2024 Rate Bowlnr/rv/rv&nbsp;K-State vs. Rutgers

TV: ESPN (<a href="https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/5c9b2b9b-8223-4983-8db6-f8c3ba64c934" target="_blank">watch</a>)

Radio: K-State Sports Network;&nbsp;<a href="http://k-statesports.com/" target="_blank">k-statesports.com</a>&nbsp;(<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/watch" target="_blank">Listen</a>) – SXM Ch. 84

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stan Weber (Analyst)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Matt Walters (Sidelines)

National Radio: ESPN Radio – SXM Ch. 80

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jorge Sedano (Play-by-Play)&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Taylor McGargue (Analyst)

<a href="https://tunein.com/radio/Big-12-Radio-s329464/" target="_blank">Big 12 Radio on TuneIn</a>

X Updates: @KStateFB and @KStateStatsInfo

BOWL PREVIEWComing off an 8-4 regular season, Kansas State will be in search of its third-straight year with nine or more wins and its second-straight bowl victory as the Wildcats face Rutgers in the Rate Bowl on Thursday, December 26 inside Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. The game, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m.&nbsp; MST (4:30 p.m. CT), will be shown to a national audience on ESPN.

The Rate Bowl marks the 26th bowl game all-time for the Wildcats, who are advancing to a bowl for a fifth time in six years under head coach Chris Klieman. This is the eighth time K-State will play in a bowl game in Arizona, including the fifth in what is now known as the Rate Bowl.

K-State is looking for its fifth bowl victory in its last seven tries for the first time in school history. In fact, the Wildcats’ 4-2 bowl record since 2017 is tied for the third best among current Big 12 programs.

The Wildcats are playing a Big Ten team in a bowl game for the fifth time in school history and the first since the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl (an earlier iteration of the Rate Bowl) when K-State defeated Michigan, 31-14.

A LOOK AT THE WILDCATSK-State is the only team in the Big 12 to collect at least eight wins in a four-season stretch and one of just nine Power 4 programs to claim that feat. A win in the Rate Bowl would give the Wildcats at least nine wins in each of the last three seasons and join Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oregon in that regard.

The Wildcats are looking to bounce back from a 1-3 mark in November after beginning the year at 7-1 and ranking as high as No. 16 in the Associated Press Top 25. Key victories this season included a win at Tulane, which resided in the top 25 for a majority of the season, wins against teams ranked No. 20 at the time (Arizona and Oklahoma State), handing Colorado its only home loss of the season and defeating in-state rival Kansas for the 16th-straight season, which is tied for the longest active winning streak among uninterrupted series.

The Wildcats are led on offense by sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson, who is looking to become the first signal caller in school history to lead the Wildcats to a bowl victory in each of his first two seasons. The top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023, Johnson is one of only two Power 4 quarterbacks – the other being Alabama’s Jalen Milroe – to enter bowl season with at least 2,500 passing yards and 525 rushing yards during the regular season. A native of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson is also one of just six Power 4 quarterbacks and one of two in the Big 12 to record at least 22 touchdown passes and six rushing touchdowns.

Johnson’s favorite target this season has been sophomore wide receiver Jayce Brown, who has hauled in 42 receptions for 763 yards and five touchdowns. His receiving yardage total is the most by a Wildcat since Tyler Lockett in 2014, while it ranks second in school history among sophomores. He has tallied 18.17 yards per reception this season to rank eighth nationally and tops in the Big 12 among players with at least 40 receptions. His career 17.4 yards per catch currently ranks sixth in school history.

The Wildcats were led on the ground throughout the regular season by DJ Giddens, a Doak Walker Award semifinalist who set the school record with 6.55 yards per carry this year and enters bowl season ranked ninth 12th nationally with 1,343 yards. However, Giddens announced he is entering the NFL Draft and will not participate in the bowl. That opens the door for sophomore Dylan Edwards and redshirt freshman Joe Jackson, who have combined for 527 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season.

Kansas State is one of only three Power 4 schools to enter bowl season ranked in the top 25 nationally in both rushing offense and rushing defense, the latter ranking 22nd nationally and tops in the Big 12 by surrendering only 114.9 rushing yards per game, which is the lowest allowed by the Wildcats since 2009 (105.4). K-State is also looking to put together its fourth-straight season allowing less than 22.0 points per game, which would be its longest streak since doing so 13-straight years from 1991-2003.

K-State’s leading tackler is sophomore Austin Romaine, who has 89 tackles this season to rank ninth in the Big 12. He is looking to become K-State’s first player with 100 tackles in a season since Elijah Lee had 118 stops in 2016.

The 2024 Rate Bowl will also be the final game for a pair of sixth-year seniors in defensive end Brendan Mott and linebacker Austin Moore. Mott was named the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, K-State’s conference-leading sixth Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year accolade since the award was introduced following the 2006 season, two more than the next closest school (Texas – 4). Moore enters the final game of his career with a team-best 39-consecutive starts since the beginning of 2022, and he has totaled 229 career tackles, including 30.5 tackles for loss.

A LOOK AT THE SCARLET KNIGHTSRutgers finished the regular season winning three of its final four games after winning its first four of the season before dropping all four contests in the month of October. The early-season portion of Rutgers’ scheduled included two wins in six days at Virginia Tech and at home against Washington in the Big Ten opener. Its three wins in the final four games including a pair of road wins – at Maryland (31-17) and at Michigan State (41-14).

The Scarlet Knights are seeing consecutive bowl victories for the first time since 2006 through 2009, a streak that began with a win over K-State in the 2006 Texas Bowl.

Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis has attempted every pass for Rutgers this season, going 199-of-363 through the air for 2,459 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Scarlet Knights as led in the ground game by Kyle Monangai with 1,279 yards and 13 touchdowns on 256 carries. Wide receiver Dymere Miller has a team-high 731 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 57 catches.

Linebacker Dariel Djabome has a team-best 102 tackles and also paces the squad with 7.0 tackles for loss. Jordan Walker has a team-best 4.0 sacks, while Shaquan Loyal has two interceptions.

TEAM NOTESWILDCATS HEADED TO RATE BOWL

• Coming off an 8-4 regular season, Kansas State earned its 26th bowl berth all time and fifth under head coach Chris Klieman as the Wildcats will face Rutgers in the Rate Bowl on Thursday, December 26, inside Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

• Of K-State’s 26 total bowl appearances all-time, 24 of those have come since 1993.

• The Wildcats hold an 11-14 record in bowl games and are looking to win their fifth bowl game in their last seven appearances for the first time in school history.

• In fact, over the first 20 years of the Big 12 era (1996-2015), Kansas State went 5-10 (.333) in bowl games, the worst mark by any current conference member in that span. Since then, the Wildcats have gone 4-2 (.667) in bowl games, which is tied for third-best among current Big 12 teams.

• K-State has traveled to bowl games in nine different states with Arizona (5-Copper/Insight/Buffalo Wild Wings/Cactus/Rate, 3-Fiesta) and Texas (3-Cotton, 3-Texas, 2-Alamo) being the most frequent destinations.

• This year marks the eighth time K-State will play in an Arizona bowl, including the fourth time since the 2012 season.

• The Wildcats hold a 4-3 all-time record in Arizona bowl games, including each of the last two trips – a 31-14 victory over Michigan in the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl and a 35-17 win over UCLA in the 2017 Cactus Bowl.

• This is the fifth time K-State will play in what is now known as the Rate Bowl as it also played in the game in 1993 (known as Copper Bowl and played in Tucson, Arizona), 2001 (Insight.com Bowl), 2013 (Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl) and 2017 (Cactus Bowl).

• The 2024 Rate Bowl represents the second all-time meeting between Kansas State and Rutgers.

• The first meeting between the two programs also came in a bowl game as the Scarlet Knights earned a 34-10 win in the inaugural Texas Bowl in 2006.

• Kansas State will be playing its 134th game all-time against current members of the Big Ten, but it will be just the 31st against conference members when in the Big Ten at the time of the matchup.

• K-State holds a 25-105-3 all-time record against current members of the Big Ten but a 6-23-1 mark against the conference when taking out previous matchups against Nebraska, Oregon, Rutgers, UCLA and USC when they were members of other conferences.

• This is the fifth time in school history that Kansas State will face a Big Ten team in a bowl game with the last being a 31-14 victory over Michigan in the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, which was also the last time overall that the Wildcats faced a Big Ten foe. The other three times were losses to Wisconsin in the 1982 Independence Bowl, Purdue in the 1998 Alamo Bowl and Ohio State in the 2004 (post-2003 season) Fiesta Bowl.

• In an era of college football where over 80 teams play in the postseason each year, K-State is one of just 16 Power 4 schools to advance to a bowl in 13 of the last 15 years.

• The Wildcats are one of only three Big 12 teams to accomplish the feat, joining BYU and Oklahoma State.

• Since 1993, Kansas State has advanced to 25 bowl games, which is tied for 16th nationally and ranks second among current Big 12 teams.

