Chiefs get reality check in three game losing streak

The Kansas City Chiefs were the toast of the NFL world over the first nine games of this season. They were 9-0 and riding high as the top ranked defense in the NFL and an efficient enough offense to get the job done. Then the bye week came. They haven't won since.

Yes, the Chiefs started 9-0, had they bye week, and have been 0-3 since then. For a comparison, the Jaguars started the season 0-8, had their bye week and are 3-1 since then. The Jaguars. A team that was literally at the opposite end of the spectrum from the vaunted Chiefs.

In the Chiefs' defense, two of those games have been against the Broncos, including their loss today. The other loss was against the Chargers, making the Chiefs 1-3 against the AFC West.

The Chiefs began this game today with a 21-7 lead, forcing two turnovers and adding a big kick return touchdown. Then the Broncos rattled off 28 unanswered points to take a 35-21 lead. Four of the Broncos' touchdowns came from Eric Decker receptions. He was working over Chiefs' cornerback, Marcus Cooper, all day long.

The Chiefs offense put up a fight after that against the Broncos' porous defense. They added a touchdown to bring the game within a single score but couldn't dig themselves out and they lost 35-28.

The 9-0 start by the Chiefs always did seem a little suspect. They only played one team with a winning record over those nine games. That game was against the Cowboys who have the worst defense in the NFL and yet the Chiefs were able to post just 17 points to escape with a 17-16 home victory.

They also faced the Eagles who now have a winning record but were 1-2 at the time in the pre Nick Foles era. Foles has been lighting up opposing teams over the past month going 4-0 with 19 touchdowns to zero interceptions. The Chiefs didn't have to face him. The Raiders sure did. He posted 7 TD passes against them.

Another break the Chiefs got was facing the then 3-1 Titans after Jake Locker had been lost for the season. The Titans have since gone 2-5 including being one of the teams to recently lose to the Jaguars.

The Chiefs now fall to 9-3. They should feel like they're getting back on track over the next couple weeks as they face the Redskins and Raiders, but the final two games with feature a tough Colts team and the Chargers of whom they were already beaten.

It's quite the fall back to earth for the team that was riding as the last team this season to remain unbeaten. Now, they look like they'll be the first playoff team to be sent home.

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