Can the Chiefs Still Get to the NFL Playoffs? Here's How It Could Happen
The Kansas City Chiefs have played in so many Super Bowls over the years, and now that Taylor Swift is engaged to future hall-of-fame Tight End Travis Kelce, so many Swifties are now Chiefs fans, too.
However, this year has not gone the way the Chiefs would have hoped and they sit at 6-7 at this moment with their wins and losses. If the playoffs were to begin today, the Chiefs would not even be in contention.
The slightly good news is…there is still a way for the Chiefs to get to the playoffs. We’re breaking down how it could happen.
Keep reading to find out more…
1. The Chiefs need to win all of their remaining games.
They have two more home games against the Chargers and Broncos, and two away games versus the Titans and Raiders. The Chargers and Broncos are division games, and both of those teams are currently playoff caliber. The Titans and Raiders are not looking towards the playoffs at this time.
2. The Chargers will need to finish with a 10-7 or worse record.
If the Chiefs want in, then they’d need a lot of help from a division rival: the Chargers. This means that Chiefs fans will be heavily rooting against the Chargers in some key upcoming games including the Chargers-Broncos game and the Chargers-Chiefs game. In addition, the Chiefs playoff chances would improve if the Chargers lose multiple remaining games while the Chiefs keep winning, though exact outcomes do rely on tiebreakers.
3. The Chiefs need the Colts to start losing, too.
The Colts would need to drop a few of their remaining games to keep the Chiefs playoff hopes alive. If the Colts finished 9‑8 (they are currently 8‑5), it would improve Kansas City’s chances. With their starting quarterback injured, losing some future games is a possibility.
Another note: The Dolphins and Ravens could theoretically finish 10-7 as well. If the Dolphins, Ravens, Chiefs, and Colts all ended up 10–7, Kansas City would actually still claim the final AFC playoff spot, as long as at least one of Indianapolis’ losses came against the Jags or Texans. In that scenario, the Ravens would qualify by winning the AFC North.