Patrick Mahomes turns heads with candid self-critique after the Chiefs’ tough loss to the Broncos

It was undeniably a high-risk road trip, and it also presented a prime opportunity for the Kansas City Chiefs to close the gap on the Denver Broncos, the current leaders of the division. However, Patrick Mahomes couldn’t guide his teammates through a highly challenging environment, and the Chiefs now sit at 5–5.

The lack of consistency across all four quarters has been a recurring issue for this team throughout the season, and it’s something Andy Reid and his coaching staff will need to address. Mahomes, for his part, knows he’ll have to step up his efforts in a big way to get better heading into what lies ahead.

“I think we’re really talented,” the quarterback said in his postgame press conference. “We’ve got a lot of great players, but it’s about being more consistent. I think it starts with me. There’s times where I’m firing and we’re moving the ball down the field at ease.

“But there’s times where we go in spurts where I miss a throw like I did or a protection call or whatever that is. It’s about being more consistent, that’s what this league is. We haven’t been consistent enough to win games. It starts with me.”

Targeting a wild card spot

Following a stunning loss to the red-hot Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs now sit at a disappointing 5-5 and face a far tougher path to the postseason. With only seven games remaining in the regular season, the reigning champions trail the AFC West-leading Broncos (9-2) by a significant margin.

While a division title seems increasingly remote, the Chiefs must urgently regroup and focus their efforts on securing a coveted AFC Wild Card berth. The team’s immediate future hinges on a critical stretch of upcoming games, where both Reid and Mahomes will need to ignite a trademark late-season surge to keep their Super Bowl aspirations alive and prevent a complete freefall in the competitive AFC landscape.

What’s next for the Chiefs?

The Kansas City Chiefs, struggling at 5-5, enter a do-or-die three-game stretch crucial for their Wild Card aspirations. The run begins with a critical home game against the defense-heavy Indianapolis Colts.

Then they face a highly challenging, high-profile road trip to Texas for the Thanksgiving clash with the Dallas Cowboys. Finally, they return to Arrowhead to host a key AFC rival, the surging Houston Texans. Securing a winning record in this sequence is absolutely vital for the Chiefs to stay in the postseason race and prove they are still championship material.