The Kansas City Chiefs' postseason hopes narrowed significantly after a 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium. The defeat dropped the club to 6-7 and leaves quarterback Patrick Mahomes below .500 in December for the first time in his career.
Key Takeaways
- Kansas City's loss to Houston dropped the team's playoff probability to 15%.
- The defeat eliminated the Chiefs from AFC West contention, ending a nine-year run of divisional dominance.
- Kansas City must win its remaining four games and receive outside help to stay in the AFC wild-card race.
The defeat reduced the Chiefs' playoff probability to 15% on prediction platform Kalshi, while DraftKings listed them at +390 to reach the postseason. The outcome also allowed Houston to improve to 8-5 and hold the final AFC playoff position, increasing the pressure on Kansas City as it fell two games back in the wild-card race.
Kansas City has now lost four of its last five games and has been eliminated from the AFC West race, ending a streak of nine consecutive division titles. The organization has been a dominant presence in recent years, appearing in five of the last six Super Bowls and reaching the conference championship every season since Mahomes became the starter in 2018.
To remain in contention for the playoffs, the Chiefs will need to sweep their remaining schedule, beginning with a matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Even with a perfect finish, they will still require losses from fellow AFC contenders such as the Texans, Chargers, and Bills to keep their postseason path viable.
Their odds of reaching the Super Bowl are long, as DraftKings currently has them at +950 to win the AFC championship.
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Chiefs help boost Missouri's legal sports betting launch
As Kansas City reassesses its playoff trajectory, Missouri entered a new economic phase with the launch of legal sports wagering Dec. 1. The rollout represented one of the most significant policy shifts in the state in recent decades and marked the culmination of a lengthy legislative process.
Strong activity was recorded in land-based casinos and the digital sector, due in large part to the high number of sports fans in the state. Traffic spikes were most visible during major games, especially those involving the Chiefs.
BetMGM spokesperson John Ewing told KMBC News that app sign-ups increased sharply during launch week and that futures wagers on Kansas City dominated early betting interest.
Under Missouri's regulatory framework, operators must submit full monthly financial records to the Missouri Gaming Commission. The state's first official revenue report, covering December wagering activity, is scheduled for release in January 2026.