• K-State has a total of 230 victories since 1996, which ranks 22nd nationally.

• Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (238), TCU (237) and Utah (233).

• Over the last 15 seasons – including 2024 – the Wildcats have won at least seven games on 13 occasions.

• K-State has now won at least eight games in each of the last four seasons. It is the Wildcats’ longest streak since doing so over the 2011 (10), 2012 (11), 2013 (8) and 2014 (9) seasons.

• The Wildcats are tied for fifth in the country with their four-straight seasons of at least eight wins and are one of only nine programs to accomplish the feat.

• K-State has 35 wins since 2021, which is tied for 17th nationally and ranks first among active Big 12 teams.

• Kansas State is looking for its ninth win of the season in the 2024 Rate Bowl.

• It would be the third-straight season the Wildcats won at least nine games, which hasn’t happened since doing so every year from 1993 through 2000.

• K-State would join Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oregon as the only teams in the nation to win at least nine games each of the last three seasons.

• Kansas State has produced 17 seasons with at least nine wins: 1910 (10), 1993 (9), 1994 (9), 1995 (10), 1996 (9), 1997 (11), 1998 (11), 1999 (11), 2000 (11), 2002 (11), 2003 (11), 2011 (10), 2012 (11), 2014 (9), 2016 (9), 2022 (9) and 2023 (9).

• Kansas State has totaled 144 Big 12 victories since the conference’s formation in 1996, which stands as the most among current Big 12 programs.

• The Cats are also second among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 59.5% (75-51), trailing only Oklahoma State (61.1%; 77-49).

• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 42-21 (66.7%) at home in Big 12 play and 33-30 (52.4%) on the road.

• K-State fell out of the Associated Press Top 25 toward the end of the 2024 season after being ranked in each of the first 12 polls.

• It was the first time K-State had been ranked in the first 12 AP polls of a season since appearing in all 17 polls in 2014.

• K-State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 on 243 occasions since 1993, the most among current Big 12 teams and ranked 22nd nationally.

• Kansas State is thankful for playing in an afternoon bowl game as it played in nine night game during the 2024 season, including six that kicked off after 7 p.m. local time.

• It was the most night games in a season since the 2012 season saw the Wildcats also play in nine night games, but one of those was the Fiesta Bowl.

• This season marked the first time the Wildcats played nine night games during the regular season in the Big 12 era (1996).

• K-State only played four opponents from last year’s schedule – Houston, Iowa State, Kansas and Oklahoma State – in 2024.

• It was the fewest amount of carryover opponents from one year to the next since only three rematches from 1918 to 1919.

• Additionally, with the addition of Rutgers to the 2024 schedule for the Rate Bowl, over half of the Wildcats’ schedule is against teams in which they have not faced in at least 10 years, if ever. Those were UT Martin (First Meeting), Arizona (1978), BYU (1997), Colorado (2010), Arizona State (2002), Cincinnati (1996) and Rutgers (2006).

• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 119-41 career record, as his 74.4% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have led programs for at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 17 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 career victories.

• Klieman, who is 47-28 since arriving at K-State, has led the Cats to five victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP Top 25, the most of any active Big 12 program since 2019.

• Kansas State earned three come-from-behind wins this season when trailing in the fourth quarter, tied for the third most in the country (Duke and Illinois with four apiece).

• The Wildcats’ three wins this season when trailing in the fourth quarter are the most since 2015 when the Wildcats also had three (Louisiana Tech, Iowa State, West Virginia).

• In Week 2 at Tulane, K-State rallied from a 20-10 halftime deficit to take a 34-27 win, which included a Dylan Edwards touchdown run and a Jack Fabris fumble return to erase a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit.

• On October 12, K-State trailed, 28-24, at Colorado before the game-winning 50-yard touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to Jayce Brown with 2:14 left.

• K-State trailed Kansas, 27-26, on October 26 until Chris Tennant’s 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left sparked a K-State win.

• Of K-State’s three one-possession victories this year, two were on the road. One of those was at Colorado, which finished 23rd in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 and was the Buffaloes’ only home loss this season.

• K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 135 since 1999, nine more than the next closest team (Alabama – 126).

• K-State has recorded four non-offensive scores this season, its most since also recording four in 2020.

• The four non-offensive TDs this year are: a Ty Bowman blocked punt against UT Martin that was returned for a score by Colby McCalister, a 60-yard fumble return by Jack Fabris at Tulane, a 71-yard punt return by Dylan Edwards against Arizona, and a 43-yard interception return by Marques Sigle at West Virginia.

Cats Set to Face Rutgers in 2024 Rate Bowl

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as the injuries go, the guys that won’t practice today are (Chamarri) Conner and (D.J.) Humphries. We’ll see how Pat (Patrick Mahomes) does out there. He’s going to go through some stuff and we’ll see how that works out for him. If he can’t work, then Carson (Wentz) will take those reps that Pat doesn’t. We have full confidence in Carson if he has to step in and play then I think everybody, coaches and players, have full confidence that he can go in and do a nice job. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Texans, we know they’re a heck of a football team. (They’re) working on that whole playoff thing and (Texans Head Coach) DeMeco’s (Ryans) done a nice job with that team, along with his coordinators. They likewise have put together a real strong offense and defense (and their) special teams is one of the top in the league. (They’re) a very well-rounded football team. Anyways, with that, the time’s yours.”

Q: Do you have a rule about how much a player has to practice to be able to play?

REID:&nbsp;“I think this one’s a little bit more day-to-day. Let’s just see what he (Patrick Mahomes) does, how he does – (how he) feels. He’s always honest with me so he’s going to shoot me straight on it and I’ll be able to see him. Today’s a lighter day so we can get him in there and moving around a little bit.”

Q: How do you break down the conversation with Patrick Mahomes to figure out where he is injury-wise?

REID:&nbsp;“He’ll (Patrick Mahomes) talk to me (and) the doctors will talk to me – trainers –keep it open. Once you’re out of the game, he’ll shoot you pretty straight there. It’s during the game his juices are going.”

Q: How much does the fact that you’re playing three games in 11 days factor in the decision to play Patrick Mahomes?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, if he (Patrick Mahomes) can go, he’ll go. If he can’t, then he can’t. Let’s keep it that simple. That’s how we’ll roll with it. Then, I’ll just take it day-by-day and see how he does here.”

Q: Is there a chance that Patrick Mahomes can go?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, there’s a chance. Yeah, we’ll see.”

Q: Does the fact that you need two wins to secure the number one seed factor into the decision to play Patrick Mahomes?

REID:&nbsp;“No, not necessarily. I mean, the games count. It’s a game in the NFL and it counts and if your guys can play, they play. As long it’s medically (cleared) – if they’re fine, they go.”

Q: What have you learned about Carson Wentz since he’s been here? What do you like about him?

REID:&nbsp;“I mean, he’s (Carson Wentz) started in the league and been successful. He’s got a great feel for this offense, (he’s) very smart, (has a) big arm. I mean, I like the way he carries himself – I like everything about him. He should be starting in this league somewhere. He’s a heck of a player.”

Q: What’s the plan for Hollywood Brown and Steven Nelson this week?

REID:&nbsp;“So again, just seeing them (and) how they’re doing every day here. Stevie (Steven Nelson) will probably need a little bit more time than maybe what Hollywood (Brown) will need but let’s take it day-by-day with those guys and see where this thing goes. We released (former RB) Clyde (Edwards-Helaire), so we have a spot available. We’ve got these injuries that we’re juggling here so we’ve got to see how that goes before we move somebody up or down or whatever (General Manager Brett) Veach wants to do with that thing. We sure appreciate Clyde, too, for all he did here. (I’d) love to get him back sometime, too. What a great kid he is.”

Q: How did Hollywood Brown come out of practice last week?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Hollywood Brown) felt good. I mean, he felt good, moved around well, took quite a few reps. It wasn’t a leg injury, so he’s been working his legs. He’s one of those real good endurance guys anyways but he’s been working his legs throughout here. It’s just a matter of this whole thing and how it feels when he’s going. The doctors have really said it’s healed up nice and looks good, so we’ll just see. I’m going to do just like you are, play it by ear and see how we do here. If he can go, he’ll play. If he can’t then he won’t.”

Q: Patrick Mahomes has been through multiple ankle injuries. Is there any experience that you can use from previous games that can help with the gameplan if his mobility is limited?

REID:&nbsp;“You don’t want it so limited that he (Patrick Mahomes) can’t get out of the way of things. He knows – he’s had enough of these where he knows kind of where he’s at and he’s able to communicate that. I listen to it and our docs check him – (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) – he was living with Rick and his crew yesterday and he’ll do the same today. That’s how he rolls. He likes to play. We’ll – he’s honest with it, too.”

