The Kansas City Chiefs are 5-5. They currently sit in third place in the AFC West after their Week 11 heartbreaking loss to the Denver Broncos. Fans aren't used to this much losing in Kansas City. In fact, the Chiefs have only lost more than five games during the entire season once in the Patrick Mahomes era. Even then, Kansas City went on to win the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs have already established a dynasty. They made it to the final game in five of the last six seasons, and they hoisted the Lombardi Trophy three times during that stretch.
Every great dynasty in both sports and in world history falls at some point, though, and fans are wondering if that is the case with the Chiefs. Right now, the Chiefs are on the outside looking in on the AFC playoff picture. So, will Mahomes and company claw their way back to the top, will this be just a gap year in the dynasty, or will the Chiefs no longer be looked at as the NFL's best team going forward?
Could the Chiefs miss the playoffs and end their dynasty?
For years, the Chiefs have been a seemingly unbeatable juggernaut. Mahomes has spent nearly the entirety of his career as the consensus best player in the NFL, and Travis Kelce established himself as arguably the best tight end of all time. Even head coach Andy Reid cemented his legend status with unique play calling and perennial winning ways.
Something has been a little different this year, though. The team dug themselves an early hole with back-to-back losses against the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles. They've since lost two in a row again, with their recent losses coming to the Buffalo Bills and the Broncos. Travis Kelce is nearing retirement age. Although his performance against the Broncos was reminiscent of his prime, it is clear that he isn't the player he once was. Chris Jones also hasn't been up to his usual dominance this year.
Numerous stars have left the team over the years, such as Tyreek Hill and L'Jarius Sneed. The Chiefs have always found a way to win the close games over the years, but that hasn't been the case this year.
Not only is the team's nine-year AFC West title streak almost certainly going to end this year, but the team is genuinely at risk of missing the playoffs. For two months now, NFL fans have assumed that they'd turn things around, but that just hasn't been the case, and time is ticking ever so quickly.
The Chiefs' next game is against another one of the best teams in the NFL: the Indianapolis Colts. Matchups against the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans are to follow, neither of which are easy outs because the former has an elite offense and the latter has one of the best defenses this season.
Over the last four weeks of the season, a win against the Tennessee Titans seems like a lock, but the Chiefs play each of the divisional rivals again, and winning divisional games late in the season is never a guarantee. Not only can the Chiefs not afford to lose, but they need at least two teams ahead of them in the standings to start losing, too.
The Chiefs' season is far from over
Despite their uncharacteristically underwhelming season so far, it is too early to count the Chiefs out. Las Vegas agrees, as the Chiefs are still given the third-shortest odds to win the conference. Mahomes started his career winning MVPs and leading the league in touchdowns and yards. He was criticized in recent years for taking on more of a game manager role rather than gunning for more huge numbers.
This year, though, Mahomes has reminded everybody that he is still the best player in the league. The Chiefs will need to win more games for him to earn his third MVP, but he is certainly in the running to do so. Kelce has proven that he can still be counted on when need be, and the passing game should continue to be elite with Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Hollywood Brown all healthy and active.
Furthermore, there are still a number of talented players on defense. Jones' numbers may be down, but he is still a force to be reckoned with. Nick Bolton is a tackling machine, Trent McDuffie is an elite cornerback, and Leo Chenal is uber versatile.
The lack of a pass rush on defense and limited rushing production on offense are the two things to be worried about with the Chiefs. However, Kansas City is good enough elsewhere to overcome their weaknesses, especially when Isiah Pacheco returns to action. The analytics show that this team is much better than their record.
The Chiefs are at their best when they are desperate. That is why they've historically thrived in late-game and comeback situations. Their backs are certainly against the wall now, but the team seems primed to make a push for the playoffs. When/if they get there, nobody thrives in the postseason more than they do, so a Super Bowl 60 title isn't out of the equation yet.
The Chiefs looked like their normal selves when they won five out of six games from Week 3 to Week 8, and they should return to form through the rest of the season. Furthermore, the dynasty is far from over, regardless of this year's outcome. Even when Kelce retires, the Chiefs will never be out of it as long as Patrick Mahomes is on the roster.
