KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Coach Andy Reid of the Chiefs expressed his views regarding the conclusion of his team’s unbeaten run with unwavering clarity.
“I don’t really care about all that crap,” Reid stated on Monday, a day after the Bills secured a 30-21 victory over Kansas City, marking a significant end to the Chiefs’ impressive 15-game winning streak from the previous season.
“I focus on what lies ahead,” he continued, emphasizing his approach to preparing the team for upcoming matches. “I expect my players to adopt the same mindset. Thus, I don’t pay much attention to their discussions on past records; it doesn’t concern me.”
Despite the recent loss, the Chiefs (9-1) find themselves still leading in the AFC. They retain the best record and remain in contention for the No. 1 playoff seed and the solitary first-round bye. The loss only altered their lead, shrinking it to a half-game above Buffalo (9-2), with the added note that they don’t possess the tiebreaker advantage over one of their typical postseason contenders.
As for the aspirations of maintaining an undefeated streak, quarterback Patrick Mahomes mirrored Reid’s sentiments following the setback.
“I can’t say we were too relaxed. But I do think we were winning close games repeatedly,” Mahomes noted. “This might motivate us to enhance our urgency, especially on the offensive side.”
He expressed optimism that this loss could serve as a catalyst for them to elevate their performance during the remainder of the season and into the playoffs.
The Chiefs’ potential to improve is bolstered by the anticipated return of two key players. Running back Isiah Pacheco, who has been out since Week 2 due to an ankle injury, and Charles Omenihu, who is yet to play this season following surgery for a torn ACL sustained last season, have both returned to practice and may be ready to take the field as early as Sunday against Carolina.
“You have to dig deep; these losses should sting,” Reid remarked. “A lot of hard work goes into preparing for these games. As coaches and players, we need to engage earnestly and avoid the mindset of things being ‘just fine.’ Self-reflection is essential.”
In terms of what is functioning effectively, the Chiefs’ passing game continues to show improvement, even with Mahomes throwing two interceptions against the Bills. The involvement of DeAndre Hopkins in the offensive scheme is becoming more prominent. However, Mahomes requires more time to locate open receivers downfield, particularly against deep coverages.
On the flip side, the offensive line faced challenges against the Bills, particularly at the left tackle position, struggling against the formidable Von Miller and his teammates.
In terms of player performances, Chamarri Conner shone with seven tackles and an interception, proving to be a solid addition to the defensive backfield, although consistency remains key for him as he substitutes for the injured Jaylen Watson.
Conversely, while the defensive line effectively contained the Bills’ running game, they struggled to sack quarterback Josh Allen. This ongoing difficulty in pressuring the quarterback has been a recurring theme, as the Chiefs only have a total of 19 sacks, ranking towards the bottom in the league.
Injury news includes defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who sustained a hand injury towards the end of the game against the Bills but continued to play. His snaps may be affected by Omenihu’s potential return to health for this week’s game against Carolina.
A noteworthy statistic from this past game is that the 30 points scored by Buffalo represented the highest tally allowed by the Chiefs since they lost to Tampa Bay 41-31 on October 2, 2022.
Going forward, the Chiefs are set to face the Panthers on Sunday, with an 11-point favorite standing in their favor according to BetMGM.