“If we clean it up, we can beat anyone.”

The defeat dropped KC to 9-6, the most by the Chiefs in a single season since 2017 (Alex Smith was 9-6 as a starter at QB; Mahomes went 1-0 that season). It's not just that Kansas City is losing games. That's how they've done it, scoring the fewest points per contest (22.2) and total yards per game (355.4) since Mahomes took over under center.

“I still think we can do what we want to do,” Mahomes said. “It's just a matter of how we get it right as quickly as possible. We have two guaranteed games left and then you talk about the playoffs, so all you can do is move on to the next day, get better and then try to get better.” “Better next time we step on the field.”

After Monday's loss, defensive tackle Chris Jones did not put up the offense for the loss, noting that the defense couldn't make a stop late after Mahomes led a TD drive to close within six points.

“We need to be better overall as a team, collectively,” Jones said. “It's not just one group. I think the special teams, the defense, we had the opportunity to stop them, give the offense a chance to get the ball back and score, but we didn't do that. We weren't successful.”

The Chiefs finish the season with a home game against the Jake Browning-led Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 and travel to Los Angeles to face the Chargers in Week 18.

“If we clean it up, we'll be able to score points,” Mahomes said. “its just [that] We have to clean it. We have two matches remaining. You have to do it, and if we don't, we'll go home.

“If we get it right, we can beat anyone. I really believe that, but we have to prove we can do it.”