The Kansas City Chiefs made a big statement in Week 7, as head coach Andy Reid's team had a perfect game, shutting down the Las Vegas Raiders in a 31-0 blowout that looked much more similar to what this team has been used to in recent years.
As bad as Raiders quarterback Geno Smith has been, shutting down head coach Pete Carroll's team was no small feat. The Chiefs' offense showed what they're capable of now that, for the first time, QB Patrick Mahomes has all of his weapons at his disposal. It was such a big win that even Harrison Butker had a perfect outing, making his lone field-goal try while going 4-of-4 on extra points.
Despite his perfect showing, though, Butker is still firmly on the hot seat.
Chiefs K Harrison Butker is Still on the Hot Seat
The Chiefs didn't need Butker to take down their divisional rivals. They led from the 5:58 mark in the first quarter and throughout the course of the entire game, so there was no pressure on their struggling kicker.
Butker knocked down all four of his extra-point attempts, sure, but his 38-yard field goal wasn't exactly a challenging feat. The fact that Reid also chose to punt from the Raiders' 38-yard line later in the game speaks volumes about the way that the Chiefs currently feel about their veteran leg.
That would've been a very manageable 55-ish-yard kick for Butker, and that would've never been a problem in previous years. This season, however, he's already missed three field goals and three extra-point attempts, highlighting why Kansas City was more than happy to punt instead.
Butker deserves credit for not messing things up in Week 7, but the Chiefs aren't going to face the Raiders every week. They can't afford to have him setting them back in every game, especially considering that they may have a suitable replacement in Matthew Wright, who's already familiar with Reid's team.
The Chiefs are being forced to change their usual style, either going for it on fourth down like they did last week or punting because they know they can't trust their kicker to make kicks that should've been routine for a player of his caliber.
Granted, Butker has done a lot for the organization, so it's easy to understand why Reid and special teams coordinator Dave Toubs continue to have his back. Also, with the Chiefs' new-look high-flying offense, they might feel pretty confident in their ability to score touchdowns and not need to rely on his leg as much. Still, that's a risky bet that could come back to haunt this team.