The latest power rankings are out from NFL writers for Week 17 and the Kansas City Chiefs tumbled a bit after their loss in Seattle.
The Kansas City Chiefs took to the road to play the Seattle Seahawks in the hopes of claiming the top spot in the AFC West and the bigger conference. Instead, they will have to wait another week in the hopes of doing the same in a projected win over the Oakland Raiders in Week 17. The loss to the Seahawks on Sunday Night Football helped to further undo the Chiefs’ stranglehold atop the NFL’s power rankings (at least among AFC teams) heading into week 17.
The voters over at Sports Illustrated have the Chiefs below some of their counterparts in the AFC despite still being above them in the actual standings. One voter even listed them at No. 9 overall in the NFL and, for now, they sit behind the New England Patriots at No. 3 and the Baltimore Ravens at No. 4.
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John McClain at the Houston Chronicle has the Chiefs at No. 5 overall, just behind the L.A. Chargers. Despite being behind the Chiefs, they are considered a better team by both McClain and the folks at Bleacher Report. The Chargers might be No. 2 in the AFC West but they split the season series with the Chiefs and have a solid argument to be the most well-rounded team in the conference.
Still some experts remain high on the Chiefs even after the loss. Elliot Harrison from NFL.com isn’t disturbed by the loss and says it’s actually fairly common for good teams to lose to Pete Carroll at home. He keeps the Chiefs at No. 4 overall, dropping them a single spot, and writes:
"Even coming off two losses in a row, the Chiefs don’t fall too much here, nor have they ceased to inspire confidence as a Super Bowl contender."
Pete Prisco over at CBS Sports remains higher on them and doesn’t move the team at all as they remain No. 1 in the AFC. He has the Chiefs at No. 3 and writes:
"They have lost two straight, but need just a victory over the Raiders to lock up the top seed in the AFC."
What is clear at this point is that the Chiefs hardly look like the dominant team they were a month ago and that the defensive issues that plague them are very well known. Even with the theatrics of Patrick Mahomes and the offensive firepower displayed this season, their weaknesses are showing brightest just as their scoring prowess is shifting against tougher defensive fronts.