Q: How do you feel Joe Thuney did at left tackle? If D.J. Humphries can’t play, will you go with Joe at left tackle again?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’m weighing that, but I thought he (Joe Thuney) did a nice job to answer your question – your original question there. The guy (Browns DE Myles Garrett) he was going against is one of the best in the league and he held his own. He had a few where he got caught off balance, but I thought he battled his tail off and – for really just throwing him out there, did a nice job. When you think about this now, he’s played every position and done well. (He’s a) pretty amazing guy that way.”

Q: Does it put more stress on you and Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy to maybe have two gameplans?

REID:&nbsp;“I’ll tell you one of the things is those two guys (Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz) are very similar in what they like – which helps – that helps. So, you can feed them both kind of the same thing and they’re good with it. No, there’s no more stress than you normally have. It’s not a stressful deal and I’m not trying to meet deadlines.”

Q: With your offensive experience, how do you try to help a quarterback like Carson Wentz who has had success and now has reset their career as a backup?

REID:&nbsp;“I love the way he (Carson Wentz) goes about his business. When you listen to Pat (Patrick Mahomes) and you go, ‘Why isn’t this guy starting somewhere?’ That’s the conversations you hear with guys that are in that room and coaches and players. So, I’m hoping that – yeah, he gets to keep going – selfishly, I’d like to keep him here in his position but I kind of know what’s going on out there with quarterbacks and this guy is, I think, really good.”

Q:&nbsp;How has the ankle responded over the past couple of days?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s done good with the treatment and the work that we’ve gotten in. Obviously, it’s a short amount of time, but I thought we had a good day yesterday and we had good work after the game as well.”

Q:&nbsp;Are you going to try to push to play on Saturday?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think that you have to. That’s the reason you play this game is to push to play, so I’ll get the work in practice and try to push it to see where I can get to. At the end of the day, I’m not going to put our team in a bad position, so if I feel like I can play and go out there and win a football game, I’ll play. If I don’t feel like that’s the best-case scenario, I’ll let guys like Carson (Wentz) play. I mean, he’s a guy that’s won in this league as well. It’s just about pushing it this week, seeing where I’m at and making the best decision then.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you feel pretty confident that you can be honest with yourself about where you’re at with the injury?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, for sure. Obviously, we’ve put ourselves in a good position to where – I guess I wouldn’t say it was dire that I play. I mean, it’s something where it’s not like in the AFC Championship game where we’re playing to get to the Super Bowl. We have a little bit of room to kind of spare, but at the end of the day, we’re trying to win. We’re trying to win the football game and I’m a competitor. I want to go out there and play. I’ll push myself to get to the best place possible over these next few days and we’ll be able to make a decision then.”

Q:&nbsp;How similar is this to the injury you had in Jacksonville?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“(The) Jacksonville (injury) was worse, I would say. That one was pretty significant. I mean, this one didn’t feel good by any means, but the Jacksonville one – just the way I got caught, I didn’t really get the – this last time I kind of got my feet out at the very end, whereas that Jacksonville one, I didn’t really get to. Obviously, it’s responded better, quicker. I think that’d be the best thing to say, but I want to be in better spot than I was in that next game going up against the Bengals so I’ll try to see if I can get there.”

Q:&nbsp;What types of things do you need to feel to say you’re good to go?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I want to be able to move, I want to be able to get out of the way. I mean, this is a good pass rush, a good defense, they’ll (the Texans) fly around. You don’t want to go out there and put yourself in harm’s way. Obviously, it’s football (and) you’re going to take hits but you want to be able to protect yourself so that’ll be where I’m at and I don’t want to limit the game plan. I think that’s another thing for me is I want to be able to still be able to move around the pocket so we’re not just sitting in one spot the whole entire game and letting their D-line really get after it. It’s about me finding that balance and seeing where I’m at and like I said, I won’t be able to – won’t know until kind of closer to the end of this week.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you expect to go into Friday or even Saturday morning before deciding if you’ll play?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“We’ll push through it. (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid kind of gave me that confidence to go out there and just push it and see where I’m at, Carson (Wentz) will be ready to go as well. I mean, he prepares as good as anyone I’ve ever been around, and this guy has played a lot of games. Coach will do a great job as far as practicing and stuff like that – getting both of us ready to go, but my hope is that I am able to go out there and play, but like I said, we’ll make the best decision for that at the end of the week.”

Q:&nbsp;Does the fact of the Pittsburgh game being a few days after this next one hinder your thinking at all about how to approach this stretch here?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Not necessarily. If I’m ready to go, I’m ready to go. It’s not – I don’t think that game after is going to really affect it because if I’m not ready to go then I’ll have to wait and try to make it back for that one as well. Regardless of when we play that next game – I mean, these are important games and we’re trying to win to get that bye (week) and to get to that second round of (the) playoffs. We play three great football teams coming up and I want to be as healthy as I can be and ready to play.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Carson Wentz that gives you the confidence that you seem to have in him?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I’ve seen him (Carson Wentz) practice every single day. Even from training camp, just seeing him practice, it’s – you realize that he was going to win the MVP one year and why, (it’s) because (of) the talent that he has. He gets after it every single day and gives our – he gives our defense great looks because he’s throwing great footballs. He’s a very talented player that works extremely hard and he’ll be ready if his number is called.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there a primary objective to be healthy for the postseason?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, in a sense, yeah. Just like the playoffs being three weeks away, you go out there and win two games, you’re going to have a long break more than likely with that Week 18 game. Even if you’re waiting to play that game, you’re going to have another extended amount of time, so just as important as it is to get healthy, it is to get that number one seed. If you can get through these games and win these games against two great opponents, it will give you some momentum going into the playoffs and hopefully give you a little bit of break there at the end.”

Q:&nbsp;On taking shots downfield and being aggressive.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I mean, we took some shots during the game. I think the one that I really want to get back is the one that I threw to J-Wat (Justin Watson). I really just – I think it was a little bit of a force and if I get that shallow crosser to Xavier (Worthy), he might score. I mean, that’s how talented he is with the football. You want to be aggressive and take those shots downfield, but you want to be able to hit those and when they’re not there, get to the guys underneath and let those guys make things happen with the football. You saw Xavier on the throw I had to him on the – down the sideline where he caught it. I mean, it was a run, technically, I guess, but he caught it and went down the sideline but he’s talented enough to score on throws like that.”

Q:&nbsp;What’d you see from Hollywood Brown at practice and how close is he to playing?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, he (Hollywood Brown) looked great. I think (Head) Coach (Andy Reid) spoke on it a little bit, he’s – it’s not like he hurt his legs, so he got out there and he was rolling around. I think more than anything, it’s him getting back in football shape. I mean, it’s just different than training and stuff like that. Then, him being able to feel confident enough to go out there and take hits and stuff like that, which he’s been cleared to do. It’s about him getting more and more reps. You don’t want to overdo it, but you want to let him go out there when he’s ready and hopefully that’s sooner rather than later.”

Q:&nbsp;What went into everything yesterday that gave you a chance to practice today?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think – well, first we did a little bit when we got back – just you get back a little bit earlier with a noon game and kind of got ourselves ready even on the plane and then when we got back. Then yesterday, I was just here pretty much all day. When you want to get out there and play and give yourself the best chance, you have to spend the time here (at the facility). Luckily, I have a great wife (Brittany Mahomes) who will take care of the kids when I’m up in the building for 12 hours or whatever it is.”

Q:&nbsp;Was it similar to what you went through back in 2023?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I mean you do similar stuff. Every injury is a little bit different, so we worked on different stuff like that. You start off with just kind of getting the treatment and getting it feeling good and then you go out there and push it a little bit and try to get that movement going as well. You don’t want it to get too stiff or anything like that and I feel like it responded really well today. We’ll push it a little bit on the practice field and the rest of the day and then see how it responds tomorrow and kind of go from there.”

Q:&nbsp;What can you do on the plane?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I wasn’t doing high knees or anything like that. No, it was (laughter) – we did some movement stuff, some icing, some stim and stuff like that. We kept it moving, we don’t want it to just sit there and get too stiff.”

Q: How are you preparing for the game this week?

WENTZ: “The same way I always have honestly. You know, (I) got my feet wet a little bit at the end of last game and felt good out there. Nothing is going to change this week. Obviously, Patrick’s (Mahomes) had some knicks and bruises all year and I’ve prepared like I was going to play very week. On my end, nothing’s really going to change.”

Q: In what ways did those snaps against Cleveland benefit you if you have to play on Saturday?

WENTZ: “I think just getting out there – unfortunately I had a couple false starts there so working through that. Just getting in that huddle with those guys I think was big for whatever comes our way, whether it’s this week or whatever, I’ll be ready. I think it was beneficial to get out there, glad we were able to still seal the deal and get the win and all that fun stuff. We’ll see what happens.”

Q: Ideally, how many reps do you need with the starters to feel at your best?

HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as the injuries go, the guys that won’t practice today are (Chamarri) Conner and (D.J.) Humphries. We’ll see how Pat (Patrick Mahomes) does out there. He’s going to go through some stuff and we’ll see how that works out for him. If he can’t work, then Carson (Wentz) will take those reps that Pat doesn’t. We have full confidence in Carson if he has to step in and play then I think everybody, coaches and players, have full confidence that he can go in and do a nice job. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Texans, we know they’re a heck of a football team. (They’re) working on that whole playoff thing and (Texans Head Coach) DeMeco’s (Ryans) done a nice job with that team, along with his coordinators. They likewise have put together a real strong offense and defense (and their) special teams is one of the top in the league. (They’re) a very well-rounded football team. Anyways, with that, the time’s yours.”Q: Do you have a rule about how much a player has to practice to be able to play?REID:&nbsp;“I think this one’s a little bit more day-to-day. Let’s just see what he (Patrick Mahomes) does, how he does – (how he) feels. He’s always honest with me so he’s going to shoot me straight on it and I’ll be able to see him. Today’s a lighter day so we can get him in there and moving around a little bit.”Q: How do you break down the conversation with Patrick Mahomes to figure out where he is injury-wise?REID:&nbsp;“He’ll (Patrick Mahomes) talk to me (and) the doctors will talk to me – trainers –keep it open. Once you’re out of the game, he’ll shoot you pretty straight there. It’s during the game his juices are going.”Q: How much does the fact that you’re playing three games in 11 days factor in the decision to play Patrick Mahomes?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, if he (Patrick Mahomes) can go, he’ll go. If he can’t, then he can’t. Let’s keep it that simple. That’s how we’ll roll with it. Then, I’ll just take it day-by-day and see how he does here.”Q: Is there a chance that Patrick Mahomes can go?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, there’s a chance. Yeah, we’ll see.”Q: Does the fact that you need two wins to secure the number one seed factor into the decision to play Patrick Mahomes?REID:&nbsp;“No, not necessarily. I mean, the games count. It’s a game in the NFL and it counts and if your guys can play, they play. As long it’s medically (cleared) – if they’re fine, they go.”Q: What have you learned about Carson Wentz since he’s been here? What do you like about him?REID:&nbsp;“I mean, he’s (Carson Wentz) started in the league and been successful. He’s got a great feel for this offense, (he’s) very smart, (has a) big arm. I mean, I like the way he carries himself – I like everything about him. He should be starting in this league somewhere. He’s a heck of a player.”Q: What’s the plan for Hollywood Brown and Steven Nelson this week?REID:&nbsp;“So again, just seeing them (and) how they’re doing every day here. Stevie (Steven Nelson) will probably need a little bit more time than maybe what Hollywood (Brown) will need but let’s take it day-by-day with those guys and see where this thing goes. We released (former RB) Clyde (Edwards-Helaire), so we have a spot available. We’ve got these injuries that we’re juggling here so we’ve got to see how that goes before we move somebody up or down or whatever (General Manager Brett) Veach wants to do with that thing. We sure appreciate Clyde, too, for all he did here. (I’d) love to get him back sometime, too. What a great kid he is.”Q: How did Hollywood Brown come out of practice last week?REID:&nbsp;“He (Hollywood Brown) felt good. I mean, he felt good, moved around well, took quite a few reps. It wasn’t a leg injury, so he’s been working his legs. He’s one of those real good endurance guys anyways but he’s been working his legs throughout here. It’s just a matter of this whole thing and how it feels when he’s going. The doctors have really said it’s healed up nice and looks good, so we’ll just see. I’m going to do just like you are, play it by ear and see how we do here. If he can go, he’ll play. If he can’t then he won’t.”Q: Patrick Mahomes has been through multiple ankle injuries. Is there any experience that you can use from previous games that can help with the gameplan if his mobility is limited?REID:&nbsp;“You don’t want it so limited that he (Patrick Mahomes) can’t get out of the way of things. He knows – he’s had enough of these where he knows kind of where he’s at and he’s able to communicate that. I listen to it and our docs check him – (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) – he was living with Rick and his crew yesterday and he’ll do the same today. That’s how he rolls. He likes to play. We’ll – he’s honest with it, too.”Q: How do you feel Joe Thuney did at left tackle? If D.J. Humphries can’t play, will you go with Joe at left tackle again?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’m weighing that, but I thought he (Joe Thuney) did a nice job to answer your question – your original question there. The guy (Browns DE Myles Garrett) he was going against is one of the best in the league and he held his own. He had a few where he got caught off balance, but I thought he battled his tail off and – for really just throwing him out there, did a nice job. When you think about this now, he’s played every position and done well. (He’s a) pretty amazing guy that way.”Q: Does it put more stress on you and Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy to maybe have two gameplans?REID:&nbsp;“I’ll tell you one of the things is those two guys (Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz) are very similar in what they like – which helps – that helps. So, you can feed them both kind of the same thing and they’re good with it. No, there’s no more stress than you normally have. It’s not a stressful deal and I’m not trying to meet deadlines.”Q: With your offensive experience, how do you try to help a quarterback like Carson Wentz who has had success and now has reset their career as a backup?REID:&nbsp;“I love the way he (Carson Wentz) goes about his business. When you listen to Pat (Patrick Mahomes) and you go, ‘Why isn’t this guy starting somewhere?’ That’s the conversations you hear with guys that are in that room and coaches and players. So, I’m hoping that – yeah, he gets to keep going – selfishly, I’d like to keep him here in his position but I kind of know what’s going on out there with quarterbacks and this guy is, I think, really good.”Chiefs Player QuotesDecember 17, 2024QB PATRICK MAHOMESQ:&nbsp;How has the ankle responded over the past couple of days?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s done good with the treatment and the work that we’ve gotten in. Obviously, it’s a short amount of time, but I thought we had a good day yesterday and we had good work after the game as well.”Q:&nbsp;Are you going to try to push to play on Saturday?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think that you have to. That’s the reason you play this game is to push to play, so I’ll get the work in practice and try to push it to see where I can get to. At the end of the day, I’m not going to put our team in a bad position, so if I feel like I can play and go out there and win a football game, I’ll play. If I don’t feel like that’s the best-case scenario, I’ll let guys like Carson (Wentz) play. I mean, he’s a guy that’s won in this league as well. It’s just about pushing it this week, seeing where I’m at and making the best decision then.”Q:&nbsp;Do you feel pretty confident that you can be honest with yourself about where you’re at with the injury?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, for sure. Obviously, we’ve put ourselves in a good position to where – I guess I wouldn’t say it was dire that I play. I mean, it’s something where it’s not like in the AFC Championship game where we’re playing to get to the Super Bowl. We have a little bit of room to kind of spare, but at the end of the day, we’re trying to win. We’re trying to win the football game and I’m a competitor. I want to go out there and play. I’ll push myself to get to the best place possible over these next few days and we’ll be able to make a decision then.”Q:&nbsp;How similar is this to the injury you had in Jacksonville?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“(The) Jacksonville (injury) was worse, I would say. That one was pretty significant. I mean, this one didn’t feel good by any means, but the Jacksonville one – just the way I got caught, I didn’t really get the – this last time I kind of got my feet out at the very end, whereas that Jacksonville one, I didn’t really get to. Obviously, it’s responded better, quicker. I think that’d be the best thing to say, but I want to be in better spot than I was in that next game going up against the Bengals so I’ll try to see if I can get there.”Q:&nbsp;What types of things do you need to feel to say you’re good to go?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I want to be able to move, I want to be able to get out of the way. I mean, this is a good pass rush, a good defense, they’ll (the Texans) fly around. You don’t want to go out there and put yourself in harm’s way. Obviously, it’s football (and) you’re going to take hits but you want to be able to protect yourself so that’ll be where I’m at and I don’t want to limit the game plan. I think that’s another thing for me is I want to be able to still be able to move around the pocket so we’re not just sitting in one spot the whole entire game and letting their D-line really get after it. It’s about me finding that balance and seeing where I’m at and like I said, I won’t be able to – won’t know until kind of closer to the end of this week.”Q:&nbsp;Do you expect to go into Friday or even Saturday morning before deciding if you’ll play?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“We’ll push through it. (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid kind of gave me that confidence to go out there and just push it and see where I’m at, Carson (Wentz) will be ready to go as well. I mean, he prepares as good as anyone I’ve ever been around, and this guy has played a lot of games. Coach will do a great job as far as practicing and stuff like that – getting both of us ready to go, but my hope is that I am able to go out there and play, but like I said, we’ll make the best decision for that at the end of the week.”Q:&nbsp;Does the fact of the Pittsburgh game being a few days after this next one hinder your thinking at all about how to approach this stretch here?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Not necessarily. If I’m ready to go, I’m ready to go. It’s not – I don’t think that game after is going to really affect it because if I’m not ready to go then I’ll have to wait and try to make it back for that one as well. Regardless of when we play that next game – I mean, these are important games and we’re trying to win to get that bye (week) and to get to that second round of (the) playoffs. We play three great football teams coming up and I want to be as healthy as I can be and ready to play.”Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Carson Wentz that gives you the confidence that you seem to have in him?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I’ve seen him (Carson Wentz) practice every single day. Even from training camp, just seeing him practice, it’s – you realize that he was going to win the MVP one year and why, (it’s) because (of) the talent that he has. He gets after it every single day and gives our – he gives our defense great looks because he’s throwing great footballs. He’s a very talented player that works extremely hard and he’ll be ready if his number is called.”Q:&nbsp;Is there a primary objective to be healthy for the postseason?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, in a sense, yeah. Just like the playoffs being three weeks away, you go out there and win two games, you’re going to have a long break more than likely with that Week 18 game. Even if you’re waiting to play that game, you’re going to have another extended amount of time, so just as important as it is to get healthy, it is to get that number one seed. If you can get through these games and win these games against two great opponents, it will give you some momentum going into the playoffs and hopefully give you a little bit of break there at the end.”Q:&nbsp;On taking shots downfield and being aggressive.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I mean, we took some shots during the game. I think the one that I really want to get back is the one that I threw to J-Wat (Justin Watson). I really just – I think it was a little bit of a force and if I get that shallow crosser to Xavier (Worthy), he might score. I mean, that’s how talented he is with the football. You want to be aggressive and take those shots downfield, but you want to be able to hit those and when they’re not there, get to the guys underneath and let those guys make things happen with the football. You saw Xavier on the throw I had to him on the – down the sideline where he caught it. I mean, it was a run, technically, I guess, but he caught it and went down the sideline but he’s talented enough to score on throws like that.”Q:&nbsp;What’d you see from Hollywood Brown at practice and how close is he to playing?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, he (Hollywood Brown) looked great. I think (Head) Coach (Andy Reid) spoke on it a little bit, he’s – it’s not like he hurt his legs, so he got out there and he was rolling around. I think more than anything, it’s him getting back in football shape. I mean, it’s just different than training and stuff like that. Then, him being able to feel confident enough to go out there and take hits and stuff like that, which he’s been cleared to do. It’s about him getting more and more reps. You don’t want to overdo it, but you want to let him go out there when he’s ready and hopefully that’s sooner rather than later.”Q:&nbsp;What went into everything yesterday that gave you a chance to practice today?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think – well, first we did a little bit when we got back – just you get back a little bit earlier with a noon game and kind of got ourselves ready even on the plane and then when we got back. Then yesterday, I was just here pretty much all day. When you want to get out there and play and give yourself the best chance, you have to spend the time here (at the facility). Luckily, I have a great wife (Brittany Mahomes) who will take care of the kids when I’m up in the building for 12 hours or whatever it is.”Q:&nbsp;Was it similar to what you went through back in 2023?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I mean you do similar stuff. Every injury is a little bit different, so we worked on different stuff like that. You start off with just kind of getting the treatment and getting it feeling good and then you go out there and push it a little bit and try to get that movement going as well. You don’t want it to get too stiff or anything like that and I feel like it responded really well today. We’ll push it a little bit on the practice field and the rest of the day and then see how it responds tomorrow and kind of go from there.”Q:&nbsp;What can you do on the plane?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I wasn’t doing high knees or anything like that. No, it was (laughter) – we did some movement stuff, some icing, some stim and stuff like that. We kept it moving, we don’t want it to just sit there and get too stiff.”QB CARSON WENTZQ: How are you preparing for the game this week?WENTZ: “The same way I always have honestly. You know, (I) got my feet wet a little bit at the end of last game and felt good out there. Nothing is going to change this week. Obviously, Patrick’s (Mahomes) had some knicks and bruises all year and I’ve prepared like I was going to play very week. On my end, nothing’s really going to change.”Q: In what ways did those snaps against Cleveland benefit you if you have to play on Saturday?WENTZ: “I think just getting out there – unfortunately I had a couple false starts there so working through that. Just getting in that huddle with those guys I think was big for whatever comes our way, whether it’s this week or whatever, I’ll be ready. I think it was beneficial to get out there, glad we were able to still seal the deal and get the win and all that fun stuff. We’ll see what happens.”Q: Ideally, how many reps do you need with the starters to feel at your best?

