Andy Reid says the Chiefs aren’t looking past the Dolphins

Andy Reid says the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t looking past any team at this stage, and that includes the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

If you ask Andy Reid, there’s no trap game here. The Miami Dolphins are simply the next opponent in a string of them that stand between the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL playoffs. Everything remains as “urgent” as ever for Reid and that’s the message he’s sending to his players.

Over the last two weeks, much has been made of the AFC West showdown games that pitted the Chiefs against the Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers in consecutive contests that almost seem staged from the beginning. One week, all three teams were tied atop the standings in the AFC West with four games to go. For the Chiefs to face them both back-to-back was a bit of fortunate scheduling, but two straight wins have not only put K.C. back in the divisional driver’s seat, but they also have their swagger back.

Given the drama and discussion around the last two weeks, it’s understandable if the Chiefs don’t feel quite the level of worry when it comes to the Dolphins game in Week 16, but Andy Reid doesn’t see it that way. When asked by reporters on Wednesday about the tone he’s bringing to the team this week, it was clear he knows that nothing is certain just yet.

"I think there’s got to be an urgency from everybody, I believe. So that’s what I felt coming in, when the players came in here yesterday, so I feel it today. But there has to be an urgency all the way around – you aren’t guaranteed of anything. So every game becomes the most important game. If it wasn’t before it surely is now. We put ourselves in this position, so we have to make sure we stay focused and that’s how I look at it. I can’t speak for anybody, but I mean I’ve felt that the last couple of days."

The Chiefs only need a single win over one of their last two opponents, the other being the Denver Broncos in Week 17 on the road. Perhaps it’s too easy to think the Chiefs will automatically win one of those two games given their record and talent level clearly eclipse that of either team. After all, Reid and company also likely never really thought they’d ever lose to the New York Giants or Jets (or Buffalo Bills or…).

This season has definitely taught the Chiefs a serious lesson about coasting. In the process they’ve lost any sort of bye week in the postseason as well as the chance to play throughout January at Arrowhead. In response, however, they might have found their sense of urgency which might prove to be all they need at this point in the season.