Why the Chiefs Playoff Chances Are More Grim After ‘Monday Night Football’

The Kansas City Chiefs’ dire playoff chances were dealt another blow on Monday night — and they didn’t even hit the field. 

After the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 22-19 in overtime on Monday, December 8, the Chiefs’ playoff odds tumbled from 15 percent to 11 percent, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. 

Kansas City currently has a 6-7 record and sits two games behind the Houston Texans, who defeated the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, December 7, for the final wild card playoff spot in the AFC. 

The loss to the Texans officially eliminated the Chiefs from the race to win the AFC West. The Denver Broncos (11-2), winners of 10 straight games, lead the division by two games over the Chargers (9-4). 

In order for the Chiefs to make the playoffs for the 11th straight season, one thing is certain: they must win their final four games. 

Kansas City returns to action on Sunday, December 14, when they host the Chargers. From there, the Chiefs travel to Tennessee to play the Titans, return home for a showdown with the Broncos and finish the season with a trip to Las Vegas to play the Raiders. 

Even if they win-out, the Chiefs will still need some help from the other teams jostling for playoff positioning. 

The most likely scenario is for the Chargers to fumble down the stretch, especially because the Chiefs hold one of those remaining games in their own hands. 

Kansas City needs the Chargers to finish 1-3 — including losses to the Chiefs and the Broncos on January 4 — to have a shot to sneak by them. 

According to CBS Sports’ John Breech, “If that happens, the Chargers will finish 10-7 and they’ll be tied with the Chiefs at 4-2 in the division, but Kansas City will finish ahead of L.A. due to the common games tiebreaker.”

The Chargers also travel to play the Dallas Cowboys on December 21 and host the Texans on December 28. 

Complicated playoff scenarios aside, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes knows his team is facing an uphill battle. 

“We know the chances are getting lower and lower, but I know the guys on this team are going to give everything they have, every opportunity we get,” Mahomes, 30, told reporters after the Texans loss on Sunday night.

Mahomes added, “We’re not winning games, but that mindset the guys have in this locker room, in the games we’re not winning, you can never question the fight of this team. Obviously, we’re not executing at the right moments and we’re not making those plays, but at the end of the day you can never question that, and I think you’ll see that these last four weeks.”

Chiefs head coach, Andy Reid, spoke to reporters via Zoom on Monday and urged that he’s not losing faith.

“I have learned over the years that anything’s possible,” Reid said. “So, I communicated that to the guys. They were down in the dumps after [Sunday’s] game. I mean, they put their heart and soul into that thing, and we came up short. But, at the same time, there’s a way you’ve got to pick yourself up and get yourself going again. And hope is always a good motivator there.”