PITTSBURGH — Last Saturday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid tried to accomplish two tasks. He woke up early that morning and drove to the Chiefs’ training facility like always. But Saturday was different because the Chiefs’ schedule required a different type of workday. Reid spent a few hours watching film of the Pittsburgh Steelers just hours before the Chiefs hosted the Houston Texans.
The reason? Facing an unprecedented stretch of three games in 11 days, the Chiefs needed to maximize their time to stay ahead of their opponents.
“That’s part of what you’ve got to do,” Reid said Monday. “The coaches did a good job of spending some time before our game looking at (the Steelers).”
Five hours later, the Chiefs were victorious in their game against the Texans, another one-score win on the scoreboard. In Reid’s postgame news conference, a TV reporter asked him a reasonable question: Is three games in 11 days too much?
“Ah, that’s a tough question,” said Reid, who needed a few seconds to find a diplomatic answer instead of criticizing the league. “I’ll let you figure it out there — or you can pay my (fine).”
GO DEEPER
Happy holiday for Chiefs, who wrap up AFC’s No. 1 seed with dominant win in Pittsburgh
One hour later, Reid was back at the Chiefs’ training facility continuing his film study of the Steelers.
“I stayed for a while,” Reid said Monday with a grin.
A future Hall of Famer in his 26th season as an NFL head coach, Reid knew two weeks ago that he needed to set a model example for his coaches and players. And the Chiefs responded accordingly. One reason their celebration was so joyous on Wednesday after their dominating victory over the Steelers was that they had aced this test in their late-season schedule.
The Chiefs, the NFL’s back-to-back champion, swept their three-game series, two of which were on the road. The final two opponents, the Texans and the Steelers, had each clinched a playoff spot before facing the Chiefs. The other three AFC teams with three games in 11 days — the Steelers, Texans and Ravens — all had their bye week at least three weeks after the Chiefs.
“The Steelers were in the same boat,” safety Justin Reid said. “It was just about being a professional. Coach Reid and his staff did a great job taking care of us, taking some of the load off of our legs, so that when it was time to play we could play fast. We give it back to (the coaches) by the way that we play.”
REID REELS IT IN 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VsFTIaI0NZ
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 25, 2024
Although Andy Reid is known for his offensive innovations, he is also an old-school coach. Players usually don’t play unless they practice during the week leading up to the game. Training camp under Reid is one of the league’s most grueling for players. Even during the season, Reid wants to use and maximize every minute of practice time the Chiefs are allowed by the league.
But since Dec. 11, when the Chiefs had their first practice before facing the Cleveland Browns, Reid held shorter practices than usual. Justin Reid explained that even the tempo between reps was much slower, all designed to help the players recover between games.
“It was tough, mentally, physically, especially these past two days, traveling here and figuring out what (the Steelers) are doing and who’s playing and all the injuries,” cornerback Trent McDuffie said after Wednesday’s game. “Three games in 11 days is crazy for anybody, but I thought we handled it very well. We struck together. Nobody held their heads down. Nobody said this is hard or complained. It was just, ‘Let’s go out there and win.’”
Several members of the organization knew Andy Reid didn’t like the league’s decision to schedule three games in 11 days. The league did it to set up a Christmas Day doubleheader on Netflix.
The overarching message Reid delivered to his players to motivate them in what he considered a disadvantageous situation was one he’s used at particular moments in the past: OK, let’s show them we’ll be ready to play anytime and anywhere, at a CVS parking lot or on the road on Christmas Day.
“There’s only one way you beat a challenge: You take it head on, man,” tight end Travis Kelce said after Wednesday’s game. “I have a lot of love for Coach Reid and the way he’s challenged us throughout the last three games. We don’t get 15 wins without the leadership of that guy. It’s a lot to do with Coach Reid and his ability to get us right.”
While still in the pants to his Santa Claus costume, which he wore to surprise his players after the Chiefs earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the postseason, Reid praised his assistant coaches for their diligent work, especially offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.
