ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: How did that blocked field goal feel last week?

TOUB: “It felt great, very rare. We’ve had game winning field goals but never a game winning field goal block. It was special for our unit and for our football team.”

Q: Can you quantify just how fast Justin Reid is off the line?

TOUB: “He’s (Justin Reid) the fastest I’ve ever had – (out of) anybody, his get off – like his reaction. What we do is time how many frames it is until the – when the ball is snapped how long does it take you to get off? He is consistently under a 10 frame get off which is by far really, really good.”

Q: What makes Leo Chenal so good on special teams?

TOUB: “If Justin (Reid) has the best get off, Leo (Chenal) has the next best. They’re within one tenth – or not one tenth but one frame less, I mean it’s Leo. Leo is explosive and he’s a bigger guy, bringing power and explosiveness to the table and just the effort that both of those guys – and really the whole unit have to make that play work.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, (it’s) good to be here on a Thursday – getting ready for another game. I don’t have much to add – no words of wisdom, so I’ll just open it up (to questions) and let you (the media) go.”

Q:&nbsp;What do you have to be mindful of in the run game aspect when facing Bills QB Josh Allen and Bills RB James Cook?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Listen, this quarterback (Bills QB Josh Allen) is – I can’t – there aren’t enough superlatives to say for my – the extent of my knowledge and words is not good enough to do him justice because he’s tough and then, they put a (running) back (Bills RB James Cook) back there that can run it. I mean, we have to continue to play the run well and then there’s all the other stuff, but what they add to it is the quarterback can run and he runs like a fullback. It’s not doing this (motions hands to the right and left), I mean he can (motions hand in a straight line) so we know what we’re in for. We’ve gone against him quite a bit, but (I have) a lot of respect for him and we have our work cut out for us.”

Q:&nbsp;What does leading the team in tackles against the Broncos do for Nazeeh Johnson’s confidence?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“I would think it would be – I thought he (Nazeeh Johnson) played a real solid game. He had the one sack there that was a – he played that really well because you don’t always make those, and he did, and we needed a negative play at that particular time. I was happy to see the way that Nazeeh bounced back and played pretty good.”

Q:&nbsp;Can you put into perspective what Leo Chenal means to the entire team?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Oh boy, I tell you what, he (Leo Chenal) does a lot for us. He’s a jack of all trades, man and masters them all. He’s out there on special teams, he’s out in there for us on third down, first and second down, we put him on the edge, we put him at linebacker. Listen, he loves football, and it comes out every time he plays, but that (the field goal block) was a – but I mean, there was like three guys coming through there, but Leo leading the surge.”

Q: What are the challenges of the Buffalo front?

NAGY:&nbsp;“Well, I think you start out schematically with what they do (and) it matches the backend. We always talk about rush-to-coverage and how that fits. Those guys have always done a great job (and) we’ve played each other a lot over the years, so there’s that. They’re tall and lengthy on the ends there. You know, (Bills DE AJ) Epenesa, he had a nice tip last year for an interception. They do a good job of being able to change the launch points for the quarterback at the top of the pocket. They’re just good football players. They play hard.”

Q: In general, what are you seeing from Xavier Worthy right now?

NAGY:&nbsp;“I really like where he’s (Xavier Worthy) at. I know the – statistically, the numbers aren’t really where a lot of people would want them, or any of us. You’d like to get maybe some more catches type (of) deal, but he’s been fine. You see some of the shots that we’re taking, and the stuff underneath is there as well so we’ve just got to be patient working through it (and) understand that those guys are working each and every day to get their timing down (and) for Xavier to learn this offense – it’s not easy. We have all the confidence – Xavier has been in a phenomenal mindset this entire time and I think that’s probably most important because the time is coming when we start hitting some of those and it’s going to be fun.”

Q: Is there something that you learned about DeAndre Hopkins in your time together here?

Chiefs Coordinator QuotesNovember 14, 2024ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: How did that blocked field goal feel last week?TOUB: “It felt great, very rare. We’ve had game winning field goals but never a game winning field goal block. It was special for our unit and for our football team.”Q: Can you quantify just how fast Justin Reid is off the line?TOUB: “He’s (Justin Reid) the fastest I’ve ever had – (out of) anybody, his get off – like his reaction. What we do is time how many frames it is until the – when the ball is snapped how long does it take you to get off? He is consistently under a 10 frame get off which is by far really, really good.”Q: What makes Leo Chenal so good on special teams?TOUB: “If Justin (Reid) has the best get off, Leo (Chenal) has the next best. They’re within one tenth – or not one tenth but one frame less, I mean it’s Leo. Leo is explosive and he’s a bigger guy, bringing power and explosiveness to the table and just the effort that both of those guys – and really the whole unit have to make that play work.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, (it’s) good to be here on a Thursday – getting ready for another game. I don’t have much to add – no words of wisdom, so I’ll just open it up (to questions) and let you (the media) go.”Q:&nbsp;What do you have to be mindful of in the run game aspect when facing Bills QB Josh Allen and Bills RB James Cook?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Listen, this quarterback (Bills QB Josh Allen) is – I can’t – there aren’t enough superlatives to say for my – the extent of my knowledge and words is not good enough to do him justice because he’s tough and then, they put a (running) back (Bills RB James Cook) back there that can run it. I mean, we have to continue to play the run well and then there’s all the other stuff, but what they add to it is the quarterback can run and he runs like a fullback. It’s not doing this (motions hands to the right and left), I mean he can (motions hand in a straight line) so we know what we’re in for. We’ve gone against him quite a bit, but (I have) a lot of respect for him and we have our work cut out for us.”Q:&nbsp;What does leading the team in tackles against the Broncos do for Nazeeh Johnson’s confidence?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“I would think it would be – I thought he (Nazeeh Johnson) played a real solid game. He had the one sack there that was a – he played that really well because you don’t always make those, and he did, and we needed a negative play at that particular time. I was happy to see the way that Nazeeh bounced back and played pretty good.”Q:&nbsp;Can you put into perspective what Leo Chenal means to the entire team?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Oh boy, I tell you what, he (Leo Chenal) does a lot for us. He’s a jack of all trades, man and masters them all. He’s out there on special teams, he’s out in there for us on third down, first and second down, we put him on the edge, we put him at linebacker. Listen, he loves football, and it comes out every time he plays, but that (the field goal block) was a – but I mean, there was like three guys coming through there, but Leo leading the surge.”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: What are the challenges of the Buffalo front?NAGY:&nbsp;“Well, I think you start out schematically with what they do (and) it matches the backend. We always talk about rush-to-coverage and how that fits. Those guys have always done a great job (and) we’ve played each other a lot over the years, so there’s that. They’re tall and lengthy on the ends there. You know, (Bills DE AJ) Epenesa, he had a nice tip last year for an interception. They do a good job of being able to change the launch points for the quarterback at the top of the pocket. They’re just good football players. They play hard.”Q: In general, what are you seeing from Xavier Worthy right now?NAGY:&nbsp;“I really like where he’s (Xavier Worthy) at. I know the – statistically, the numbers aren’t really where a lot of people would want them, or any of us. You’d like to get maybe some more catches type (of) deal, but he’s been fine. You see some of the shots that we’re taking, and the stuff underneath is there as well so we’ve just got to be patient working through it (and) understand that those guys are working each and every day to get their timing down (and) for Xavier to learn this offense – it’s not easy. We have all the confidence – Xavier has been in a phenomenal mindset this entire time and I think that’s probably most important because the time is coming when we start hitting some of those and it’s going to be fun.”Q: Is there something that you learned about DeAndre Hopkins in your time together here?

