Let's be real for a second. If you’re asking who did kc lose to 2024, you’re probably either a die-hard member of the Kingdom trying to relive the rare moments of frustration or a rival fan looking for a blueprint on how to actually beat Patrick Mahomes. It feels like they never lose. Honestly, sometimes it feels like the refs or a lucky bounce just hands them the game in the final two minutes.
But they did lose.
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The 2024 season was weird. It wasn't the dominant offensive explosion we saw back in the Tyreek Hill era. It was gritty. It was defensive. It was often ugly. The Kansas City Chiefs spent a massive chunk of the year flirted with an undefeated record, which made the games they actually dropped feel like national holidays for the rest of the NFL.
The Buffalo Bills Problem: Josh Allen’s Statement
If you want to know the primary answer to who did kc lose to 2024, you have to start in Orchard Park. On November 17, 2024, the Buffalo Bills didn't just win; they exerted a kind of physical dominance that most teams are too scared to try against Andy Reid.
The score was 30-21.
It broke a nine-game winning streak. Kansas City walked into Highmark Stadium at 9-0, looking like they might actually pull off the 1972 Dolphins' champagne-popping nightmare. But Josh Allen had other plans. That game was a heavyweight fight. People always talk about "Mahomes Magic," but in this specific matchup, it was Allen who pulled the rabbit out of the hat with a 26-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-2 that basically iced the game.
It wasn't just a loss. It was a stylistic shift.
The Bills defense, led by Sean McDermott, figured out that if you play "shell" coverage but actually hit Travis Kelce at the line of scrimmage, the timing of the entire Chiefs' offense gets wonky. Mahomes finished that game with three touchdowns but also two interceptions. You don't see him throw multiple picks in winning efforts very often. The Bills proved that the Chiefs were human. They showed that if you score 30, Kansas City’s 2024 roster—which was heavily reliant on Steve Spagnuolo’s defense—might not have the vertical firepower to keep up.
Why the Raiders Loss in Late 2023 Still Confuses the 2024 Conversation
Check the calendar.
A lot of people searching for who did kc lose to 2024 are actually thinking about the Christmas Day massacre against the Las Vegas Raiders. Now, technically, that was the 2023 season, but it happened in late December 2023 and early January 2024 (the playoffs). If we are talking about the calendar year 2024, the Chiefs' loss to the Raiders on December 25, 2023, is the shadow that hung over the start of their January 2024 run.
That game was hideous.
The Raiders didn't even complete a pass after the first quarter. Think about that. Aidan O'Connell was basically a spectator for three quarters, and the Raiders still won 20-14. Why? Because the Chiefs' offense gave up two defensive touchdowns in a matter of seconds. Bilal Nichols and Jack Jones turned the GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium into a library.
This matters because it defined the "KC can be beat" narrative that carried into the 2024 calendar year. It forced Mahomes to admit the offense was "broken." It led to the benching of certain players and a complete overhaul of how they protected the ball. When people ask who they lost to in 2024, they are often looking for the moment the "invincibility" faded, and that Raiders game—while technically the previous season's schedule—was the catalyst for the version of the team we saw in the actual 2024 season.
The Loss That Didn't Happen: The Bengals Near-Miss
To understand the losses, you have to understand the wins that felt like losses.
In September 2024, the Cincinnati Bengals had the Chiefs dead to rights. Joe Burrow was dealing. The Chiefs looked sluggish. If not for a pass interference call on a 4th-and-16, the answer to who did kc lose to 2024 would have included Cincinnati much earlier in the year.
The reason the Bills' loss was so significant is that it finally "stuck." Usually, KC finds a way to wiggle out of the trap. Against Buffalo, the trap snapped shut.
The Personnel Factor: Who Was Missing?
You can't talk about a loss without talking about the "Why."
In the 2024 matchups where KC struggled, the lack of a consistent WR1 was glaring. Rashee Rice’s injury situation was a massive cloud over the team. Hollywood Brown was supposed to be the deep threat, but his injury in the preseason changed the entire math of the field.
When they lost to Buffalo, they were essentially playing with a "revolving door" at the receiver position.
- Xavier Worthy: Fast, but still learning the nuances of the NFL route tree.
- Justin Watson: Reliable, but not a guy who scares a defensive coordinator.
- Travis Kelce: Seeing double and triple teams because there was no one else to respect.
The Bills capitalized on this by crowding the "underneath" routes. They dared Mahomes to throw deep to guys he didn't fully trust yet. It worked.
The Statistical Reality of the 2024 Defeats
When KC loses, it usually follows a very specific script.
First, they lose the turnover battle. In the 2024 loss to the Bills, Mahomes’ interceptions were killers. Second, they struggle in the Red Zone. During the 2024 season, the Chiefs had one of the lower touchdown conversion rates in the league when getting inside the 20-yard line. They settled for Harrison Butker field goals.
Butker is amazing. He’s a weapon. But you don't beat elite teams like the Bills or the 2024 version of the Ravens or Lions by kicking threes.
Third, the run game disappears. Isiah Pacheco's health was a major storyline throughout 2024. When he was out, the Chiefs became one-dimensional. Without the threat of a violent run game, opposing defensive ends like Greg Rousseau could just pin their ears back and rush Mahomes without fear of a draw play or a screen pass burning them.
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Historical Context: Is 2024 Different?
Compared to the 2021 or 2022 seasons, the 2024 losses felt more "earned."
In the past, KC would lose because they were bored. They’d drop a game to a random underdog because they were trying too many "cute" plays—behind-the-back passes or triple-option stuff that didn't need to happen. In 2024, the losses were because teams finally caught up to the defensive scheme.
Spagnuolo’s "blitz from anywhere" philosophy is brilliant, but it’s taxing. By the time they hit the mid-season mark of 2024, offensive coordinators had figured out the protection slides to pick up the nickel blitz.
How to Use This Information for Betting or Fantasy
If you’re looking at the who did kc lose to 2024 data to inform your future picks, look at the common denominator: Mobile QBs and physical Press-Man coverage.
The teams that beat or nearly beat KC in 2024 all had quarterbacks who could extend plays. It wasn't just about the arm. It was about the legs. Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson (who they faced in the opener), and even the threat of a guy like Anthony Richardson later in the year forced the Chiefs to play more "contain" defense, which isn't their natural aggressive state.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Chiefs
- Watch the Injury Report for the Secondary: The Chiefs' losses in 2024 were often tied to their ability (or inability) to play man-to-man coverage. If their top corners are banged up, they are vulnerable to the deep ball.
- The 24-Point Threshold: Since 2024, the "magic number" to beat Kansas City has hovered around 24. If an opponent can't get to 24 points, they almost never beat Mahomes. Their defense is too good to allow a 17-14 upset most weeks.
- The Kelce "Decoy" Factor: In games where the Chiefs lost or struggled in 2024, look at Kelce’s targets in the first half. If he’s not involved early, the offense stalls.
Ultimately, the 2024 season showed that the "Three-Peat" journey was never going to be a cakewalk. The loss to the Bills was a necessary wake-up call. It reminded the locker room that while they are the kings of the AFC, the throne is getting crowded.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the mid-week practice reports. The Chiefs are a team that plays "down" to their competition and "up" to their rivals. Their losses aren't usually a sign of a collapse, but rather a sign of a team that is experimenting with its limits. If you want to see them lose again, look for a team with a top-10 defensive line and a quarterback who isn't afraid to run into the teeth of a blitz. That was the recipe in 2024, and it remains the only way to topple the giant.