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The Kansas City Chiefs got a breather during their Week 10 bye, but while they rested, the rest of the NFL surged ahead. After sitting out the weekend, several teams made big statements — and Kansas City lost a bit of ground in the latest Week 11 power rankings. Only one outlet moved the Chiefs up from their previous position, while most analysts dropped them slightly in the standings. With a 5-4 record heading into a critical divisional matchup against Denver, the Chiefs are now under pressure to reclaim their dominance in the AFC West. Chiefs Slip Slightly in NFL Week 11 Power Rankings While the Chiefs remain a playoff-caliber team, analysts across major outlets agree that Kansas City has work to do. NFL.com ranked the Chiefs at No. 7, down one spot from last week. Eric Edholm noted that Kansas City “had a pretty quiet bye week, sitting out the trade deadline and hoping for some missing pieces to return.” He added that despite inconsistency in the run game, “they still field one of the most dangerous passing outfits out there.” ESPN dropped Kansas City to No. 11, highlighting running back Kareem Hunt as their non-quarterback MVP. “In a limited role on offense, he has been essential to the team’s success on fourth down,” reporter Nate Taylor wrote. Hunt’s clutch playmaking has helped Kansas City convert 16 of 20 fourth-down attempts this season — the third-best rate in the league. The Athletic also moved Kansas City down to No. 12, calling Hunt a “breakout player” who’s keeping the team’s ground game afloat. “The ninth-year running back leads the Chiefs in touchdowns (six) and is averaging 4.0 yards per carry,” Josh Kendall wrote. Not everyone was so forgiving. Sports Illustrated dropped the Chiefs dramatically from No. 5 to No. 11, warning that a loss to Denver this week could end their historic streak of nine straight AFC West titles. “Nothing screams divisional sea change like Patrick Mahomes getting boxed out of the division title before Thanksgiving,” wrote Conor Orr. Analysts Still See Potential Despite Inconsistency Not every outlet was down on Kansas City. Pro Football Talk actually bumped the Chiefs up to No. 13 from No. 14, with Mike Florio writing, “They’ve got the car, if they can only find the gas pedal.” CBS Sports kept the team steady at No. 10, noting that the Chiefs “can’t afford to lose another one, or else their playoff chances could be in real jeopardy,” according to Pete Prisco. Meanwhile, Yahoo! Sports and The Sporting News both had the Chiefs sliding significantly — to No. 5 and No. 12, respectively. Yahoo’s Frank Schwab emphasized how critical the upcoming Denver game will be, writing, “If the Chiefs lose, they’ll be 3 ½ games behind Denver with seven to play.” Nate Davis of USA Today kept Kansas City at No. 8, adding, “Hope you’re rested following the bye, fellas — the league’s best team over the past seven seasons is set to face two opponents sharing the league’s best record.” FOX Sports also left Kansas City unchanged at No. 13, with Ralph Vacchiano summing up the mood: “Still a dangerous team, but they come out of their bye with a 5-4 record and needing to win now.” While the Chiefs’ record has cooled some of the early-season hype, most analysts agree that Kansas City remains too talented to count out. If Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid can find their rhythm, a strong second-half surge could easily put them back in contention for another deep playoff run.
