A tough Chiefs loss could propel the team heading into the postseason

There are no moral victories in the NFL.

Two weeks ago, the Kansas City Chiefs lost a heartbreaker to the Tennessee Titans in the waning seconds of regulation. That misstep cost them the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture – at least temporarily. The final seeding won’t be decided until Sunday evening, but a win by the Oakland Raiders would seal Kansas City’s fate as a wildcard. That’s a sobering thought, but there still may be a silver lining in an otherwise dark cloud. Tough losses are catalysts in the NFL. They either thrust a team into a slide or serve as an opportunity to refocus.

If Sunday night’s 33-10 victory over the Denver Broncos was any indication, it appears to have had a positive impact on the Chiefs. Kansas City posted its highest point total since the thrilling come-from-behind opener with the San Diego Chargers. Andy Reid and company found paydirt four times on the day and got an additional six points from kicker Cairo Santos. Make no mistake, it wasn’t a perfect outing. In the middle two quarters Dustin Colquitt punted four times. The Chiefs had just one scoring opportunity during that stretch and squandered it when a Santos field goal attempt sailed just outside of the left upright.