The Kansas City Chiefs are kicking off their 2026 campaign with a major headache: Left tackle Josh Simmons is sidelined for Monday night’s game against the Denver Broncos because of lingering back issues. He’s one of their most indispensable players, and how head coach Andy Reid plans to replace him has everyone scratching their heads.
The Game’s Shifting, Is Reid Stuck?
Look, nobody’s trying to diminish Andy Reid. The guy is a legend. He’s the second-best coach of this generation, easily a top-5 coach of all time, and he’s probably going to end up as one of the three winningest coaches in NFL history. Canton, Ohio, is basically waiting for him. His past? Unimpeachable. But what about right now? That’s where things get murky. The Chiefs’ scoring offense has been sliding hard, finishing 15th, then 15th, then 21st over the last three seasons. Their passing game in terms of net yards per attempt? That’s dropped from 13th to 21st to 24th in that same span. This is a far cry from the previous six seasons when they were consistently top six in scoring and top nine in passing. What happened? The league changed. Defenses got way more sophisticated. Run-pass options aren’t cutting it anymore, old-school West Coast concepts are outdated, and trying to win without a run game is a death wish. Basically, the rest of the NFL figured out how to shut down the Chiefs’ offense. And for the last few years, Kansas City just hasn’t adapted. An elite defense and an all-time great quarterback got them to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2023 and 2024, but by 2025, the dam finally broke. So, is Reid still ahead of the curve, or has the game simply passed him by?
A Wild O-Line Plan for Week 1
Now, back to Josh Simmons. His absence is a problem, but the Chiefs’ solution is the real head-scratcher. Reid floated the idea earlier this week that undrafted rookie free agent Kahlil Benson is set to start at left tackle, with Jaylon Moore moving to the right side. Wait, what? Benson played his entire college career on the right side of the line. Moore, meanwhile, has taken most of his NFL starts on the *left* side. It feels like a totally baffling move, almost like they’re putting square pegs in round holes. Of course, the Chiefs have more information than we do, right? Maybe Reid is planning to go all-in on the running game, and he genuinely believes Benson is the best fit there.
This Monday night game against the Denver Broncos isn’t just Week 1. It’s the first massive test for Andy Reid and this Chiefs team. Can they adapt? Or will 2026 be another year where they struggle to find their offensive identity? It’s going to tell us a ton about their season and about Reid’s place in the modern game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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