The Chiefs did it again… They punched their ticket to playoffs with a W over the Raiders. But…phew …19-17 victory wasn’t exactly assuring that’s for sure. It didn’t exactly scream “Super Bowl-ready.” Barely eking out wins against two of the league’s worst teams isn’t the flex KC is known for. And after that humbling loss to the Bills (fellow SB contender)? Yeah, it’s fair to wonder if the shine is wearing off. But hey, when you’ve got Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce, you’re never really out of the game, right? Wrong… At least for some.

Enter notorious Chiefs critic Rex Ryan, who didn’t hold back on his playoff predictions. “This ain’t the same team as last year. There’s no Sneed out there. Their defense is average as hell. I’ve seen teams like this before…they get beat in the first round,” Ryan declared. Harsh? Absolutely. But even the most die-hard fans have to admit the defense has looked…well, let’s just say less like a brick wall and more like a revolving door.

While we are at it, how can we not talk about L’Jarius Sneed? Yeah, the guy who helped the Chiefs rack up 57 sacks last season, the second-best in the league, mind you! Now, that guy is balling out in Tennessee, thanks to a cost-cutting trade that sent him packing. Since then, KC’s pass rush has gone AWOL—just 19 sacks through week 12.

Notorious #Chiefs hater Rex Ryan thinks KC will be bounced in the first round of the playoffs.

-Via @ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/1HXiyg53L2

— Starcade Media (@StarcadeMediaKC) December 1, 2024

What’s worse is that only three teams have performed poorly than them… So, you can give a point to Ryan here (make it Rex 1 – 0 Chiefs). He’s not entirely wrong—without a consistent defense, it’s hard to imagine a deep playoff run.

But before we throw in the towel, let’s not forget who we’re talking about. This team has Mahomes, Reid’s playbook wizardry, and the swagger of back-to-back Lombardi trophies. They’ve been doubted before and always seem to find a way to silence the critics. The real question is: Can they flip the switch in time? I mean, one thing we’ve all learned from the Chiefs over the past few seasons, it’s this: don’t count them out until the final whistle blows.

Patrick Mahomes knows what’s at stake

The best part in all this is that Patrick Mahomes doesn’t sugarcoat things—especially not when it comes to football. You’d think a W over the rivals (Raiders), helping them seal the ticket to the playoffs would cause for celebration. But hey, that’s for the first timers. Not KC, who have been here, done that. They are after the 3-peat. Yes! That’s never been done before.

So, that’s why when Pat stood at the podium after the slender W over Las Vegas, he wasn’t afraid of dropping truth bombs. “Your first goal is to get into the playoffs…but we know we have a long way to go,” he admitted. The Chiefs might be 11-1. But #15 wants more commanding victories than that.

As for him, it’s not that Mahomes isn’t delivering. The guy threw for 306 yards and became the franchise’s all-time leader in touchdown passes, surpassing Len Dawson. A record-breaking night, sure, but Mahomes wasn’t impressed. “We hold ourselves to such a high standard,” he said. He’s not wrong—the Chiefs’ offense and defense can’t seem to sync up. One shines while the other stumbles, leaving fans chewing their nails late in games. Sound familiar?

Despite their struggles, the Chiefs have made winning ugly an art form this season. But Mahomes has his eyes on a bigger prize: “Our goal is to get to that Super Bowl.” With three Super Bowl wins already, Mahomes knows what a championship-caliber team looks like. And right now? He’s not seeing it. The path ahead won’t be easy. Buffalo is breathing down their necks for the AFC’s top seed, and the Chiefs’ schedule isn’t exactly a cakewalk. I mean, they are doing it still right…

That’s Kansas City for you in a nutshell: The best to team to play for, the worst to play against.