NFL Power Rankings Week 17: Chiefs are in a freefall

A rough 2025 season only got worse for the Kansas City Chiefs in a 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Ahead of a Christmas Day game that will feature the team’s third starting quarterback this year, the collection of power rankings did not pull any punches.

Here’s this week’s sampling:

The Chiefs’ season was already slipping away before Patrick Mahomes’ torn ACL, but watching them struggle mightily against the Titans after Gardner Minshew suffered his own knee injury was quite revealing. There was a time when the mighty Chiefs could have absorbed losing Mahomes and still managed to beat an opponent near the bottom of the standings, but that time is not now. Say what you will about the Chiefs not having something to play for, but it’s hard not to notice that Mahomes — even with his warts, and as tough as this season has been — often has covered up the team’s other shortcomings. Perhaps this clarity will seep into the offseason plans because bouncing back next season won’t be any finger snap.

Rookie of the year: Left tackle Josh Simmons

Although he played in just eight games, the Chiefs’ first-round pick proved he has the talent to be the blindside protector for quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the future. Before his season-ending left wrist injury, Simmons allowed a pressure rate of just 6.6%, the third-lowest mark among left tackles and the second lowest by a rookie left tackle since 2018 (minimum 150 pass blocks), according to NFL Next Gen Stats. — Nate Taylor

One concern: How much did Patrick Mahomes cover up?

Everyone knows Mahomes is incredible. But seeing what the Chiefs look like without him was pretty revealing. There’s a lot that’s wrong with the Chiefs right now, and it could be a while before Mahomes is back to help cover it up.

Sorry, you abandon your home stadium and state, you get penalized. Coal in the stocking. A broken air fryer under the Christmas tree. Car doors frozen shut. All the winter pox upon this franchise for taking the money and running.

Like the Kansas Grinch who is stealing the team, the operative color is green.

No Patrick Mahomes, no compete. It’s that simple. They were lifeless at Tennessee in the loss to the Titans.

The version of the Chiefs we’re about to watch the final two weeks will be depressing. They wouldn’t have been great with Gardner Minshew at quarterback, but with Minshew done for the season too with a knee injury, the Chiefs will presumably turn to Chris Oladokun. It’s unlikely most fans had ever heard Oladokun’s name before he came in the game Sunday against the Titans. The Chiefs were blown out by those miserable Titans and it’s unlikely to get better. If these are the last few games of Travis Kelce’s career, it’s an unceremonious way to end a great run.

The Chiefs can’t be expected to win with their defense not having a pass rush and their offense not having a passing game minus Patrick Mahomes, Gardner Minshew and their top wide receiver. The fact they lost so easily on the road to the Titans is just so shocking.

TE Travis Kelce had one 6-yard catch in Sunday’s debacle in Nashville. But it was enough to give him his 12th consecutive season with at least 800 receiving yards, matching a record set by legendary Jerry Rice.

Life without Patrick Mahomes didn’t feel so good for K.C., especially after they lost backup Gardner Minshew, too. But why did that make their defense collapse?