“He put this thing together on a short week,” Reid said. “Now that’s a tough thing to do. Those (assistant coaches), when they had free time, which wasn’t a lot, they made sure they got a solid game plan, as did (defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) with his crew of coaches.”
The Chiefs’ results against the Steelers were striking. Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who played through a right high ankle sprain, the offense generated 389 yards. Even without pass rusher Chris Jones, who missed the game with a strained calf, the defense held the Steelers to 10 points, helping the Chiefs to a season-best 19-point margin of victory.
X MARKS THE SPOT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JAy3uLYgIT
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 25, 2024
The Chiefs scored their first touchdown with a quicker-than-usual tempo after breaking their huddle. Amid confusion in the Steelers’ secondary, Mahomes found rookie receiver Xavier Worthy in the flat, the completion taking just two seconds on the 7-yard score.
That theme continued for the offense. Mahomes finished with the fastest average time to throw — 2.34 seconds — of his eight-year career, according to TruMedia. He completed 20 of his 24 passes under 2.5 seconds for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Speedy receivers Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown combined to produce 12 receptions for 125 yards.
“Every time Hollywood catches the ball, it’s just a burst of energy because we’ve missed that guy a lot,” Kelce said of Brown, who was out most of the season with injuries. Kelce later added: “I was watching him in practice when he first got back and I was like, ‘That’s it! That’s the guy! We miss that guy!’ It’s been fun having him. He’s a guy that fuels you throughout the week.”
GO DEEPER
Netflix has up-and-down first foray into NFL broadcasting after early glitch
With fewer practice reps, many Chiefs players shared that they increased parts of their routines — extra sleep, more care with their nutrition, extra time in the training room and more film study.
One veteran who devoured additional film study was Joe Thuney, the All-Pro left guard who began his switch to left tackle at the start of the Chiefs’ truncated stretch. Starting in place of D.J. Humphries, who is recovering from a left hamstring injury, Thuney faced one-on-one matchups against pass rushers such as Myles Garrett (Browns), Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter (Texans) and T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith (Steelers). Thuney didn’t surrender a sack in any of the three games. In fact, Mahomes has been sacked just once since Thuney switched to left tackle and Mike Caliendo became the left guard.
“It’s late in the season, so there’s only so much you can do, but everyone sticks together and leans on each other,” Thuney said. “It’s great. Three games in 11 days, I barely know who we’re playing anymore at this point.”
The Chiefs defense manufactured 10 takeaways in the three games, all while Spagnuolo employed a larger-than-usual rotation in the secondary.
Rookie safety Jaden Hicks grabbed two interceptions after second-year safety Chamarri Conner sustained a concussion in the win over the Browns. At one cornerback spot, Spagnuolo had Joshua Williams, Nazeeh Johnson and Keith Taylor all play snaps. Early in the fourth quarter against the Steelers, McDuffie switched to the nickel position after undrafted rookie cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace experienced cramps. McDuffie then stripped the ball away from tight end Pat Freiermuth. Linebacker Nick Bolton recovered, setting up the Chiefs’ final touchdown.
“When I was going for the tackle, I already knew I was going for the ball,” McDuffie said. “I kind of gave up (ground) like I was going to hit him and I went for the ball.”
McDuffie peanut punch 🥊#KCvsPIT on @Netflix pic.twitter.com/rbh99HpLs4
— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2024
A few feet from McDuffie’s locker Wednesday was linebacker Drue Tranquill, who played 150 snaps in the three games. Once again, a TV reporter asked Tranquill a reasonable question: Would you recommend the league do this again?
“No,” Tranquill said. “No. It’s a physically demanding sport. We all know that. It was emotionally taxing, the travel element. Yeah, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
The reporter, knowing Tranquill and many of the Chiefs’ starters can now sit in Week 18 ahead of their first-round playoff bye, then asked, “How much are you looking forward to that rest?”
Tranquill smiled before he answered.
“Very much.”
(Photo of Xavier Worthy: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)
