Four reasons why Chiefs find themselves outside NFL playoff picture

For nearly a decade, the Kansas City Chiefs have been the NFL's most successful team. They have secured nine straight AFC West titles, appeared in seven consecutive AFC Championship games and reached five Super Bowls, winning three of them. 

But in 2025, the vaunted Chiefs suddenly find themselves in unfamiliar territory. After a crushing 22-19 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, they have a mediocre 5-5 record and are ranked ninth in the AFC, outside the playoff picture. 

What’s gone wrong with the Chiefs? Here are four key reasons why the team is no longer the juggernaut it once was.

1. Not beating good teams

The Chiefs are winless against teams currently in playoff position, and their 30-17 Week 6 defeat of the Detroit Lions is their only win versus a team with a winning record. The four other teams they have defeated (Raiders, Commanders, Ravens, Giants) have a combined winning percentage of .286. Last season, the Chiefs went 7-2 (.778) when facing teams that eventually made the playoffs. These stats clearly illustrate the depth of their decline.

2. Losing on the road

In the last three regular seasons — which all ended in Super Bowl berths — the Chiefs went a combined 26-5 on the road (.839). Their current road record, 1-4 (.200), pales miserably by comparison. Championship-caliber NFL teams always win on the road, and the 2025 Chiefs haven’t. 

3. Losing close games

Perhaps the most impressive statistic during the Chiefs' dynasty is their record in one-score games. Before this season, the Chiefs had won 17 consecutive one-score games, an NFL record. In games decided by eight points or fewer this season, they are 0-5.

4. Not making big plays

Except for their setback against the Buffalo Bills, every loss has featured a pivotal play that, if executed, could have resulted in a Chiefs victory. But on both sides of the ball, they have consistently come up empty. 

Chris Jones lost contain on Justin Herbert in the waning minutes of their opener in Brazil, allowing Herbert to seal a win for the Los Angeles Chargers. Travis Kelce muffed a potential game-winning touchdown catch against the Philadelphia Eagles. Patrick Mahomes' 99-yard pick-six versus the Jacksonville Jaguars could easily have been a game-clinching touchdown pass. In years past, someone has always stepped up to make the play that wins the game for the Chiefs. But this year, it's not happening.

The loss to Denver makes securing a tenth straight AFC West crown unlikely, but with seven games left on the schedule, there is time for the Chiefs to right the ship, qualify for the postseason, and make a run. Andy Reid is one of the best head coaches in the league, and Mahomes is still an elite quarterback, so it’s much too early to write them off completely. 

The Chiefs host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12, and the clock is ticking for Kansas City to return to form.