Chiefs Quotes: 11-14-24

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> Kansas Reflector TOPEKA — The state suicide and crisis hotline received a record number of calls a day following the election, with LGBTQ+ and Spanish-speaking lines seeing especially high traffic.

Vibrant, the mental health company that administers Kansas’ 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, reported a one-day call record of 169 calls on Nov. 6, said ​​Cara Sloan-Ramos, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

The largest increases in call volumes occurred on the LGBTQ+ and Spanish lines, Sloan-Ramos said.

President-elect Donald Trump has promised upon taking office a crackdown on immigration, especially undocumented Mexican and Latin and Central American immigrants, through mass deportation. Plus, GOP gains in the Kansas Legislature open up&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/02/anti-lgbtq-bills-introduced-in-kansas-legislature-are-political-bullying-tactic-activists-say/">new opportunities</a>&nbsp;for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

“One of the things we know about suicide and suicidal behavior is that it is rarely connected to one circumstance but instead is most often a result of multiple factors, so correlation doesn’t exactly indicate causation,” Sloan-Ramos said in an email.

The statewide hotline received an average of 67 calls per day in November 2023 and about 53 calls daily in November 2022, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/988-Broad-State-Metrics-Report__KS_NA_to_2024-02-29.pdf" target="_blank">da</a><a href="https://www.khi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/988-Broad-State-Metrics-Report__KS_2022-01-01_to_2023-01-31.pdf" target="_blank">ta</a>&nbsp;from Vibrant.

The LGBTQ+ line, which launched in July 2023, received an average of six calls per day in its first eight months of operation. Average call volumes on the Spanish-speaking line are even lower, at about one call per day, according to 2023 metrics.

Vibrant offers tips for coping with election stress on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vibrant.org/coping-with-election-stress/" target="_blank">website</a>.

“When feelings of anxiety occur due to major national, regional, or community events like elections, it can exacerbate other anxieties people may be having that are not necessarily related to that event,” said an Oct. 17 blog post from Vibrant. “Memories of anxiety may also be triggered by such events, adding to current stress.”

Some tips include seeking social support, sticking to routines and balancing election-related media consumption.

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 href="http://988lifeline.org/" target="_blank">988lifeline.org</a>.

<a href="https://www.crisistextline.org/" target="_blank">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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731520129850.jpeg" alt="Kansas’ suicide and crisis hotline, 988, saw an uptick in calls the day after the Nov. 5 election. Photo by Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline" />
 <figcaption>Kansas’ suicide and crisis hotline, 988, saw an uptick in calls the day after the Nov. 5 election. Photo by Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> Kansas Reflector TOPEKA — The state suicide and crisis hotline received a record number of calls a day following the election, with LGBTQ+ and Spanish-speaking lines seeing especially high traffic.Vibrant, the mental health company that administers Kansas’ 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, reported a one-day call record of 169 calls on Nov. 6, said ​​Cara Sloan-Ramos, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.The largest increases in call volumes occurred on the LGBTQ+ and Spanish lines, Sloan-Ramos said.President-elect Donald Trump has promised upon taking office a crackdown on immigration, especially undocumented Mexican and Latin and Central American immigrants, through mass deportation. Plus, GOP gains in the Kansas Legislature open up&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/02/anti-lgbtq-bills-introduced-in-kansas-legislature-are-political-bullying-tactic-activists-say/">new opportunities</a>&nbsp;for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.“One of the things we know about suicide and suicidal behavior is that it is rarely connected to one circumstance but instead is most often a result of multiple factors, so correlation doesn’t exactly indicate causation,” Sloan-Ramos said in an email.The statewide hotline received an average of 67 calls per day in November 2023 and about 53 calls daily in November 2022, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/988-Broad-State-Metrics-Report__KS_NA_to_2024-02-29.pdf" target="_blank">da</a><a href="https://www.khi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/988-Broad-State-Metrics-Report__KS_2022-01-01_to_2023-01-31.pdf" target="_blank">ta</a>&nbsp;from Vibrant. The LGBTQ+ line, which launched in July 2023, received an average of six calls per day in its first eight months of operation. Average call volumes on the Spanish-speaking line are even lower, at about one call per day, according to 2023 metrics.Vibrant offers tips for coping with election stress on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vibrant.org/coping-with-election-stress/" target="_blank">website</a>.“When feelings of anxiety occur due to major national, regional, or community events like elections, it can exacerbate other anxieties people may be having that are not necessarily related to that event,” said an Oct. 17 blog post from Vibrant. “Memories of anxiety may also be triggered by such events, adding to current stress.”Some tips include seeking social support, sticking to routines and balancing election-related media consumption.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 href="http://988lifeline.org/" target="_blank">988lifeline.org</a>.<a href="https://www.crisistextline.org/" target="_blank">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.

