The Kansas City Chiefs have been the ultimate example of excellence ever since quarterback Patrick Mahomes took over the starting job in 2018. But on the brink of missing the playoffs for the first time in that run, analysts have been quick to issue serious declarations about the state of the organization and its franchise QB.
The latest to do so was Nick Shook of NFL.com, who dropped Mahomes out of the top 10 in his most recent ranking of starting quarterbacks all the way to the bottom of the second tier. Beyond that, Shook suggested that the Chiefs’ dynastic run — which includes seven straight appearances in AFC title games, five Super Bowl berths and three rings — has reached its end.
“Sunday night’s loss to the Texans might have been the swan song for the Chiefs dynasty,” Shook wrote Thursday, December 11. “Everything seems difficult for them ,and Patrick Mahomes can’t lift the team out of the mess.”
“He accounted for 10 straight passes that were either incomplete or intercepted and suffered because of his teammates’ lack of execution at the other end of his passes,” Shook continued. “Oddly, his passes didn’t look great out of his hand, either, displaying a downward trajectory that mirrors the team’s current direction.”
Chiefs Have Reasonable Chance at Playoffs if They Win Out
GettyKansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes did produce perhaps the worst game of his NFL career against the Texans, but Houston is also the No. 1 defense in the league this season.
Furthermore, Mahomes was among the MVP favorites up until a few weeks ago. And while the QB’s play has fallen off, part of his lack of production is tied to several key injuries across the offensive line and the decline of tight end Travis Kelce, the longtime favorite target of Mahomes.
The Chiefs don’t control their own destiny for the playoffs, but they also aren’t out of the picture just yet. Kansas City needs to win out to have a chance at the postseason, and also needs the Los Angeles Chargers to go 1-3 or worse and the Indianapolis Colts to finish 2-2 or worse over the final month of the campaign.
That said, the Chiefs led the Chargers 10-3 in the middle of the second quarter in Week 15, while the Colts announced they would start 44-year-old Phillip Rivers at quarterback following a season-ending Achilles injury to Daniel Jones.
Chiefs Probably Aren’t as Bad as Record Indicates
GettyKansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The lesson to take is that Kansas City is a long shot, but certainly not finished if it can claim a victory over L.A. on Sunday.
And analysts suggesting that the dynasty ends if the team doesn’t make the playoffs, as Shook did, is pretty clearly a premature contention, which ESPN’s Ben Solak explained on December 9.
“The mighty truly have fallen. But it’s important to keep the Chiefs’ brokenness in perspective,” Solak wrote. ‘The Chiefs’ reign is over!’ No, it is not. ‘This is the beginning of the end!’ Not correct. ‘Mahomes is and always was overrated!’ Codswallop.”
“The temptation to proclaim the Chiefs’ destruction is a direct reaction to the Chiefs’ irritatingly immortal 2024 season. We all remember the stats: 11-0 in one-score games, 15-2 overall,” Solak continued. “When a team is 11-0 in one-score games, it is worse than the record indicates. … Similarly, when a team is 1-6 in one-score games, as the 2025 Chiefs are, it is better than the record indicates.”
Kansas City is not an odds-on favorite to make the playoffs this year. Far from it, in fact. But a regression to the team’s mean of relative dominance is likely in 2026. And this season isn’t over yet.
Mahomes, 30, returning to his former self is also far more probable than the alternative, as key players return to health next season and one of the most effective front offices in league history reevaluates and restocks a roster that has some significant holes to fill.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes Disrespected With Season in Jeopardy appeared first on Heavy Sports.