The Chiefs’ fatal flaw that will doom them in the 2025 NFL playoffs

The Kansas City Chiefs looks like one of the best teams in the NFL heading into the playoffs. Kansas City finished the regular season 15-2. This looks even better when you consider that The Chiefs rested most of their starters in a Week 18 loss to the Broncos. Now the Chiefs rest at home and wait to see who will be their first opponent in the divisional round of the playoffs.

The 2024 season was not the same as the previous few years for the Chiefs.

The Chiefs may have a dominant record during the regular season, but they are far from unbeatable. Kansas City fell apart in a 30-21 loss to the Bills in November, showing they can still be beaten by an elite offense.

Kansas City also didn’t win convincingly very often. The Chiefs he only had a point difference of 59 during the regular season, which ranks 11th in the NFL. You only need to do some quick math to figure out that’s the equivalent of winning every game by roughly a field goal.

This doesn’t mean those wins don’t count, but the important thing is that the Chiefs always seem to play their opponents close in 2024. By comparison, the Lions (222), Eagles (160), Bills and Ravens (157 ) have all been much more dominant in his victories.

If the Chiefs continue this trend in the playoffs, then they could find themselves in some danger. Especially when they come up against teams like the Bills or Ravens who have elite offenses paired with solid defenses.

Will the Chiefs be able to overcome their biggest playoff weakness? Or will it collapse late in the postseason?

Below, we’ll explore the Chiefs’ one fatal flaw that will cost them down the stretch their question for three Super Bowl victories.

The Chiefs’ mediocre offense will be their fatal flaw against elite AFC competition

It’s strange to write that the Chiefs have a mediocre offense, but it’s true.

The Kansas City offense, led by QB Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid, has done a decent job of putting up points and yards this season. However, they are a far cry from their domineering persona that Chiefs fans have come to know.

One of the reasons for Kansas City’s offensive problems is injuries. The Chiefs have dealt with a slew of offensive injuries, especially at the skill positions. Kansas City lost both Rushie Rice and Skye Moore to season-ending injuries in the first few months of the 2024 season.

The Chiefs also spent a lot of time without other key players such as rookie Hollywood Brown and running back Isiah Pacheco. At one point, the situation looked so dire that the Chiefs went out and traded for VR DeAndre Hopkins to add a reliable receiver for Mahomes.

Tight end Travis Kelce should also be mentioned. It seems age is finally catching up with the 35-year-old secret. Kelce had 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season. Given the lack of depth Kansas City had at receiver, the table was set for Kelce to have a great statistical season. Instead, he posted the fewest yards of his career. His mind with Mahomes still makes him a valuable piece in this offense, but he’s far from the dangerous weapon he was even two years ago.

The combination of all this mediocrity did not produce any great results. Kansas City has been productive enough to get the job done, but it’s a far cry from past Chiefs. Kansas City posted 5,570 yards during the regular season. This is it the team’s lowest yardage total since the 2016 season.

The Chiefs don’t need to remain as productive as they have been in the past to win the Super Bowl. However, if their offense regresses, then they will need some heroics on defense to stay in games.

Let’s move on to brass tacks to finish up here. The Chiefs will most likely win their first playoff game in the divisional round. However, fans won’t want to play the Ravens or Bills in the AFC Championship game. They should also be concerned about the possibility of playing the Eagles or Lions in the Super Bowl.