Kansas suicide and crisis hotline sees post-election spike

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have elected South Dakota Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-thune">John Thune</a>&nbsp;as the next Senate majority leader, completing a momentous shift in their leadership that elevates a top deputy of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Mitch McConnell</a>&nbsp;into a key position as President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;returns to the White House.

Thune, 63, is in his fourth Senate term and has promised to work closely with Trump, despite differences the two have had over the years, and will be a crucial part of the incoming president’s efforts to push through his policy agenda.

In a statement, Thune said he was “extremely honored to have earned the support of my colleagues.”

“This Republican team is united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work starts today,” he said.

Thune beat out two other competitors, Sens.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-cornyn">John Cornyn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rick-scott">Rick Scott</a>, by gaining majority support from GOP senators in a secret ballot vote in two rounds of voting. Scott was eliminated on the first round and the final vote between Thune and Cornyn was 29-24, according to several people who requested anonymity to discuss the private meeting.

Republicans are replacing McConnell, the longest serving Senate party leader, as they prepare to take majority control of the Senate with the 53 seats they won in last week’s elections.

Much of the campaign centered around the candidates' relationship with Trump. Thune has worked to smooth his over after breaking publicly with Trump over the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he called “inexcusable.”

In recent months, Thune has realigned with Trump, visiting him in his Florida home, and the two have been consulting on how to implement the incoming president’s agenda. Thune&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/john-thune-is-striving-to-be-the-next-republican-senate-leader-but-can-he-rise-in-trumps-gop/">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;over the summer that he views their potential relationship as a professional one. If they both win their elections, Thune said, “we’ve got a job to do.”

As he made his case, Thune also made clear that he would listen to Trump's demands. When Trump posted on X Sunday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-senate-thune-cornyn-scott-republican-leadership-2a711f260887926676bb5d69866a1981">the new leader “must agree”</a>&nbsp;to allow him to appoint Cabinet members and others when the Senate is on recess, avoiding confirmation votes, Thune responded that the Senate must “quickly and decisively” act to get nominees in place and that “all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments.”

Well liked and a respected communicator, Thune has been perceived as a front-runner for much of the year. Like McConnell, he hails from the Republican Party’s more traditional wing.

He is a former chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and has held the Republican whip position — no. 2 in party leadership — since 2019. He took over for McConnell for several weeks last year when he was on a medical leave, a move that was widely seen as an audition of sorts as speculation surrounded McConnell's future.

Thune’s win is all the more extraordinary because of his 2004 election to the Senate – defeating then-Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tom-daschle">Tom Daschle</a>&nbsp;after arguing during the campaign that Daschle had lost his South Dakota roots during his years in Democratic leadership. Twenty years later, Thune will become majority leader himself.

As he geared up to run for leader, Thune spent much of the year campaigning for his colleagues. According to his aides, he raised more than $31 million to elect Senate Republicans this cycle, including a $4 million transfer from his own campaign accounts to the Senate’s main campaign arm.

The election was difficult for many in the conference who saw Thune and Cornyn as similar choices. They are alike on policy, voting generally in step with the conference but working with Democrats at times. Cornyn is a longtime member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who took a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-mitch-mcconnell-john-cornyn-texas-congress-ebdf2dbcd766559777be10338d7ce87c">leading role on bipartisan gun legislation</a>&nbsp;two years ago.

But the two differed on whether the leader should be term limited — a key demand from some in the conservative wing. Cornyn pushed for limits, while Thune did not.

Scott, the former governor of Florida, was elected to the Senate in 2018 and quickly positioned himself as a foil to McConnell, running against him for leader in 2022 and aligning with Utah Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-lee">Mike Lee</a>&nbsp;and others who have been highly critical of the current leadership.

As Thune and Cornyn wooed their colleagues one by one all year, Scott spent most of the year tied up in his own reelection race. He handily&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rick-scott-debbie-mucarselpowell-florida-senate-elections-4cfe5d065ce60129f65627d5b3812de9">defeated</a>&nbsp;Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell by more than 10 points.

After his re-election last week, Scott aggressively stepped up his campaign for GOP leader, campaigning publicly as the candidate closest to Trump and winning endorsements from people who are close to the former and future president, such as billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>. But some questioned whether that strategy might backfire.

Rounds said that he prefers the way that Thune and Cornyn have “handled it one-on-one with everybody,” but that he had talked to Scott as well. “We’ve got three qualified individuals,” he said ahead of the race.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have elected South Dakota Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-thune">John Thune</a>&nbsp;as the next Senate majority leader, completing a momentous shift in their leadership that elevates a top deputy of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Mitch McConnell</a>&nbsp;into a key position as President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;returns to the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Newly elected <a href="https://twitter.com/SenateGOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenateGOP</a> Leader <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJohnThune</a>: &quot;We have the team assembled...I&#39;m excited to get to work with this team right away...I promise to be a leader who serves the entire Republican conference.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/H1Sf8vAIDI">pic.twitter.com/H1Sf8vAIDI</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1856770268821090648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Thune, 63, is in his fourth Senate term and has promised to work closely with Trump, despite differences the two have had over the years, and will be a crucial part of the incoming president’s efforts to push through his policy agenda.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Honored to serve as the next U.S. Senate majority leader. <a href="https://t.co/zq9XLrPDUr">pic.twitter.com/zq9XLrPDUr</a>&mdash; Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnThune/status/1856748892550832530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a statement, Thune said he was “extremely honored to have earned the support of my colleagues.”“This Republican team is united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work starts today,” he said.Thune beat out two other competitors, Sens.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-cornyn">John Cornyn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rick-scott">Rick Scott</a>, by gaining majority support from GOP senators in a secret ballot vote in two rounds of voting. Scott was eliminated on the first round and the final vote between Thune and Cornyn was 29-24, according to several people who requested anonymity to discuss the private meeting.Republicans are replacing McConnell, the longest serving Senate party leader, as they prepare to take majority control of the Senate with the 53 seats they won in last week’s elections.Much of the campaign centered around the candidates' relationship with Trump. Thune has worked to smooth his over after breaking publicly with Trump over the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he called “inexcusable.”In recent months, Thune has realigned with Trump, visiting him in his Florida home, and the two have been consulting on how to implement the incoming president’s agenda. Thune&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/john-thune-is-striving-to-be-the-next-republican-senate-leader-but-can-he-rise-in-trumps-gop/">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;over the summer that he views their potential relationship as a professional one. If they both win their elections, Thune said, “we’ve got a job to do.”As he made his case, Thune also made clear that he would listen to Trump's demands. When Trump posted on X Sunday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-senate-thune-cornyn-scott-republican-leadership-2a711f260887926676bb5d69866a1981">the new leader “must agree”</a>&nbsp;to allow him to appoint Cabinet members and others when the Senate is on recess, avoiding confirmation votes, Thune responded that the Senate must “quickly and decisively” act to get nominees in place and that “all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments.”Well liked and a respected communicator, Thune has been perceived as a front-runner for much of the year. Like McConnell, he hails from the Republican Party’s more traditional wing.He is a former chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and has held the Republican whip position — no. 2 in party leadership — since 2019. He took over for McConnell for several weeks last year when he was on a medical leave, a move that was widely seen as an audition of sorts as speculation surrounded McConnell's future.Thune’s win is all the more extraordinary because of his 2004 election to the Senate – defeating then-Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tom-daschle">Tom Daschle</a>&nbsp;after arguing during the campaign that Daschle had lost his South Dakota roots during his years in Democratic leadership. Twenty years later, Thune will become majority leader himself.As he geared up to run for leader, Thune spent much of the year campaigning for his colleagues. According to his aides, he raised more than $31 million to elect Senate Republicans this cycle, including a $4 million transfer from his own campaign accounts to the Senate’s main campaign arm.The election was difficult for many in the conference who saw Thune and Cornyn as similar choices. They are alike on policy, voting generally in step with the conference but working with Democrats at times. Cornyn is a longtime member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who took a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-mitch-mcconnell-john-cornyn-texas-congress-ebdf2dbcd766559777be10338d7ce87c">leading role on bipartisan gun legislation</a>&nbsp;two years ago.But the two differed on whether the leader should be term limited — a key demand from some in the conservative wing. Cornyn pushed for limits, while Thune did not.Scott, the former governor of Florida, was elected to the Senate in 2018 and quickly positioned himself as a foil to McConnell, running against him for leader in 2022 and aligning with Utah Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-lee">Mike Lee</a>&nbsp;and others who have been highly critical of the current leadership.As Thune and Cornyn wooed their colleagues one by one all year, Scott spent most of the year tied up in his own reelection race. He handily&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rick-scott-debbie-mucarselpowell-florida-senate-elections-4cfe5d065ce60129f65627d5b3812de9">defeated</a>&nbsp;Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell by more than 10 points.After his re-election last week, Scott aggressively stepped up his campaign for GOP leader, campaigning publicly as the candidate closest to Trump and winning endorsements from people who are close to the former and future president, such as billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>. But some questioned whether that strategy might backfire.Rounds said that he prefers the way that Thune and Cornyn have “handled it one-on-one with everybody,” but that he had talked to Scott as well. “We’ve got three qualified individuals,” he said ahead of the race.

🎥Secret ballot: Republicans elect new Senate leader

By NATE KING Salina Post

Incumbent Republican State Representative for Kansas' 69th House District, Clarke Sanders, secured another two years in office on Nov. 5, winning with 58% of the vote. Sanders expressed satisfaction with both the outcome and the overall tone of the campaign, describing it as “conducted very above board.”

"It went really well for me, but I thought the campaign, for the most part, was conducted very above board, and I was pleased with the tenor of the campaign and obviously pleased with the outcome," said Sanders.

The 2024 Nov. General Election wasn't just a great night for Sanders —Kansas Republicans took home a slate of victories in the <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/a2335adb-6f3d-4672-b9ac-a2410b5a539e">Senate and the State House of Representatives</a>.

“We have more of a mandate to get done what Republicans in the statehouse have been trying to do,” Sanders said.

In the Kansas Senate, Republicans hold a significant majority, with 30 confirmed Republican seats and potentially 31, depending on the results of a close race in District 5. This increased from the previous session's 29 Republicans, where only 26 Republican representatives consistently voted with the Kansas Republicans on major issues.

In the Kansas House, Republicans have expanded their majority from 85 to at least 88 seats, with a possible 89th seat pending in the Kansas House District 49. Previously, the House had 85 Republicans, with a few members occasionally siding with Gov. Kelly. Republicans now hold a stronger supermajority, giving them more than the 87 votes required to override a veto.

Sanders echoed remarks by Kansas Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins criticizing Gov. Kelly for her efforts to break the Republican-held supermajority in Topeka.

"The Governor made it clear she would not support property tax relief in the next session. She raised a ton of outside special interest money and told lie on top of lie about school funding and abortion to try to mislead voters and stop our efforts. Quite frankly, the people of Kansas are much smarter than that and saw through their dishonesty and hateful rhetoric and voted to put a stop to their games. " 

"At the end of the day, the massive amount of work and dedication our House Republican candidates put into their districts—ensuring they were listening to what is most important to you, is truly why we’re here with a much stronger supermajority. A humble thank you to the people of Kansas and congratulations to our team—I look forward to the truly awesome things we’ll accomplish together for the next two years.”

