What Chiefs Loss Means for Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Denver Broncos in their first matchup of the season, dropping the Chiefs to a record of 5 - 5. They're now 1 - 2 in divisional games, and the path to the playoffs becomes even harder for the Chiefs.

If the season ended today, they wouldn't even make a wild-card appearance. The Chiefs' fall from grace can be attributed to many things, but the biggest thing for me is how poorly Patrick Mahomes has played up to this point in the season, and how that's affected their record.

Severely Outplayed

Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass during the first quarter of the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

It's not often that opposing teams have a quarterback they can trust to go head-to-head with Mahomes, but this season, it seems like he's lost his swagger. Against the Broncos, he legitimately got outplayed by Bo Nix.

Not to mention, he couldn't overcome Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles, Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers, or even Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars were able to flex their clutch gene and pull out a win against them.

Mahomes' loss of his "it factor" seems to have spread to the entire time, as the only time they led against the Broncos was in the 4th quarter. The Chiefs' team of the past would've held on to that lead and secured a victory, but the 2025 Chiefs aren't the same old Chiefs.

Mahomes is at jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time in his career, in a season where he was completely healthy. The Chiefs dealt with bad injury luck early on, with Xavier Worthy being out, but that's no excuse for them to crumble to this degree.

Oct 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates after a play against the Washington Commanders during the first quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The reality is that Nix outplayed Mahomes, and that's one of the biggest reasons they lost that game. Penalties certainly didn't help, but Nix beat out Mahomes in almost every category. According to PFF, Nix had a higher average depth of target, more air yards, and better accuracy.

The Chiefs still have one last gasp to turn this season around, but their schedule ahead isn't easy. Next on their schedule are the Daniel Jones-led Indianapolis Colts, and there's no way Mahomes gets outplayed once again. Their lack of a ground game has shown itself all season, which is why it's so important for Mahomes to play well. The only way the Chiefs can win in 2025 is if he plays like Superman and carries the team on his back.

Never again miss one major story related to the Chiefs losing when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news. SIGN UP HERE NOW.

Chiefs Kingdom, OnSI welcomes you to the Internet’s No. 1 destination for in-depth info, always free; the best way to get it is to follow @KCChiefsOnSI, @ZakSGilbert and @Domminchellaon X (Twitter). And join the conversation by visiting our Facebook page (here).