KANSAS CITY, Mo. – If recent history is any guide, the Kansas City Chiefs could be in some trouble in Friday night’s game against the Tennessee Titans at Arrowhead Stadium.
It’s the third game of the preseason and the most important since the starters for both teams will play longer than in any of the others. Coach Andy Reid said the Chiefs starters would play into the third quarter.
The Chiefs haven’t fared particularly well in either of their two previous third preseason games under Reid. Last year, the Chiefs were dismal in a 30-12 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The Chiefs trailed 10-5 at halftime and their only touchdown came long after the starters departed on a Tyler Bray to Albert Wilson touchdown pass with 25 seconds left in the game. The Vikings, playing without a still-eligible Adrian Peterson, rushed for almost 150 yards.
The Chiefs won in overtime in their third preseason game in 2013 but they had to rally to do it. After falling behind the Pittsburgh Steelers 10-0 in the first quarter, the Chiefs tied the game 10-10 at half and eventually won in the extra period on Chase Daniel’s touchdown pass to Rico Richardson.
Success, or lack of it, in the third preseason doesn’t necessarily correlate to that in the regular season. The Chiefs, after losing their first two games last season, rallied to win seven of their next eight.
In 2013, they were the NFL’s last undefeated team in the regular season before finally losing in their 10th game.