HOUSTON, TX – DECEMBER 18: Coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs takes on the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neal/Getty Images)
The Kansas City Chiefs may have the worst special teams unit in the entire league. It’s been a headache for fans all season, and it could cost them in the postseason.
As it currently stands, Kansas City holds the #2 seed in the AFC Playoffs. Under the new format, they will not receive a first-round bye, but will host Wild Card Team No. 7.
It’s not a bad party, because any underdog coming to Arrowhead Stadium is going to be put to the test quite a bit. Rarely do Patrick Mahomes & Co. lose in the first round of the playoffs. However, they rarely have such a glaring weakness that it can come back to bite them.
Whoever the chiefs return kicks to – be it Sky Moore, Mekol Hardman or even Toni Cadarius – they can’t seem to hold on to the ball. It happened again on Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
What’s wrong with the Kansas City Chiefs special teams?
In theory, the players Kansas City has hired as their chief punt return specialist are dangerous with the ball in their hands. However, Moore did not have much experience returning punts. Hardman and Tony are suffering, though, and they shouldn’t suffer from the same bumbling plague.
At some point, the special teams coordinator has to take the blame. Def Top He’s a veteran player, but anytime fans notice special teams, it’s rarely a good thing. This season, it’s cost them games against the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals — losses that could come back to haunt them. One look at the ranking—they have the same record as the No. 1-ranked Buffalo Bills—and that’ll confirm it.
Turnovers will forever haunt the chiefs, because the only opponent who can stop the KC is, one might say, themselves.
