Andy Reid, Chiefs Not Taking Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger Lightly: ‘We Need Our A-Game’
The Steelers are certain that they are facing one of the best teams in the NFL. The Chiefs, a team that Keith Butler aptly referred to as “maybe the best team we’ve seen,” are a scary matchup for the Steelers.
While the Steelers are certainly getting ready for perhaps the challenge of the season, the Chiefs also know the type of team they are facing with the Steelers.
When it comes to the Steelers, Andy Reid and the Chiefs know the Steelers are a team that has to win ugly. In other words, they drag teams down to the mud with them in order to win. Just like they did against the Titans, that means that the Chiefs will have to come out and play clean, precise football.
“They’re a good football team.,” Reid said. “They do a lot of different things offensively and defensively, and likewise special teams. You’ve got to be on your A-game with them. You saw what they did this past weekend with Tennessee, so we’ve got to cover everything and then we’ve got to make sure we do what our guys do best and get out and play. That’s how we roll. But they’re a heck of a team.”
In particular, for Reid, who has seen everything in his years of coaching in the NFL, there is no underestimating the Steelers’ future Hall of Fame quarterback. Ben Roethlisberger has faced the Chiefs and Reid multiple times over his long, storied career. Even with Roethlisberger likely winding down his career, there is no overlooking him for the veteran head coach.
“Ben is one of the best to ever do it,” Reid said. “We’ve got to be prepared for playing one of the best ever. That’s how we approach it. That’s how we have to approach it.”
Whether Reid and the Chiefs can overcome some COVID-19 problems to defeat the upstart Steelers and Roethlisberger will be a contentious debate. However, missing potentially Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill could be huge blows to the Chiefs. Still, if they are missing, Reid says the Chiefs are prepared.
“We’ve gone through this for two years now, so anything is possible, and we get it,” Reid said. “The next guy has got to be ready to go. They’ve given us opportunities to replace people with the number of practice squad and elevations, and this and that. So, we just go next man up and roll and hope those guys get better.”
As the Steelers prepare to head to Kansas City in a few days’ time, they will be facing issues of their own. Pat Freiermuth is going through the concussion protocol. However, five defensive linemen are either injured or on the COVID-19 list for Pittsburgh. No matter what happens this week, it is anything but a normal one for both teams.
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