After the Chiefs' 24-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders on Thursday night, Chiefs coach Andy Reid had a day to think about the team's performance before he spoke with the media on Friday.
Reid said the Chiefs simply didn't take advantage of opportunities early in the game.
"We didn't take advantages of some opportunities early and it swung," Reid said of the momentum. "I know their record was 0-10, but it's evident when you turn on the tape and you study [the Raiders] that they've got some good football players.
"Against the best of teams, [the Raiders] were in it or ahead getting close into the third quarter, fourth quarter. You've got to stay on and execute. That's one area on both sides of the ball. We can do better at it. We didn't do a great job there."
The Raiders were only the second team in the last nine games to score more than 20 points against the Chiefs defense (San Francisco in Week 5).
Reid said that he can take some of the blame for the offense's early struggles, but that it's a coordinated effort between everyone involved.
"I've got to make sure on the opposite side that I dial up plays that will help us with that," Reid said of the slow start. "If you have an opportunity then we've got to execute when given the opportunity. So it hits all of us and defensively the same thing.
"There are things you can do as a coach with play calls and then the guys have to execute; we're all in it together that way. We weren't as well coordinated as we needed to be yesterday."
The Chiefs had their five-game win streak snapped with the loss on Thursday, but will host the division-leading Denver Broncos next Sunday night, which will be their second consecutive nationally televised game.
The Chiefs already hosted one nationally televised game earlier this season at Arrowhead Stadium against the New England Patriots, who have won six straight since losing to the Chiefs 41-14 back in Week 4.
Photos from the Chiefs Week 12 matchup against the Raiders
Because the Chiefs played on such short rest this past week, they'll have some extra time before the game next Sunday.
"The players will be back Monday," Reid said. "Then coaches, we're going to work a couple of days and then get some time off on Saturday."
Maybe the time off will be a good thing for the Chiefs, who have five more crucial games down the stretch as they are right in the thick of the playoff race.
"There are some definite things we can learn from this and make us a better team," Reid said of the loss to the Raiders. "We need to make sure we do that though."
