SB Nation • 13 min read

Arrowheadlines: Despite troubles, Chiefs remain among favorites for Super Bowl

The latest

Revisiting 2025 preseason bold predictions for 32 NFL teams | ESPN

Original prediction: The Chiefs will have at least 12 plays that go for 40-plus yards in the regular season.

Why there’s still a chance:

Kansas City has recorded two such plays this season, so this is still a long shot. Still, that’s halfway to the season total from a year ago. Plus, we’ll see whether the return of wide receiver Rashee Rice following his six-game suspension opens up more plays downfield.

Every NFL Team’s Biggest Breakout Player After 5 Weeks | Bleacher Report

Kansas City Chiefs: WR Tyquan Thornton

This is a toss-up between Thornton and the team’s first-round rookie left tackle, Josh Simmons, but fewer expected the former to be such a big factor. Injuries have paved the way, but the fact is the 25-year-old ex-Patriot is averaging a league-high 20.9 yards per catch.

Super Bowl odds: Can Buccaneers, Colts, Commanders, Broncos challenge top tier? | The Athletic

Should Bills backers be concerned? For the second straight week, Buffalo lacked consistency at home against a big underdog. Three turnovers, 11 penalties and a lack of rhythm on offense contributed to the Bills’ first loss of the season.

Early-season lull aside, Buffalo’s odds remain steady thanks in part to a murky AFC playoff picture. The conference’s other biggest title contenders entering Week 5 — the Kansas City Chiefs (+1000), Ravens (+2000) and Los Angeles Chargers (+1800) — all lost and saw their odds drop.

In the NFC, the Detroit Lions (+700) are the new top team in the midst of a four-game winning streak. Rising from +1700 after Week 1’s loss in Green Bay, the Lions sustain the NFL’s highest-scoring offense, coupled with a playmaking defense that is third in both interception rate and sacks per pass attempt.

Five Quick Facts Following the Chiefs Week 5 Loss to Jacksonville | Upon Further Review | The Mothership

5. The Jaguars deserve credit for rattling off some clutch plays at the very end.

As impressive as the Chiefs’ final scoring drive was, the Jaguars found a way to match it.

Jacksonville covered 60 yards in just over one minute of game action, converting multiple third downs before finding the end zone with only 23 seconds remaining. The big play of the drive took place on the Jaguars’ side of the field, facing a 3rd-and-7, when quarterback Trevor Lawrence found wide receiver Brian Thomas for a 33-yard gain.

It was one of several clutch plays for Jacksonville on the series, and paired with some critical penalties on the part of the Chiefs, the Jaguars found a way to win it in the end.

It was a tough result for the Chiefs, who looked poised to win Monday’s game at numerous times during the contest, but they’ll now need to turn the page in a hurry with a matchup against the Detroit Lions this upcoming Sunday on deck.

Week 6 NFL QB Power Rankings: Can Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield break into top five? Raiders’ Geno Smith plummets | CBS Sports

5 – Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs QB
The magic is still within Mahomes; it’s not hard to see it when he’s on the move, single-handedly carrying the Chiefs’ ground game. But even he isn’t meant to press so hard. Kansas City’s unusually sloppy setup isn’t doing him a lot of favors. (-3)

2026 NFL mock draft: Deep QB class, but no clear No. 1 pick | CBS Sports

Pick 28 – Antonio Williams WR

Antonio Williams’ start to 2025 has been marred by a hamstring injury, but when he’s healthy, he’s Cade Klubnik’s go-to guy. He was targeted 103 times in 2024. And while he had eight drops, he consistently wins off the line of scrimmage vs. physical corners, can get open at all three levels, and has legit separation ability. He can play outside, in the slot and has punt-return ability.

Around the NFL

Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: NFL pretenders or contenders? | SB Nation

Who is more for real, the Colts or Broncos?

RJ:

The Indianapolis Colts are 4-1 through five games and appear to have gotten rid of the label that had to do with playing subpar competition. Also of note, the Denver Broncos just took down the Philadelphia Eagles and appear to have reignited discussion that they are contenders.

These are two teams who are struggling to break through the top-shelf AFC units and I think that if I had to put one there right now between the two… I’d go with Denver. Indy is a ton of fun and what they are doing is impressive, but the Broncos appear more capable of going the distance.

It is amazing that this is a real question in mid-October, though!

Joe Flacco to start at QB for Bengals in Week 6 game vs. Packers | NFL.com

Joe Flacco will start at quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals in their Week 6 game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, head coach Zac Taylor told reporters on Wednesday, just one day after trading for the veteran QB.

Cincinnati acquired Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round pick from Cleveland in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick.

Flacco replaces Jake Browning, who was 0-3 as a starter in place on the injured Joe Burrow.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs Mailbag Week 6: Will poor start make team a seller at deadline?

Barring catastrophic injury, I don’t think there’s a scenario that would make the Kansas City a seller before the NFL’s November 4 trade deadline.

Yes… the Chiefs have been frustrating to watch. But have you seen some of the other AFC squads? Even if some of its recurring problems don’t improve, Kansas City is still likely to finish among the top seven teams in the conference. It should at least secure a Wild Card berth.

Time will tell whether Kelce and Jones eventually end their tenures in Kansas City on their own terms, but neither is going to be traded in-season. With $35 million guaranteed in 2026, Jones’ contract might be the most untradeable in the sport — outside of quarterbacks.

I would be surprised if any team had interest in trading for Taylor. Besides his high remaining salary for 2025, injury concerns haven’t gone away. Even after reportedly receiving an experimental treatment in Panama this past offseason, Taylor has appeared on every injury report this season while receiving treatment for his knee. At this point, we should probably expect that to continue for the rest of his playing career.