Head coach Andy Reid talks Patrick Mahomes, Rashee Rice, Worthy and Raiders
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
The Kansas City Chiefs are 3-0, but head coach Andy Reid isn’t pretending everything has been perfect.
A day after the Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins 24-10, Reid met with reporters Monday to look back at the win and begin turning the page to an AFC West battle in Las Vegas.
Here are some of the notable things Reid had to say.
On appreciating a 3-0 start
Reid’s message after Sunday’s win was pretty simple: Don’t take winning in the NFL for granted.
“Yeah, so I stress that to the guys. You’ve got to appreciate every one you get. At the same time, whether it’s a win or a loss, there are things you can learn from it, and you never want to go blind to that. So, I think it’s important that we keep that in mind when you go forward. There’s some good things we can learn from this and there’s some good things we did do. So, it balances itself out. Again, they’re tough to come by.”
On QB Patrick Mahomes’ big hit
Mahomes took a shot from Dolphins defensive lineman Chop Robinson in the second half, drawing a roughing the passer penalty.
Mahomes stayed in the game and didn’t miss a snap.
Reid had a good description of what the hit looked like from the sideline.
“Yeah, I think it was more than a chiropractor could do, so I think every bone in his body cracked on that one, but he got back up and kept firing.”
On WR Rashee Rice’s physical style
Rice caught seven passes for 88 yards against Miami, including catches of 34 and 13 yards on the fourth-quarter drive that essentially put the game away.
Reid said Rice brings something a little different to the Chiefs’ receiving corps.
“Yeah, it was good to see him get a couple catches in there that were physical, good, strong catches. He’s so good with the ball after he gets it and so physical that he adds another dimension to that. He’s almost like having a running back at a wide receiver spot where when he gets it, he’s going to bring it and that’s always good.”
On WR Xavier Worthy’s progress
Worthy has been working his way back from a shoulder injury, and Reid believes he’s getting more comfortable each week.
“Yeah, so X had one that was kind of an intermediate throw there, did a nice job with it and we’ll just see. We’ll see how it all works out for him as we go forward. He’s busting his tail, and I think every week he’s feeling better with the shoulder issue and doing a good job there.”
On a Chiefs pass rush that needs to improve
Kansas City didn’t sack Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis on Sunday and has struggled to consistently finish pressures through the first three weeks.
Reid told reporters that Miami leaned heavily on getting the football out quickly.
He also made it clear the Chiefs want more from their pass rush.
“They really went to the quick game the majority of the time where they had the bigger plays, play action and quick game. We’re always striving to get to the quarterback, and we’ll tighten things up a little bit on the back end, and it gives you a little bit better chance, too.”
On defensive back Chamarri Conner potentially returning
The Chiefs could get some help in the secondary this week.
Conner has been working his way back from a knee injury, and Reid sounded optimistic about his chances of returning against Las Vegas.
“Yeah, so he practiced last week, and he’ll get going this week, too. So, there’s a good chance he’ll be out there. We’ll just see how the week goes, but it looks like it’ll be a pretty decent chance.”
On left tackle Josh Simmons
There wasn’t nearly as much clarity on left tackle Josh Simmons, who has missed the first three games with a reported back injury
“I’ll tell you what, I will let you guys know when Josh is coming back,” Reid joked. “I’ll be the first to tell you. We’ll just see how all that works.”
On Raider Week meaning a little more this year
The Chiefs and Raiders are both 3-0 heading into Sunday’s game in Las Vegas.
That’s made one of the NFL’s oldest rivalries a little more interesting this time around.
Reid said he is looking forward to it.
“Yeah, I think it’ll be a great atmosphere for a football game. I think they’ve done a nice job of improving their football team. This is what it’s all about, and I think it’ll be great for the fans. It’s a heck of a rivalry over the years, and the better the two teams are, the better the rivalry. So, this is what it’s all about.”