The Kansas City Chiefs have lost four of five games and are on the brink of playoff elimination, but superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones sent out a reminder to the media and the rest of the NFL on Thursday, December 11 as to why no one should take his team lightly.
A reporter asked Jones if the Chiefs players were “down” following their defeat against the Houston Texans last Sunday, which moved Kansas City to 6-7 on the year and within one loss of postseason oblivion for the first time in a decade.
“Everyone felt like they could have done something different, something better. It was more so of disappointment within itself. I don’t think down, because we’re all competitors at the end of the day,” Jones replied. “And even though this is new territory for us, we still have an opportunity. We still got really, really great players on this team starting with our leaders [Patrick Mahomes], [Travis Kelce].”
“Listen, we got Pat Mahomes, man,” Jones continued. “Let’s be honest here, we always have a chance. Ya’ll have a good day.”
Patrick Mahomes’ Greatness Unassailable, Chiefs Still on Brink of Playoff Elimination
GettyKansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
It is hard to argue with anything Jones had to say, particularly about Mahomes.
The Chiefs have played in seven consecutive AFC championship games, appeared in five of the last six Super Bowls and captured three rings with Mahomes as the starting quarterback. He has two regular-season MVPs along with three Super Bowl MVPs and is tracking to retire with the best NFL career of any QB, or player, of all time — save for perhaps Tom Brady.
That said, Mahomes can’t bend the laws of mathematics, which dictate that Kansas City can’t lose again and make it to Super Wildcard Weekend. Beyond that, the Los Angeles Chargers must finish the year 1-3 or 0-4, plus the Indianapolis Colts must go 2-2 or worse if the Chiefs hope to make the playoffs.
Chiefs Have Reasonable Chance to Make Playoffs if They Win Out Given Situations of Chargers, Colts
GettyLos Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.
Kansas City plays the Chargers at home on Sunday, December 14, which provides the Chiefs a reasonable opportunity to at least remain alive until Week 17.
Los Angeles, which fields literally the worst offensive line in football based on Pro Football Focus grading metrics, finishes the year with a road game against the Dallas Cowboys, a home contest against the Houston Texans and a road showdown with the Denver Broncos — so 1-3 or 0-4 is realistic.
The Colts lost starting QB Daniel Jones for the season to an Achilles tear last week, while QB2 Anthony Richardson remains on IR and QB3 Riley Leonard is battling a knee injury. As a result, Indy recently resurrected Phillip Rivers from retirement nearly five years after he last took an NFL snap.
Indianapolis also has a tough path over the last month of the season, with games against the Seattle Seahawks (road), San Francisco 49ers (home), Jacksonville Jaguars (home) and Texans (road) to finish out the campaign.
Leonard was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, which is reason for some optimism in the Colts locker room. However, a .500 finish over the last four weeks is probably closer to the best Indy can expect rather than the worst given its quarterback situation.
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