Assailing Andy Reid
4. The fake punt call.
Trailing 20-3 late in the third quarter, Kansas City was facing a 4th-and-5 situation from their own 40-yard line. The window of opportunity was closing quickly as the fourth quarter approached so going for it on fourth down made sense. The playcall, however, did not. Cyrus Gray took a direct snap up the middle and came one yard shy of the five needed to convert. That play reeked of desperation. Despite a lack of success, the Chiefs’ offense still presented the best chance of extending the drive.
This came at a critical point in the game where a scoring drive probably keeps the Chiefs in the contest heading into the fourth quarter. Instead, that decision coupled with a Daniel Sorensen offside penalty, lead to another Succop field goal. Punting the football on fourth down was another favorable alternative in that situation. Colquitt’s one of the best punters in the league at dropping the ball inside the opponents’ 10-yard line. Giving the ball back and taking your chances defensively was safer, but Reid opted to gamble and paint the Chiefs into an even smaller corner.
5. Starting Mike McGlynn at left guard.
Donald Stephenson’s four-game suspension forced the Chiefs to shuffle their offensive line pieces. With a few veteran players in the fold, it appeared to be a simple proposition. Kansas City brought former Colts guard Mike McGlynn in at the end of August. He’s serviceable depth, but I’m not sure anyone could’ve predicted he’d be starting in place of Jeff Allen in Week 1.
Frankly put, McGlynn isn’t very good. While in Indianapolis, he lost his starting job to teammate Jeff Linkenbach. His contract with the Colts expired and he went on to Washington before later being cut. Linkenbach appeared to be the ideal replacement for Allen in the event that he was moved to right tackle. Reid also had the option of leaving Allen at left guard and replacing Stephenson with Ryan Harris (a player who’d previously logged starts in both Denver and Houston). He chose McGlynn and the results were disastrous.
By my count, McGlynn surrendered a total of four pressures (including one sack). He also negated the potential for positive yardage on a few run plays by getting destroyed at the point-of-attack. He’s the most experienced player along the Chiefs’ offensive line, but he offers less to this football team than his younger cohorts. If Allen is left to play at right tackle, Jeff Linkenbach or Eric Kush should start in his place this week in Denver.
With a tougher schedule ahead, the Chiefs can’t afford these kinds of mistakes from their head coach. In addition to the items on my list, Reid’s squad also looked undisciplined, uninspired, and flat unprepared to play. Kansas City now has a paper-thin margin of error. Two regular starters are down for the count and a number of others won’t return from injury/suspension for several weeks. Reid has to make prudent decisions that put this team in the best possible position to win. He needs to rebound quickly. The Chiefs play arguably the toughest game on their schedule on Sunday in Denver.
What say you, Addicts? Did Andy Reid play a major role in Kansas City’s loss to Tennessee? Were there other blunders that I omitted from my list? Does every coach have one game a year where he’s prone to lapses in judgment? Use the comment section below to chime in. As always, we appreciate your readership and support.
Until next time, Addicts!