The Kansas City Chiefs dropped to 6-6 with Thursday’s 31-28 loss against the Dallas Cowboys, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes acknowledged that the team’s margin for error when it comes to making the playoffs is now razor thin.
“You’ve got to win every game now and hope that’s enough,” he told reporters on Thanksgiving.
As for whether the Chiefs can do so, Mahomes added, We can beat anybody, but we’ve shown that we can lose to anybody…”
Mahomes did his part against the Cowboys, finishing 22-of-34 for 261 yards and four touchdowns while sprinkling in some of his trademark escapes and big plays.
But the defense played poorly, failing to slow down Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and the dangerous Dallas passing attack.
The Chiefs have been hovering around mediocrity for much of the season, and much has come down to their inability to consistently win tight games. Last season the Chiefs were 11-0 in games decided by seven points or less (12-0 if you include the playoffs). This year that mark sits at just 1-6.
Last year’s close-game heroics were never sustainable—a return to the mean was always likely. But the Chiefs have surprisingly veered to the other extreme, and now they face a significant uphill climb to earn a playoff bid.
Currently the team is in 10th in the AFC and 3.5 games back of the Denver Broncos in the AFC West, so a divisional title isn’t happening barring a shocking meltdown in the Mile High City. It’s very possible the Chiefs will need to finish the season on a five-game winning streak to get into the postseason, with matchups against the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders still to come.
You can safely pencil in wins over the Titans and Raiders, but those other three contests are tough matchups.