It was not a good Sunday for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions, who are both on the outside of the playoff picture with seven games left. The Chiefs are 5-5 in a three way tie with the Texans and Ravens who are all a game behind the seventh seed 6-4 Jaguars in the AFC race. The 6-4 Lions, meanwhile, are eighth in the NFC, a half game behind the 7-4 49ers.
The Chiefs’ string of nine consecutive AFC West titles is likely to end this year after the Chiefs lost to Denver, the top AFC seed at 9-2. The Chiefs now will have to fight for a wild card spot and go on the road if they make the playoffs and try to return to the Super Bowl. Mahomes pointed the finger at himself, noting he made too many bad throws.
Meanwhile, both Lions QB Jared Goff and coach Dan Campbell had a frustrating game in the loss to the Eagles. Goff had five passes batted down and Campbell went for it on fourth down five times and the Lions didn’t make any of the five. Campbell often gets burned when he gambles on fourth down. But the Lions were also the victim of a bad defensive pass interference call that cost the Lions a chance for a game winning drive.
–The defending champion Eagles are in a good position for a repeat after the victory over the Lions gave them a 8-2 record and the top seed in the NFC after beating the Lions. The Broncos have the top seed in the AFC at 9-2 after beating the Chiefs.
–The other three division leaders in the NFC are the 8-2 Rams, who beat the Seahawks, the 7-3 Bears, who beat the Vikings and the 6-4 Bucs, who lost to the Bills. The other three division leaders in the AFC are 9-2 Patriots, who beat the Jets last Thursday night, the 8-2 Colts, who had a bye, and the 6-4 Steelers, who beat the Bengals. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was replaced by Mason Rudolph after Rodgers broke a bone in his left wrist and it is uncertain how long he will be sidelined.
–The three wild card teams in the NFC are the 7-3 Seahawks, who lost to the Rams, the 6-3-1 Packers, who beat the Giants, and the 7-4 49ers, who beat the Cardinals. The wild card AFC teams are the 7-3 Bills, who beat the Bucs, the 7-4 Chargers and the 6-4 Jaguars, who beat the Chargers.
VITO'S VIEWS 