KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three individuals on Wednesday held up their thumb and index fingers in a pinching motion. It was a gesture to signify the millimeters that have separated Kansas City from the playoff certainty that normally accompanies this time of year.
Indeed, the Chiefs have been that close. But the NFL isn’t horseshoes, even for the horseshoe-logo Colts (8-2), who visit Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday (12 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan).
patrick mahoime
Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
“We're just there, we're this close,” Patrick Mahomes said Wednesday, motioning with his fingers. “You have to just continue to push yourself to kind of break through that, that barrier, and get to where we want to be at as a football team. And I'm excited. Like I said, it's not where we want to be at, and it's been a rough, kind of high-low season.”
That season manifested itself in a pair of early overthrows Mahomes sent into the mile-high air on Kansas City’s first possession last week. Either incompletion, intended for Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton, respectively, would’ve altered the game’s trajectory.
xavier worth
Oct 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) is unable to make a reception defended by Washington Commanders cornerback Trey Amos (23) during the first quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Closing the razor-thin gap
But no one believes the Chiefs need wholesale changes with seven weeks left. They simply need to close that skinny gap. Head coach Andy Reid said he especially believes that about Mahomes.
“I mean, listen, he's really having a good year,” Reid said Wednesday. “We just got a couple things that we got to clean up, just all the way around. But he's played great football.
“Yeah, the margin between winning and losing in this league is like this (pinching gesture). And so, we've got to take care of this (pinching gesture) and get ourselves where we do a little bit better all the way around.”
rashee ric
Oct 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) carries the ball against the Washington Commanders during the second quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
On defense, too
All the way around, including defense. One thing that would help in breaking through that “this close” margin is takeaways, something the Chiefs haven’t generated in nearly a month. They’re 1-4 this season when forcing zero turnovers, and 4-1 when getting at least one.
“Yeah, giving the ball to Patrick on a short field,” linebacker Nick Bolton said Wednesday, “and giving him an opportunity for our offense to put points on the board in scoring position, we've been trying to do that for the last couple of weeks. We just haven't got it done.
“We've been real close, getting hands on balls, getting close to it. But at the end of the day, we have to find a way to get one or two of those things out, set our team up to put points on the board and obviously help us in this game.”
nick bolton, drue tranquil
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) and linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) can’t intercept a bobbled pass during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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