There are a few different automatic headlines that Chiefs fans can point to going into each season. A lot of those include the confidence that comes with having Andy Reid as head coach. But as always, the success that Reid has had in his career after a bye week is among the most talked about.
Not only is Coach Reid successful after the bye week, he is the best of all time in that regard. In the regular season, Reid holds a 22-4 mark after the bye during his head coaching career. He was an astounding 13-1 during his time as the Philadelphia Eagles' head coach. Now in Kansas City, he enters Sunday with a 9-3 record as the Chiefs' head coach after the bye.
Via Elias Sports Bureau, Reid has the best regular-season winning percentage (.846) in contests following the bye week. That includes head coaches who have coached a minimum of 10 games following a bye week in their career. John Harbaugh (.833) and Mike Tomlin (.789) are the others in the top three of that list.
Post-bye week success could determine AFC West race
The Chiefs will always look to work on their greatest areas of improvement and regroup during the bye week. But currently, getting another win after a bye week is critical to the rest of Kansas City’s season.
They are 5-4 coming back from the scheduled week off. A trip to face the division rival Denver Broncos awaits. This will be the first of two meetings this season between Kansas City and Denver. And right now, the Broncos sit atop the AFC West at 8-2. The Chiefs sit two-and-a-half games back of the Broncos going into Sunday.
Not to mention, the Los Angeles Chargers are 7-3 and only a game behind Denver. The Chiefs are also the first team on the outside looking in, as the AFC playoff picture stands right now.
Chiefs need to get back in the win column
Everybody knows how massive this game is for future implications. The division race is still at stake. Kansas City does not want to worsen its playoff hopes any further. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have also not won in Denver since 2022. The Broncos have won two straight home games over Kansas City. Granted, the win for Denver last year came against the Chiefs’ backups with a playoff spot already locked up.
For the fans who do not remember, though, K.C. once had a 16-game winning streak over the Broncos under Reid. Denver has now won two of the last three in the rivalry. If not for Leo Chenal’s blocked field goal in Kansas City last year, the Broncos could easily be going into Sunday with three straight wins over the Chiefs.
The Chiefs are looking to get back into a playoff spot. Kansas City is looking to get back to winning ways in the Mile High City. Additionally, the Chiefs are hoping that they still have a shot to win a 10th consecutive AFC West title by the end of this season. Can the magic of Reid after a bye help get them back closer to that position after Sunday?