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Are the Chiefs in Trouble? Is the Dynasty Done?
Written by: Nate Hornung
Last Updated:
Read Time: 6 minutes
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The Kansas City Chiefs have lost two straight games, something they have’t done since September of 2021.
They are 8-5 on the season and sit just one game ahead of the Denver Broncos in the AFC West.
The Wide Receivers room is the worst its been during Andy Reid’s tenure as Head Coach, Patrick Mahomes is getting extremely emotional on the sidelines, and dare I say, Travis Kelce might have some things higher up on his priority list than football at the moment.
Regardless, the Chiefs have issues that need to be solved before the playoffs.
Yes, they are currently set to win an 8th straight AFC West Title, but this hasn’t looked like a Super Bowl Caliber team.
Wide Receiver Woes
Chiefs’ Receivers have dropped plenty of crucial passes this season.
Since the departure of Tyreek Hill, the WR Room in Kansas City has had some big question marks, but this year, they are really coming to light.
For starters, the difference between 8-5, and 11-1 is a few dropped passes and bonehead mistakes.
In Week 1 against Detroit, Kadarius Toney had an easy reception bounce off his hands, into those of a Lion’s defender, who walked into the end zone for a Pick 6. The Chiefs lost by 1.
Against Denver in Week 8, Skyy Moore dropped a very catchable touchdown pass that could have restarted a Chiefs comeback. The Chiefs lost 17-9.
At Arrowhead against Philly in Week 11, Marques Valdes-Scantling dropped a potential touchdown pass to take the lead and win the game with under 2 minutes left. The Chiefs lost 21-17.
And now last week, after an amazing impromptu lateral by Kelce to find Kadarios Toney for the score, only to have it called back, for offensive offsides, called on none other than, Mr. Toney.
Add in the horrendous non PI call on MVS in Green Bay, the Chiefs may very well be undefeated with a different set of WRs.
Which begs the questions… Are the Chiefs done? Or will they figure it out come playoff time?
Will Mahomes Finally Play a Road Playoff Game?
Mahomes has yet to play a road playoff game in his career.
As it currently stands, the AFC does not run through Kansas City, and Mahomes may finally be forced to win a playoff game somewhere other than Arrowhead Stadium. However, there is a slim scenario where Kansas City could be the #1 overall seed.
Now, Kansas City would need to win out:
- @ NE
- vs LV
- vs CIN
- @ LAC
They would need the Ravens to lose 2 of these 4 games:
- @ JAC
- @ SF
- vs MIA
- vs PIT
And then the Dolphins would need to lose 1 of their 4 games:
- vs NYJ
- vs DAL
- @ BAL
- vs BUF
If all of those things happened, which is very possible, you would have three 12-5 times, and Kansas City wins both tie breakers. They beat Miami in Germany, and they would beat the Ravens with a better conference record.
Again, this is assuming everything above happens.
On the off chance that it doesn’t, Mahomes and Reid will have to do something they’ve never done together: Play a postseason game away from home.
Do I think they are capable? Absolutely. But there’s no question home-field advantage is a huge factor, especially in the playoffs.
With an already struggling WR core, Kansas City will need to find other ways to win these crucial games down the stretch.
Is This the End of the Dynasty?
Kelce is nearing retirement and has plenty on his mind off the field.
Look, Mahomes is still plenty young. He’s only 28 years old, but it’s clear that he needs some weapons to work his magic. Kelce is aging out of the league and nearing retirement, so he will need to be replaced in the coming seasons.
Should Chiefs fans be worried about what’s to come?
Personally, I’m not. We’ve got a good, young defense that is playing out of their minds.
Yes, we have our receiving issues, however I truly think those will be solved over time. Chemistry will continue to build between Mahomes and his young pass catchers.
It’s clear he’s got no problem hitting them in the hands.
AFC Up for Grabs?
Can Tua and the Dolphins make a splash in the playoffs?
The AFC Playoff Picture is about as tight as possible. Baltimore sits on top at 10-3, but the 11th place Bills are 7-6 and could still win the AFC East.
Overall, you’ve essentially got 11 teams playing for 7 spots, with just 3 games separating all of those teams. With just 4 games to play, we are in for quite the ride these last few weeks.
Every divisional race is within 2 games of each other with the South and West only separated by one game. It truly is anyone’s contest.
And as we know in year’s past, the #1 Overall Seed doesn’t always end up hosting the Conference Championship game. It’s all about peaking at the right time, and winning the crucial games.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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