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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs stand as the NFL's last unbeaten team, moving to 4-0 following their 29-20 win over the Washington Redskins Monday night, fueled by yet another fourth-quarter rally. Head coach Andy Reid said that's the identify of his team, a mix of veteran leaders who have seen almost everything and confident young players who have quickly earned the trust of their brethren.
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"They'll battle you," Reid said Tuesday. "And that's a nice thing to have, one of those intangible things that you appreciate it. They trust each other enough to think they're always in the game."
The Chiefs lead the NFL with 54 points in the fourth quarter, accounting for 44 percent of their offensive points. The team ranks tied for seventh in fourth-quarter scoring defense, allowing just 13 points this season.
Kansas City's scoring margin is a mere five points through the third quarter of games this season. Yet, they outscore their opponents by 41 points in the fourth quarter.
Rooking running back Kareem Hunt leads the Chiefs in their fourth-quarter surge. He leads the NFL with 501 rushing yards through the first four weeks of the season. Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley ranks second with 362 yards. Hunt has 372 yards rushing in the second half of games alone.
He did it again Monday night, rushing for 77 yards on 16 carries in the second half, including seven rushes for 40 yards in the fourth quarter.
"Up front, those guys stuck with it and kept on pushing," Hunt said. "I just got better as the game went on. My reads got better and I just started running a little bit harder."
The Chiefs have also proven effective at adjustments as the game progresses. Reid says offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, assistant head coach Brad Childress and himself pick and choose plays each week designed to cover every eventuality.
"We've been fortunate we've been able to do that," Reid explained. "That's what we attempt to do. If something isn't looking too good, maybe you go a different direction. One of the neat things about this offense is that it's always been this way, this isn't something new, that you have flexibility within the offense and a lot of different choices."
Reid also believes his team's fourth-quarter success starts in the offseason with strong workouts leading into training camp and the preseason. But he also says his players' faith in each other also sustains their confidence no matter the situation heading into the final drives of the game.
"It's a mindset more than anything," Reid said. "They have confidence in each other and they figure things out and then kind of settle down and go."
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Linebacker Reggie Ragland received his first NFL regular-season start Monday night, playing 21 snaps (42 percent). The Chiefs acquired Ragland from Buffalo via trade in August. The second-year linebacker missed his rookie season last year with a torn ACL. Head coach Andy Reid said the team wanted to give Ragland an opportunity, saying he brings good leadership and a physical presence to the team's interior defense.
REPORT CARD VS. REDSKINS
--PASSING OFFENSE: B-minus -- Quarterback Alex Smith and his receiving corps turned in stellar performances, but the injury-decimated offensive line struggled protecting Smith through much of the game. Smith turned in another fine performance, completing 27 of 37 passes for 293 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Travis Kelce caught seven passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, and Albert Wilson made several key grabs among his four receptions for 63 yards. But the offensive line surrendered four sacks and eight quarterback hits, not to mention the six times pressure forced Smith out of the pocket and numerous other times poor protection hurried his throws. Injured offensive linemen Mitch Morse and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif can't get back quick enough for the Chiefs offense.
--RUSHING OFFENSE: B-plus -- Rookie Kareem Hunt, the NFL's leading rusher, again topped the 100-yard mark thanks to a strong second half. Hunt carried 16 times for 77 yards in the second half. The team rushed for 168 yards, thanks to quarterback Smith chipping in 56 yards on seven carries. The Chiefs continue struggling to establish much of a running game in the first half, which would help ease the burden on Smith and the team's pass protection.
--PASS DEFENSE: B -- Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins bolted out to a quick start, completing 5 of 8 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown on his first two drives of the game. The Chiefs pass defense tightened up after that rough start, holding Cousins to just 141 yards on 9-of-16 passing the remaining three quarters. The Redskins offensive line frequently provided Cousins time to throw, but the Chiefs secondary largely held him in check, leading to the quarterback bolting from the pocket frequently late in the game. The biggest surprise of the night came on the success of Cousins throwing at All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters, who surrendered two touchdown passes.
--RUSH DEFENSE: B-plus -- Washington looked strong on the ground out of the gate early behind running back Rob Kelley, but the running game faltered in his absence. The Chiefs held Redskins' running backs to 20 carries for 73 yards, with only 18 of those yards coming in the second half. Cousins scrambled seven times for 38 yards to lead the team in rushing and make the bottom line appear better than it was for Washington.
--SPECIAL TEAMS: A-minus -- The Chiefs return game was mediocre at best and punter Dustin Colquitt struggled with a mere 28.3 net punting average. But rookie kicker Harrison Butker saved the special teams unit across the board. He put all six kickoffs through the end zone or deep enough for touchbacks. But it was his second-half performance that saved the Chiefs. Butker, making his NFL debut on Monday Night Football, connected on three second-half field goals, including the game-winning 43-yarder with four seconds remaining in the game. It was a clutch performance from the 22-year-old, who started the week on the practice squad of the Carolina Panthers.
--COACHING: A-minus -- Head coach Andy Reid pushed all the right buttons again in the second half, with both offensive and defensive units making adjustments countering Washington's early success. Kansas City's offense struggled early, especially following the injury to right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. But the offensive line eventually found a rhythm, and Reid's game plan worked to perfection down the stretch. The defense stiffened as well, aside from a few breakdowns in the passing game.
