After theDallas Cowboys kneeled, and Patrick Mahomes did not get his trademark one last chance, theKansas City Chiefsdidn't hide from the implications.
They are 6-6 for the first time in their star quarterback's eight starting years. Advancing to the playoffs isn't impossible, but it's also increasingly unlikely for a quarterback who has not experienced this during his starting tenure.
TheChiefs had survived the Indianapolis Coltsin overtime five days earlier with Kansas City's record demanding more urgency than that of Indianapolis.
But against a Cowboys team that's now rounding into form after a shaky season start?
"They're in the same desperation right now that we are," Mahomes said after a 31-28 loss, "and they played better over four quarters than we did."
The Chiefs' offense, and particularly Mahomes on a four-touchdown day, jelled often against a Cowboys defense that has improved but still faced lapses. In his return to his college town, SMU product Rashee Rice led all Chiefs receivers with 92 yards and two scores.
But 10 penalties for a season-high 119 penalty yards were too much to overcome. So too was the Cowboys offense's efficiency on third down, Dallas converting on 56.3% of third downs (9 of 16) to Kansas City's 38.5% (5 of 13). For context, across the first 11 weeks of the 2025 season, the best third-down success rate came from the Green Bay Packers at 49.3%; the Chiefs' mark would have slotted between the 18th and 19th-ranked teams.
Slotting 10th in the AFC playoff picture, the 6-6 Chiefs' chance at advancing to the postseason fell to 37% with the loss, per Next Gen Stats. The 6-5-1 Cowboys, at ninth in the NFC playoff picture, rose to 18% after beating the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday — and then the Chiefs, who lost last season's Super Bowl and won the prior title, on Thursday.
Can the Chiefs rebound?
"We just got to find a way," edge rusher George Karlaftis said. "Our backs against the wall, theirs are too — orwere. Whatever."
In back-and-forth rally with Cowboys, Chiefs ultimately can't overcome penalties
The Cowboys' opening drive wasn't fortuitous. Chiefs linebacker Jordan Hicks surprised the Cowboys with a blitz on third-and-4, Dak Prescott trying to beat it and instead throwing an interception that Chiefs safety Jaylen Watson returned 14 yards.
Mahomes needed just two plays to lead a scoring drive that would get the Chiefs on the board first. But the Cowboys would score on their next three drives, beginning with a Prescott to CeeDee Lamb-heavy drive that included three third-and-long conversions for the pair.
The teams would battle back and forth, Mahomes leaning on Rice and Xavier Worthy for some explosive plays while taking off — hello, 16-yard keeper on third-and-14 — another time.
Each team repeatedly fell behind the sticks. But while the Cowboys converted 5 of 8 third-and-longs (from 7-plus yards), Kansas City managed just 1 of 5.
Mahomes' magic kept the Chiefs alive during the game, from a perfectly threaded touchdown toTravis Kelcewho caught it despite not seeming open, to an escape-from-pressure throw to Rice that he tacked yards on to pick up 28 in total.
Mahomes would find Rice in the end zone on that same drive, the Chiefs scoring a go-ahead touchdown four seconds into the fourth quarter.
But the Cowboys would answer with a touchdown drive featuring George Pickens making a 39-yard catch and hurdle as well as converting the 2-point attempt. An offensive holding penalty contributed to the Chiefs' next punt, the Cowboys getting a field goal that would cushion them when Mahomes found Marquise "Hollywood" Brown for a final score with 3:30 to go.
The Cowboys needed first downs to burn the clock, up three. Two flags for defensive pass interference and a Pickens catch secured the win.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid questioned the legitimacy of Kansas City's 10 incurred flags.
"Some of the things that were going on, I don't always agree with," Reid said. "But that's all right. Things happen and you've got to fight through it. So the bottom line is we're having too many penalties, and we've got to make sure we take care of that.
"No excuses — we'll work on cleaning it up."
Penalties have doomed the Chiefs multiple times this season. Four times they've incurred at least 10 penalties — and they've lost all four of those games.
Injuries to the offensive line didn't help, Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons dislocating and fracturing his wrist, per multiple reports, while right tackle Jawaan Taylor was ruled out with an elbow injury. But neither of those explain the four defensive pass interference penalties the Chiefs committed while trying to slow Pickens and Lamb.
Reid's explanation?
"They've got some physical receivers; big, strong, physical guys," he said. "And that's the way they were playing, and in return, my guys were fighting. And to maintain leverage in that, it's not the way I saw it, but it's the way they saw it — the officials saw it. So they made the calls.
"But you've got to stay aggressive against those guys. No other way to do it."
Mahomes still believes in Super Bowl 'ceiling' even as time is running out
Another area in which the Chiefs will have just one way to do it: making the playoffs.
With the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers ahead of Kansas City in the AFC West, the Chiefs' best chance may be a wild-card bid. But the Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers all currently stand in the Chiefs' way.
Six losses before December complicates a playoff berth — even if the five before the Cowboys all came against teams currently on track to make the playoffs.
Mahomes hasn't lost confidence in the team he's led to seven straight AFC Championship games, five Super Bowl appearances and three Lombardi trophies.
He was asked about the Chiefs' ceiling in the aftermath of their latest loss.
"Our ceiling is playing in the Super Bowl," Mahomes said. "We've got all the same guys, we've added players, at the end of the day you got to go out and do it every week on a week-in and week-out basis. We can beat anybody but we've shown that we can lose to anybody. So we've got to be more consistent."
Mahomes' confidence in the Chiefs' potential is there. But reality looms too in the form of Mahomes' first missed postseason as a starter.
The Chiefs losing even when Mahomes threw for four touchdowns and coverage 291 yards from scrimmage may mean the questions loom beyond the player the Chiefs have been relying on to play Superman.
"The ceiling can be what it is," Mahomes said, "but until you put it on the football field you won't be able to go out there and win football games."