The Kansas City Chiefs suffered a disappointing 22–19 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 11. Currently sitting third in the AFC West with a 5–5 record, the team’s path to the playoffs has become much more challenging. While the Chiefs’ players are trying to stay optimistic, linebacker Nick Bolton dished out a harsh reality check about their playoff chances.

“I feel like overall as a team we just got to play a little bit better,” Bolton said, urging the team to play better to make it to the playoffs. “We got a lot of young guys and vet guys meshing together, and we’re getting to that part of the season where every win counts, every week counts, and it starts this week at home, and so we just got to find a way to string together a couple wins and give ourselves a chance in the playoffs.”

As of now, the Chiefs sit among the bottom half of the AFC teams, as far as playoff qualification is concerned. According to PlayoffStatus.com, Patrick Mahomes’ team has only a 28% chance of playing in the postseason. And knowing who they will be playing in the next few games, the analysis does not sound unbelievable.

Their next two games are against two of the most powerful offenses in the league, the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys. Apart from these two games, the Chiefs also have to deal with the high-flying 8-2 Broncos and the 7-4 LA Chargers. So, while the division title is already out of their reach, playoff scenarios are also not looking good.

But as Bolton remains optimistic about his team, fortunately, there is still hope for the playoffs.

Chiefs still in playoff contention?

As Bolton explained, this is a crucial week for the Chiefs. Despite their disappointing record, they are expected to win against the Colts and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Regardless of the results, Patrick Mahomes’ form is one of the biggest positives in Kansas City’s locker room. And according to the Chiefs’ quarterback, they may be down but not out just yet.

“Obviously, we’re 5-5. We’re not where we want to be,” Mahomes said ahead of the Colts’ game. “But we get to write the rest of this season’s story, and it starts this week.”

With their season on the line, do you think the Kansas City Chiefs will get the better of the Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor-led offense?