Analyst reveals why there's playoff 'trust' in 6-6 Chiefs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
When it comes to trust, no team over the past five or so years has more of it in big moments than the Kansas City Chiefs, and that is largely due to Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith those two at the helm, Kansas City has gone to the last three straight Super Bowls, and won two of them, but this season, the Chiefs have stuttered and stumbled to be 6-6 entering Week 14 against the Houston Texans.
Needing to win out to be a chance at playoff football, CBS Sports' Zachary Pereles has put 20 playoff hopeful teams into six tiers based on the trust level of each team.
When it comes to the Chiefs, they land in tier two, with the reason for such high trust down to one player.
“The Chiefs are currently 6-6 and 10th in the AFC," Pereles writes. "They are very much fighting for their playoff lives, with a Week 14 "Sunday Night Football" showdown with the Texans a near must-win. And yet they have Patrick Mahomes, who is enough reason to think they can not only stage a late-season rally, but be a factor in the Super Bowl conversation.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMore:Chiefs handed embarrassing position in latest power rankings entering Week 14
Mahomes not the issue in failing Chiefs seasons
The Thanksgiving Day loss to the Dallas Cowboys saw the Chiefs' problems all laid out.
It wasn't on the offense this time that they lost as Mahomes tossed four touchdown passes, and yes, they were held scoreless in the second and third quarters, but it was largely on the defense.
The Cowboys were 9/16 on third down, and most were third-and-longs.
That has been one of the Chiefs' biggest problems this season. That and the self-inflicted wounds with costly penalties put Kansas City behind the sticks against Dallas.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSo, while trust in Mahomes to pull through is a sure thing, even his magic wasn't enough to overcome Dallas, and in what might be an odd turnaround from previous years, this defense might be the reason Kansas City misses the postseason.
More Chiefs news:
Chiefs' biggest reason for playoff hope is easy to guess
1 alarming Chiefs stat is dooming playoff chances, and fans will hate it
Chiefs fans will love Andy Reid's comments on playoff chances at 6-6
Can Chiefs make the playoffs? ESPN outlays tough path for Patrick Mahomes
