The Kansas City Chiefs are back at .500 after losing again in Week 13. This loss makes it so they have to run the table if they want a chance of sneaking into the postseason. This team has locked in down the stretch of a season before, but this will really push the limits of what the Chiefs are capable of.
The Dallas Cowboys outplayed them on Thanksgiving Day, and it gave them a Week 13 loss, which could be the start of the end for the Chiefs’ dynasty. Fortunately for the Chiefs, the rest of Week 13 had some happy surprises for them.
Golden Opportunity
Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid looks on in the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
The Chiefs may have lost in Week 13, but they’re not the only AFC team hungry for a playoff spot to do so. The Pittsburgh Steelers similarly dropped to 6 – 6 after taking a beating from the Buffalo Bills, and that’s huge for the Chiefs’ chances to go into the playoffs.
The Steelers’ only chance of making the playoffs comfortably was to be their own division leader, but with that loss, it dropped them all the way down to the ninth seed, just one spot above the Chiefs. The last team to make the playoffs if the season ended today is the Bills, who have an 8 – 4 record, much better than the Chiefs’ 6 – 6 record.
Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) looks on before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Thankfully for the Chiefs, they control their own destiny from here on out and face one of their biggest competitors in the AFC for that last wild-card spot. They’ll face the Houston Texans in Week 14, who are the eighth seed with a record of 7 – 5.
Unfortunately for them, the Texans have one of the hottest defenses in the NFL right now, and that’s a big reason why they’ve been able to rip off four straight victories. They have a ton of momentum, but at least they’ll have to come into Arrowhead Stadium to face the Chiefs.
Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) warms up before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
It’s safe to say that if the Chiefs lose their game against the Texans, their playoff hopes are over. It’ll be the first time Patrick Mahomes misses the playoffs, breaking a streak of him reaching the AFC Championship every year of his career.
The Chiefs’ missing the playoffs should signal an era of change for Kansas City. They’ve gone long enough trying to make the postseason, relying on Mahomes’ greatness to carry them, but he can’t do it all by himself anymore. They need to get him a better supporting cast if they want their dynasty to continue.
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