Looking Back: A History of the Chiefs in the Playoffs, Part 3
Andy Reid arrives, and the Chiefs finally get a playoff win
Last week, I took a look at the origins of the Kansas City Chiefs’ and dove into their postseason successes in the early parts of the franchise history. The team found some early success with a Super Bowl IV win, but ultimately found themselves missing the playoffs more than they made it, and not coming up with wins in the big moments. As the early 2010’s came to a close, the Chiefs were sitting with an 8-14 postseason record.
Today, we continue that journey into the 2010’s with the hiring of Andy Reid, the Alex Smith era, and a playoff win! Without further ado, keep this series rolling!
Andy Reid and John Dorsey: Return to Relevance in the 2010’s
After one of the most tumultuous years in Chiefs’ franchise history, owner Clark Hunt took the opportunity to clean house within the organization. After removing Todd Haley/Romeo Crennel and Scott Pioli, he needed the next head coach and general manager pairing to be in sync to bring the franchise to its winning ways. After a down year in Philadelphia, the Eagles had fired Andy Reid following the 2013 season. Hunt saw his opportunity and made one of the best decisions in the history of the team, landing Reid in Kansas City with John Dorsey being added as general manager shortly thereafter. The move paid immediate dividends, with the Chiefs winning their first nine games of the 2013 season and qualifying for the postseason.
While the regular season success was a positive after years of not finding ways to win, unfortunately the postseason success was still lacking. After dropping five of their last seven games, the Chiefs would hold the #5 seed with a matchup against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts on the horizon. Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, and running back Jamaal Charles were the key offensive components heading into the matchup, but Charles was knocked out of the game on the opening drive. Even without him, the Chiefs moved the ball well – with a highlight reel 79-yard touchdown bomb from Smith to Avery. After a strong defensive performance featuring a Justin Houston fumble recovery and a Brandon Flowers interception – and continued offensive dominance – the Chiefs found themselves up at the half 31-10, looking at potentially their first playoff win in 20 years.