Dec 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh (98) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Why the Chiefs' Optimism Has Finally Been Buried

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Dec 20, 2025 8:00 AM ET

People just kept expecting the Kansas City Chiefs to flip the switch, turn it on, and begin a dominant run right through the playoffs, as they had done numerous times in the Patrick Mahomes era. It looked like that's exactly what happened when Xavier Worthy returned, leading the Chiefs to win their second game in a row to get back to .500 after Week 4.

They took a brutal loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Monday Night Football feature the following game, then bounced back with a resounding victory over the Detroit Lions. That seemed to do the trick, as KC won its next two. The Chiefs would go back and forth from there before embarking on the three-week skid that ultimately ended their season.

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The tide has finally turned on the Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs were officially eliminated from playoff contention after they dropped their last three games to the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, and Los Angeles Chargers. They were favored in every single one of those contests, but couldn't get the job done. Nobody expected Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the rest of their dynasty to go down in such a deflating, anticlimactic manner. The Chiefs didn't just lose their third game in a row against the Chargers; they also lost their star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.

On top of that, Rashee Rice suffered a concussion, which leaves his status for Week 16 up in the air. The receiver didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday, making him doubtful for the upcoming bout with the Tennessee Titans. Practically all the goodwill the Chiefs collected during their dynastic run has dissipated. Two of five editors on NFL.com's panel picked the Titans to upset them on Sunday. Dan Parr is still riding with KC, predicting a 17-16 bounce-back win for the reigning AFC champs:

The best way to tell how much the Chiefs want to win this game is what Steve Spagnuolo throws at Cam Ward and the Titans offense.

I think they can blitz him to victory. It's the real differentiator in this game.
— Kent Swanson (@kent_swanson) December 19, 2025

"My, how things have changed in the last week. For the first time in a decade, I have no grasp of what to expect from the Chiefs. They've lost Patrick Mahomes for at least the rest of the season and have already been eliminated from playoff contention. After such a monstrous buzzkill, I'm interested to see if they can muster the energy to go on the road and beat a Titans team that should be hungry to kick the reigning AFC champions when they're down."

"The only thing keeping me from picking Tennessee is Kansas City's defense. It's still playing relatively well, despite the team's downturn, and Steve Spagnuolo should have a plan to make life difficult on rookie Cam Ward. If Mahomes' replacement, Gardner Minshew, gets loose with the ball — he has more interceptions than touchdown passes in his last 13 games dating back to last season — the upset will absolutely be in play."

This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: