Chiefs: Andy Reid sends important message to players ahead of playoffs
The Kansas City Chiefs will be able to use one thing that most of the other playoff teams won't, and that is experience. Well, some teams in the playoffs have experience, but there aren't any that have more than the Chiefs. Since 2018, only one of the current playoff teams has won a Super Bowl […]
The Kansas City Chiefs will be able to use one thing that most of the other playoff teams won't, and that is experience. Well, some teams in the playoffs have experience, but there aren't any that have more than the Chiefs.
Since 2018, only one of the current playoff teams has won a Super Bowl since that time, other than the Chiefs, and that is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who beat the Chiefs in 2020.
There are two other teams that have been to Super Bowls since but didn't win them in the 49ers, who were beat by Kansas City, and the Bengals. But, there isn't one team in this playoff pool that has been to four straight championship games and two Super Bowls.
All in all though, they have more experience than any team in the AFC by a pretty wide margin, and that is all that matters until the Chiefs make the Super Bowl, if they make it.
The Chiefs have something they don't, and it really isn't close.
“Experience helps (but) it is single elimination, so everybody’s got to be sharp ‐ it’s not just Patrick (Mahomes) and we’ve all got to do our job and do it well, knowing what the result is," Andy Reid said. "It sure doesn’t hurt Pat to have the experience that he has.”
The Chiefs also have a special opportunity here. They have a chance to rest, and prepare for the second round of the playoffs, while every other team but the Eagles have to play and potentially get more injured, tired, etc.
But, this is a team that has been the one seed before, so they know how to handle that.
“I think the guys understand all that," Reid continued. "We had a meeting this morning – a team meeting this morning and we covered what we’re going to try to do (and) attempt going forward here with practices and meetings and all that. They’re well aware of it, and they understand the magnitude of where they sit right now and the opportunity that they have. It’s not a lot of teams playing right now, so it’s a great opportunity and you want to take full advantage of that, the best you can.”
No one thought the Chiefs would make it here, let alone be the number-one seed and not play in the first week of playoff football. Everyone thought they wouldn't play playoff football at all.
But, here we are. And you better believe Reid will have this group fired up. He is sending a message to his players that they better come ready to play. There is no messing up now. It's time they go and prove everyone wrong.
Featured Image Via Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
