Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has expressed confidence throughout the team’s struggles this season that they can turn things around, but the three-time Super Bowl champion is now forced to admit reality — they’re simply running out of time.
Mahomes has stressed that he believes the Chiefs are still capable of winning a Super Bowl, remaining positive even after Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans. The loss knocked the Chiefs out of the divisional race and dropped them below .500 at 6-7, leaving them with a steep path back to the postseason.
After the game, Mahomes still had a positive outlook but added a sobering assessment of the team’s chances.
Patrick Mahomes Laments Lost Opportunities
Speaking to reporters after Sunday’s loss, Mahomes admitted that there isn’t much runway left for the Chiefs this year, but he believes they can still reach the postseason.
“We know the chances are getting lower and lower, but I know the guys on this team are going to give everything they have every opportunity they get,” Mahomes said, via NFL.com. “You’re just getting late in the season, and you’re not going to get these opportunities back. That’s a good team, but we had chances. We didn’t execute at the right time to win it.”
The Chiefs have only one viable path back to the playoffs, and it’s a narrow one. The Athletic’s playoff calculator puts their current odds at 14%, though the Chiefs can get to just over 50% chance if they win all of their remaining four games.
They will also need some help along the way, especially as many of the other wild-card contenders — including the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers — hold tie-breakers over the Chiefs.
Chiefs Stars Struggling as Playoff Chances Dwindle
Though Mahomes has expressed confidence in his teammates, it’s often been the team’s top stars struggling the most this season. Mahomes had three interceptions in Sunday’s loss, while tight end Travis Kelce had a pass hit him in the hands and bounce off for a late interception that essentially sealed the game for the Texans.
Head coach Andy Reid has been criticized for his decisions as well, including a fourth-down attempt in their own territory and the game tied at 10-10. The Chiefs failed to convert, giving the Texans a short field for the go-ahead touchdown.
After the game, Reid said he wanted to stay aggressive against Houston’s stellar defense. The Chiefs coach admitted that he was wrong in taking the gamble, but stressed that his team had performed well on fourth downs.
“I put the guys offensively in a tough position with the fourth downs. I tried to stay aggressive with it (and) I take full responsibility for that,” Reid told reporters after the game. “I thought we could get it, that was the decision. I was confident we could do that. It’s important that you take advantage of opportunities (and) I thought it was an opportunity. I was wrong, no? I mean, hindsight, it was wrong. We’ve been pretty good on fourth downs. I messed that one up.”
Patrick Mahomes Delivers Brutal Reality Check to Chiefs