Chiefs Still Focused On Playoffs, But The Path Is Different
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After losing another game to the Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves on three-game losing skid.
What started off as a 9-0 undefeated season now feels completely different. Three divisional losses puts Kansas City at 9-3 and behind Denver for the division title.
Though winning the AFC West is still a possibility, it would take a collapse from Denver and a turnaround from the Chiefs.
More likely now is getting into the playoffs through the Wildcard, and that’s something that Chiefs’ quarterback Alex Smith discussed after the game.
“I mean I certainly don’t think we were set on anything to begin with, I guess, but to answer your question, certainly that’s what we were shooting for, win the division,” Smith said. “That’s the first way to punch your ticket to the playoffs, but certainly we are in a position to go another direction. Not to say that we still can’t win the division, there still are a lot of games left. Those things are out of our control at this point,” he explained.
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“We have to focus in on what we have to do and that is to win ball games. There certainly are two other ways to get into the playoffs with the wildcard spots. We’re sitting pretty good with that.”
As of right now, Kansas City currently sits in the No. 5 seed which is the first Wildcard spot in the AFC.
What is head coach Andy Reid’s perspective during this three-game losing skid?
“I mentioned to the team that this isn’t college football,” he said. “This isn’t the end of the season. It’s not the national championship game that you’re playing, it’s two good football teams playing each other.”
“We came up short, and now it’s important that we get ourselves back and ready to go and finish the season like we’re capable of doing,” Reid said. “I know our guys, coaches and players, will do that.”
And how does Kansas City move forward from this slump? “You take one game at a time and get yourself right and ready to play,” the head coach explained.
The Chiefs’ remaining schedule features Washington, Oakland, Indianapolis and San Diego.