Andy Reid's Week 1 Record Will Be Put to the Test on Thursday Night

While Patrick Mahomes understandably receives most of the plaudits, Andy Reid is a key part of the Kansas City Chiefs' recent success. The head coach possesses an elite offensive mind, and he's been a key part of the culture change at Arrowhead Stadium. Also, it doesn't hurt that he has a reputation for pulling out top-notch game plans when given the chance.

Over the years, Reid's success after a bye week has become the stuff of legends: If Big Red has extra time to strategize, you're going to regret it. But what about Week 1 of the NFL season? Doesn't the coach, at least in theory, have all summer to prepare?

Let's take a deeper look at the numbers and consider what unique challenges Reid and the Chiefs will be facing during the 2023 NFL opener.

Reid Has a Strong Record During Week 1

As noted above, the Kansas City Chiefs bench boss is renowned for his success after bye weeks. As of a January post from Arrowhead Pride, Reid was 27-4 when he had extra preparation time. The run to the Super Bowl LVII title added two more wins to that record, thanks to victories in the Divisional Round and the big game itself.

"That's the trick to it," he explained. "[It's] the balance: how the players utilize their free time—and coaches, for that matter. We've got to make sure that we keep on top of the scheme stuff, too.

"We'll see how all that works out—but yeah, I'll tell you that's the trick to it: to keep the balance to where the players stay sharp and coaches still can add a couple things into [the guys'] mix and go from there," he said.

And while games bye weeks receive most of the hype, Big Red has also found plenty of success during the opening week of each NFL season.

A Cleveland.com post from May 2021 listed his Week 1 record as 15-8, and the Chiefs kicked off the 2022 campaign with a win, bringing that total to 16-8. Things look even better when you confine your scope to Reid's time in KC. With the Chiefs, he's 9-1 in season openers and hasn't dropped to 0-1 since 2014.

Reid's Game Plan Will Be Put to the Test

A regular-season opener isn't a perfect parallel to coming off a bye week—not only is the other team in the same schedule-based boat, but organizations are still trying to finalize depth charts and get everyone up to speed ahead of the contest. But there is one key similarity between the two situations. Having a free weekend before the game theoretically gives Reid and his staff extra time to cook up a game plan.

And while there's no way to know what will be on the play sheet when the Chiefs host the Lions on Thursday night, it will have to be something special.

As you've probably heard, Chris Jones has been holding out and is yet to join up with the team. That wouldn't directly affect Reid's scheme—Steve Spagnuolo is the defensive coordinator—but it will place some extra pressure on Big Red. If KC surrenders more points than usual, the offense will have to pick up the slack.

That represents a challenge, but it's something that can be planned for. Reid could prioritize ball control, keeping the Lions off the field, or be more aggressive, knowing his defense will need as large of a cushion as possible. On Tuesday, though, there was another twist in the tale.

Travis Kelce, the Chiefs' top offensive weapon behind Mahomes, hurt his knee in practice. He's been listed as questionable for the season opener, and even if he plays, it will be reasonable to think he'll be short of his best.

The late change—the tight end got hurt a little over 48 hours ahead of kickoff—will put a bit more pressure on Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. Kelce is more than just a talented tight end; he's Mahomes' number-one target and someone capable of creating space for the rest of the receiving corps. Replacing his presence will take plenty of creativity. You can't simply plug backup Noah Gray in and call it a night.

If there's any coach you'd back to handle that challenge, though, it's Andy Reid. And if he can pull out another Week 1 win, that will only further emphasize how great his football mind truly is.