Sanders' priorities for the upcoming session include reintroducing a bill from the last session to reduce property taxes and advancing a long-sought sales tax exemption for<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2041_00_0000.pdf"> qualifying community theaters</a>.

“We got it as part of another bill last session, but the governor vetoed it,” Sanders said."It passed both the House and the Senate by wide margins, and she vetoed. At the time we weren't going to be in session to override her veto."

Given the gains in the House and Senate, Sanders said that he is not overwhelmingly worried about a looming veto this time. 

"Given the overall numbers that we've got now, her ability to veto much of anything is not going to be very high," Sanders said.&nbsp;

Sanders stated that he and his Republican colleagues plan to pass property tax relief for Kansans by advocating for a reduction in the state’s mill levy. The proposal, which sought to lower the state’s property tax for K-12 public education from 20 mills to 18 mills, was introduced last session but was vetoed by the governor.

The legislation also increased the residential exemption on state property tax from $40,000 to $100,000.

"We need to get a reduction of mill levy that the state assesses, and I know that that's going to come up very early in the session," Sanders said. "I'm thinking it's going to be passed in January. The governor has promised to veto it, and we'll be able to override that veto in both the House and Senate now, with the makeup of the new legislature, so that's high on my agenda."&nbsp;

In addition to tax relief, Sanders said Republicans would focus on getting more funding for county tag offices across Kansas. He acknowledged recent frustration from Saline County residents over the closure of a local satellite office due to funding shortages. 

"The state tag offices haven't had a raise in their funding in 17 years, and the only way tag offices can get more money is if the state appropriates it," Sanders said. "This isn't a city or county decision."

On October 23, the State Legislative Coordinating Council approved the creation of the Special Committee on Legislative Budget.&nbsp; This interim committee is exploring a new approach to the state budget process, which would allow the Kansas Legislature to draft the initial budget rather than the governor, as has traditionally been done.

"We don't know what they [the committee] is going to come up with yet, but the way I understand it is that instead of the budget originating with the governor, which is the way that it's always been done, the budget is going to originate with the legislature," Sanders said.&nbsp;

 Under this proposal, the governor would review the legislature’s proposed budget and she would have the option to make line-item vetoes. However, Sanders believes the governor's vetoes are not likely to withstand overrides in the new legislature.&nbsp;While the governor could release agency budget requests sooner, in the past, the legislature had to wait until after the session started to review them. 

Those in favor of changing how the budget is proposed argue that the change will provide another two months for further vetting, ensuring the state is on a fiscally responsible path.

The interim committee, consisting of 23 members appointed by Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, includes key legislative leaders and chairs of various budget committees. 

The new legislative session begins on Jan. 13. To discuss a legislative issue with Rep. Sanders, email him at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:clarke.sanders@house.ks.gov" target="_blank">clarke.sanders@house.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;

To keep up to date on legislation Rep. Sanders is sponsoring or introducing, <a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/members/rep_sanders_clarke_1/">click here.</a>&nbsp;The State Library of Kansas reminds residents that information about the 2025 Kansas Legislative session is only a phone call or chat away. The toll-free number for the Legislative Hotline is 1-800-432-3924.&nbsp;

