Patrick Mahomes: If we handle business, we can find a way to win this division

Entering Week 11, the Chiefs are 5-4.

After their bye, they are currently behind both the Chargers (7-3) and the Broncos (8-2) in the AFC West.

Plus, with the club’s Week 5 loss to Jacksonville, Kansas City is currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the AFC playoff picture.

The Chiefs have won nine consecutive AFC West titles under head coach Andy Reid — a streak that started two years before Patrick Mahomes took over as starting quarterback.

That’s likely part of why Mahomes still feels like recapturing the top spot in the division is still possible.

“That’s always our first goal,” Mahomes said of winning the AFC West. “It’s like the first goal we have that coach Reid puts up, is win the division, and we understand that it’s always a challenge and you have to go up against really good football teams that are scouting you all year long. We’ve been really good at that over these last seven, eight, nine years — whatever it is. We got to continue to get better and better.

“We have a lot of division games in front of us. If we can go out there and handle business and do what I think we can do, we can find a way to win this division. Everything is out in front of us, we just have to go out there with the right mindset.”

That starts with playing the first-place Broncos in Denver this weekend, a team Mahomes has beaten 13 times in 14 tries.

“I think you understand that this game is important,” Mahomes said. “That’s the biggest thing, it’s a divisional game and they’re always important, but with them having the lead and us needing to go out there and win to have a chance to win the division, I think guys understand that.

“But at the same time, all we can do is have a great day today. We’re going to have a great week of practice, put that together and then go out there and play our best football. I think if we play our best football, we can win against anybody, so we have to go out there with that mindset of let’s play our best football this weekend.”

That’s particularly because the consequences of losing on Sunday could be significant.

“Obviously, if you lose this game, with them having the tiebreaker and, what would that be, four games ahead of us? It’d be tough to go back and get that one,” Mahomes said. “All you can do is just handle this week, that’s all you can really worry about. We still play a lot of great football teams, but like I said, I feel like if we play our best, we can beat anybody.”

In his 14 career games against the Broncos, Mahomes has completed 66.53 percent of his throws for 3,771 yards with 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He’s also rushed for 196 yards with two TDs.

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