Chiefs’ Andy Reid eyes red zone, run balance after 5th straight one-score loss
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Five straight one-score losses amplify scrutiny of Reid's play-calling, run-pass balance.
- Red-zone inefficiency cost touchdowns; Chiefs managed one TD on four trips Sunday.
- Offensive balance leaned pass-heavy; Hunt logged 13 carries despite short-yardage chances.
Entering the season, the Kansas City Chiefs had won 17 consecutive one-score games, an NFL record. With their 22-19 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, the Chiefs have now dropped five straight in those situations.
A reversal that dramatic has made every snap and decision feel magnified. After Sunday’s loss, head coach Andy Reid ended his postgame press conference with a familiar notion — that he needs to put his players in better position.
On Monday’s Zoom call, Reid stopped short of naming a single mistake, instead framing it as something he constantly evaluates.
“Listen, you always feel that — sometimes even when you win a game, you (might say), ‘Yeah, I could’ve done better there,’ right?” Reid said. “There are plays you’d like back. But I’m always looking (at) what I could’ve done better to give the guys a chance to be successful. Or, during the week, what do we do? How do we set it up going in? I look at that. I don’t think I can pick out a specific area, but I already mentioned the red zone; those are areas where we’ve got to score points.”
The Chiefs scored just one touchdown in four red-zone trips against the Broncos.
Getting away from the run
Another area of scrutiny has been Kansas City’s perceived unwillingness to consistently run the football, which has limited the team’s run-pass balance. Sunday’s loss saw multiple instances in which the Chiefs would have benefitted from leaning on Kareem Hunt, but didn’t.
Kansas City faced third-and-3 or less five times in the game, opting to pass on four of the five instances. On their lone run call in that down and distance — a third-and-1 from the 2-yard line — Hunt punched it in for a 2-yard touchdown.
Later, as the Chiefs protected a 19-16 lead and faced third-and-2 with under seven minutes left, Hunt wasn’t even on the field. Instead, Brashard Smith lined up next to Mahomes in the shotgun.
Aside from the Chiefs’ blowout of the Raiders, Smith hasn’t registered more than four carries in a game all season, making a handoff unlikely. Smith broke off on a wheel route, and Mahomes targeted him with a pass that had little chance, and it fell incomplete.
By game’s end, Mahomes had thrown 45 passes. Hunt finished with 13 carries for 59 yards, or 4.5 yards per carry.
“We’re calling quite a few RPOs,” Reid said. “(Sunday), they were giving us opportunities to throw the football, so we utilized the opportunities there. Those things end up being as good as a run — we’re getting 4-plus yards and you go with it. But the runs are being called; sometimes they just get turned into passes in today’s world.
“That’s how it goes, but we’re getting them in. Now, we have some hard runs where you just line up and go — probably could call more of those.”
