NFL Power Rankings Week 10 Roundup: Chiefs drop after loss in Buffalo

The Kansas City Chiefs’ climb up the power rankings over the last month comes to a screeching halt heading into Week 10 and the team’s bye week. The 28-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 9 was accounted for by all power rankings, leading to a drop for the Chiefs in every site’s newest list.

Here’s this week’s sampling:

NFL.com: 6

(Down from 3)

Kansas City’s defense looked slow and reactive in Sunday’s 28-21 defeat at Buffalo, losing the line-of-scrimmage battle and leaving pass catchers running free too often. James Cook became the first running back to rush for more than 100 yards against the Chiefs in 35 games (including the playoffs), and the Bills’ tight ends consistently carved them up for big plays. Patrick Mahomes also had one of his worst games in memory, completing fewer than 50 percent of his passes, taking three sacks and heaving up a late interception. There were big plays from Kansas City, but not nearly enough down-to-down consistency. The Chiefs have the bye to recover before a big showdown at Denver in Week 11, but this loss doesn’t sting any less.

— Eric Edholm

ESPN: 10

(Down from 6)

Following their bye week, the Chiefs will face the current AFC West leader. The easiest way for the Chiefs to regain command in the division is to sweep the Broncos. Kansas City coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the team should have plenty of motivation too. In the 2024 regular-season finale, the Broncos, needing a win to clinch the conference’s final playoff spot, beat Kansas City 38-0. One could argue the Chiefs, who already had clinched the top seed and rested their starters, didn’t enjoy Broncos coach Sean Payton running up the score.

— Nate Taylor

The Athletic: 10

(Down from 4)

Midseason grade: B-

The underlying stats are still great and point to the Chiefs being just fine for the second half. Their offense ranks fifth in EPA per play and fourth in success rate. But your record matters, and a tough schedule leaves them barely above .500 entering their bye.

— Josh Kendall

Sports Illustrated: 5

(Down from 1)

Sean McDermott is always a trend setter versus Mahomes in the regular season and on Sunday his game plan was masterful. The Bills played a lot of DBs, with five corners and two safeties playing at least 50% of the snaps and, as Arrowhead Pride pointed out, simply called Mahomes’s bluff when it came to all of Kansas City’s pre-snap motion. The result was the worst completion percentage of Mahomes’ career.

— Conor Orr