For all the panic that's surrounded the Cheifs' 2021 season, the team's hit the halfway point with just as good a chance to win the AFC West title as when they started. In a four-way tie for the AFC West lead (really), the Chiefs head into Week 10 on a two-game win streak and with a renewed sense of optimism about a season that a lot of people were starting to write off. At least that's what Chiefs fans are telling themselves; the Power Rankings are less convinced. Here's what they're saying:
ESPN - #13
The Chiefs' streak will end at six straight postseason appearances and five consecutive AFC West titles. The finishing schedule, which features all eight opponents with a current record of .500 or better, is too difficult to think that a team with an offense stuck in a slump like no other in Patrick Mahomes' career can realistically do what it takes to get to the playoffs. It would be like Mahomes to suddenly turn things around and lift the Chiefs into the postseason. Just don't count on it.
NFL.com - #12
The good news is obvious: Even without style points, the Chiefs won consecutive nail-biters over a seven-day period and enter the back half of their schedule just a game out in the loss column in the AFC West. The bad news is equally obvious: The offense is still puzzlingly, profoundly broken. Fixing it will be a titanic in-season challenge for Andy Reid and his staff, but let's give credit to a Kansas City defense that has kept the reigning conference champs afloat in tense times.
CBS Sports - #11
The offense still isn't clicking, but the defense is getting better. It's only a matter of time before Patrick Mahomes gets it cranked up.
Yahoo! Sports - #9
Patrick Mahomes was 20-of-37 for 166 yards. Mahomes has averaged fewer than six yards per attempt in four of Kansas City's last five games. If you keep expecting that this is the week the Chiefs explode for 45 points, you might be waiting a while. This is a real slump.
Sports Illustrated - #10
Every week seems to be an effort to recapture past magic, even though we’re ignoring the more important point: This team can still win games even when it is utterly unspectacular. The Chiefs are one offensive breakthrough away from still winning their division somewhat handily. It’s awfully hard to bet against Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy.
Bleacher Report - #12
The good news for the Chiefs is that after taking care of an Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers team, Kansas City is above .500 for the first time since starting the season 1-0.
USA Today - #11
The good news? They notched franchise's 500th win by improving to 4-0 this season against NFC. The bad news? K.C. is 1-4 against the AFC, which will serve up seven of their final eight regular-season opponents
