The Kansas City Chiefs' season is slipping away. At 6-6 with five games remaining, the reigning AFC champions now sit 10th in the AFC playoff race and face daunting odds just to reach the postseason.

Even a perfect finish won't guarantee salvation. The Chiefs would need help from other teams to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season—a streak that has defined the Andy Reid era in Kansas City.

The math is brutal: roughly a 1-in-3 chance of playing in January, depending on the metrics.

When Steelers lost to the Bills on Sunday, it dealt Kansas City another blow. The Chiefs carry a disappointing 3-4 record against AFC opponents, and they're already nearly eliminated from their pursuit of a 10th consecutive AFC West division title.

"We're Going to Go After You Every Game"

Reid met Monday's reality with defiance.

"If you're coming to me, we're going to go after you every game, and that's how we roll. We're going to tickle your tonsils on every play, every game. But that's the attitude we're coming in with, and then you let the chips fall where they may."

The Chiefs prepare to face the Texans on Sunday night as Reid acknowledges the narrow margin between success and failure.

"There's such a small margin between winning and losing that every week is a challenge, a major challenge. That's how you have to approach it, and you have to be ready for it."

There is one precedent for hope: In 2017, Kansas City was also 6-6. The team won its final four games to secure a wild-card berth.

Self-Inflicted Wounds Mount

Kansas City's playoff crisis stems largely from penalties and mental mistakes. The team has allowed the fifth-most penalty yardage in the NFL this season.

The Thanksgiving loss to Dallas—a 31-28 defeat—exemplified the problem. A series of fourth-quarter flags derailed any comeback attempt.

"We have to make sure we take care of business with the penalties, keep working our fundamentals and techniques. Not saying I agree with all of them, or half of them (against Dallas). But they took place. We're not going to use that as an excuse."

Reid refused to make excuses elsewhere, either. The Chiefs pass rush has produced just 22 sacks—better than only five other teams. The defense has forced 11 turnovers, a mark better than just three other teams.

"You're one or two plays away and that's what this game is. You look at our season, we're one or two plays off, and we take care of that—whether it's a penalty at a crucial time, a possible turnover somewhere, or having a chance to create a turnover—we are right in position where if we can figure out those two, three plays, you flip this around."

The Clock Is Running

Reid tempered his defiance with clear-eyed pragmatism about Kansas City's dire situation.

"You're not going to hear a lot of positives from the outside coming in, so you have to make sure you understand where you really sit, and the opportunity you have sitting in front of you. You know, there's still opportunities."

The opportunities are rapidly diminishing. Five games remain, and the margin for error has evaporated.