Calls are answered by experienced reference and research librarians at the State Library.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675869149141.png" alt="&nbsp;(Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;(Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NATE KING Salina PostIncumbent Republican State Representative for Kansas' 69th House District, Clarke Sanders, secured another two years in office on Nov. 5, winning with 58% of the vote. Sanders expressed satisfaction with both the outcome and the overall tone of the campaign, describing it as “conducted very above board.”"It went really well for me, but I thought the campaign, for the most part, was conducted very above board, and I was pleased with the tenor of the campaign and obviously pleased with the outcome," said Sanders.<h2>A win for Kansas Republicans</h2>The 2024 Nov. General Election wasn't just a great night for Sanders —Kansas Republicans took home a slate of victories in the <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/a2335adb-6f3d-4672-b9ac-a2410b5a539e">Senate and the State House of Representatives</a>.“We have more of a mandate to get done what Republicans in the statehouse have been trying to do,” Sanders said.In the Kansas Senate, Republicans hold a significant majority, with 30 confirmed Republican seats and potentially 31, depending on the results of a close race in District 5. This increased from the previous session's 29 Republicans, where only 26 Republican representatives consistently voted with the Kansas Republicans on major issues.In the Kansas House, Republicans have expanded their majority from 85 to at least 88 seats, with a possible 89th seat pending in the Kansas House District 49. Previously, the House had 85 Republicans, with a few members occasionally siding with Gov. Kelly. Republicans now hold a stronger supermajority, giving them more than the 87 votes required to override a veto.Sanders echoed remarks by Kansas Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins criticizing Gov. Kelly for her efforts to break the Republican-held supermajority in Topeka.Hawkins' statement reads:"The Governor made it clear she would not support property tax relief in the next session. She raised a ton of outside special interest money and told lie on top of lie about school funding and abortion to try to mislead voters and stop our efforts. Quite frankly, the people of Kansas are much smarter than that and saw through their dishonesty and hateful rhetoric and voted to put a stop to their games. " Hawkins' statement continues. "At the end of the day, the massive amount of work and dedication our House Republican candidates put into their districts—ensuring they were listening to what is most important to you, is truly why we’re here with a much stronger supermajority. A humble thank you to the people of Kansas and congratulations to our team—I look forward to the truly awesome things we’ll accomplish together for the next two years.”<h2>Sanders' legislative priorities</h2>Sanders' priorities for the upcoming session include reintroducing a bill from the last session to reduce property taxes and advancing a long-sought sales tax exemption for<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2041_00_0000.pdf"> qualifying community theaters</a>.“We got it as part of another bill last session, but the governor vetoed it,” Sanders said."It passed both the House and the Senate by wide margins, and she vetoed. At the time we weren't going to be in session to override her veto."Given the gains in the House and Senate, Sanders said that he is not overwhelmingly worried about a looming veto this time. "Given the overall numbers that we've got now, her ability to veto much of anything is not going to be very high," Sanders said.&nbsp;Sanders stated that he and his Republican colleagues plan to pass property tax relief for Kansans by advocating for a reduction in the state’s mill levy. The proposal, which sought to lower the state’s property tax for K-12 public education from 20 mills to 18 mills, was introduced last session but was vetoed by the governor.The legislation also increased the residential exemption on state property tax from $40,000 to $100,000."We need to get a reduction of mill levy that the state assesses, and I know that that's going to come up very early in the session," Sanders said. "I'm thinking it's going to be passed in January. The governor has promised to veto it, and we'll be able to override that veto in both the House and Senate now, with the makeup of the new legislature, so that's high on my agenda."&nbsp;In addition to tax relief, Sanders said Republicans would focus on getting more funding for county tag offices across Kansas. He acknowledged recent frustration from Saline County residents over the closure of a local satellite office due to funding shortages. "The state tag offices haven't had a raise in their funding in 17 years, and the only way tag offices can get more money is if the state appropriates it," Sanders said. "This isn't a city or county decision."<h2>A new way to propose the state budget</h2>On October 23, the State Legislative Coordinating Council approved the creation of the Special Committee on Legislative Budget.&nbsp; This interim committee is exploring a new approach to the state budget process, which would allow the Kansas Legislature to draft the initial budget rather than the governor, as has traditionally been done."We don't know what they [the committee] is going to come up with yet, but the way I understand it is that instead of the budget originating with the governor, which is the way that it's always been done, the budget is going to originate with the legislature," Sanders said.&nbsp; Under this proposal, the governor would review the legislature’s proposed budget and she would have the option to make line-item vetoes. However, Sanders believes the governor's vetoes are not likely to withstand overrides in the new legislature.&nbsp;While the governor could release agency budget requests sooner, in the past, the legislature had to wait until after the session started to review them. Those in favor of changing how the budget is proposed argue that the change will provide another two months for further vetting, ensuring the state is on a fiscally responsible path.The interim committee, consisting of 23 members appointed by Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, includes key legislative leaders and chairs of various budget committees. <h2>Contacting your legislator</h2>The new legislative session begins on Jan. 13. To discuss a legislative issue with Rep. Sanders, email him at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:clarke.sanders@house.ks.gov" target="_blank">clarke.sanders@house.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;To keep up to date on legislation Rep. Sanders is sponsoring or introducing, <a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/members/rep_sanders_clarke_1/">click here.</a>&nbsp;The State Library of Kansas reminds residents that information about the 2025 Kansas Legislative session is only a phone call or chat away. The toll-free number for the Legislative Hotline is 1-800-432-3924.&nbsp;Frequently asked questions include:● Who are my legislators?● How can I contact them?● What is the status of this bill?Calls are answered by experienced reference and research librarians at the State Library.

Sanders re-elected to Kansas House, focuses on tax cuts, tag office, budgets

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright so, I really don’t have any injuries for you. I think we came out of the game halfway decent, but I’ll get – the guys are just kind of coming in, so we’ll get all that taken care of here later in the afternoon. As far as the game goes, listen, the win was fantastic to get. We’ve got places that we’ve got to work on and make sure we get covered. The positive was that they didn’t score in the second half and we – for the most part – hunkered down defensively and then offensively, we’ve got to clean up a few things. We didn’t score as often in the red zone as we wanted to – penalties, a missed shot there – a couple of those things that don’t happen very often that happened down in there. We’re normally accurate with the throws and so on, so we’ve got to clean a little bit of that up but again, playing a good football team. They’ve got – both of their fronts are strong and we were tested in a couple (of) spots and it’ll help us grow is what it’ll help us do, particularly at that tackle position. We were young at the left tackle spot. We’ll keep getting better as we go and experience some of these things. I think Wanya (Morris) will end up being okay when it’s all said and done here as far as his leg goes and then he was able to come back in and play. Kingsley (Suamataia) will learn from what he had there and keep getting better. Then, likewise on the right side (right tackle), we’ll keep growing there. Then, from a defensive standpoint, they’ve got a good offensive line (and) they were physical (with) their run game. They got that going a little bit and teams hadn’t been able to do that quite as well as what they had rolling there early so we can learn from that and get better in that spot too. Again, I’m glad we came out with the win. I thought it was a heck of a play there at the end. We overloaded one side – it probably wouldn’t have mattered who they had in there blocking but we were able to get that overload, and we got off on the ball. I mean, if you wanted to pick on one thing there to say was a great job, Justin Reid, on the outside, is the fastest guy in the NFL on his get off on these field goals. Teams take and look at that and make sure that they take care of him first which allowed the inside three there to really come off and get an explosive. You saw (Derrick) Nnadi kind of went down and they weren’t quite sure how to handle that so there ended up being a separation and we were able to get through the cracks there. That was a spectacular way to end it. I’m not sure I’ve ever had that experience in my career with a walk-off blocked field goal, so it made it exciting but I’d rather us really focus in on taking care of business in the other part of the game and get that sinched up. My hat goes off to (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Toub for spending the time to make sure those things all fit together and for the players just executing and never giving up. Like I told you last night – or yesterday afternoon – that the thing that has impressed me with this team is (that) they don’t get down and they’re not that – that’s not what they are. They battle through stuff and if somebody’s not doing well, they try to pick them up and do well in their area. It’s worked to this point, but we’ve just got to keep getting better and growing as we go. With that, (the) time’s yours.”

Q:&nbsp;From a depth perspective, has there been any consideration to bring in Donovan Smith or another veteran as your two young left tackles develop?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, that’s (General Manager Brett) Veach’s area. He looks at everything so I’m not going to say no, but what we do as coaches – and we overemphasize – we’re going to focus in on these kids that are here and they’re getting better. I know it’s hard to see at times but there’s progress being made and we’re going to be okay as we go forward.”

