Chiefs vs. Cardinals: Lessons learned from dominant Week 1 victory
By Matt Conner
Preparation is everything
On the surface, it looked like a fun summer camp sort of story when the Chiefs were giving safety Justin Reid some kicking opportunities in the preseason. Reid was a fresh face as a free agent signing in the wake of Tyrann Mathieu’s exit and, at the very least, it seemed to endear him to fans and local media members by showing some personality as he talked about wanting to be good at the discipline.
Fast forward to the first week of the season and the Chiefs are already depending on Reid’s newfound kicking skill. Early in the game, kicker Harrison Butker was forced to leave on a medical cart in the first quarter after slipping on a kickoff and apparently suffering a foot injury. From there, the Chiefs stopped the Cardinals and Clyde Edwards-Helaire scored on a short touchdown pass.
When time came for the next extra point attempt, Butker was back in the locker room. Instead of punter Tommy Townsend, who you might expect to be the backup, the Chiefs went with Reid without hesitation and he nailed it. He then followed that up with a booming attempt on the ensuing kickoff.
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The extra practice reps given to Reid ended as much more than some preseason fun. It was actually further preparation for a team that looks to have answers for every possible question, and the detail-oriented nature of this coaching staff came up big in Week 1.