No one could have ever imagined that the Chiefs could fall this low. There is a deafening silence in Kansas City after archrivals Denver Broncos crushed Patrick Mahomes and team in Week 11. Head coach Andy Reid and Co.’s pursuit of a tenth straight AFC West title now appears to be in big jeopardy, especially after going down 5-5 and Mahomes struggling to convert those close games every time. Now, a former Chief and veteran Super Bowl-winning coach has branded them as the most disappointing team in the NFL. 

The “quarterback whisperer” Bruce Arians dropped the hammer on Tuesday while analysing the results of Week 11 matchups with Pat McAfee. “The most disappointing team in the league is the Kansas City Chiefs. We went from winning 12 and 0 in one-score games to 0 and 6 in one-score games? How does that happen in one year with the same players, same coaching staff? They keep losing these close games,” Arians said on the Pat McAfee show on Nov 18. Arians added that he has the utmost respect for coach Andy Reid and was unsure what was actually going on with the team.

Well, he is not wrong. Mahomes, who is known for closing in on clutch games and sealing big wins, appears to have lost the flair. 

The quarterback’s lackluster chemistry and offensive struggles to run the ball down have all added to the woes. The Week 11 showdown was an apt visualization of how the Chiefs are sulking this season. Last year when Broncos kicker Will Lutz made a game-winning field goal attempt from the 35-yard line, Chiefs’ Leo Chenal blocked the kick and snatched a win at home.

One year down the line with the same kicker, quarterback Bo Nix snapped an incredible 22-19 win with Mahomes watching from the sidelines disappointed. Regardless of the result, Chiefs players have not lost faith in their team.

Super Bowl champ refuses panic as Andy Reid eyes steep upclimb

The path ahead is not linear for KC and veteran center Creed Humphrey understands the stakes more than anybody. However, he is not afraid about the coming weeks, as the Chiefs now have all their missing pieces cleared from injuries. “We need to execute better, and that’s all we know right now. If we do that, we’re going to like the results. So, for us, it’s about making sure we’re coming in every day, taking it one meeting at a time,” Humphrey said to Fox News on Tuesday. 

Meanwhile, Coach Reid, who was speaking to the reporters this week, mentioned being confident about his roster balance and refused to pay heed to the outside noise. Next week, the Chiefs host the Indianapolis Colts at home, followed by a Thanksgiving blockbuster against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 13. 

According to NFL staff writer Ali Bhanpuri, it is “very weird” to not have the Chiefs in the top 5 playoff teams of the AFC this season. But their home games against the Cowboys, Colts and Chargers could prove vital. Mahomes is known for turning around conference standings by season’s end. Winning every game in the coming weeks will help the Chiefs get into the Super Bowl race again.