Q:&nbsp;With a young player like Kingsley Suamataia, how much mental coaching does it take to make sure his confidence is up?

REID:&nbsp;“That’s all part of it, that’s all part of coaching. I’d probably say it’s the same way in your business. If you’re not confident, you’re probably not going to talk very well.”

Q:&nbsp;On the little things being practiced and emphasized to block a field goal.

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, the details of it become important. The players want that. They want you to detail it up for them. It helps them even more be able to show what their talents are and then as a result of that, hopefully you win a game or two. (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator) Dave (Toub) spends a lot of time on that right there. You guys (the media) watch all that, so you know that there’s an emphasis put on special teams and the details of it. We needed it (laughter) yesterday. That was a big play for us.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there a focus going forward on trying to incorporate Kareem Hunt more in the passing game?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, well we think touches for him (Kareem Hunt) end up being important, whether he’s carrying it or – he’s a good football player so you want to have him have an opportunity to show off those talents. He’s always been a good receiver. We weren’t getting as much out of the run game as we wanted to, so we started throwing it a little bit more and he became an important part of that.”

Q:&nbsp;How do you try to manage the workload for these guys and make sure they get enough rest after two physical games?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s not as much the maybe the physical part as it is the time in between games. That’s what you’re managing. Then, it comes down to how the guys are feeling because of the short week. That’s the way we did it last week. This is a normal week so it’s not going to be quite like that. It’ll be a normal week of practice, but you know Matt (Derrick), in this league, every game is physical. I mean, the parity in this league is crazy right now. You just check out some of these scores and you go, ‘Jeez, it’s nuts.’ There’s – any given Sunday. It's no more important than that is right now in this league. You better be on you’re a-game every week.”

Q: Are there any updates on Charles Omenihu, Isiah Pacheco and JuJu Smith-Schuster?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I think they’re (Charles Omenihu, Isiah Pacheco and JuJu Smith-Schuster) all close. I’d probably tell you JuJu (Smith-Schuster is) closer than the other two, but I would tell you that – we might have them out there, we’ll just see how it goes here today and tomorrow. They’re very close, all three of them.”

Q: How do you explain how you have been able to remain undefeated and get to this point?

REID:&nbsp;“Yesterday, that was probably the epitome of it, coming down to that last second deal – literally – a block. We’ve been given opportunities and we’ve taken advantage of them and then we’ve made a few opportunities ourselves with some good plays. You’d probably say that they outplayed us yesterday and then they end up not winning the game. You see that throughout the league, I mean you just saw the Lions game last night, five turnovers, five interceptions or whatever it was and they find a way to win the game. You give credit to your locker room and your coaches, just for being mentally tough and sticking with it.”

Q: What is needed for Xavier Worthy and Patrick Mahomes to get the right connection on the deep passes?

REID:&nbsp;“They’ve (Xavier Worthy and Patrick Mahomes) had a couple of them, we just have to keep it a little bit more consistent, Nick (Jacobs). They’ll keep working on it. They spend time working on it and we’ll just keep it going. Those things, they’ll come eventually here as we go with a little bit more consistency.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Q: On the fourth down attempt in the first half and at the end of the game.

