The Kansas City Chiefs have long been the gold standard in the AFC West-nine straight division titles, a pair of Super Bowl wins, and a quarterback in Patrick Mahomes who redefined what we thought was possible at the position. But that era of dominance just hit a major speed bump.
With Sunday night’s loss to the Houston Texans, the Chiefs officially saw their AFC West reign come to an end. That defeat dropped them to 6-7 on the season, and while the playoff picture is still technically within reach, the road ahead is steep-and getting steeper by the day.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: this was one of the roughest outings of Mahomes’ career. He completed just 14 of 33 passes for 160 yards and threw three interceptions. That’s not the kind of stat line we’re used to seeing from No. 15, and it’s only fueling the growing narrative that something’s off this season-not just with Mahomes, but with the entire Chiefs offense.
And now, the news gets worse. Left tackle Wanya Morris, who had stepped into a critical role on the offensive line, is done for the year with a knee injury suffered in that same game. Losing a starting tackle is never easy, but losing one this late in the season-right when your quarterback is already under siege-feels like a gut punch.
Morris’ absence is going to test Kansas City’s already shaky offensive line depth. Protection has been an issue all year, and now Mahomes is going to have to navigate the rest of the season without one of his key blindside protectors. That’s a tall task, even for a quarterback of Mahomes’ caliber.
What’s made the Chiefs so dangerous over the years is their ability to adapt. Whether it was Tyreek Hill stretching defenses vertically, Travis Kelce carving up zones underneath, or Mahomes pulling off the impossible on third-and-long, this team always had answers. But lately, the questions have started to pile up-and the answers haven’t come as easily.
The offense looks out of sync. The explosive plays aren’t there.
And when Mahomes tries to force the issue, the turnovers follow. That’s not all on him, of course.
The receiving corps has struggled with drops and inconsistency, and now with Morris out, the offensive line is even more of a concern.
Social media, as always, had thoughts. Some fans are already writing off the season, while others are just hoping the team can regroup and get healthy for next year.
But there’s still time-and if anyone can flip the script, it’s Mahomes. He’s done it before.
The question is whether this version of the Chiefs has enough left in the tank to make one last push.
It’s going to take more than just Mahomes being Mahomes. It’s going to take a collective effort-coaching adjustments, better execution across the board, and maybe a little bit of that championship DNA that’s defined this team for nearly a decade.
But for now, the dynasty looks vulnerable. And the margin for error? It’s gone.