Depending on which statistical model you attach your life’s importance to, the Chiefs have about a coin flip’s chance of reaching the playoffs after a 22–19 loss to the Broncos. The Chiefs are 5–5, have lost head-to-head matchups against every team currently holding an AFC wild-card spot (the Jaguars, Bills and Chargers) and have not been .500 this late in the season since 2015. That team, with Alex Smith at quarterback, started 1–5 and then won 11 consecutive games until losing in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Chiefs are winless in one-score games this year after going an unfathomable 11–0 in those games last season. They are also—and I’ll prepare my medieval armor because I’m sure this will touch a nerve—being pretty fairly penalized, save for the incredibly suspicious zero-penalty game in a win over the Lions in Week 6. Nearly all of Kansas City’s critical red zone trips Sunday against Denver were interrupted by some sort of flag. The Chiefs have had games with 13 penalties, 10 and, on Sunday, 10 again—though the Broncos also had 10 flags, for a lot more yards (147 to 69). A true Sean Payton special.
