The Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty in the AFC West has officially hit a wall.
With a 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans, Kansas City has been mathematically eliminated from division title contention. That’s a sentence we haven’t had to write in nearly a decade.
The loss drops the Chiefs to 6-7 on the season, a record that not only ends their nine-year reign atop the AFC West but also puts their playoff hopes on life support. For the first time since Patrick Mahomes took over as starting quarterback, the road to the AFC title won’t go through Kansas City.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate just how dominant this run has been. From 2016 to 2024, the Chiefs won nine straight division titles and made it to at least the AFC Championship Game every year Mahomes was under center.
That kind of sustained excellence is rare in the modern NFL. Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Andy Reid - they’ve been the standard.
The team that every AFC West rival measured themselves against. But this year, the cracks have turned into canyons.
At 6-7, Kansas City currently sits as the 10th seed in the AFC. And with just four games left, they’re staring at long odds to even make the postseason.
The offense has been inconsistent, the defense has shown signs of wear, and the margin for error is gone. The Chiefs aren’t just trailing in the standings - they’re chasing ghosts of their former selves.
Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos are seizing the moment.
Denver now leads the division with an 11-2 record and holds a commanding five-game lead over the Chiefs. After a rocky start to the Sean Payton era, the Broncos have found their rhythm - and found it fast.
Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has brought poise and efficiency to the offense, while the defense has emerged as one of the most dominant units in football. This isn’t just a hot streak; it’s a full-blown power shift.
The Broncos now control their own destiny. If they keep winning, they’re not just looking at an AFC West crown - the No. 1 seed in the conference is well within reach. And with the Chiefs all but out of the picture, Denver’s path is clearer than it’s been in years.
Looking ahead, the Chiefs and Broncos still have one more matchup - a Christmas night showdown that, under different circumstances, might’ve been a division-deciding clash. Instead, it could be a formality.
If Denver keeps stacking wins, that game may carry more meaning for seeding than rivalry. And if Kansas City drops another, they could be eliminated from playoff contention altogether before the holiday kicks off.
But the Broncos aren’t the only team in the AFC West race. The Los Angeles Chargers are still hanging around, though their grip is slipping.
Quarterback Justin Herbert is dealing with a broken non-throwing hand that required surgery. On top of that, both starting tackles are out, and the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are coming to town for a Monday night showdown.
That’s a tough ask for a banged-up team trying to stay in the hunt. A loss would drop the Chargers to 8-5, putting them three games behind Denver with just four to go. Not impossible, but certainly uphill.
If the Eagles take care of business on Monday, the Broncos could be just days away from clinching a playoff berth - and maybe more. The AFC West.
A first-round bye. Home-field advantage.
It’s all on the table.
For nearly a decade, the AFC West ran through Kansas City. Not anymore. The Broncos are in the driver’s seat, and the rest of the conference is starting to take notice.