Chiefs News 11/18: The Chiefs aren’t broken

SB Nation

The latest

NFL Week 11 grades: Allen’s ‘A-‘ effort powers Bills, Chargers flunk | CBS Sports

C Chiefs Whenever the Chiefs need a win, they always seem to find a way to get it, but they finally ran out of magic. For

one, the defense had problems against Denver, especially during a second half where the Broncos scored on four of their five possessions. Usually, Patrick Mahomes makes up for any defensive shortcomings, but the Broncos were ready for everything he threw at them. The Chiefs offense had two chances to put this game away in the fourth quarter, but went three-and-out on its final two possessions while totaling just 2 yards. The ugliest part for the Chiefs is that they’re now 0-5 on the year in one-score games. These are games the Chiefs would find a way to win the past, but this year, they keep coming up short. The Chiefs (5-5) can still make the playoffs, but it feels like their nine-year reign atop the AFC West is over.

Patrick Mahomes showed raw honesty after Chiefs’ loss. Here’s what frustrated him most | The Athletic

And, as he’d later reveal, one thing in particular ate at him most after the Chiefs’ defeat Sunday against their divisional rivals.
“Just having an opportunity at the end of the game,” Mahomes said later at his postgame news conference, “and not coming through.”

Mahomes entered the week highlighting the importance of this matchup. He knew how critical this game was if the Chiefs wanted to extend a string of nine AFC West titles. He also acknowledged, after the team’s last loss to the Buffalo Bills, that he needed to be better at sticking to his progressions and not getting away from his reads too soon.
It’s why, with raw honesty during his media session, Mahomes shared he was most frustrated with one thing after Sunday’s loss-from-ahead setback against the Broncos:
Himself.
“We haven’t been consistent enough to win football games,” Mahomes said, “but it starts with me.”

Could the Chiefs miss the playoffs? What went wrong in Week 11 | ESPN

Are the Chiefs broken?

Deep breath … no. In fact, I don’t think there’s a huge difference on a play-by-play basis between this season’s Chiefs at 5-5 and last season’s team, which went 15-1 before sitting starters against the Broncos after clinching the AFC’s top seed. The measures we use to project underlying performance don’t see a dramatic gap between the two teams.

Leaving the second Broncos game aside, the 2024 Chiefs won by an average of 6.1 points per game. Through 10 weeks, these 2025 Chiefs actually have a better point differential, winning by an average of 7.3 points per contest. They’ve lost the close ones, but their five victories have come by an average of 19 points, including substantial wins over the Lions and Ravens.

The Pythagorean expectation formula would project the 2024 Chiefs to win 10.2 games over a full season and the 2025 Chiefs to win 11.7 games. How and when those points arrive matter, of course, but we know point differential is a better predictor of future win-loss record than the actual win-loss record.

DVOA — which adjusts for down, distance, opponent and game situation — does an even better job of contextualizing team performance than point differential. Before the Week 18 Broncos game last season, the Chiefs were sitting sixth in the league in DVOA at a 21.4% mark. While their 2025 mark doesn’t yet include Sunday’s loss, the Chiefs went into the Broncos game fifth in the league in 2025 DVOA at 25.1%.

NFL Week 11 takeaways: What We Learned from Sunday’s 13 games | NFL.com

Next Gen Stats Insight for Chiefs-Broncos (via NFL Pro): The Broncos blitzed Patrick Mahomes 14 times in Week 11, generating seven pressures (50.0%) and recording three sacks. They modified their strategy at halftime, blitzing four times (14.8%) in the first half compared to 10 times (45.5%) in the second half.

NFL Research: The Broncos are 6-0 at home in 2025, which is tied for the best in NFL with the Colts.

Former Chiefs starter lands on Jaguars practice squad after brutal fall | Arrowhead Addict

The Jacksonville Jaguars have decided to add a familiar face (for Kansas City Chiefs fans) to their team following Week 11. The team announced the signing of veteran safety Juan Thornhill to the practice squad on Monday.

Thornhill was most recently let go by the Pittsburgh Steelers after a frustrating first half of the season. The Steelers signed Thornhill to a one-year deal in free agency and called him a Week 1 starter. However, the team was ready to move on after watching the veteran struggle in rotational reps for Teryl Austin’s defense.

Cowboys announce Post Malone Thanksgiving halftime show vs. Chiefs | Chiefs Wire

At the start of the Week 11 slate of games, the Cowboys announced their halftime show starring iconic musician Post Malone. The annual Thanksgiving halftime show marks the launch of The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign.

“I’m from Texas. I grew up a Cowboys fan and have been watching this halftime show for years,” said Post Malone in a statement. “It’s a real honor to be part of the Red Kettle Kickoff with The Salvation Army and the Dallas Cowboys and help bring hope to so many people.”

The Cowboys have traditionally had some of the most prominent artists in music perform at the annual holiday game’s halftime show. In its 29th year, the Red Kettle Kickoff is a Texas-sized Cowboys tradition for one of the largest, longest-running yearly fundraisers of its kind. The halftime show issues a rallying cry to donate to The Salvation Army’s work in communities across the nation.

Around the NFL

Dak Prescott, George Pickens star in Cowboys’ win over Raiders | ESPN

The Dallas Cowboys promised to honor the memory of late teammate Marshawn Kneeland with how hard they played Monday night. They did so with a convincing 33-16 win against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Dak Prescott threw four touchdown passes to four different pass catchers — George Pickens, CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson and Ryan Flournoy – and a defense that incorporated newcomers Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson and welcomed the return of DeMarvion Overshown did not allow a touchdown until the fourth quarter.

Justin Fields benched by Jets, Tyrod Taylor takes over as starting QB | USA Today

After weeks of pushing back against questions of whether he would opt for a change behind center, Jets coach Aaron Glenn is benching Justin Fields for veteran Tyrod Taylor, according to multiple reports.

New York will face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

The move comes on the heels of a 27-14 loss to the New England Patriots last Thursday that dropped the Jets to 2-8 on the season. Fields threw for just 116 yards on 15-of-26 passing. It marked the fourth time in the last five games that he finished with less than 200 passing yards and a completion rate below 60%.

Through Week 11, the Jets rank last in the NFL in passing yards per game (139.9) and sack rate allowed (11.6%).

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

5 things we learned from the Chiefs’ ugly road loss to the Broncos

3. There must be some hard conversations at Arrowhead

At the top of this list is a serious talk that Reid needs to have with special teams coordinator (and assistant head coach) Dave Toub.

The special teams unit has been a penalty-ridden embarrassment in 2025. Toub’s unit exemplifies one of the team’s core problems: its play is sloppy — and there is no accountability. The unit is allowed to continue shooting the team in the foot, while Toub is never close to the hot seat.

I don’t care if Toub is buddies with the head coach. Even if it is a small and symbolic move, the assistant head coach title should be taken away from him.

What about offensive coordinator Matt Nagy? I don’t care how talented Denver’s defense is. Continued mental errors and penalties by players like Jawaan Taylor are inexcusable. Mahomes has to get better at throwing the deep ball — and stop making mistakes when he gets frustrated. If he has more talent at wide receiver than he has ever had before, then why does he still feel like he has to play hero ball on a play-by-play basis? Nagy needs to hold his players accountable, too.

The team also needs someone who will speak up when Reid abandons the running game — someone who can bring him back to center. And if Reid isn’t willing to listen, then that is yet another hard conversation that needs to take place.

I’m not calling for coaching changes. But these issues must be addressed. And we don’t just need conversations. We need answers.