Chiefs Quotes: 12-17-24

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Members of Kansas’ congressional delegation celebrated the federal government’s decision Monday to remove a proposed electric transmission line route from a program offering assistance for power infrastructure projects.

The U.S. Department of Energy earlier this year announced a list of preliminary “<a href="https://www.energy.gov/gdo/national-interest-electric-transmission-corridor-designation-process" target="_blank">National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors</a>” to offer financial assistance and permits to transmission line builders in areas with little infrastructure.

One of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/09/27/transmission-line-developer-asks-for-narrower-corridor-through-kansas-nearby-states/">corridors the agency initially proposed</a>&nbsp;was the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/tag/grain-belt-express/" target="_blank">Grain Belt Express</a>, a 5,000-megawatt transmission line expected to run from Kansas to Indiana proposed by Chicago-based Invenergy. The Grain Belt route was dropped from the program when the Department of Energy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/gdo/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-three-high-priority-areas-advancing-national" target="_blank">narrowed the proposed corridors Monday</a>.

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said the program “represented a dangerous overreach of federal authority,” and on Monday took credit for the Department of Energy’s removal of the Grain Belt route.

“We are glad to report that we won this battle, and Kansans voices were heard at the highest levels,” he said.

But the Department of Energy’s decision Monday will not keep the Grain Belt Express transmission line from being built. While the agency’s program helps obtain permits for transmission projects that can’t get state approval, Invenergy has already obtained state approvals for Grain Belt.

“This designation was not required for the project to continue to advance toward construction,” said Patrick Whitty, senior vice president of public affairs for transmission at Invenergy.

Whitty said in a statement that Invenergy, too, asked that the Grain Belt route be removed from consideration for the Department of Energy program and was pleased the agency listened.

Grain Belt Express is expected to run from southwest Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/07/11/grain-belt-express-announces-expansion-that-means-more-clean-energy-for-missouri/" target="_blank">carrying renewable energy through Missouri</a>&nbsp;and Illinois before ending at the Indiana border. To do so, the line has to cross thousands of properties and needs easements on landowners’ properties across three states.

Invenergy says it has obtained the vast majority of those easements through voluntary negotiations with landowners. For the rest, the project was granted the right of eminent domain, a legal mechanism that allows utilities and governments to take land or easements from unwilling landowners and compensate them.

Grain Belt’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/08/missouri-governor-to-sign-compromise-legislation-after-efforts-to-stymie-grain-belt-express/" target="_blank">ability to use eminent domain has drawn the ire</a>&nbsp;of Republican lawmakers and farm groups who&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/04/19/grain-belt-transmission-line-forges-ahead-amid-landowner-lawmaker-pushback/" target="_blank">fought to undermine the project at the Missouri General Assembly</a>&nbsp;for years.

Now federal lawmakers from Kansas, including Marshall, Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Tracey Mann are railing against the project.

Mann called Monday’s announcement a “huge win for Kansans.”

“Kansans made it clear from the very beginning that we were not interested in the federal government seizing our private land,” Mann said.

Moran said the decision to allow projects like Grain Belt Express “should be left up to Kansans, not Washington.”

In Missouri, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley has taken issue with a $4.9 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/lpo-announces-conditional-commitment-grain-belt-express-construct-high-voltage-direct" target="_blank">loan the Department of Energy offered to the Grain Belt project</a>.

<a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hawley-Letter-to-Biden-Energy-Department-re-Grain-Belt-Express.pdf" target="_blank">Hawley wrote a letter</a>&nbsp;to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm saying the Grain Belt line will wreak havoc on landowners.

