No one is memorializing the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs simply but, however because the losses stack up, it’s honest to wonder if their dynasty has reached its finish.
Sunday night time’s sobering 20-10 defeat by the Houston Texans eradicated the Chiefs from AFC West competition, snapping a streak of 9 consecutive division titles.
The Chiefs are actually 6-7, marking the primary time within the Andy Reid period that they’re under .500 this late in a season.
NFL.com places their playoff odds at 15%. ESPN’s prediction mannequin is even much less bullish at 14.2%.
“We know the chances are getting lower and lower,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes stated.
The Chiefs stay within the AFC wild-card combine, however even profitable their remaining 4 video games wouldn’t assure a playoff spot.
Kansas Metropolis started Monday two video games behind Houston (8-5) for the seventh and remaining playoff place, however the Texans maintain the tiebreaker due to Sunday’s head-to-head victory.
The Chiefs are in tenth place within the AFC and would additionally want to leap the Indianapolis Colts (8-5) and Baltimore Ravens (6-7).
It’s a shocking actuality for a Chiefs group that’s made it to the AFC Championship Recreation in every of the final seven postseasons, superior to the Tremendous Bowl in 5 of them (together with the final three), and received it thrice.
“It’s never over, so you keep battling,” Reid stated. “I’ve been doing this a long time, seen some things, so we keep going.”
However whereas the Chiefs’ demise appears sudden, their decline has really been relatively gradual.
The 2022 Chiefs have been a juggernaut who tied for the NFL’s high file at 14-3 and boasted the league’s highest-scoring offense.
Mahomes received NFL MVP after passing for a career-high 5,250 yards with 41 touchdowns, whereas tight finish Travis Kelce scored a career-best 12 touchdowns with 1,338 receiving yards in what stays his final 1,000-yard season.
That group received the Tremendous Bowl over the Philadelphia Eagles in an instant-classic bout.
The 2023 Chiefs have been far much less dominant, ending 11-6 whereas relying far more on their protection as their offense took a step again.
However that group, with its championship pedigree, put all of it collectively when it mattered most and once more received the Tremendous Bowl, that point in an time beyond regulation thriller towards the San Francisco 49ers.
And whereas final yr’s group returned to the highest of the NFL, ending 15-2 within the common season, there have been causes to imagine their methodology of success wasn’t sustainable.
The 2024 Chiefs went an unbelievable 12-0 in one-score video games, together with the playoffs — a metric that implies good luck and that made them an apparent regression candidate.
These slender victories included:
A sport wherein the Ravens’ Isaiah Doubtless’s toe landed out of bounds on a would-be-game-tying landing.
One other wherein the Chiefs blocked the Denver Broncos’ would-be-game-winning 35-yard subject aim as time expired.
And one other wherein the Las Vegas Raiders botched a snap with 15 seconds remaining and misplaced a fumble whereas already in vary for a would-be-game-winning subject aim.
The Chiefs’ offense remained middle-of-the-pack, with the prolonged harm absences of Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco and a career-worst season from Kelce leaving them largely devoid of playmakers.
The Eagles enacted revenge within the Tremendous Bowl by routing the Chiefs, 40-22, in a sport wherein Philly at one level led 34-0.
And now this season, the regression hit arduous.
Whereas the Chiefs’ offense bounced again to be among the many NFL’s higher models, and the protection stays principally stout, Kansas Metropolis started the yr 0-5 in one-score video games and is 1-6 general.
That implies a lot worse luck than final yr.
However late-game execution has additionally been a problem of late — particularly on Sunday night time.
With 10:22 minutes left within the fourth quarter and the rating tied, 10-10, Reid opted to go for it on 4th and 1 from the Chiefs’ personal 31-yard line.
Kansas Metropolis didn’t convert towards the NFL’s stingiest protection, setting the Texans up deep in Chiefs territory. The next drive resulted in Houston’s game-winning landing.
It was the primary time Reid had ever tried a fourth-down conversion inside his personal 40 through the fourth quarter or time beyond regulation of a tied sport, in response to ESPN.
“It’s important that you take advantage of opportunities,” Reid stated. “I thought it was an opportunity. I was wrong, though. Hindsight, it was wrong. We’ve been pretty good on fourth downs. I messed that one up.”
On their subsequent drive, the Chiefs didn’t convert on 4th and 4.
It was nonetheless 17-10 when the Chiefs acquired the ball again, however the Texans sealed the sport with a tipped interception off of Kelce’s palms.
Mahomes completed 14-of-33 for 160 yards and three interceptions, marking the primary zero-touchdown, three-interception sport of his profession.
And now the Chiefs are on the point of one other doubtful first — lacking the playoffs for the primary time within the Mahomes period.
That would spell massive adjustments for the Chiefs, even when the 30-year-old Mahomes’ championship window stays large open.
Kelce, 36, contemplated retirement after final season, and he has not dedicated to returning in 2026. Mahomes alluded to that uncertainty on Sunday night time.
“Every season I’ve had with him these last few years, I try to cherish because you never know,” Mahomes stated. “He got himself in great shape this year and he’s played great football. He’ll have the option to do whatever he wants to do after this season, but I know one thing. He’ll give everything he has for the rest of this season to try to give us a chance to make a playoff run.”
Remaining on the Chiefs’ schedule are residence video games towards the Los Angeles Chargers and Broncos and street video games towards the Raiders and Tennessee Titans.
It’s the NFL’s ninth-easiest remaining schedule when it comes to opponent profitable proportion (.451), in response to Tankathon.
“We can control how we finish the season,” defensive deal with Chris Jones stated. “We can finish strong and, God-willing, find a way to get into the playoffs. … We still got an opportunity, man, even though it’s a slim opportunity. … For us, the door is still open.”
