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2025NFL

Can The Kansas City Chiefs Still Make The Playoffs? Full AFC West Scenarios Explained

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This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Kansas City Chiefs playoff scenario
Patrick Mahomes (Image Credits: Imagn)

The 2025 season has taken a surprising turn for the Kansas City Chiefs. Once perennial contenders, they now sit at 6–7, third in the AFC West, and face an uphill battle to reach the playoffs. Despite rough patches, inconsistent defence, and mounting pressure, the Chiefs’ postseason hopes aren’t dead just yet.

This article breaks down exactly what remains possible for the Kansas City Chiefs and what must go right.

Where Things Stand – Kansas City Chiefs’ Current Position

After their Week 14 loss to the Houston Texans, the Chiefs dropped to 6–7. And the emotions on the field from top stars, including Travis Kelce, reflected that this defeat has indeed created major problems for them.

While this loss may seem like an official elimination, they are not mathematically out of contention for the AFC West title. As of now, the Chiefs hold only an 8.1% chance to make the playoffs.

The loss also ended their streak of consecutive division championships, a run that spanned years.

Can Chiefs Still Make It To The Playoffs?

To keep their hopes alive through the final four games vs. the Los Angeles Chargers, at the Tennessee Titans, vs. the Denver Broncos, at the Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City essentially needs to win out.

They also require help: other wildcard-chasing AFC teams must lose or drop games, since the Chiefs no longer control their destiny. If both teams ahead of them in standings or tiebreakers win out, Kansas City still misses the playoffs even with a perfect record.

What’s Going Wrong With Chiefs This Season

  • Inconsistency & close losses: Kansas City has struggled to close out tight games. Their home loss to Houston was symptomatic — turnovers, dropped passes, and offensive miscues doomed them.
  • Defensive lapses at critical moments: Against strong opponents, the defence has occasionally failed to hold leads or force timely stops. That inconsistency is damaging their overall goal-line and red-zone effectiveness.
  • Division exit: With the Broncos and Chargers outpacing them, Kansas City is no longer in the race for the AFC West crown, which removes a simpler playoff path.

Why The Chiefs Still Have Hope – What’s Going For Them

  • Their remaining schedule is among the easiest in the league. On paper, they control their own destiny if they get hot at the right time.
  • Offensively — led by Patrick Mahomes — the Chiefs still have proven firepower. When execution is sharp, they remain capable of high-scoring games that can outpace mistakes.

Conclusion

For the Chiefs, 2025 has been a rollercoaster. Once considered a lock for the playoffs, they now face the real possibility of missing out entirely. That said, their path isn’t closed — far from it. But it’s razor-thin. To keep the dream alive, Kansas City must win out, stay healthy, and hope for help.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are the Chiefs eliminated from the playoffs?
A: No. With four games remaining and a possible path if they win out and get help elsewhere, they remain alive — but their chances are slim (~8%).

Q: Can Kansas City still win the AFC West?
A: No. Their Week 14 loss officially ruled them out of division contention.

Q: What’s the easiest path remaining for Kansas City?
A: Winning all remaining games and hoping several wildcard-opponent teams lose enough to fall behind them.

Q: Does the Chiefs’ strength of schedule help them?
A: Yes, they face teams with losing or middling records, which improves their odds compared with a tougher slate.

Q: What could kill their playoff hopes outright?
A: Any loss from now on, plus most teams ahead of them in the wildcard standings, winning enough games will eliminate Kansas City.

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