“Your decision to commit funding to the Grain Belt Express via conditional loan comes after repeated refusals to engage with my constituents,” Hawley said, “who live in constant fear of their land being confiscated.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734452717911.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>Members of Kansas’ congressional delegation celebrated the federal government’s decision Monday to remove a proposed electric transmission line route from a program offering assistance for power infrastructure projects.But the project will still move forward.The U.S. Department of Energy earlier this year announced a list of preliminary “<a href="https://www.energy.gov/gdo/national-interest-electric-transmission-corridor-designation-process" target="_blank">National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors</a>” to offer financial assistance and permits to transmission line builders in areas with little infrastructure.One of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/09/27/transmission-line-developer-asks-for-narrower-corridor-through-kansas-nearby-states/">corridors the agency initially proposed</a>&nbsp;was the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/tag/grain-belt-express/" target="_blank">Grain Belt Express</a>, a 5,000-megawatt transmission line expected to run from Kansas to Indiana proposed by Chicago-based Invenergy. The Grain Belt route was dropped from the program when the Department of Energy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/gdo/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-three-high-priority-areas-advancing-national" target="_blank">narrowed the proposed corridors Monday</a>.U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said the program “represented a dangerous overreach of federal authority,” and on Monday took credit for the Department of Energy’s removal of the Grain Belt route.“We are glad to report that we won this battle, and Kansans voices were heard at the highest levels,” he said.But the Department of Energy’s decision Monday will not keep the Grain Belt Express transmission line from being built. While the agency’s program helps obtain permits for transmission projects that can’t get state approval, Invenergy has already obtained state approvals for Grain Belt.“This designation was not required for the project to continue to advance toward construction,” said Patrick Whitty, senior vice president of public affairs for transmission at Invenergy.Whitty said in a statement that Invenergy, too, asked that the Grain Belt route be removed from consideration for the Department of Energy program and was pleased the agency listened.Grain Belt Express is expected to run from southwest Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/07/11/grain-belt-express-announces-expansion-that-means-more-clean-energy-for-missouri/" target="_blank">carrying renewable energy through Missouri</a>&nbsp;and Illinois before ending at the Indiana border. To do so, the line has to cross thousands of properties and needs easements on landowners’ properties across three states.Invenergy says it has obtained the vast majority of those easements through voluntary negotiations with landowners. For the rest, the project was granted the right of eminent domain, a legal mechanism that allows utilities and governments to take land or easements from unwilling landowners and compensate them.Grain Belt’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/08/missouri-governor-to-sign-compromise-legislation-after-efforts-to-stymie-grain-belt-express/" target="_blank">ability to use eminent domain has drawn the ire</a>&nbsp;of Republican lawmakers and farm groups who&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/04/19/grain-belt-transmission-line-forges-ahead-amid-landowner-lawmaker-pushback/" target="_blank">fought to undermine the project at the Missouri General Assembly</a>&nbsp;for years.Now federal lawmakers from Kansas, including Marshall, Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Tracey Mann are railing against the project.Mann called Monday’s announcement a “huge win for Kansans.”“Kansans made it clear from the very beginning that we were not interested in the federal government seizing our private land,” Mann said.Moran said the decision to allow projects like Grain Belt Express “should be left up to Kansans, not Washington.”In Missouri, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley has taken issue with a $4.9 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/lpo-announces-conditional-commitment-grain-belt-express-construct-high-voltage-direct" target="_blank">loan the Department of Energy offered to the Grain Belt project</a>.<a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hawley-Letter-to-Biden-Energy-Department-re-Grain-Belt-Express.pdf" target="_blank">Hawley wrote a letter</a>&nbsp;to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm saying the Grain Belt line will wreak havoc on landowners.“Your decision to commit funding to the Grain Belt Express via conditional loan comes after repeated refusals to engage with my constituents,” Hawley said, “who live in constant fear of their land being confiscated.”

Grain Belt route removed from federal transmission program — but project will go forward

NEW YORK (AP) — Her memories of recording “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” are a little hazy. She remembers the producer placing decorations around the studio and blasting the air conditioner on a warm Nashville day to create a holiday spirit. The musicians, she recalls, nailed it in a couple of takes.

That's about it. After all, Brenda Lee was 13 years old at the time — and it was 66 years ago, in 1958.

Somewhat implausibly, her celebration of a “Christmas party hop” is more popular today than ever before. It's an unusual trajectory, even accounting for the fact that music listeners during the holiday season tend to embrace songs they've known for years.

“Rockin'” eclipsed Mariah Carey's perennial favorite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/christmas-mariah-carey-queen-song-346d94b58c268edb5a7fcb3c912e982c">“All I Want for Christmas is You”</a>&nbsp;last December to top the Billboard music chart and make Lee, at age 78, the oldest woman to achieve that feat. A week later, following a birthday, she beat her own mark. Kendrick Lamar likely stands in her way of doing it again this year.

Another record: Sixty-five years represented the longest interval between a record being released and making it to No. 1.

“It is a good song,” Lee told The Associated Press. “It's a song that anybody can sing. You can join in, you can sing it, everyone is happy. I sure am glad that I have it. I never thought in my life that a Christmas song would be my legacy. But I'll take it.”

It's a phenomenon that music journalist Holly Gleason noticed recently while stopping for coffee in Nashville, near the neighborhood where Lee lives. The song came over the loudspeaker and the room — parents, kids, hipsters — erupted in singing and laughter. “It's kind of an ear worm on steroids,” said Gleason, whose 2017 book “Woman Walk the Line: How the Women in Country Music Changed Our Lives” featured Lee, among others.

The song manages the neat trick of sounding retro yet not dated. Sweet guitar licks snake around Lee's voice in the original recording. Boots Randolph's saxophone solo drives it home. The party flies by quickly, the song over in two minutes, six seconds.

Composer Johnny Marks already had some seasonal hits to his credit, including “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.” He specifically sought out Lee for his new song in 1958 and it's easy to see why: Who better to convey its innocence and spirit than a 13-year-old girl at the forefront of the Baby Boom? Rock ‘n’ roll was in its infancy then, too.

In the song, Lee sings about “mistletoe hung where you can see, every couple tries to stop.”

In real life, she hadn't experienced her first kiss. “Lord, no,” she said. “Not to say I didn't want to. I wasn't even allowed to date until I was 16.”

What is the ‘new old-fashioned way,’ anyway?

The song hits plenty of holiday reference points — pumpkin pie, caroling, boughs of holly. You can overlook the part of the chorus that doesn't make much sense: what is the “new old-fashioned way,” exactly?

The simplicity of “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” is a big part of its appeal, said Nathaniel Sloan, a musicologist at the University of Southern California and co-host of the “Switched on Pop” podcast. Like many successful holiday songs, it evokes nostalgia for a happier, more peaceful time — even if that's more imagination than reality, he said.

The style is more rockabilly than traditional rock or country, and Sloan believes that has much to do with why it continues to sound fresh.

“The thing that has always stunned me about the song is that you're listening to a 13-year-old's performance, and it doesn't sound that way to me,” he said. “There's a depth to the vocal, even a weathered quality, that I can't believe she was so young. It's pitch-perfect.”

For all of its success, the song was barely noticed upon its release in 1958. Not until two years later, when Lee's profile was higher through hits like “I'm Sorry,” did it make the music charts. Its biggest boost came 40 years after that, when “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” was featured in the hit movie “Home Alone.” The movie itself has become a holiday staple, giving more exposure to the song each year.

Her record company continues to push the song, recording a video in 2023 that included guest appearances by Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood. This year it has released “Noche Buena Y Navidad,” a Spanish-language version using artificial intelligence to create a vocal derived from Lee's voice.

The record company is throwing Lee a birthday party

Universal Music is holding a party for her in Nashville to celebrate her 80th birthday on Wednesday. “She's just a force and a character,” said Cindy Mabe, the company's chairwoman and CEO. “She's full of spunk in the same way that 13-year-old girl was.”

“Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” made the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2019. It has been streamed more than 2.5 billion times globally and certified seven times Platinum, meaning at least seven million copies sold. Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Meghan Trainor, Kacey Musgraves and the duo of Darlene Love &amp; Ronnie Spector are among the artists who've covered it.

Lee has sung it countless times over the years, most recently at a charity event last year. It made her concert setlist even in the heat of summer. How much money the song has earned is murky; the record company wouldn't talk about it. The bulk of its income would likely go to Marks' estate.

“It has never been a money thing for me,” Lee said. “It’s been a love thing. The money is great, yes, and I’m grateful. But I would be singing it on the corner for pennies because that’s what I love to do.”

