Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are currently on the outside looking in at the postseason, and have an uphill climb after their loss to the Broncos.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are currently on the outside looking in at the postseason, and have an uphill climb after their loss to the Broncos.Bart Young/Associated Press
It’s probably premature, and likely foolish, to count out the Chiefs. The team with three Super Bowl wins and five appearances in six years knows how to win important games. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid still know what they’re doing.
But the Chiefs are absolutely in trouble, falling to 5-5 after Sunday’s 22-19 loss to the Broncos. They’re 0-5 in one-score games, and tight end Travis Kelce couldn’t hide his frustration, declining to speak to reporters except to say, “If you’re going to ask me about the [Chiefs’ all-time touchdown] record, I could care less about that right now.”
The floundering Chiefs are where we begin the Week 11 review:
⋅ Reid is usually automatic after the bye, but fell to 22-5 with Sunday’s loss. His Chiefs have the same issues as last season and particularly in the Super Bowl — not enough help for Mahomes. They have gained just 305 and 311 yards the last two games, losses to the Bills and Broncos, and Mahomes couldn’t generate much downfield Sunday, averaging 6.1 yards per attempt. The Chiefs also committed a turnover for the third straight game.
The Chiefs sit in third place in the AFC West, behind the 7-4 Chargers and 9-2 Broncos, with only a 10 percent chance to win the division. More alarmingly, the Chiefs are ninth in the AFC race, and though they are just one game behind Jacksonville for the No. 7 seed, the Jaguars have the head-to-head victory.
The Chiefs’ closing schedule isn’t a cinch, either. They have a big game this Sunday against the 8-2 Colts in Kansas City. The Chiefs also have home games against the feisty Texans, rival Chargers, and dominant Broncos. Their one reprieve is a road schedule against the Cowboys, Titans, and Raiders.
The Chiefs probably have to finish 5-2 to get to 10-7 and secure a Wild Card bid. It looks like a steep climb.
“Our mentality is every game is a playoff game,” defensive end George Karlaftis said.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen had three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns as the Bills got back on track with a win over the Buccaneers.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen had three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns as the Bills got back on track with a win over the Buccaneers.Bryan M. Bennett/Getty
⋅ Sunday was a day of redemption for several playoff contenders. The Bills responded from their humiliating loss to the Dolphins with a 44-32 win over the Buccaneers. Buffalo (7-3) had lost three of five games, but Sunday’s win could snap them back to attention.
Josh Allen shook off two early interceptions to will the Bills to victory, with three passing touchdowns and three rushing. It was the type of performance that will boost Allen’s MVP résumé, and should concern the 9-2 Patriots as they enter the stretch drive.
⋅ Joe Flacco tore up the Steelers in a 33-31 Bengals win a month ago, but the Steelers got revenge, 34-12, on Sunday, holding Flacco to just 199 yards with a touchdown and an interception. It was a huge win for a 6-4 Steelers team that had lost three of four.
The only downside was Aaron Rodgers leaving the game at halftime with a left wrist injury, giving way to Mason Rudolph. Rodgers reportedly has a slight wrist fracture; the Steelers can ill afford to lose him, with tough games coming against the Bears, Bills, and Ravens.
⋅ Packers coach Matt LaFleur staved off calls for his job after the Packers improved to 6-3-1 with a well-earned, 27-20 win at the Giants. As poorly as the Packers have played in recent weeks, they’re just half a game out of the NFC North lead and sit in the No. 7 playoff spot.
⋅ Shedeur Sanders looked awful in his NFL debut, replacing Dillon Gabriel (concussion) and completing 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and a pick, plus 16 rushing yards in the Browns’ 23-16 loss to the Ravens.
It was still surprising to hear Browns coach Kevin Stefanski say immediately after the game that Gabriel will get the starting job back when he clears the concussion protocol, though it appears Sanders has a good chance to start next week in Las Vegas.
Gabriel has been awful — 1-5 as a starter, averaging 153 yards per game and 5.1 yards per attempt. The Browns (2-8) are going nowhere. Why not elevate Sanders to starter? Apparently, he has done nothing to sway Stefanski.
Former Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett set an NFL record with 47 completions in the Cardinals' loss to the 49ers.
Former Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett set an NFL record with 47 completions in the Cardinals' loss to the 49ers.Mike Christy/Getty
Tracking former Patriots
⋅ Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett: Set an NFL record with 47 completions (on 57 attempts) for 452 yards, two touchdowns, and two picks in a 41-22 loss to the 49ers. The stats are eye-popping but mostly empty, compiled after the Cards fell behind, 35-10.
⋅ WR Jakobi Meyers: Led the Jags with five catches for 64 yards in their win over the Chargers, Meyers’s second game since being acquired from the Raiders.
⋅ Steelers S Kyle Dugger: Had three tackles and a 73-yard interception return touchdown that broke the win over the Bengals open. It was Dugger’s third career pick-6, with the previous two coming in 2022.
⋅ Commanders CB Jonathan Jones: Had his first sack since 2018 in the loss to Dolphins in Madrid. He has 3½ career sacks in 10 years.
⋅ Texans GM Nick Caserio and OC Nick Caley: Scored just one touchdown against the woeful Titans, but a win is a win with a backup QB, and the Texans (5-5) remain one game out of the final playoff spot.
⋅ UNC coach Bill Belichick: Dropped to 4-6 with a 28-12 loss to Wake Forest, snapping a two-game win streak. The Tar Heels need to beat Duke and N.C. State in the last two weeks just to be eligible for the Poulan Weed Eater Bowl or some such.
Quick hits
⋅ Five teams (Panthers, Bears, Broncos, Texans, and Dolphins) won on the final play, tied for the most in one day in NFL history.
⋅ Video evidence appeared definitive that Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase spit on Steelers safety Jalen Ramsey in the fourth quarter. The NFL suspended the Eagles’ Jalen Carter for one game back in Week 1, so Chase should be suspended for next Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
Jalen Ramsey said he struck Ja'Marr Chase after the Bengals receiver spit on him.
Here is the video, via @austin_briski. pic.twitter.com/RyaN7ysEAX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 16, 2025
⋅ After starting the season 0-2, the Bears are 7-3 and in first place in the NFC North. Ben Johnson has done an impressive job corralling Caleb Williams, who has just four interceptions this year, but let’s see if Williams can play clean football the next three weeks against the Steelers, Eagles, and Packers.
⋅ The Bengals have turned a 2-0 start into 3-7. No need to come back, Joe Burrow.
⋅ The Rams took control of the NFC West with a 21-19 win over the Seahawks, but Seattle showed impressive fight battling back from 14-3 and 21-12 down to get in position for a game-winning, 61-yard field goal attempt that fell short.
⋅ Skyy Moore’s 98-yard kickoff return for the 49ers was the longest in NFL history that wasn’t a touchdown. The previous record was 95 yards, most recently by the Raiders’ Tim Brown in 1988.
⋅ Watch out for the 49ers: They’re 7-4, Brock Purdy is back, and up next are the Panthers, Browns and Titans.
⋅ The Falcons are a massive disappointment at 3-7 and are 11-16 in two years under Raheem Morris. Maybe they should’ve hired Belichick.
⋅ Did not have Bryce Young throwing for 448 yards on my Bingo card. He had just one game over 200 yards in the first nine of the season.
⋅ Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles blew it by punting back to the Bills with 7 minutes left on fourth and 2. Yes, it was in his own end, but the Buccaneers’ defense was gassed and had allowed two TDs and a field goal on its last three drives.
⋅ Man plans, God laughs: The first NFL game in Madrid featured two 3-7 teams and was missing Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, and Tyreek Hill due to injury.
Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com.