The Kansas City Chiefs stepped onto the field on Sunday to play an almost must-win game, but a defeat handed the team its fourth loss in five games during an already tense playoff race. Post-game, fans raised questions about the Chiefs’ failed fourth-down calls. But head coach Andy Reid doesn’t want to dwell on these mistakes, which cost the matchup.

“I thought it was the right thing to do then,” he said, via sports reporter Matt Foster. “This is terrible to say in a situation like this because we didn’t win, and we didn’t get that, but I would probably do that same thing again.”

In his X post, Foster shared Reid’s stance and explanation of his 4th-down choices, which defined the game. The head coach said the Chiefs went for it because they truly believed they had the right play. Here’s a look at the moment that put Andy Reid under fire. In the Week 14 matchup, the coach made a bold call with just ten minutes remaining in the game, and the score was locked at 10-10, but things didn’t go their way as they fell 20-10 to the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium

He kept the offense on the field for a fourth-and-1 at its own 31-yard line and didn’t give the handoff to running back Kareem Hunt. Instead, he leaned on quarterback Patrick Mahomes to make a play from the shotgun, but it failed. Mahomes tried to hit wide receiver Rashee Rice over the middle, but the pass was incomplete, giving the Texans a chance.  

“I thought the risk-reward was right for that time,” Reid admitted. “It slapped me in the face, though, so it didn’t go that way.”

The Texans soon capitalized on the failed attempt and scored to take a momentum-shifting lead of 17-10. Backing his decision, Andy Reid explained that sometimes you have to trust your gut in such moments. The Chiefs have been strong in short-yardage situations, giving him another reason to go for it. With Hollywood Brown in the mix, Reid thought they were in the perfect position to convert. 

The Week 14 loss has put the Chiefs’ playoff hopes on life support, with all games now needing to go their way, in addition to receiving a little help from other teams.

The playoff picture looks bleak for Andy Reid’s team

The Week 14 loss pushed the Chiefs further behind in the divisional race. This year, the team’s splendid run of nine straight AFC West titles looks like it will collapse as the Broncos sit atop. Currently, the franchise sits five wins behind the Denver Broncos with only four games remaining. It mathematically ends any chance of reclaiming the division crown this season. 

Their playoff situation isn’t any kinder. After losing to the Texans, the Chiefs’ chances of entering the postseason fell to only about 15%. Their next game is against the Los Angeles Chargers, and things are practically do-or-die at the moment. If the Chiefs drop again, it will shut the door on any realistic playoff hopes. 

The Chiefs rank ninth in the AFC standings and are far behind the wild-card contenders such as the Buffalo Bills, Texans, and Chargers. The only team they hold a tiebreaker over is the Baltimore Ravens (6-7). With so many teams leading and little time left in the season, the road to the playoffs looks almost impossible. The Chiefs need to win every game, along with outside help, to keep their postseason dreams alive.

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