Have The Chiefs Hit Their Ceiling?

The Kansas City Chiefs have no one to blame but themselves.

They let another Super Bowl opportunity slip away while empowering the Cincinnati Bengals to a come-from-behind victory.

All the home team needed to do was keep the pressure on the visitors, especially on offense.

Instead, the Bengals found another gear to edge the Chiefs in overtime.

AND ONCE AGAIN…THAT'S WHY YOU DRAFT A KICKER!

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 30, 2022

While Andy Reid‘s team remains title contenders, they can’t get over the hump since their Super Bowl LIV victory.

They lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a year later and allowed Cincinnati to fight back during this season’s AFC Championship Game.

After falling short of the ultimate prize again, have the Chiefs reached their peak?

No Repeat Of Last Week

Chiefs fans in attendance at Arrowhead Stadium were ecstatic when the team won the coin toss and opted to receive the ball in overtime.

However, their victory over the Buffalo Bills a week earlier did not have a sequel.

The Bengals stuck to their eight-man drop, narrowing Mahomes’ throwing windows.

As a result, two defenders surrounded Tyreek Hill when the Chiefs opted for a deep throw.

Love y’all #ChiefsKingdom. This one hurts but we will be back! See y’all next year!

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) January 31, 2022

Vonn Bell completed the pick courtesy of the tap by Jessie Bates III.

A few plays later, a relatively silent stadium aptly depicted the shocking end to Kansas City’s season.

It was not the outcome the fans and even the team expected because they were playing great football this postseason.

The offense was humming while their defense held their ground against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Bills.

Sadly, it’s back to the drawing board for this proud franchise, even though this defeat will sting for a while.

Maintaining The Killer Mentality

The Chiefs have $14 million of cap space based on the projected ceiling for 2022.

That amount can give them the ability to bring in free agents that can help in their secondary and receiving corps.

JuJu Smith-Schuster will be an excellent addition should the Chiefs sign him.

But beyond the moves they can make to improve the roster, complacency has become their worst enemy.

Teams that have lost after leading by more than 10 points at halftime of a conference-championship game at home:

Kansas City Chiefs, Jan. 30, 2022

That’s it. That’s the list.

Those teams were 20-0 before today (via @pfref).

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) January 31, 2022

Two seasons ago, their defense made it easy to win the AFC Championship in overtime.

Last year, they failed to adjust against the Buccaneers’ pressure in Super Bowl LV.

The Chiefs tend to relax when they think they have the game wrapped up.

Even the win over Buffalo could have been a letdown if not for the 13-second drive.

They start to play awful when they take it easy, especially against better opponents.

Reid with his end of the year presser: “There’s one happy team at the end of the year .. and hopefully next year we can bring that back to Kansas City.” #Chiefs

— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) January 31, 2022

As a result, the Bengals generated pressure from their defensive line, resulting in four sacks.

Worst, Mahomes’ much-criticized inaccuracy coming into the NFL was on display in the second half.

In the first half, he only missed three passes and threw for three touchdowns to different receivers.

After the intermission, he threw two interceptions and completed only 53 percent of his passes.

Yes, the Bengals deserved the victory and the trip to Super Bowl LVI.

"I take my role as the wide elder statesman seriously. @getnickwright, I tried to show you how to root for a team. Yes, exude confidence but always respect the game by respecting the opponent. You wouldn't do it! That's why it's the worst loss of your life." — @Chris_Broussard pic.twitter.com/iapopFVhQb

— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) January 31, 2022

But if the Chiefs are looking for people to blame, they need not look beyond themselves.

Keeping that finishing mentality until the final whistle will be the biggest improvement they must work on next season.