Things got stale for Andy Reid after 14 seasons as the Eagles head coach.
Despite relatively consistent success there, the demanding Philadelphia fans wanted more. So Reid, the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL, was fired after last season and quickly snapped up by the Chiefs.
A 28-2 blowout win over the Jaguars in last Sunday’s season opener and Reid’s first game with Kansas City — the largest margin of victory for in an opening-day game in 50 years for the franchise — has Chiefs fans stoked about the possibilities under their new coach. Fans in Kansas City have been starved for the kind of consistent winning program Reid ran in Philadelphia, and the new guy in town might be the toast of the town before long.
Now the Chiefs are about to embark on a tour of games against NFC East opponents that will make the coach feel like he still is wearing green and coaching the Eagles, the team he commanded for 14 years while winning seven division titles.
First up for is Sunday’s game against the 1-0 Cowboys. That will be followed by Thursday’s emotionally charged homecoming game against the Eagles in Philadelphia. Reid and the Chiefs then will play the Giants on Sept. 29 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs don’t play the fourth member of the NFC East, the Redskins, until Dec. 8.
Reid compiled a 51-37 record in regular-season and postseason games against the Cowboys, Giants and Redskins while at Philadelphia. He was 17-12 against the Cowboys, 17-14 against the Giants and 17-11 against the Redskins.
Sunday marks Reid’s home debut in Kansas City, a place he always found difficult to bring the Eagles in to play, because Arrowhead Stadium is traditionally one of the loudest in the NFL.
“I’ve been on the other end of that,’’ he said this week, referring to the Arrowhead noise. “I’ve experienced that part of it and I’m excited to experience this part of it. I’d rather be on this end than the other end.”
The most significant new piece to the Chiefs’ new puzzle with Reid in charge is quarterback Alex Smith, the former 49er who is known for his efficient, low-mistake game. Smith threw two touchdown passes last week and did not turn the ball over.
Reid, Smith and the Chiefs, however, step up in class Sunday with a Dallas defense seven days removed from forcing six Giants turnovers in its opener.
Based on how bad the Jaguars are, it is difficult to gauge just how good the Chiefs, who have just two playoff appearances in the past 10 years, are under the coaching of Reid and quarterbacking of Smith. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett insisted he’s impressed.
“You watch that tape and they’re a good team,’’ Garrett said. “Obviously Andy Reid is an outstanding football coach. He’s put this program in place up in Kansas City. The colors are different, but we’ve gone against him a lot, and we have an immense amount of respect for him and what he’s done and the kind of program he’ll put together. It does not surprise me one bit he’s gone in there and had the success he had [last Sunday].’’