The Kansas City Chiefs still hang onto their playoff hopes, but they might not make it to Christmas if things don’t go their way.
For the first time in a decade, the Chiefs will at least not host an opening-round matchup at Arrowhead Stadium. After their loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday night, the Chiefs are mathematically eliminated from topping the AFC West division.
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Either the division-leading Denver Broncos or the Los Angeles Chargers will take the crown for the top spot in what has become Kansas City’s kingdom since Patrick Mahomes took over.
How dire is it for the dynastic Chiefs?
Per Playoff Status, a site that runs simulations of all NFL season scenarios, 582 outcomes in the coming week could outright eliminate Kansas City from the postseason.
The Chiefs sit at a lowly 15% chance to make the playoffs at the moment, with a 6-7 record. With only four games left in the season, they need not only to win their next four games but also to have help around them to make it to the second weekend of January.
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In a weird twist of fate, Kansas City will become the biggest fans of the team that defeated them in the Super Bowl tonight. If the Chargers beat the Eagles at home in L.A., the doomsday scenarios of the Chiefs being eliminated next week go up drastically.
If the Chargers win on Monday and then come to Arrowhead next week to beat the Chiefs at home, and if other results don’t go their way, their season could be over.
Empires take a long time to build.
But as the Chiefs fans are witnessing, they can fall in the blink of an eye.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Kansas City Chiefs Could Be Eliminated From NFL Playoffs in Week 15