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/dbauder">http://x.com/dbauder</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.">https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733836678527.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Her memories of recording “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” are a little hazy. She remembers the producer placing decorations around the studio and blasting the air conditioner on a warm Nashville day to create a holiday spirit. The musicians, she recalls, nailed it in a couple of takes.That's about it. After all, Brenda Lee was 13 years old at the time — and it was 66 years ago, in 1958.Somewhat implausibly, her celebration of a “Christmas party hop” is more popular today than ever before. It's an unusual trajectory, even accounting for the fact that music listeners during the holiday season tend to embrace songs they've known for years.“Rockin'” eclipsed Mariah Carey's perennial favorite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/christmas-mariah-carey-queen-song-346d94b58c268edb5a7fcb3c912e982c">“All I Want for Christmas is You”</a>&nbsp;last December to top the Billboard music chart and make Lee, at age 78, the oldest woman to achieve that feat. A week later, following a birthday, she beat her own mark. Kendrick Lamar likely stands in her way of doing it again this year.Another record: Sixty-five years represented the longest interval between a record being released and making it to No. 1.“It is a good song,” Lee told The Associated Press. “It's a song that anybody can sing. You can join in, you can sing it, everyone is happy. I sure am glad that I have it. I never thought in my life that a Christmas song would be my legacy. But I'll take it.”<h2>‘An ear worm on steroids’</h2>It's a phenomenon that music journalist Holly Gleason noticed recently while stopping for coffee in Nashville, near the neighborhood where Lee lives. The song came over the loudspeaker and the room — parents, kids, hipsters — erupted in singing and laughter. “It's kind of an ear worm on steroids,” said Gleason, whose 2017 book “Woman Walk the Line: How the Women in Country Music Changed Our Lives” featured Lee, among others.The song manages the neat trick of sounding retro yet not dated. Sweet guitar licks snake around Lee's voice in the original recording. Boots Randolph's saxophone solo drives it home. The party flies by quickly, the song over in two minutes, six seconds.Composer Johnny Marks already had some seasonal hits to his credit, including “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.” He specifically sought out Lee for his new song in 1958 and it's easy to see why: Who better to convey its innocence and spirit than a 13-year-old girl at the forefront of the Baby Boom? Rock ‘n’ roll was in its infancy then, too.In the song, Lee sings about “mistletoe hung where you can see, every couple tries to stop.”In real life, she hadn't experienced her first kiss. “Lord, no,” she said. “Not to say I didn't want to. I wasn't even allowed to date until I was 16.”<h2>What is the ‘new old-fashioned way,’ anyway?</h2>The song hits plenty of holiday reference points — pumpkin pie, caroling, boughs of holly. You can overlook the part of the chorus that doesn't make much sense: what is the “new old-fashioned way,” exactly?The simplicity of “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” is a big part of its appeal, said Nathaniel Sloan, a musicologist at the University of Southern California and co-host of the “Switched on Pop” podcast. Like many successful holiday songs, it evokes nostalgia for a happier, more peaceful time — even if that's more imagination than reality, he said.The style is more rockabilly than traditional rock or country, and Sloan believes that has much to do with why it continues to sound fresh.“The thing that has always stunned me about the song is that you're listening to a 13-year-old's performance, and it doesn't sound that way to me,” he said. “There's a depth to the vocal, even a weathered quality, that I can't believe she was so young. It's pitch-perfect.”For all of its success, the song was barely noticed upon its release in 1958. Not until two years later, when Lee's profile was higher through hits like “I'm Sorry,” did it make the music charts. Its biggest boost came 40 years after that, when “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” was featured in the hit movie “Home Alone.” The movie itself has become a holiday staple, giving more exposure to the song each year.Her record company continues to push the song, recording a video in 2023 that included guest appearances by Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood. This year it has released “Noche Buena Y Navidad,” a Spanish-language version using artificial intelligence to create a vocal derived from Lee's voice.<h2>The record company is throwing Lee a birthday party</h2>Universal Music is holding a party for her in Nashville to celebrate her 80th birthday on Wednesday. “She's just a force and a character,” said Cindy Mabe, the company's chairwoman and CEO. “She's full of spunk in the same way that 13-year-old girl was.”“Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” made the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2019. It has been streamed more than 2.5 billion times globally and certified seven times Platinum, meaning at least seven million copies sold. Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Meghan Trainor, Kacey Musgraves and the duo of Darlene Love &amp; Ronnie Spector are among the artists who've covered it.Lee has sung it countless times over the years, most recently at a charity event last year. It made her concert setlist even in the heat of summer. How much money the song has earned is murky; the record company wouldn't talk about it. The bulk of its income would likely go to Marks' estate.“It has never been a money thing for me,” Lee said. “It’s been a love thing. The money is great, yes, and I’m grateful. But I would be singing it on the corner for pennies because that’s what I love to do.”____David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/dbauder">http://x.com/dbauder</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.">https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.</a>

Still rockin': As a singer turns 80, the Christmas song she sang as a teen is a holiday staple

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;988 Suicide Helpline chief officer Tia Dole.

The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call or text 988 or visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://988lifeline.org/">988lifeline.org</a>.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.crisistextline.org/">Crisis Text Line</a>&nbsp;is a texting service for emotional crisis support. To speak with a trained listener, text HOME to 741741. It is free, available 24/7 and confidential.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HdkVjfSrKxI?si=KsRD_lNpyox17HNN" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;988 Suicide Helpline chief officer Tia Dole.The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call or text 988 or visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://988lifeline.org/">988lifeline.org</a>.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.crisistextline.org/">Crisis Text Line</a>&nbsp;is a texting service for emotional crisis support. To speak with a trained listener, text HOME to 741741. It is free, available 24/7 and confidential.

🎤Forward Ever: 988 Suicide Helpline chief officer Tia Dole

Get ready for a festive evening filled with Christmas cheer as Salina Mayor Bill Longbine invites the entire community to the Mayor’s Christmas Pancakes &amp; Pajama Party this Friday, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Salina Fieldhouse.

The holiday celebration promises fun for all ages. Attendees are encouraged to wear their coziest pajamas and bring their appetites for a night of Christmas-themed activities. 

Pancakes by <a href="https://www.chriscakes.com/">Chris Cakes</a>: Enjoy a delicious pancake dinner served up fresh. Hot Chocolate Station: Warm up with a festive cup of hot chocolate. Craft Stations: Create holiday-themed crafts perfect for the season.

Storytime: Listen to classic holiday stories read aloud.

Santa Visit: Meet Santa Claus and capture the holiday magic.

Mayor Longbine expressed his excitement about hosting the event.

 "Kids enjoy it, and it keeps growing and getting bigger and better every year," Mayor Longbine said. "My next-door neighbor can't wait to go. She's in third grade. We hope everyone enjoys the pancakes and Christmas cheer."

Where: Salina Fieldhouse,&nbsp;140 North Fifth Street, Salina

Admission: Free and open to the public

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734023157864.jpeg" alt="Mayor's Christmas Party" />
 <figcaption>Mayor's Christmas Party</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTGet ready for a festive evening filled with Christmas cheer as Salina Mayor Bill Longbine invites the entire community to the Mayor’s Christmas Pancakes &amp; Pajama Party this Friday, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Salina Fieldhouse.The holiday celebration promises fun for all ages. Attendees are encouraged to wear their coziest pajamas and bring their appetites for a night of Christmas-themed activities. Here’s what’s in store:Pancakes by <a href="https://www.chriscakes.com/">Chris Cakes</a>: Enjoy a delicious pancake dinner served up fresh. Hot Chocolate Station: Warm up with a festive cup of hot chocolate. Craft Stations: Create holiday-themed crafts perfect for the season. Storytime: Listen to classic holiday stories read aloud.Santa Visit: Meet Santa Claus and capture the holiday magic.Mayor Longbine expressed his excitement about hosting the event. "Kids enjoy it, and it keeps growing and getting bigger and better every year," Mayor Longbine said. "My next-door neighbor can't wait to go. She's in third grade. We hope everyone enjoys the pancakes and Christmas cheer."<h2>Event Details</h2>When: Friday, 6 - 8 p.mWhere: Salina Fieldhouse,&nbsp;140 North Fifth Street, SalinaAdmission: Free and open to the public

