It is now or never for the Kansas City Chiefs

It is hard to believe, but just five weeks in it feels as if Kansas City’s season is already on the brink of collapse.

To put it bluntly, the Chiefs have sucked this year.  Catastrophically bad defense and a misfiring offense have the Chiefs in an uncomfortable and unexpected position. The going has been tough, but now Kansas City is out of chances. It is time for them to start winning.

Despite being 2-3 and sitting in last place in the AFC West, it is not all doom and gloom in Kansas City.

The Chiefs have played the four best teams in the AFC so far. Their three losses have come against teams that are currently leading their division, with a combined record of 12-3. KC’s 2-3 record is far from ideal, but it is not entirely unexpected.

The Buffalo Bills are the best team in the AFC right now, with the league’s best defense and highest-scoring offense. The Baltimore Ravens seem to have their mojo back and boast the most yards on offense in the league. And Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers have emerged as genuine contenders.

The first part of the season was always going to be tough. Given the quality of the teams they’ve faced, while not ideal, it is not completely shocking that the Chiefs are 2-3.

Dropping games to the Ravens, Chargers, and Bills is one thing, but losing from here will not be so easily tolerated. The Chiefs have used up their chances, now is the time to start performing.

After a difficult start, the rest of Kansas City’s schedule is decidedly easier. Games against the Packers, Cowboys, and Chargers stand out, but the Chiefs should still be favored in almost all their remaining games this season.

It starts with this Sunday’s game against Washington, a game Kansas City simply has to win. But given their recent struggles on both sides of the ball, a win alone won’t be enough.

The Chiefs have yet to put together a complete performance this season. They’ve been good in patches, but far too inconsistent overall. Against Washington, and moving forward, that needs to change.

Kansas City’s future is still in their own hands, but there can be no slip-ups from here. The number one seed in the AFC is all but gone – the Chiefs are now 2.5 games behind both Buffalo and Baltimore. But despite being two games behind the Chargers, the AFC West is still within their reach.

In order to win their division, things need to change now. The Chiefs have drastically underperformed so far this season, but they are still a quality football team. Now they need to show it.

At 2-3, the Chiefs have almost no room for error for the rest of the season. The Chiefs have the ability to go 10-2 for the rest of the season, but even that might not be enough to win the division.

The Chiefs can still have a good season. Heck, they can still have a great season. They can still make the playoffs, they can still win the division, and I believe they can still win the Super Bowl.

But in order to do that, they need to turn things around. Immediately. The Chiefs have used up their chances, it is time to start winning.