Throwback Thursday: A look back at Chiefs’ lone loss to Washington

An absolutely crucial game for the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6, their tilt against Washington Football Team could be a make-or-break moment in their 2021 campaign. Sitting below .500 with a paltry 2-3 record, Sunday’s game against Washington will be their chance to get back on track after losing three of their last four contests.

Intrigue abounds from multiple angles with the Chiefs’ season in the balance, from Andy Reid facing one of his former assistants in Ron Rivera, to the rebuilt offensive line’s matchup against a stout Washington front four. There’s also a history between the teams that goes deeper than the blockbuster 2018 Alex Smith trade.

Kansas City has an all-time record of 9-1 against Washington, and they’ll look to earn their 10th win in their first game at FedEx Field since 2013. The lone blemish against Washington was a 27-12 loss in 1983 when Bill Kenney and Joe Theismann were under center for a mid-September clash that was as weird as they come. The Chiefs scored all 12 of their points in the game in the first half on the strength of four Nick Lowery field goals, including three in the second quarter. Kenney had 330 yards on 46 attempts for Kansas City but was held scoreless in the loss, throwing two interceptions. Kenney was also sacked five times in a defensive showcase for Washington that gave them the momentum needed to pull out the win.

Theismann was far from perfect in that particular game too, managing to avoid being sacked, but only completing just 12-of-27 passes for 153 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Washington’s second-half surge where they scored 27 unanswered points to put Kansas City away marked the first time they had beat the Chiefs after two losses in their initial meetings in the 1970s.

This is by no means the most ingrained rivalry in the NFL, but the Washington Football Team is sure to be hungry for their second win against Kansas City to help get the historical matchup back to respectable on paper. Without their starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, Washington will have an uphill battle against 2018 MVP Patrick Mahomes, but should have ample opportunities to gash the Chiefs’ defense in the run game.

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First injury report for Chiefs vs. Washington, Week 6