Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs went into Denver on Sunday hoping to get a statement win that would not only help them make up valuable ground in the AFC West but also show the rest of the NFL that they are still very much the team that has been dominant in recent years and is ready to once again be a factor when playoff time comes around.
But that didn't happen as the Chiefs lost on a last-second field, 22-19. They are now 5-5 on the season and remain out of the playoff picture after Week 11. The Broncos are now 9-2 and have a two-game lead over the Chargers in the AFC West.
This is new territory for Mahomes and the Chiefs as a trip to the playoffs is now far from a guarantee. This team that has been to the Super Bowl in five of the last six years could very well find itself watching the postseason from home, which would be stunning.
Mahomes had an honest take after the game about what the Chiefs have to hope for now that desperation time has officially begun.
"It's going to be tough to get back in the division race," Mahomes said, via ESPN. "The goal is to get into the playoffs and try to make a run at it. We've got to learn from this one as much as possible, knowing we're going to get a great opponent coming into Arrowhead next week.
"We're kind of at that point where we've got to find a way to win games."
That last line is a wild one to hear from Mahomes, considering all the success he and the Chiefs have had over the years but after watching them struggle to score points in Denver, it seems like he's 100 percent correct in his assessment.
The Chiefs' next opponent is the 8-2 Colts, who are coming off their bye week following a win over the Falcons in Germany. You have to think Daniel Jones and Co. would like nothing more than to deliver what would be an absolutely crushing blow to the three-time defending AFC champs.
Mahomes placed a lot of the blame on himself for Sunday's loss to the Broncos.
"I think we're really talented and we've got a lot of great players, but it's about being more consistent. I think it starts with me," Mahomes said. "There's times where I'm firing and we're moving the ball down the field at ease. But there's times where we go in spurts where I miss a throw or a [pass] protection call. We haven't been consistent enough to win games. It starts with me."
You can watch Mahomes's entire postgame press conference right here:
Mahomes and the Chiefs better figure it out, and quickly. If not, they're going to have a lot of free time come January.
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