Today could signal a turning point in his remarkable NFL journey.
The Kansas City Chiefs enter Week 15 facing a rare situation: the risk of falling out of playoff contention. With a record of 6 wins and 7 losses, they’re currently placed third in the AFC West and sitting outside the playoffs.
Depending on today’s outcomes, they may find themselves officially eliminated.
So, what exactly needs to happen for that to become a reality for Kansas City?
Chiefs’ Elimination Scenarios for Week 15
Fortunately for the Chiefs, just losing to the Los Angeles Chargers won’t be enough to end their playoff hopes. However, if they lose and a few other results go against them, they could be out of the picture.
To understand the current playoff picture, I recommend checking out a handy resource regarding NFL playoff scenarios. There are numerous ways this weekend could spell trouble for the Chiefs; 37 different scenarios could lead to their elimination, even with unexpected outcomes across the league.
So, what’s the simplest path to elimination for Kansas City this week? Well, if they lose to the Chargers and certain other teams win or tie—like the Buffalo Bills versus New England Patriots, the Jacksonville Jaguars against the New York Jets, and the Houston Texans against the Arizona Cardinals—the Chiefs could face being cut from the playoff race.
These aren’t far-fetched scenarios.
Another elimination possibility involves the Chiefs losing to the Chargers, with the Bills winning or tying against the Patriots, the Jaguars winning or tying against the Jets, and the Indianapolis Colts beating the Seattle Seahawks. If those pieces fall into place, Kansas City could be out.
Let me break it down with some clarity. For more detailed and complex scenarios, definitely check out NFL Playoff Scenario.
The Chiefs would be eliminated from playoff contention if:
- They lose to the Chargers, the Bills win or tie against New England, the Jaguars win or tie against the Jets, and the Texans beat the Cardinals.
- They lose to the Chargers, the Bills win or tie, the Jaguars beat the Jets, and the Colts win against the Seahawks.
- They lose to the Chargers, the Bills beat or tie New England, the Jaguars win or tie, and the Colts beat Seattle.
- They lose to the Chargers, the Bills win or tie against New England, and the Texans beat the Cardinals, alongside the Colts winning or tying against the Seahawks.
- They lose to the Chargers while various other teams win or tie their games.
- They lose to the Chargers, and several other conditions involving wins or ties happen across the league.
These represent the simpler conditions. More complicated scenarios exist, impacting the playoffs based on multiple factors or even a tie between the Chiefs and Chargers.
Recent Success for the Chiefs
If the Chiefs lose today or later this season, it would likely end a remarkable run under Andy Reid and the Patrick Mahomes era.
It’s worth noting that the last time Kansas City didn’t make the playoffs was in the 2014 season. Since then, they’ve reached the AFC Championship Game every year starting from 2018, which is Mahomes’ initial full season. During this stretch, the Chiefs secured three Super Bowl titles, winning Super Bowl LIV, LVII, and LVIII.
And, should they somehow make it to the next Super Bowl, they would tie the Bills for the record of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances.
