The Kansas City Chiefs are in desperation mode after losing on Thanksgiving to the Dallas Cowboys, 31-28.
That loss dropped the Chiefs to 6-6 and the team currently holds the 10th seed in the American Football Conference playoff picture. The team would have to pass the ninth-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers, the eighth-seeded Houston Texans and seventh-seeded Buffalo Bills to sneak into the playoffs.
The Texans are next on the schedule for the Chiefs, so this week has huge seeding implications and is an absolute must win for Kansas City.
The Chiefs are uncharacteristically 1-6 in one-possession games, a large reason as to why the team is so low in the standings for their standards. Being able to win those tough one-score games is imperative to a contender’s success and there’s an underlying reason as to why the team is struggling in these games.
The running game has been mediocre. Running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt haven’t been game-wreckers and haven’t moved the chains as much as they have in previous seasons. That’s partially due to the reconfiguration of the offensive line and this problem may get worse, as key run-blocker Trey Smith is expected to be out this week.
The Chiefs may also be without starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who appeared on the injury report with triceps and knee injuries. Taylor impacts the rushing attack but he is also responsible for numerous drive-killing penalties.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes Taylor could be a shocking cut/trade candidate this offseason.
“Taylor signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Chiefs prior to the 2023 season as part of their effort to shore up the offensive line,” Graziano wrote Friday. “He has been their starting right tackle all three seasons since then. But he has also been the most penalized player in the NFL over that span, with 49 (41 accepted) in 45 games. The next-highest penalty total is 37 (Tunsil).
“Taylor will have one year and $20 million in non-guaranteed money left on his contract after this season, and the Chiefs will carry about $7.4 million in dead money on their salary cap for next year if they release him -- which feels like it has a good chance to happen. Kansas City signed Jaylon Moore in free agency in the 2025 offseason, and he could become the starting right tackle if it moves on from Taylor.”
Penalties have been an issue for the Chiefs all season long, so as surprising as it would be to cut Taylor, it would make sense to cut the biggest culprit.