Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs will stick with Andy Reid and Alex Smith

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:25 p.m. ET

Fansided, Andrew Jones/FanSided via Arrowhead Addict

Andy Reid and Alex Smith are expected to stick around in Kansas City for at least one more year. The Chiefs may not have much of a choice.

The outrage is still simmering despite a full seven days since the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. It marked the third time in twenty years that the Chiefs were a two seed or higher and lost in Arrowhead Stadium. Fans had every right to be upset as a prolific Steelers’ offense was held to 6 field goals in the loss. It was heartbreaking to witness a listless offense struggle to put up points despite so many weapons.

So the blame game began and most of it centered around head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Alex Smith. Rational writers and fans pointed out that the failures landed across the entire team. Yet many have grown impatient with winning in the regular season and they want drastic change. They want to win in the playoffs. Therefore by either firing the head coach or the starting quarterback, the fans believe the championships will come.

The precedent is there. The Denver Broncos fired a proven head coach in John Fox after he had gone to a Super Bowl and won the AFC West four straight times. The next year with a new head coach and a system that did not fit their quarterback, they won the championship. The New England Patriots found one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in the seventh round of the draft. When they lost their starting quarterback in the middle of the season Tom Brady became legend.

Dec 18, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid looks on during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Arrowhead Stadium. The Titans won 19-17. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Chiefs don’t exactly have the same situation as those other two teams. Gary Kubiak was available to the Broncos and the connection with Elway was there. I would argue that the success was less about Kubiak and more about Wade Philips. The system didn’t fit Peyton Manning and the offense struggled if the running game wasn’t on point. The defense found ways to win games.

Tom Brady had a lot of help from his head coach and a solid defense. Not to mention a certain fumble that was called an incomplete pass. Physically speaking, the immobile and skinny Brady had no business being the best ever. But mentally he expects greatness of himself and of his teammates. He doesn’t let poor performances get to him and his confidence in himself and his team is unmatched.

The Chiefs this year do not have that connection with any of the possible head coaching candidates. Also they have a history of trading for their quarterback of the future rather than drafting one. Colin Cowherd is of the opinion that the Chiefs should mortgage their future for Jimmy Garoppolo, repeating the same old pattern. Others believe that Tyrod Taylor may be a better fit than Alex Smith. That may be true, but we’ll never know.

Dec 18, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt poses with tailgaters in the parking lot before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Andy Reid is 43-21 during the regular season with Kansas City. That record is just one game behind the best 4 year record in Chiefs’ history since a 16 game season was put in place. The coach who has Reid by one game is Marty Schottenheimer. I was too young to read all the talk about Marty then. There also wasn’t this mass information machine back then and I lived in another state. I would imagine though that after that ’95 season there were a lot of people calling for his head. Yet Lamar Hunt stuck with him until Schottenheimer resigned after the ’98 season.

Due to Schottenheimer’s success, the Chiefs filled Arrowhead Stadium each season in the ’90s. They became one of the more popular teams across the midwest and set a tradition of support in Kansas City that would last up to the Cassel/Crennel/Pioli debacle. Those were dark days and Clark Hunt is not about to abandon four straight winning seasons. He’s not much of a risk taker.

As far as the quarterback goes, Reid has a lot to say about personnel in Kansas City. He believes in his guy. I wrote several weeks ago about why Smith will likely never win a championship. Everyone I read and listen to honestly believes that it is possible. However, there has to be something else that takes the pressure off of him. Week 12 at Denver is the one instance where I believe it was Smith who went out and won the game. Even then, he still needed help during the first half from the defense and special teams.

Nov 27, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) looks to pass in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Chiefs can make some improvements that will, in the right circumstances, win some playoff games. First, Bob Sutton’s scheme against Pittsburgh was terrible. I know why people aren’t pointing this out. Sutton has done some great things in Kansas City and his defense is always one of the top scoring units in the league. But why is your most confident defensive player not following the offenses best receiver? Marcus Peters is good and he is confident enough to match-up with a number one pass catcher. Yet he stays on one side of the field.

Two plays in particular that could have won a game for Kansas City had linebacker Justin Houston as the nearest player to Antonio Brown. No matter what way you look at it, it’s a mismatch. When in the zone the Chiefs also seemed to forget about the tight end in the middle of the field. I understand that they didn’t have the personnel to stop Le’Veon Bell but a better scheme could have produced some punts.

I think that the Chiefs have someone on their staff that would take a good defense and make it great. Emmitt Thomas is a hall of fame cornerback who knows how to play against great quarterbacks. His experience and fire would bring an edge back to Kansas City that is invaluable in the playoffs.

At quarterback the Chiefs need to look to the draft. Nick Foles is far too expensive to keep as a backup and Tyler Bray just needs to be cut loose. Right now, Bleacher Report has their most recent mock draft out. They have the Chiefs just two spots away from who I think is their best fit at quarterback. I believe that is close enough to trade up to 24 and grab Patrick Mahomes. He needs some help with his footwork but a year behind Smith to develop in a low pressure, west coast system would be perfect for him.

Most don’t think the Chiefs will go after a guy in the first round. Some have the Chiefs taking tight end O.J. Howard or CB Gareon Conley. Both good picks. However, I believe that if the Chiefs don’t take a risk on a first round quarterback then we are meant to play the one-and-done game forever.

Lastly the guard position must be addressed in the draft or free agency. The Chiefs’ current starters are fine stop gaps but Smith needs a solid run game to be successful. The last quarter of the season showed that the offensive line just wasn’t creating the holes. Parker Ehinger should resume his role and continue to play at an above average level. The other side will need a similar style of guard to allow both sides of the field to be worked.

We have a little over seven months to obsess over every little change the Chiefs make or don’t make. September will tell what might be, but January will firmly decide the fate of Andy Reid and Alex Smith.