Chiefs coach Andy Reid displayed a defiant attitude in the face of his team’s diminished playoff hopes, following the Thanksgiving Day loss against the Dallas Cowboys and other unfavorable results. The current AFC champions, with a 6-6 record and five games remaining, need help to return to the postseason, even if they win all their games. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday relegated Kansas City to tenth place in the AFC playoff standings, due in part to a disappointing 3-4 record against the rest of the conference. According to the metrics, the Chiefs have approximately a one-in-three chance of playing in the postseason.
The Chiefs, third in the AFC West, are preparing to play against the Houston Texans on Sunday night and are almost eliminated in their quest for a tenth consecutive divisional title. Now, their focus is on extending a playoff streak that dates back to the 2015 season. The last time Kansas City had a 6-6 record was in 2017, and they won their last four games to earn a wild card spot.If they come for me, we’re coming for you in every game, that’s how we play. We’re going to give it our all in every play, in every game. That’s the attitude we’re going to have, and then we’ll let things happen.
Andy Reid
The biggest challenges the Chiefs are facing right now are of their own making. They have been hurt by penalties and mental errors for much of the season, including their 31-28 loss to the Cowboys, when a series of penalties in the final quarter prevented them from having the opportunity to achieve a comeback victory. Kansas City has allowed the fifth-most penalty yards in the NFL this season.Every season is different. This is a sport of challenges. That’s what it is. It’s probably a microcosm of life as you see it. There are always challenges. 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.
Andy Reid
Reid also didn’t want to make excuses for the Chiefs’ pressure, which has only produced 22 sacks this season, a total that is better than only five other teams. Or for a defense that has produced 11 turnovers, a total better than that of three other teams.We have to make sure we take care of the penalties, keep working on our fundamentals and techniques. I’m not saying I agree with all of them, or half of them [against Dallas]. But they happened. We’re not going to use that as an excuse.
Andy Reid
You’re one or two plays away, and that’s what this game is about. You look at our season, we’re one or two plays away, and we take care of that, whether it’s a penalty at a crucial moment, a possible fumble somewhere, or having the opportunity to create a fumble, we’re in a position that if we can solve those two, three plays, we turn this around.
Andy Reid
