Getty

The Kansas City Chiefs are still stinging from their loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, but it’s not all doomy.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills had a high-stakes contest on Sunday, November 2, in Buffalo, and in the end, the Bills shut down the Chiefs with a  28-21 final tally. It was certainly a frustrating game for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and Kansas City. Mahomes completed 15-of-34 passes for 250 yards in the showdown, according to NFL research, helping Kansas City score points on two of its first three offensive drives, but it wasn’t enough to pull through with a win.

Losing to the Bills is even rougher because the Chiefs did it going into their bye week. Now, they have a full week to look back on the loss and wish they had done things differently.

But, all is not lost. There is a silver lining in the team’s loss to the Bills, and the numbers show that Kansas City didn’t lose this game because they aren’t a solid team. So, as Mahomes, Kelce and the rest of the Chiefs squad head into the bye week with a 5-4 record, there’s certainly hope for the rest of the 2025-26 season.

Hope for Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs had a lot of adversity on Sunday, but they almost overcame it all to win. Even though they didn’t win in the end, that just shows the power of this team.

In a piece out on Monday, November 3, about the loss, Matt McMullen of the Chiefs’ website notes that the team “overcame immense adversity to still have a chance in the end.”

“Kansas City, which was trailing by 15 points early in the fourth quarter, appeared to be on the ropes when faced with a 4th-and-17 near midfield,” he states, adding that “Mahomes kept the Chiefs’ chances alive, however, when he found wide receiver Rashee Rice for a 29-yard gain to move the chains.”

That says something. Even though the Chiefs didn’t pull it off, coming as close as they did counts for something. It certainly gives Mahomes and Kelce hope coming out of the bye week.

“Kansas City’s rally ultimately fell short, but the Chiefs gave themselves a chance,” McMullen states. “The key moving forward will be about turning those chances into wins, as Kansas City has now dropped four one-score games this season.”

Chiefs’ Rashee Rice is Another Bright Spot

Wide receiver Rashee Rice was also a bright spot in the game. On Sunday, he claimed 86 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on six touches, according to ESPN research. Rice’s touchdown marked his fourth in just three games this year.

After the game, Mahomes took responsibility for the loss. While he said the entire teams has to be more consistent, he also pointed the finger at himself as the team’s signal-caller.

“We’ve had great moments, and we’ve had bad moments,” Mahomes said, speaking with the press. “We have to be more consistent as a team, and I have to be more consistent as a quarterback. We have to be able to battle.”

He added, “We’ve been in all these tight, close games in our history, but they’re not going our way right now, so how do we deal with that adversity? How do we [get] better and learn from it? It will be an uphill battle when we get back, but I think our guys are up for it.”

So, the Chiefs have some thinking and reflecting to do during their NFL bye week. They’re back to take on the Denver Broncos on Sunday, November 16, on the road.

Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter for Heavy Sports covering the NFL, NBA and college football. Anne Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson