The Kansas City Chiefs are mathematically still in the hunt for a playoff spot. But they can kiss the NFL playoffs goodbye for the 2025-26 season.

I said last week they only needed to go 4-1 to make it, but I really believed it had to start with beating the Houston Texans this past Sunday. After losing that game, I don’t see the Chiefs winning four in a row with good teams, including the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos, in the way.

For what it may be worth, the Chiefs are a team that I had kept in the top 10 of my power rankings all the way up until this week. They were a team I believed could win any given week because of how good their defense is. I believe they could make a Super Bowl run if they were to somehow win these last four and sneak into the postseason.

But they’ve yet to figure it out, and I think it’s too late. There’s nothing about this team that tells me they can beat both the Chargers and the Broncos. Heck, part of me thinks they could slip up against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 21.

No matter what, the Chiefs have to win all four games to finish 10-7 and hope some teams above them really struggle. There won’t be an AFC wild-card team with a 9-8 record. The only team in the playoffs from the AFC with nine wins or fewer will be the winner of the AFC North, whether that ends up being the Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens.

Speaking of the AFC playoffs, here’s how I predict the playoffs will look after the regular season is wrapped up:

AFC picture1. Broncos (14-3).

2. Buffalo Bills (13-4).

3. Texans (12-5).

4. Steelers (8-9).

5. New England Patriots (12-5).

6. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-6).

7. Indianapolis Colts (11-6).

NFC picture1. Los Angeles Rams (14-3).

2. Green Bay Packers (12-4-1).

3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6).

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-6).

5. San Francisco 49ers (12-5).

6. Detroit Lions (11-6).

7. Seattle Seahawks (11-6).

I have the Chargers finishing right outside the AFC picture with an 11-6 record as well but losing the tiebreaker with a head-to-head loss to the Colts.

In the NFC, I have Dallas on the outside looking in with a 10-6-1 record. I predict the Chicago Bears to only win one more game and finish 10-7.

Wild-card predictions

With their regular season collapse I’m predicting, I have the Patriots losing to the Steelers in the postseason just like in Week 3 of the regular season. Then I have the Texans over the Jaguars and Bills over the Colts.

The NFC will have the Nos. 2 through 4 seeds win as well. The Packers over the Seahawks, the Eagles over the Lions and the Buccaneers over the 49ers.

Divisional round

Give me the Broncos over the Steelers and the Bills over the Texans.

I like the Rams and Packers to advance as well with wins over the Buccaneers and Eagles, respectively.

Conference championships

Josh Allen finally gets it done and gets the Bills to the Super Bowl because he doesn’t have to worry about the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes or Arrowhead Stadium. Buffalo beats Denver.

Green Bay tops Los Angeles to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since Aaron Rodgers’ departure.

Super Bowl

Jordan Love and the Packers hoist the trophy, making the move for Micah Parsons a genius deal.

Week 14 review

I believe the Lions’ win over the Cowboys is the difference in making the playoffs and not making the playoffs this year. Lions are in. Cowboys are out.

The Miami Dolphins could very well end the season on an eight-game win streak as they’re now at four after rolling past the New York Jets. But it’s too little, too late after a 2-7 start.

Baltimore has ruined its shot at the AFC North after losing two in a row and the most important one to the Steelers. The Ravens can also kiss the playoffs goodbye.

I had two key picks to gain a game on Audie Dennis this week, and they were the Tennessee Titans over the Cleveland Browns and the Minnesota Vikings over the Washington Commanders. Audie got me back with his pick of the Lions over the Cowboys. But that one-game advantage will help me gain on Audie as we get closer to the end of this season.

RECORDS

Audie: 144-63-1; me: 140-67-1; Charlie Schmidt: 125-82-1.