Chiefs: Life After the Bills

Laddie Morse

When the Chiefs have finished with the Bills in Buffalo, their remaining schedule gets easier. At least for a couple of weeks. Having said that, no game in the NFL is easy. However, the combined record of all the teams the Chiefs have faced thus far is: 42-and-45. That’s right, K.C.’s opponents have lost more than the’ve won in the first half of the season. In the last half of the season, the teams they are set to face currently have a record of: 31-and-35… so far. Again, the teams the Chiefs will face have lost more games than they’ve won, currently, during the last half of the season. The teams the Chiefs have faced so far have a .482 winning percentage while the teams the Chiefs will face have a .469 winning percentage.

So, why has this season seemed so difficult? The answer is… every team they’ve faced were gunning for them and each of those games was like a Super Bowl contest for that opponent. I guess they figured that if they beat the Chiefs, they could win a Super Bowl. It hasn’t worked so far.

The question is, will that change in the last half of the season? While you wouldn’t expect it to, so many of these teams are out of the running to make the playoffs so that’s a story in itself. The reality is, only three teams the Chiefs have faced, and will face… are currently expecting to not make the playoffs.

The teams I’m referring to are: the 4-6 Bengals, the 3-and-7 Saints, the 2-and7 Raiders and the 4-and-6 Bucs from the first half of the season. Then the: 3-and-7 Panthers, the 2-and-7 Raiders, and the 2-and-7 Browns. Yes, I’m counting the 5-and-5 Broncos as a team that might make the playoffs.

First of all, here’s Andy Reid on the Chiefs newest member, kicker Spencer Shrader (3:06):

Before we dive into the new placekicker for the Chiefs, we need to recognize the greatness that has been Harrison Butker.

Harrison Butker’s records:

“Harrison Butker holds several records, including:

Most field goals in a season

• Butker made 38 field goals in 2017, which is the most in a single season in franchise history. 

Most points by a rookie

• Butker scored 142 points in his rookie season of 2017, which was the most points by a kicker in a single season in franchise history at the time. 

Longest field goal

• Butker kicked a 62-yard field goal against the Bills in 2022, which is the longest field goal in franchise history. 

Most field goals in the Super Bowl

• Butker has made more field goals in the Super Bowl than any other kicker in history. He’s also won three Super Bowls, making him a three-time Super Bowl champion. 

Career field goal percentage

• Butker’s career field goal percentage is 89.1%.”

Butker has had an operation on his left knee (non-kicking knee). IOW, his planting leg. In the meantime, the Chiefs have signed Spencer Shrader off of the Jets practice squad to replace Butker while he’s gone.

The Chiefs new place kicker is Spencer Shrader, who may have the longest neck I’ve ever seen.

Here’s some info on Spencer Shrader including some highlights:

(3:02)

Why bring up Spencer Shrader? Because he’s likely to be the Chiefs Place Kicker for more tha nthe next four weeks. Although, reports say that Harrison Butker is set to return in a month.

What do you think?

Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne