There were reasons to wonder if the Kansas City Chiefs were making the right decision to stay loyal to struggling right tackle Jawaan Taylor in Week 4. Coming off an unconvincing win against the New York Giants, it was easy to argue that Taylor should've been bumped from the starting lineup. Fortunately, head coach Andy Reid's faith was rewarded during Sunday's blowout win over the Baltimore Ravens, with the veteran tackle finally playing a completely clean game.
Sunday's effort was a much-needed performance for Taylor after leading the league with seven penalties to start the season. Everyone makes mistakes, but the timing and type of mistakes he made couldn't be ignored. So many pre-snap penalties are failing to line up correctly or going in motion a beat too early, making life far more difficult for an already struggling Kansas City offense.
But as great as he was this weekend, Taylor isn't in the clear just yet.
Chiefs Must Demand Continued Improvement from Jawaan Taylor After Impressive Week 4
The Chiefs know what Taylor is capable of and will continue to hold the 27-year-old blocker to this standard. There are no more excuses to make rookie mistakes or cost his team before the ball is snapped. He won't be perfect each week, but it's clear that he's capable of being better than he has been. Now, he must do so consistently.
Sunday's win against Baltimore served as proof that Taylor is capable of being a reliable offensive lineman. The blueprint and expectations have been set moving forward, and the Chiefs must hold him to that standard. He needs to repeat that success across multiple games before Reid can play him without worrying. Slipping back into old habits could see him replaced, either by an internal or external option.
Jaylon Moore remains a highly paid backup who has given every reason to believe he can perform at a starting level if needed. Taylor is going to have to understand that the pressure won't go away after one great game, especially with a track record like his. Expectations areheightened after the ex-Florida Gator proved himself capable of playing a game without landing in penalty trouble, leaving time to tell if it was an anomaly or not.
Taylor's performance was an exciting aspect of what was an incredibly exciting day offensively. If this truly is the new norm for him, it'll be interesting to see how high the Chiefs' ceiling might be when the franchise finally has its starting lineup back together.