Is the Kansas City Chiefs Dynasty Finally Over?

I'll begin my acknowledging I'm violating a guideline in Barstool's style book which states a headline, like fashion, should make a statement, not ask a question. But that one above is a callback to this other time I asked the same question of another team, back in January of 2023:

We don't know the answer to that one. All we know for sure is the Bills dynasty has yet to get off the ground. At least Kansas City, with seven straight trips to the AFC championship game, five Super Bowl appearances and three wins, can legitimately be called a dynasty. But boy oh boy, are things trending in the wrong direction for them. 

Losing to the Broncos yesterday was just the latest indicator the Chiefs vital signs are getting weaker, and it's time to consult their healthcare proxy for the plan as things get worse. 

After winning 16 straight over the Broncos, a streak that started before the Patrick Mahomes era even began, they've lost three of the last four. All in Denver, by a combined score of 84-28. They lost yesterday despite the fact the magicians in the striped shirts kept doing that trick where they pull yellow handkerchiefs out of their sleeves and make Mahomes' mistakes disappear:

In spite of that slight of hand, Mahomes ended the drive with an arguably worse pick:

Mahomes isn't terrible. No one would argue he is. But he's a walking shadow of the quarterback who just a year ago was being talked about as the one true GOAT. 

Mahomes is the same age Tom Brady was in 2007. That year all Brady did was lead the league in passing yards, completion %, passer rating, become the first guy ever to throw 50 touchdown passes, win the MVP and lead his team to a 16-0 record. Mahomes is 22nd in completion % (just below the league average), 15th in passer rating, the Chiefs offense is 9th in PPG, they sit at a statistically average 5-5 and are currently out of the playoffs. 

You hate to see it. 

To be totally fair to Andy Reid's perfect little creation we're all supposed to marvel at, and I don't know why I would be, on the NFL's own website the Chiefs are given a 51% chance of making the playoffs. They're behind Houston in the tiebreaker, but the Texans are given only a 33% chance. So fine. KC is a coin flip of making the postseason that they've been dominating for the past seven years. (And where they've been able to fully expect, and receive, help from the officials.) But what do your eyes tell you? In fact, what have they been telling you for the past couple of years? 

Last season was a nearly impossible statistical outlier. They went 15-2, but dominated nobody. Their point differential was +59, only good for 11th in the league. The 12th team, Cincinnati, went 9-8. The 2024 Chiefs were a hologram that vanished once the Eagles shined a light on it in the Super Bowl. 

Now, even that 5-5 is deceptive. Against teams with winning records, they're 1-4. And even though they're a respectable 6th-best +73, that's because they've gorged themselves on objectively awful teams like the Giants, Raiders and Commanders. This formula is unsustainable. Denver proved yesterday this is no longer a good road team. Even if they make the playoffs, they're not built for them the way they once were. 

Now would be a good time to pay your last respects. If this dynasty isn't dead, it's definitely on life support and we'll be pulling the plug soon. It was fun while it lasted. Don't weep because it's over; smile because it happened.