QB PATRICK MAHOMES
Q: What is your mindset going into a two-minute drill? Is it really just like any other drive?
MAHOMES: “I think more than anything you just know that you need to go out there and execute at a high level. (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid puts us in those high-pressure scenarios all throughout training camp, OTAs, all stuff like that, and you just go out there and just do what’s necessary to win the game. If that’s running the ball, throwing the ball or whatever it takes and you know what situations (to) get out of bounds, get up the field (and) everything like that so you just prepare yourself to go out there and execute.”
Q: It seemed like last game you guys found a rhythm, what contributed to that? Do you feel like that as well?MAHOMES: “I mean I think we’re getting healthier as an offense and then just getting more and more reps with guys. I think as the season goes on you figure out what guys are best at, and the new guys are really showing what they’re great at. Getting D-Hop (DeAndre Hopkins) in one-on-one matchups, getting Xavier (Worthy) – letting him stretch the field but also work underneath as well. To add with the guys that I’ve gotten a lot of reps with, we had a good day offensively and now it’s about building and trying to continue to build throughout the rest of the season.”
Q: After watching film on your long run, is there anything you missed in real-time?
MAHOMES: “I think I didn’t see – I saw the one block that Justin Watson had but I didn’t see him get a piece of the other guy as well. That made the play and was able to let me through the gap there. That just speaks to the effort that he’s playing with, doing whatever it takes to win, and you want those guys on the team. The only thing I would say is probably try not to fumble (trying to) switch the ball to the other hand at the end of the play. Even though I told (Head) Coach (Andy Reid) I was fumbling so that the clock would run so if he asks, that’s why I did it.”
Q: What is it about the urgency in late game situations that allows the offense to efficiently move the ball down the field?
MAHOMES: “I think it’s just a little bit of just being ourselves, being prepared for the moment. Obviously, you want to do it throughout the entire game but when it’s kind of – the best way to say it is do or die time and you have to make it happen, it seems like guys just go out there and make it happen. We’re prepared for those moments and (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid prepares us, all of the coaches prepare us, and the guys go out there and do what needs to be done.”
Q: How do you guys prepare for those late game situations?
MAHOMES: “We go through those situations every single week throughout the entire year just so we’re ready for the moment, whatever moment arises in the game. If that’s certain checks that we can get to, if that’s ways that you get out of bounds and the rules. All the different rules of when the clock stops, when it doesn’t stop. When is first down more important than getting out of bounds, stuff like that. The coaches prepare us and so like when I had the run there at the end, knowing that we have three timeouts and knowing that even if I get tackled and get the first down, that’s probably more important than getting out of bounds in that certain situation. You have to be prepared for those moments and be able to go out there and execute whenever you get the opportunity to.”
Q: Do you think defenders are weary of hitting quarterbacks in those sideline situations?
MAHOMES: “Yeah, I mean of course. There’s – you get flags for hitting guys where they’re out of bounds. Like I said in the San Francisco game, if I’m running up field, I feel like you can tell that I’m running down the field versus running out of bounds. I don’t want to put those guys in bad situations. I want to play the game the way the game is supposed to be played. I didn’t feel like I was too close to out of bounds this time but I’m just trying find a way to win the game at the end of the game.”
Q: What was the vibe after the Panthers game?
MAHOMES: “I think we just hold ourselves to an extremely high standard and so unless we feel like we play our best, guys are itching to get back out there and go for more. I felt there was times (where) we played some good football and credit to the Panthers, they played some great football (and) they made a lot of big time plays. We were able to find a way to get a win at the end of the game and I think it’s not something that we were disappointed as much as we expect greatness from each other and from ourselves. Unless we play like we expect we should play, we’re going to strive to be better every time we step on that football field.”
Q: What do you anticipate in the return from Isiah Pacheco?
MAHOMES: “He’s (Isiah Pacheco) going to be Pop, man. I mean, obviously, we’re going to have to work him back to when he’s ready and then get him when he gets on the field and not try to overdo it. He’s going to have energy; he’s going to want to be on the football field but I think it’s good that we have a good room of running backs that we can kind of not make him go out there and take 30 carries or whatever it is. We can just kind of let him be who he is and make those big plays happen and then bring him along as the season goes.”
Q: Head Coach Andy Reid has always said that he appreciates the locker room leadership. Given all the injuries and the amount of changes this season, do you think this has been a more unique challenge?
MAHOMES: “I think it’s just having a standard every single day. You would think it would be a different challenge, but I think with the guys that the coaches have brought in the guys understand that this is how we work, this is how we practice, this how we get after it on a day-to-day basis. We’re probably in the building more than a lot of teams, we’re probably on the practice field more than a lot of teams but it’s the standard that we’ve kind of upheld and that starts at the top and it goes throughout the entire team. Whenever you get in these tough times, you know that we’ve been through this together (and) we’ve held ourselves to these standards that we’re going to go out there and win. I’m one of those leaders but there’s many of them. It’s not just me. I don’t have to – I don’t have to talk a lot, honestly, because we have a lot of leaders throughout the entire team that kind of hold themselves accountable.”
