Steelers vs. Chiefs: Andy Reid refuses to blame injury for loss

The Kansas City Chiefs are watching several injuries pile up, but Andy Reid refuses to blame the Chiefs loss to the Steelers on his team’s health.

Parker Ehinger. Mitch Morse. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. The Kansas City Chiefs are still missing each and every one of their likely starters along the interior offensive line, a significant loss that makes it difficult to get anything (and everything) moving up front. Yet head coach Andy Reid refused to point to the laundry list of injuries—a list that goes far beyond just those three starters—for the reason why the Chiefs lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Reid was quick to accept much of the blame himself, especially his playcalling that led to such a slow start for the team’s offense. That said, it’s hard not to notice that the Chiefs have been moving forward week after week against some of the best defenses in the game with very little depth and a line filled with reserves along the starting front. Still Reid simply said that’s what guys are supposed to do—step up and play when they get a chance.

"“There have been a few, but the next guys step up and they do a good job. We had some guys come in and do okay. That’s what we expect and then those guys when they get healthy they’ll be back and we’ll roll with them. The guys that are in we expect them to play and to play well and win the game.”"

Starting center Mitch Morse has been out since Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles with a foot sprain. Parker Ehinger has yet to play this season after tearing his ACL last November. He’s been practicing in recent days and weeks, along with Morse, but neither player appears ready to step in. Duvernay Tardif went down with a knee injury in Week 5 versus Washington but he’s yet to return to practice. No timeline is known in LDT’s case at right guard, which means Cameron Erving might remain the starter there for a bit, depending on what Ehinger does when he’s ready to play.

It’s uncertain whether or not the Chiefs will get any of the aforementioned players back in time for Week 7 since they face the Oakland Raiders on Thursday Night Football in a very short week.