"As the Kansas City Chiefs limp toward a Thanksgiving showdown with the Dallas Cowboys in two weeks, their presence on the holiday slate might not ruin the turkey for Cowboys fans after all. Once the unquestioned powerhouse of the AFC, the Chiefs now sit at a middling 5-5 record, looking nothing like the offensive juggernaut they used to be. Their aura of inevitability has vanished, replaced by inconsistency, injuries, and a growing belief around the league that Kansas City is no longer the team to fear. With Indianapolis looming this Sunday followed by the Cowboys on a short week, the Chiefs find themselves searching for answers during what has become one of the most turbulent seasons of the Patrick Mahomes era."
"For years, the Chiefs spent their time towering above the AFC landscape. Now, they're the ones being trampled. Not only have they been outplayed by their own division rivals, (Denver and Los Angeles) but the rest of the AFC has surged forward, leaving Kansas City scrambling just to keep pace. The Chiefs have already taken losses to the Chargers (7-4), Jaguars (6-4), Bills (7-3), and Broncos (9-2), signaling a collapse in games they've historically controlled. Even worse, the schedule ahead offers no comfort. They still face all three AFC West opponents once more, plus an Indianapolis squad fighting for a Wild Card spot, and of course, the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Lurking above everyone sits New England at 9-2, not on the schedule but very much in the Chiefs' way when it comes to conference seeding. If the football continues to bounce against them, as it has all season, Kansas City could find itself watching the playoffs from home for the first time since Mahomes became the starter. The rise of others hasn't just pressured them; it has exposed all the cracks they managed to plaster over during their dominant run."
The Kansas City Chiefs sit at 5-5, a stark fall from their previous AFC dominance, and face inconsistency, injuries, and eroded league-wide fear. Division rivals and other AFC teams have surged, and Kansas City has already lost to key opponents including the Chargers, Jaguars, Bills, and Broncos. The remaining schedule includes tough divisional rematches, a must-win game against Indianapolis, and a short-week Thanksgiving tilt with the Cowboys, while New England looms in the conference seed picture. Continued bad breaks or losses could leave the Chiefs outside the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era.
Read at Inside The Star
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