The Kansas City Chiefs won't have much time to think about Sunday's 19-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers as they prepare for Thursday's showdown with the division-rival Oakland Raiders, who lost on a last-second field goal to the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday afternoon.
Despite the short week, the Raiders will be ready to play as they stand with a 2-4 record in a season they felt good about before it began.
After the game on Sunday, Chiefs' coach Andy Reid spoke about the loss to the Steelers and what the team needs to do moving forward.
"We started a little too slow and we can't do that," Reid explained. "That's my responsibility to make sure we come out as a football team and play better than that in the first half. The one thing that we saw was the grit of this team. That will carry us through the rest of the season.
"We finished the second half better, but again we can do better. All phases can do better."
The Chiefs had just six yards of total offense in the first half, while Steelers' running back Le'Veon Bell carried it 17 times for 99 yards and a touchdown in the game's first 30 minutes.
"They were the tougher team today," Chiefs' linebacker Derrick Johnson added. "We knew the mindset before the game. We knew it. They were not afraid of us. They beat us twice last year. Regardless of what happened with them and the Jags, hat off to them. They were a tough team today and it will light a fire under our whole team going forward.
"This is one loss. We don't want to make it bigger than it is."
Heading into the game, the Steelers had won five of the last six against the Chiefs and were coming off a bad loss to the Jaguars last week.
"We have a target on our back, everybody is going to give us their best shot," Chiefs' rookie running back Kareem Hunt added.
Hunt finished with just nine carries for 21 yards but led the Chiefs with five receptions for 89 yards. It was his sixth-straight game with at least 100 yards from scrimmage, which is an NFL record.
After the rest of Sunday's games around the league were completed, the Chiefs still remain the only team in the AFC with at least five wins. The Philadelphia Eagles, whose only loss is to the Chiefs, are the only other NFL team with at least five wins right now.
"There is one team in the history of the NFL to go undefeated and win the Super Bowl," Chiefs' linebacker Frank Zombo said. "It's very hard to do. Our goal is still there—this not the playoffs. We still have a lot ahead of us."
The Chiefs will practice for the next two days before leaving for California Wednesday afternoon.
"It's a short turn around," Reid explained of Thursday's game. "Right back on it tomorrow, so you have to heal up fast and use all of the technology that we have, take care of yourselves, rest and get ready for Monday and Tuesday and you're flying on Wednesday. That's part of the game you're dealt."
The Chiefs have a few key injuries that will be monitored through the week with running back Charcandrick West, who was being evaluated for a concussion after a hit Sunday afternoon, and receiver Tyreek Hill, who was also being evaluated for a concussion after a hit on a punt return late in the game.
A few other players to watch for the next couple of days heading into the game against the Raiders are center Mitch Morse, right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, and receiver Albert Wilson.
The Chiefs have won 12-straight games against the AFC West, including a 7-1 mark against the Raiders under Andy Reid since 2013. The Chiefs have also won nine-straight road games, which ties a franchise record going back 50 years (1966-67).
"I think the positive is we get a short week to bounce back, get this taste out of our mouth," Chiefs' quarterback Alex Smith explained after the game. "There's a positive from it."
"It's Thursday Night Football," Chiefs' All-Pro cornerback and Oakland native Marcus Peters added. "Whenever we get to play football, we will be ready to go for sure."
