KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a news conference Monday afternoon, Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid talked about the game against the Texans, and the lessons he tries to teach his still-undefeated 7-0 team.
“It’s a close group, even before the wins it was a close group,” Reid said.
“I think the more experiences you have together, especially when you work through kind of the tough times. Then you kind of balance out the good times where it’s not too high or too low. Then I think within that there’s a certain confidence that comes with going through those experiences together. Trust maybe even more than confidence, but trust in each other. I think its the same way between player and coach and I think there’s a confidence and trust that you go through together with time.”
On Sunday, the Houston Texans provided the Kansas City Chiefs with perhaps their best competition of the season, but the Chiefs prevailed Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium, beating the visitors from Texas by a final score of 17-16.
“You work your tail off to get down there. There’s a time and a place where — you go. You dial it up and you score. So you’ve got to have that. You’ve got to have that — right there,” said Reid. “We’re learning and we’re going to get better at that. The next time we get into that that opportunity in the game, we’re going to make sure we get six points out of that and not come up short.”
The Chiefs got first half touchdowns on runs from running back Jamaal Charles and quarterback Alex Smith, and led 14-10 at the intermission.
Neither team scored a second half touchdown, but it was the Chiefs ability to keep the Texans out of the end zone which provided the difference. Houston started rookie quarterback Case Keenum, who was getting his first professional start with regular quarterback Matt Schaub out and nursing an ankle injury.
Keenum threw for 271 yards and a touchdown, a 29 yard pass to rookie receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
Charles led the Chiefs with 86 yards rushing and 37 yards receiving. Alex Smith threw for 240 yards and had one pass intercepted.
“Every win is a great win in the National Football League, including this one. We are going to enjoy this one, said Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid. “All in all, it was a good tough win over a good football team,” he added.
Since the Super Bowl Era started in 1966, 31 teams in the NFL have started a season with a perfect 7-0 record. All 31 teams have made the NFL postseason.
Next week the Chiefs host the Cleveland Browns at 12 noon at Arrowhead Stadium before they play on the road for the first time in a month and travel to Buffalo.
A win in both games will mean the Chiefs would match the best start in franchise history of 9-0, a feat accomplished 10 years ago in 2003.
“I always tell the players you have to let your personality show a little bit. I wasn’t dancing really I was having fun. It was a big win,” Reid said of his post-game enthusiasm.
