What I REID Into It

October 16, 2021

Entering week six of the 2021 season the Kansas City Chiefs have already lost more games than they did all of 2020. The Chiefs recorded a franchise best 14-2 mark last season to win the AFC West Division by a six-game margin. Following a Sunday night nationally televised home game that saw the Chiefs lose to Buffalo 38-20 the team could use some good news.

That good news could be on its way as soon as this week thanks to the Chiefs return to playing teams from the NFC East. The Chiefs, 2-3, venture east to play the Washington Football Team who also enter at 2-3. Earlier this season the Chiefs played in Philadelphia and beat the Eagles 42-30. Eventually the Chiefs will play the entire NFC East Division this season. The division is not nearly as good so far in 2021 as the AFC West the Chiefs division where all the teams last week had a .500 mark or better. Going into games this week only the Dallas Cowboys are above .500 in the NFC East.

The Chiefs have a history of doing well against Washington with an all-time record of 9-1. All 10 meetings came before Washington changed their name to its current WFT. The last meeting was pre-Patrick Mahomes as the Alex Smith led Chiefs in 2017 won 29-20 thanks to Harrison Butker’s field goals. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid used to coach against Washington twice a year when he served as Philadelphia Eagles head coach. Reid enjoys a 19-11 mark against Washington.

While the history between the two teams may be all Chiefs the current edition of this series may not be easy. Washington enjoys the play of second year DE Chase Young and the team’s offense is being led by QB Taylor Heinicke. Heinicke has sparked the offense since taking over as the starter. Many die hard football fans may recall Heinicke once played for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL.

The first five games of the 2021 season has seen the Chiefs play Cleveland, Baltimore and Buffalo all three teams expected to contend for the AFC title. The Chiefs went 1-2 against those three and completed the tough stretch of games at 2-3. The schedule eases up for the Chiefs the rest of October but to have success the team will have to do it with some missing parts. DE Chris Jones is still missing practice due to a wrist injury and starting RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire was put on the IR this week with a knee injury. Helaire will miss at least three weeks. In his place the Chiefs will depend on Darrel Williams for help on their ground game.

Washington has given up 30 or more points in 4 of their 5 games and last week the defense gave up big plays on a 71 yard and a 49 yard touchdown pass. They gave up 43 points to the Bills who scored 38 last week against the Chiefs. The Chiefs could use a little time away from the AFC and time away from the primetime lights and they get it this week with a trip to Washington. When the trip is over the Chiefs will be celebrating a return to the win column and owning a 3-3 record. That’s What I REID Into It for this week.