Chiefs' long-standing AFC West dominance over after Broncos loss

Adam Schultz

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Chiefs' long-standing AFC West dominance over after Broncos loss image

© Ron Chenoy

For nine straight seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs have been the kings of the AFC West, and in the Patrick Mahomes era, nothing has been more automatic than the Chiefs being division champs.

But the tide isn't just turning, it's already here as the Denver Broncos, with their 22-19 win over Kansas City, dropped their rivals to 5-5 while they move to 9-2 as division leaders.

The race, for all intents and purposes, is over.

The dominance the Chiefs once had is no more, and for NFL.com's Jeffri Chadiha, a new day is dawning in the AFC West.

“What Sunday's effort proved is that it's a new day in the AFC West,” Chadiha writes. “If the Chiefs want to get back to the Super Bowl -- and they wouldn't qualify for the postseason if it started today -- they're probably going to have to do it without the benefit of a home game for the first time in the Mahomes-Andy Reid era.”

More: Andy Reid delivers perfect message on how Chiefs can get out of 5-5 mess

Chiefs can't look ahead at AFC playoff picture

That might seem a little odd to say, but the Chiefs are now so far back in the race for a playoff spot, that simply focusing on that is enough to give yourself a headache if you are a Chiefs fan.

Instead, the old one-game-at-a-time mantra has to be adopted here.

First up is the Indianapolis Colts, in what we think is a must-win game, much like the Denver clash, because the division is no longer achievable (barring a historic Denver collapse), and as things stand, even a playoff spot is in doubt.

As Chadiha wrote, even if the Chiefs do somehow make the playoffs, it would likely be an all-road affair, and if there's one team that can go on the road for the entirety of the playoffs and win the Super Bowl, it's Kansas City.

But it has to make the postseason first.

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Staff Writer