By Evan MasseyShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberPatrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs had a massive opportunity in front of them on Thanksgiving Day. Going up against the Dallas Cowboys, the Chiefs had a chance to win their second straight game and claw their way even more back into the playoff picture in the AFC.
Unfortunately, what ended up happening in that game was the exact opposite.
After a great game between two competitive football teams, Kansas City ended up losing by a final score of 31-28. With the loss, the Chiefs dropped to 6-6 on the season and their playoff aspirations are on life support.
Read more: Los Angeles Rams Could Target Polarizing Matthew Stafford Replacement
Granted, the season is far from over. Mahomes and company still have five regular season games remaining. Kansas City is more than capable of winning all five of those and making the playoffs.
...However, the Chiefs have not looked like the same yearly Super Bowl contender this season. The offense has looked broken at times and the defense has not been able to get the job done on an extremely consistent basis.
Despite the 6-6 record and the team's struggles, one former NFL head coach spoke out with a strong message about Kansas City.
During an appearance on NFL Network, Steve Mariucci spoke out and made it clear that he still believes in Mahomes and the Chiefs' ability to get into the postseason.
"They can fight their way back into the playoff race," Mariucci said.
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Can they fight their way back into the playoffs? Absolutely, but it won't be easy.
In their final five games of the regular season, Kansas City will face off against the Houston Texans at home, the Los Angeles Chargers at home, the Tennessee Titans on the road, the Denver Broncos at home, and the Las Vegas Raiders on the road. The Chiefs have to be perfect.
Read more: Eagles QB Jalen Hurts Gets Brutally Honest About Offensive Struggles
Beating teams like the Titans and Raiders should be no problem. But, there are a few tough games that Kansas City has no room for error against. That is a lot of pressure for a team to face.
No one should count out the Chiefs and Mahomes until they are mathematically eliminated. It's possible that Mahomes could work some magic and find a way into the dance. Or, it's also possible that Kansas City could find themselves watching the playoffs from the couch.
For more on the Kansas City Chiefs and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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