be an easy feat to accomplish. The Chiefs often get opposing team's best shot since they're the champs, which coach Andy Reid admitted he's used to.

“Well, execution is the biggest one," Reid told reporters when asked how he notices other team's playing their best against the Chiefs. "That’s normally what you get and good, aggressive play. I’d tell you guys that tempos are different when you take each level, and the playoffs is kind of a crazy deal. When teams like this play each other, it’s just a different tempo, for whatever reason. I don’t know why but that’s how it goes.”

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes also notices the higher energy that their opponents play with when facing the Chiefs.

“I think you just see a raise in intensity just because you know that these games are going to matter at the end of the year. Obviously, it’s early in the season, everybody’s working through stuff, everybody’s trying to get better and better, but you know that this could be a tiebreaker or whatever you want to call it at the end of the year to determine seeding in (the) playoffs. It’s definitely a rise in intensity, especially in these games against other contenders.”

As winners of three of the last five Super Bowls, the Chiefs know what it takes to play at a high level each week. They also know the importance of getting off to a good start, boasting a record of 33-12 during the combined months of September and October since Mahomes has been the starting quarterback.

Having tiebreakers over the Ravens, Bengals and Chargers would provide K.C. a big advantage in attaining the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Not only would all its playoff games be played at home throughout the postseason, but the Chiefs would get the crucial first-round bye week to rest up and get healthy.

Yes, they were able to take the hard road last year and still raise the Lombardi, but it's probably safe to say that's not something the Chiefs want to go through again.

Related: Chiefs don't receive the injury news they were hoping to get ahead of Week 2 vs. Bengals