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PITTSBURGH -- The best offensive player for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday was an undrafted rookie wide receiver who a month ago wasn’t even a member of the playing rotation. Nothing against Albert Wilson, who may have a bright future for the Chiefs. But they needed more if they were going to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers and maintain control of their playoff destiny. But in the biggest game of their season, the Chiefs got little from a woeful offensive line, Jamaal Charles, Travis Kelce and Dwayne Bowe. They settled for four measly field goals and that wasn’t going to get it done against one of the league’s highest scoring teams. The Chiefs lost 20-12 and now not only need to beat the San Diego Chargers in next week’s regular season finale at Arrowhead Stadium to get into the playoffs. They also are dependent on the kindness of strangers in the form of the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and, perhaps, New England Patriots. Those are the respective opponents of the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills. A win by any of those teams knocks the Chiefs from playoff contention even if they beat the Chargers next weekend. The Chiefs wouldn’t need a Buffalo defeat if the Bills lost their late game on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders. “It completely changes things, for sure,’’ said quarterback Alex Smith, acknowledging the 8-7 Chiefs now need help to get into the postseason. “We’ve got a lot of character inside our locker room and I don’t think it will impact our preparation and how we go about things this week.’’ The Chiefs are in this uncomfortable predicament because they could muster little offense beyond the four field goals from rookie Cairo Santos. Kansas City had been a good team at scoring touchdowns while inside the opponents’ 20. It was second in the league heading into Sunday’s game at 67.5 percent. The Chiefs were prevented from scoring a touchdown for the first time in their two seasons with Andy Reid as coach and Smith as quarterback. The Steelers choked them off all four times inside the red zone. It was yet another symptom of an offense that needs plenty more punch. Longer term, the Chiefs need to address their shortcoming of playmakers through free agency and the draft. But it’s too late for the Chiefs to do anything this season. Having a hapless offense endangers the Chiefs’ chances of merely doing their part to make the playoffs and beating San Diego next week. The Chargers statistically don’t have one of the NFL’s best offensive teams but they were good enough Saturday night with their playoff hopes on the line to put up 38 points and beat the San Francisco 49ers. The Chargers, like the Chiefs, need to win next weekend in order to make the playoffs. So they will, no doubt, empty their bag of offensive tricks next Sunday knowing if they can get the score beyond a certain point, the Chiefs won’t be able to keep pace. And what if the Chiefs do get into the playoffs? It seems ridiculous to suggest the Chiefs would be able to keep up with a scoring opponent like the Steelers or Colts. The shame of it all is that the Chiefs’ defense did its part to limit Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh offense. For the most part, the defense held up its end of things this season. The Chiefs on Sunday, and their season from the looks of things, were crushed by the weight of balky offense.
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