Q: On the revolving door of the receivers throughout the season.
MAHOMES: “Yeah, 100 percent. I think just us being able to utilize their (the receivers) strengths in the offense and then me being on that same page with them. The more reps you get of that, the better it is. Obviously, you want to get those reps in training camp, but we had injuries and stuff like that (where) we’ve kind of had to move through that and work through that throughout the entire season. I feel like we’re getting better and better each and every week and that’s all you can ask for. You want to be playing your best football at the end of the year and we’re getting there so I think we’re getting better throughout the year.”
Q: What makes Raiders DE Maxx Crosby so effective?
MAHOMES: “The way he (Raiders DE Maxx Crosby) plays every single snap, no matter the score, no matter if it’s a run or a pass (or) whatever it is, he’s going to give you everything he’s got. Obviously, (he’s) physically gifted. He can make all of the different pass rush moves (and) everything like that, but the way he plays I think inspires his team to play that hard and that’s what you need to be great in this league.”
Q: What would you start, bench and cut out of turkey, yams and macaroni and cheese?
MAHOMES: “I’m cutting turkey – probably – the other two I love. I’ll probably start macaroni and cheese if it’s made the right way and then bench yams, but I love those too.”
Q: What is the right way?
MAHOMES: “It’s just like – I don’t want to get too much into it, but the right way. Everybody knows what I’m saying (laughter).”
Chiefs Coordinator Quotes
November 26, 2024
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO
OPENING STATEMENT: “Quick week – we’re onto the Raiders. I’m still burning a little bit from the last one. It was a win so we’re happy about that but other than that, I’ll think I’ll just open it up (to questions) and let you guys fire away.”
Q: On the last few minutes of the Panthers game.
SPAGNUOLO: “I never like to finish a game like that and put Patrick (Mahomes) and the offense in that kind of situation. It would’ve been nice to win the fourth down or somewhere along the way get (to) a stop there where – we’ve been through this – we’ve actually practiced this a couple of times on purpose. I’ve put the guys in situations in a walk through where I’ve said, ‘Okay, they just scored. If we stop the two-point play, we win the game,’ because when people score on you, you tend to – now, I think our guys were ready to play the play. It didn’t work out that way, but that’s what kind of got me upset.”
Q: What is the concern with not being able to generate a lot of pressure on the quarterback without blitzing?
SPAGNUOLO: “I don’t know. I mean, it’s a lot of different things. We have to find some one-on-ones, maybe we can call something a little bit differently. There’s a lot of different reasons for it. They (opposing offenses) block – they tend to block us pass rush-wise a little differently mainly because of Chris (Jones), so we have to figure out those things in the middle of the game. We just haven’t – it hasn’t been quite where we want it yet. We have a little way to go (and) hopefully it shows up this week.”
Q: On the quick turnaround during a short week.
SPAGNUOLO: “That’s a good point, it is. We’re right back into it and away we go. Normally, it takes Maria (Spagnuolo) 48 hours to snap me out of it somehow, but she said, ‘You better get going because you have a game right around the corner,’ so I guess that is a good thing. Listen, they’re - the guys - that go through it physically – I’m talking about our guys, right? They might feel a little bit differently, but we’re ready to go.”
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGY
Q: Can you take us through the preparation for the two-minute drill and the scenarios?
NAGY: “There’s a lot of them and we try to do some of that during OTAs (and) talk through scenarios. I think (Head) Coach (Andy Reid) does a phenomenal job in training camp of trying to play those out as much as you can. There are some different situations that arise and there’s so many elements that go into it with the situational football part, but I think the other part that’s pretty cool is (that) Pat (Patrick Mahomes) is so good with all that stuff as well. He understands it so he’s always going to give his input in certain situations and just that combination of Coach and – Coach Reid, Coach (Pass Game Coordinator Joe) Bleymaier, myself, the other assistant coaches and Pat try to just be as best as you can.”
Q: Is it a challenge in some of those two-minute meetings to get the guys engaged?
NAGY: “It’s actually not (hard) at all because they all have opinions but it’s good. I think it initiates conversation and what I find that’s really neat about it – and I don’t want to leave out (Statistical Analysis Coordinator) Mike Frazier either. Mike Frazier does a phenomenal job with situational football. I think everyone knows and remembers last year in the overtime with the rules and stuff, but he does way more than that (with) helping us with situations, so when the players become involved, it just opens discussion. I think it’s fascinating when you get into it as to what’s right (or) what’s wrong and maybe there is no correct answer, per se, until after the play happens and everybody is quick to judge.”
Q: What is the feeling when you come off the field after winning on the last play of the game?