3 Potential AFC Championship Neutral Sites That Are Actually an Advantage for Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs have secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC thanks to a 31-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18. It's a feat that gives head coach Andy Reid's squad home-field advantage throughout the NFL Playoffs, except for in one potential AFC Championship matchup on Jan. 29.

If the Chiefs face the Buffalo Bills with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, the game will be played at a neutral site. Saying Kansas City would no longer have an edge in the game is remiss, though. Here's a look at three neutral site locations that would actually be an advantage for the AFC's No. 1 seed.

AFC Championship Neutral Sites

1. SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)

SoFi Stadium has become synonymous with hosting big-time games since first opening in 2020. That includes Super Bowl 56 as well as the 2022-23 College Football Playoff National Championship game. It's also a stadium in which the Chiefs have become very familiar with playing in. Kansas City has played in SoFi Stadium three times and emerged victorious in each of those contests. That includes a 30-27 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 20. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 329 yards and 3 touchdowns in the victory. The Bills have yet to play in SoFi Stadium, though, and could have a tougher time getting fans to make the cross-country trip.

2. Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)

It's important to note the NFL does not have to opt for an indoor stadium given both the Bills and Chiefs both play outdoors. Each team is used to being in the open air and the fans will show up no matter where the game is at. That's why Raymond James Stadium makes sense as a potential option, but that's only if the Buccaneers fail to make the NFC Championship. The Chiefs already earned a victory in Tampa this season, a 41-31 victory back in early October. Mahomes racked up 249 yards and 3 touchdowns in that game. On the other side, the Bills haven't played in Raymond James Stadium since December of 2021. They lost that game by a score of 33-27 (OT).

3. Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, NV)

The same argument used for SoFi stadium can be used for Allegiant Stadium. The home of the Las Vegas Raiders is one of the NFL's newest venues, first opening in 2020. It is a state-of-the-art indoor stadium that prioritizes fan experience and has already hosted a few impactful games such as the PAc-12 Championship game. It is also set to host the 2024 Super Bowl. The Chiefs know what it takes to thrive in Allegiant Stadium considering they have posted a perfect 3-0 record there. Meanwhile, the Bills haven't played in Las Vegas since 2020. It's worth watching how this storyline develops as the NFL Playoffs carry on over the next month.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.