Salina Mayor’s Christmas Pancakes & Pajama Party set for Friday

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesDecember 11, 2024HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as people not practicing today, D.J. Humphries won’t practice and again, we haven’t listed him as out or anything there. We’re just going to take it day-by-day and see how he does. Every day he’s gotten a little bit better, so we’ll see how all of that works. Then, it’ll be similar to last week with – I’ve got a couple of variables that I can do at that spot. Anyways, we look forward to the challenge of playing the Browns. They’re a good football team. Every team in this league, as we know, has a chance to win games so we – that’s the way the league’s set up right now, so we get ourselves ready to play. You don’t care about records or anything else. I know they’re well coached. I know (Browns Head Coach) Kevin (Stefanski) personally and he does a heck of a job. His (Browns Defensive) Coordinator (Jim) Schwartz, I mean, I’ve known for a long time and (Browns Offensive Coordinator Ken) Dorsey – (Browns Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator) Bubba (Ventrone) – I mean they’re all good football coaches (and) they’ve got good players. We’ve got to make sure (that) we have a good week of practice going forward here so with that, the time’s yours.”Q: Do you see Harrison Butker kicking this week?REID:&nbsp;“We’re going to see if he – how he (Harrison Butker) does here. He’ll get a few. Yeah, he’ll have a few snaps out there – or chances.”Q: On preparing for three games in 11 days.REID:&nbsp;“It’s a unique situation, you just have to manage it. It is what it is, so you make the best of it. The thing is (that) you get your guys ready for the game – give them a chance to get ready for the game. They’re going to do whatever you present to them so (you) try to help them out with that. Right now, we’ve got a normal week right here, so we’ve got to take care of business, for sure.”Q: How close is Hollywood Brown to returning?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, Matt (Derrick) he’s (Hollywood Brown) getting close. He’s chomping at the bit to get back out there but he’s got to visit with the doctors and make sure he gets clearance there, but I think, I’d probably say he’s getting close. I can’t give you a date – I don’t know a date on it, but he says he feels great.”Q: What’s the plan for Steven Nelson?REID:&nbsp;“Let him (Steven Nelson) get himself in shape (and) move around a little bit. You won’t see him this week, that’s not what we’re going to do. It’ll be like the other guys that came in – give them a chance to kind of get their feet under them, for sure. He hasn’t done anything up to this point so let him get moving around.”Q: Patrick Mahomes has been sacked more this year than he has ever been in his career. How has he adapted his game to that?REID:&nbsp;“He (Patrick Mahomes) made some unbelievable throws the other day and he never complains about anything. He doesn’t – he just comes back and goes on to the next one and fires. I mean, he’s doing what he always does. He hasn’t had to really adapt other than to make the throw.”Q: Patrick Mahomes is really good at getting rid of the ball quickly. Could he have done that early on in his career?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think he (Patrick Mahomes) could’ve, yeah. I mean, we didn’t ask him to do a whole lot of that. He – I think he could’ve, yeah.”Q: When watching film, how do you analyze where the breakdowns are? Is it different this season?REID:&nbsp;“We look at everything so for sure. I mean he’s (Patrick Mahomes) had a little bit more pressure this year. Listen, he’ll tell you – he’ll be the first to tell you, they’re spread all over the place. Everybody’s had a piece of it, me included, calling the plays. I’ve got to make sure I adapt to the personnel and what we have and what they do best. Everybody else has to do their job. Everybody would probably tell you it’s spread around on that.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Q: What challenge does Browns DE Myles Garrett present and how much does that weigh into your tackle decision?REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Browns DE Myles Garrett) really a good player. Probably a future Hall of Famer, I’d say. He’s a dominant player and we recognize that and respect that. He’s going to show up though and we’re going to show up and we have to play well against him. We have the capability to do that, that’s how I feel but we respect the heck out of him.”Q: Can you explain further on how Patrick Mahomes never complains?REID:&nbsp;“He (Patrick Mahomes) gets up and goes. You always see him (say), ‘Give me the next one.’ I mean and that’s how – ‘Just give me another one. I’ll make it work here.’ He doesn’t ever get crazy with that stuff so he’s pretty good about it.”Q: When bringing in guys who didn’t have a training camp or a preseason, how do you find the balance of bringing them up to speed quickly without putting them in danger?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I mean you have to listen to everybody and see – in particular the kid – and see where he’s at. You kind of get to know him in that period of time and make a judgment on it and go with it. It’s a sport where even the healthy guys and guys that have been with us from the beginning, they have a chance of getting hurt, I mean that’s all part of this. To answer your question, we just make an evaluation on it, with the different information from different people but in particular the kid.”Q:&nbsp; On Browns Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz’s style of defense.REID:&nbsp;“Aggressive. He’s (Browns Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz) got a really good blitz package, it’s extensive and then they mix it in with zone. So, they can play single safety middle zone – shell, I mean, he’s got it all. He dials them all up, you have to be sharp when you play against them.”Chiefs Player QuotesDecember 11, 2024QB PATRICK MAHOMESQ:&nbsp;You did a great job of getting the ball out quick against the Chargers, do you feel like you could have played that style of game earlier in your career?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It’s hard to say. I think just taking what’s there (and) what the defense is giving me. They (the Chargers) obviously have a good pass rush, and I thought guys were getting open quickly. I thought D-Hop (DeAndre Hopkins) did a great job – Trav (Travis Kelce), Noah (Gray), others. Just trying to get the ball in their hands (and) let them make plays and it was enough to get the win.”Q:&nbsp;How do you stay so poised and calm in those close-game moments and what’s your message to the fans who watch these nervous games?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think when I’m not on the field, I’m nervous as well. I have total confidence in our defense and everything like that, but it’s just – when it’s out of your hands, it’s hard to not be a little bit nervous. I think in the moment when I get opportunities, I just try to execute the gameplan, execute the play that’s in front of me (and) not worry about the whole entire drive. Then get us into position to score and win the game and then rely on my teammates to go out there and win it. It’s – obviously, a lot of experience has helped me keep a calm mindset in those moments. We continue to work and get better and just find ways to win and whatever way that is, we’re good with it.”Q:&nbsp;What is the process of adjusting to pressure?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just trying to not take negative plays, finding the soft spots in the pocket, finding opportunities when you want to take shots downfield and opportunities when you need to throw it underneath. Every game is different in this league. There’s a lot of great pass rushers and you get to just find spots where you can have quiet feet, and you can execute the offense the way it’s supposed to be executed.”Q:&nbsp;Is the way that Browns DE Myles Garrett moves part of your film study?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, he’s (Browns DE Myles Garrett) just really good. It’s – he’s pretty much good at everything. Just finding ways to get the ball out of my hands whenever he’s – when he’s rushing and then whenever we need to take shots down the field, just having extra ways to manipulate – either me manipulate his pass rush or have help with other – two people blocking him and stuff like that. They (the Browns) have a good defensive team. They have a good football team in general but especially their defense. It will be a great challenge for us, and we’ll have to go out there and play our best football to win.”Q:&nbsp;What have you sensed to be the difference in Xavier Worthy’s production these past few weeks?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“He’s (Xavier Worthy) getting better and better. I think he’s just playing with such more confidence. I think it really started in Buffalo. It’s kind of – just kind of kept getting bigger and bigger as we kind of went throughout the rest of this year.&nbsp; I think as – like we said,&nbsp;as I train those deep passes and really show off his skill doing that. He’s getting open so just trying to hit him on some of those, but he’s showing his versatility and how he’s able to work underneath, catch the ball, get yards after the catch and stuff like that. I think he’s going to be continuing to get better and better which is going to help us going into the postseason.”Q:&nbsp;Have you ever encountered anything like three games in eleven days?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“No, I haven’t in football. Just – I mean, all you can do is focus on the game (and) the practice that you have that day. I try to prepare my body all year long for this stretch. That’s tailoring my workouts, that’s tailoring how you practice and you prepare. The coaches do a great job of taking care of us with the practice field. I mean, we practice (as) hard as anybody, but they know how to kind of dial it back when we need it, and I think (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid has a great plan going into it, so I’ll follow that. (I’m) focused on this opponent and then as we go into another short week into next week and the one after that, I’ll focus on those opponents then.”Q:&nbsp;What was it like when you first saw the schedule come out?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It’s not a good feeling. I’m excited to play on Christmas to hopefully get back from what we did last year. You never want to play this many games in this short of time. It’s just not great for your body but at the end of the day, it’s your job. You’re a professional (and) you have to come to work and do it.”Q:&nbsp;How many times have you looked at the hits you’ve taken and thought that you should do something differently instead of the offensive line?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s a lot. There are times where I’m trying to be – the best word is greedy and (I’m) trying to take a shot down field or if you look at the kind of the early sacks in this last game, there was a play in that first third down where I probably (should’ve) just hit Travis (Kelce). He maybe or maybe not gets the first down but I’m trying to really hold onto it and then I rush up in the pocket trying to make a play and run into a sack. There’s been a good amount of those this year and that’s why I have to continue to work on my feet and finding that soft spot in the pocket because I think – and there’s multiple times a game where the offensive line is holding up and I’m not trusting my footwork in order to go through my reads and make plays happen. That’s stuff that I work on and continue to work on throughout my career.”Q:&nbsp;What are some things that you’re preparing for to make sure Browns DE Myles Garrett doesn’t ruin the game this week?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think you have to prepare for it as an entire offense. You have to give him (Browns DE Myles Garrett) different looks. You can’t let him just pass rush over and over again. I mean, he’s – he won Defensive Player of the Year for a reason, man. He’s going to win a lot of those matchups and so we’ll throw him changeups, we’ll throw him different pitches that he can hopefully keep his mind racing but at the end of the day, he’s going to make plays happen. When he starts to win reps or win certain plays, you have to not make them negative plays, get rid of the football, even if that’s throwing it away and live to play another play.”Q:&nbsp;What else do you see from the Browns defense besides Browns DE Myles Garrett?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“They have a lot of great players, I think. You look at the cornerback position in (Browns CB) Denzel Ward – the linebacker position, they’re flying around – safeties, same as well and then obviously the defensive line. Then, (Browns Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Jim) Schwartz does a great job of mixing up coverages (and) bringing pressure when it’s necessary and then dropping into zone and man coverage when it’s necessary. It’s a really good team. I mean, they were – last year, they have a lot of the same players from last year’s defense that was like number one in the league. It’s a great team with a lot of pride that’s going to be coming (and) playing hard, especially at home and we understand that it’s going to be a great challenge. We’re going to have to play our best football to win.”Q:&nbsp;What are the reasons for the third down success this season?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just having a good game plan – guys making plays happen in big moments. I think you’ve seen that in third down and then (at the) end of halves and end of games is guys have executed at a high level. It’s just about having that same type of execution throughout the entire game, not just third down, not just end of halves but in the red zone and in the field as well. I think that’s where we’re trying to get to, and we have to continue to work to get there.”Q: When you’re going through the protection with the offensive line during the week, what does that process look like?