The Kansas City Chiefs know that on Sunday night, they let their season slip through their fingers.
At 6-7 after the loss to the Houston Texans, the playoff odds are down to next to nothing if the Chiefs lose to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15 (just one percent, but 16 percent if they win).
The Texans game showcased all that is wrong with the Chiefs in 2025, as self-inflicted wounds, with penalties, drops, and turnovers, plagued Kansas City as the defense came to the party in the second half.
But it wasn't enough, and CBS Sports' John Breech has oddly given the Chiefs a C- grade, while Patrick Mahomes is worryingly close to a horrific career-first.
"The Chiefs have watched Patrick Mahomes save the day so many times that it seemed destined to happen once again on Sunday night, but instead, the Texans defense landed a knockout punch on the Chiefs,” Breech wrote. “At 6-7, it's looking more and more like the Chiefs are going to miss the playoffs for the first time in Mahomes' career.”
More: Analyst offers brutal Chiefs reality after Week 14 with 3 incredible words
Do Chiefs have one more playoff punch left?
Well, put it this way, they are wobbly, struggling to make sense of what is happening, and we are 11 rounds in.
Things look as bleak as they ever have in the Mahomes era, and what is perhaps even more startling is that against the Texans, it was the stars in Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice who let the team down in its biggest moment.
This team still has star power, so they likely still have one knockout punch left, but with four games left in the season, they must decide carefully when to use it.
Right now, playoffs are far off in the distance, and the Chiefs, as they enter Week 15, know they can't afford to take another shot to the chin.
Because if they do, that white flag for 2025 is being raised.
More Chiefs news:
- Andy Reid has perfect playoff message for 6-7 Chiefs after Texans loss
- Chiefs' Andy Reid oddly doubles down on controversial fourth-down call vs. Texans
- Chiefs fans will hate 'obvious' problem that plagued team in Texans loss
- Chiefs urged to sign 1 of these 4 WRs to help Patrick Mahomes and their 'mess' of an offense