The Kansas City Chiefs‘ preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars was supposed to be a routine affair. Instead, it turned into a special teams nightmare that left fans scratching their heads and Coach Andy Reid reaching for the drawing board. The culprit? A confusing new kickoff rule and a moment of hesitation from wide receiver Mecole Hardman.

Late into the second quarter when the Jaguars were leading 18-10, Hardman received a kickoff at the 1-yard line after it had bounced out of the end zone. This was a mistake that Chiefs’ wide receiver Mecole Hardman would regret later. “My point of view was, if your feet were in the end zone, it would be a touchback,” he said at his post-game conference. “When the ball came back in the field, I felt like I needed to be in the end zone to down the ball.”

Initially, officials ruled it as a touchback but after reviewing it Jacksonville was given safety. These events caught Coach Reid off guard. “Normally when a ball goes in the end zone and you touch it there, then it’s a dead ball,” said Reid during his post-game press conference full of frustration. “We’ll get it cleared up and see what they come up with.”

However, the safety wasn’t the Chiefs’ only special teams hiccup. On Harrison Butker’s first kickoff attempt, Jacksonville’s Parker Washington managed to return it for 73 yards before being tackled from behind. Butker however saw some positivity: “Right now the kicks I’m doing are simple and easy. I had one where it bounced and rolled into the end zone, and that’s what you want. But it’s good for us to be tested.”

These blunders have made people focus on the Kansas City Special Teams Unit as they prepare for their season opener game against the Detroit Lions on September 26th. However, when asked about the play afterward, Hardman stated: “It’s a rule they’re going to have to figure out. I’m glad it happened in the preseason. A lot of teams can learn from it.”

Andy Reid’s strategic revival of the special teams

Mecole Hardman couldn’t have asked for a worse time to be in the Chiefs’ special teams mess. Back on the squad only this summer, the wideout has to fight for his position in the team. However, as Charles Goldman of A-to-Z Sports Kansas City pointed out back in June, “A short-lived reunion with the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII hero? It could happen.”

On one hand, Hardman’s status on the side is far from certain with rookie Nikko Remigio appearing to be emerging as a top option at kick returner. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub lauded Remigio’s performance which may indicate a new era dawning in this department. However, Nick Jacobs from KSHB41 argues that Hardman’s familiarity with the offense gives him an edge: “He knows the offense,” Jacobs said. “And I think that [Hardman] could fill in — if he needed to — for Brown or Worthy.”

Reid also spoke about several other aspects of his team’s performance and health after the game. “As far as the injuries go, Hollywood Brown has that same issue that Tyreek Hill had down here, actually—sternoclavicular post dislocation. They’ve taken him to the hospital to check him out, and they’re working on that as we speak,” he said. “They’ve taken him to hospital to check him out and they’re working on that as we speak.” He also praised some standout performances, noting, “Hicks and Steel played well, and you could see them stand out.”

If there’s one thing Andy Reid has proven over his illustrious career, he can adapt and overcome. When asked about the performance of higher draft picks in the game, Reid remained optimistic: “For the most part, they did a good job. Worthy got in there and had a few plays… Defensively, everyone got a lot of reps.”

All eyes will be on Reid and his staff during preparations for their clash against the Lions. Are we going to see an entirely different special teams playbook? Or will Reid make small adjustments aimed at improving this unit? That’s one thing for sure: in the high-risk NFL football where a game can be won or lost on a single special teams play, the Chiefs cannot replicate their display against Jacksonville. As the Godfather of special teams Bill Bates once proved, it is selfless acts of running down the field and covering kicks that often determine a team’s success.

The importance of special teams cannot be overstated. Ask Ray Guy, who was the first pure punter to make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Guy led the league in punting on three occasions and played his best game during a Super Bowl XVIII win proving that special teams are indeed game changers. Nonetheless, there are tough times ahead for Kansas City’s special teams; however, if history has been any guide then Andy Reid’s sides know how to get back up.

As they say in Kansas City “Let it Rip” – starting with getting the special teams back on track. This preseason stumble is viewed by Reid as a valuable learning experience for his players. “I liked what I saw. I’m not going to go back through all those guys, but there were positive things they can take from it. Some cases, they need to learn and clean up, but that’s what this is for. It’ll be good tape for them.”