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Andy Reid Draws Scrutiny As Chiefs Drop Again in NFL Power Rankings
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- Andy Reid Draws Scrutiny As Chiefs Drop Again in NFL Power Rankings
The Kansas City Chiefs lost their second straight game on Sunday, suffering a 22-19 defeat on the road against one of the NFL's hottest teams , the Denver Broncos .
The Chiefs could not hold on after a record-breaking touchdown from Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce put them ahead 19-16 in the fourth quarter. The Broncos fought back as Bo Nix got them in position for a 35-yard game-winning field goal from Will Lutz as time expired.
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The loss leaves Kansas City third in the AFC West division and outside of the updated playoff picture with a 5-5 record this season. In ESPN's latest NFL power rankings , they fell for the third straight week, landing at No. 13 with just seven games left in the regular season.
Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) in the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High.
ESPN had Kansas City ranked No. 6 before their loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 10. They tumbled to No. 10 afterward, then dropped another spot to No. 11 during their Week 11 bye.
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The Chiefs' downward trend has amplified scrutiny toward head coach Andy Reid, who was not able to draw up a winning gameplan against the Broncos despite having the bye week to prepare. For each team in the power rankings, ESPN chose one player, coach or front office member under the most pressure. Reid, a three-time Super Bowl champion, was their pick.
"Reid's game plans in the past two games, losses to the Bills and Broncos following a bye week, have been perplexing," wrote ESPN's Nate Taylor. "Reid needs to get quarterback Patrick Mahomes in rhythm quicker, and his playcalling needs to be more balanced and diverse to outwit opposing defenses over the second half."
Kansas City's run-pass balance was one of the main areas of criticism toward Reid's playcalling against Denver. The Chiefs ran the ball 13 times with Kareem Hunt while Mahomes dropped back to pass 49 times, even though they never faced more than a one-score deficit.
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Mahomes finished 29-for-45 for 276 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked three times and scrambled once for three yards.
Reid responded to those concerns on Monday, stating that "runs are being called, but sometimes they get turned into passes." Mahomes threw the ball often on run-pass option plays against the Broncos, who were playing without superstar defensive back Patrick Surtain II.
Reid and the Chiefs are facing unprecedented struggles — they have won the AFC West all eight seasons Mahomes has been in the league — but the veteran coach sees no reason to panic heading into another big game against the Indianapolis Colts this week.
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"We're not quite as negative as the outside world is," Reid said on Monday. "Some of these guys have been through some pretty good seasons. It's not like this one is lost."
Related: Patrick Mahomes Makes Personal Comments on Travis Kelce After Chiefs' Loss to Broncos
Related: Travis Kelce's Gesture During Chiefs-Bills Follows Concerning Pattern
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Nov 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
