The Kansas City Chiefs‘ 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 16 left no room for excuses inside the locker room.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones addressed the moment directly, calling for focus and effort as the season continues to unravel.
Jones did not deflect blame or point outward. Instead, he framed the situation with blunt honesty, acknowledging the frustration while emphasizing what still lies within the team’s control.
“We’re in a very unfortunate situation where, sometimes, you can’t control it. And it’s okay. You worry about the things you can control which is your attitude and your effort. A lot of people can talk when they’re up,” Jones said.
What has made this season particularly difficult, Jones explained, is how familiar the roster still looks compared to last year’s success.
“This team is a makeup of last year’s team, and last year’s team went 15-2. There’s not many pieces missing. Then you look at what’s the difference. The difference this year is in one-score games,” he added.
For Jones, the issue is not scheme or talent. It is execution when the game tightens.
“We didn’t finish as crisp as we previously did, and that can make a difference. In this league, the margin for error is so small, and we have so many games that are one-score games. Whether it’s the offense, defense, or merely just special teams, we’ve gotta hone in on finishing, finishing, finishing, especially at the end of the game,” Jones concluded.
A game that reflected everything going wrong
Sunday’s loss followed the same frustrating pattern that has defined Kansas City‘s season. With Patrick Mahomes unavailable, the Chiefs turned to Gardner Minshew to start. That plan lasted one series. Minshew suffered a knee injury on the opening drive, forcing the offense into emergency mode almost immediately.
That responsibility fell to Chris Oladokun, who was making his first NFL appearance under difficult circumstances.
Oladokun steadied things enough to guide Kansas City to three field goals, but the offense never threatened consistently. The Chiefs did not reach the red zone until the third quarter, and by then they were already trailing 16-6.
Kansas City finished 1-for-9 on third down and managed just nine points. Oladokun was sacked four times and hit repeatedly, preventing any rhythm from forming. As the game wore on, the Chiefs were reacting instead of dictating, trying to survive rather than control the outcome.
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