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesNovember 11, 2024HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright so, I really don’t have any injuries for you. I think we came out of the game halfway decent, but I’ll get – the guys are just kind of coming in, so we’ll get all that taken care of here later in the afternoon. As far as the game goes, listen, the win was fantastic to get. We’ve got places that we’ve got to work on and make sure we get covered. The positive was that they didn’t score in the second half and we – for the most part – hunkered down defensively and then offensively, we’ve got to clean up a few things. We didn’t score as often in the red zone as we wanted to – penalties, a missed shot there – a couple of those things that don’t happen very often that happened down in there. We’re normally accurate with the throws and so on, so we’ve got to clean a little bit of that up but again, playing a good football team. They’ve got – both of their fronts are strong and we were tested in a couple (of) spots and it’ll help us grow is what it’ll help us do, particularly at that tackle position. We were young at the left tackle spot. We’ll keep getting better as we go and experience some of these things. I think Wanya (Morris) will end up being okay when it’s all said and done here as far as his leg goes and then he was able to come back in and play. Kingsley (Suamataia) will learn from what he had there and keep getting better. Then, likewise on the right side (right tackle), we’ll keep growing there. Then, from a defensive standpoint, they’ve got a good offensive line (and) they were physical (with) their run game. They got that going a little bit and teams hadn’t been able to do that quite as well as what they had rolling there early so we can learn from that and get better in that spot too. Again, I’m glad we came out with the win. I thought it was a heck of a play there at the end. We overloaded one side – it probably wouldn’t have mattered who they had in there blocking but we were able to get that overload, and we got off on the ball. I mean, if you wanted to pick on one thing there to say was a great job, Justin Reid, on the outside, is the fastest guy in the NFL on his get off on these field goals. Teams take and look at that and make sure that they take care of him first which allowed the inside three there to really come off and get an explosive. You saw (Derrick) Nnadi kind of went down and they weren’t quite sure how to handle that so there ended up being a separation and we were able to get through the cracks there. That was a spectacular way to end it. I’m not sure I’ve ever had that experience in my career with a walk-off blocked field goal, so it made it exciting but I’d rather us really focus in on taking care of business in the other part of the game and get that sinched up. My hat goes off to (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Toub for spending the time to make sure those things all fit together and for the players just executing and never giving up. Like I told you last night – or yesterday afternoon – that the thing that has impressed me with this team is (that) they don’t get down and they’re not that – that’s not what they are. They battle through stuff and if somebody’s not doing well, they try to pick them up and do well in their area. It’s worked to this point, but we’ve just got to keep getting better and growing as we go. With that, (the) time’s yours.”Q:&nbsp;From a depth perspective, has there been any consideration to bring in Donovan Smith or another veteran as your two young left tackles develop?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, that’s (General Manager Brett) Veach’s area. He looks at everything so I’m not going to say no, but what we do as coaches – and we overemphasize – we’re going to focus in on these kids that are here and they’re getting better. I know it’s hard to see at times but there’s progress being made and we’re going to be okay as we go forward.”Q:&nbsp;With a young player like Kingsley Suamataia, how much mental coaching does it take to make sure his confidence is up?REID:&nbsp;“That’s all part of it, that’s all part of coaching. I’d probably say it’s the same way in your business. If you’re not confident, you’re probably not going to talk very well.”Q:&nbsp;On the little things being practiced and emphasized to block a field goal.REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, the details of it become important. The players want that. They want you to detail it up for them. It helps them even more be able to show what their talents are and then as a result of that, hopefully you win a game or two. (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator) Dave (Toub) spends a lot of time on that right there. You guys (the media) watch all that, so you know that there’s an emphasis put on special teams and the details of it. We needed it (laughter) yesterday. That was a big play for us.”Q:&nbsp;Is there a focus going forward on trying to incorporate Kareem Hunt more in the passing game?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, well we think touches for him (Kareem Hunt) end up being important, whether he’s carrying it or – he’s a good football player so you want to have him have an opportunity to show off those talents. He’s always been a good receiver. We weren’t getting as much out of the run game as we wanted to, so we started throwing it a little bit more and he became an important part of that.”Q:&nbsp;How do you try to manage the workload for these guys and make sure they get enough rest after two physical games?REID:&nbsp;“It’s not as much the maybe the physical part as it is the time in between games. That’s what you’re managing. Then, it comes down to how the guys are feeling because of the short week. That’s the way we did it last week. This is a normal week so it’s not going to be quite like that. It’ll be a normal week of practice, but you know Matt (Derrick), in this league, every game is physical. I mean, the parity in this league is crazy right now. You just check out some of these scores and you go, ‘Jeez, it’s nuts.’ There’s – any given Sunday. It's no more important than that is right now in this league. You better be on you’re a-game every week.”Q: Are there any updates on Charles Omenihu, Isiah Pacheco and JuJu Smith-Schuster?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I think they’re (Charles Omenihu, Isiah Pacheco and JuJu Smith-Schuster) all close. I’d probably tell you JuJu (Smith-Schuster is) closer than the other two, but I would tell you that – we might have them out there, we’ll just see how it goes here today and tomorrow. They’re very close, all three of them.”Q: How do you explain how you have been able to remain undefeated and get to this point?REID:&nbsp;“Yesterday, that was probably the epitome of it, coming down to that last second deal – literally – a block. We’ve been given opportunities and we’ve taken advantage of them and then we’ve made a few opportunities ourselves with some good plays. You’d probably say that they outplayed us yesterday and then they end up not winning the game. You see that throughout the league, I mean you just saw the Lions game last night, five turnovers, five interceptions or whatever it was and they find a way to win the game. You give credit to your locker room and your coaches, just for being mentally tough and sticking with it.”Q: What is needed for Xavier Worthy and Patrick Mahomes to get the right connection on the deep passes?REID:&nbsp;“They’ve (Xavier Worthy and Patrick Mahomes) had a couple of them, we just have to keep it a little bit more consistent, Nick (Jacobs). They’ll keep working on it. They spend time working on it and we’ll just keep it going. Those things, they’ll come eventually here as we go with a little bit more consistency.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Q: On the fourth down attempt in the first half and at the end of the game.

Chiefs Quotes: 11-11-24

nr/rv/rv&nbsp;Arizona State at&nbsp;19/20/19&nbsp;K-State

Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000)

TV: ESPN (<a href="https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/12ee0ec5-04b5-4b2d-b91a-c9e2ff1cbc6e" 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>)

&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)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 106 or 199, and on the SiriusXM App

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

X Updates: @KStateFB and @KStateStatsInfo

THE TOP 51)&nbsp;Coming off its second bye week of the season, 19th-ranked Kansas State begins its final three-game stretch of the regular season by hosting new Big 12 member Arizona State inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game, which kicks off at 6 p.m. Saturday night, will be shown nationally on ESPN with Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony (sidelines) on the call.

2)&nbsp;Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his 11th career start as he has thrown for 1,892 yards and 17 TDs on 153-of-251 aim while adding 391 rushing yards and four scores. He is one of only six players in the country and the only Big 12 quarterback with at least 1,875 passing yards and 375 rushing yards. He is one passing TD shy of tying the K-State sophomore record and entering the overall top-10 list.

3)&nbsp;Junior running back DJ Giddens has rushed for 995 yards and five touchdowns on 162 carries to go along with 17 receptions for 213 yards and another score. Giddens ranks 12th nationally by averaging 110.6 rushing yards per game, while he is ninth in the nation in scrimmage yards per game (134.2). He is looking to become the fourth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

4)&nbsp;Kansas State has eight players with 30 or more tackles this season, led by linebacker Austin Romaine, whose 69 tackles are tied for seventh in the Big 12. Senior defensive end Brendan Mott has 9.5 TFLs and 8.0 sacks, the latter ranking 11th in the nation. Five Wildcats have carded an interception this season in Marques Sigle (3), VJ Payne (2), Jacob Parrish, Jack Fabris and Keenan Garber.

5)&nbsp;Chris Tennant has been true on 14-of-16 field goals, including a 51-yarder with 1:42 left to give the Wildcats a 29-27 win over Kansas. Simon McClannan ranks fourth in the Big 12 by averaging 41.6 yards per punt this season, while his 12 punts that have ended inside the opponent 20-yard line are tied for fifth in the Big 12. Dylan Edwards ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 310 total return yards.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS212&nbsp;– Opponents' lost yardage on K-State's 25 sacks this season, which ranks seventh the nation and tops in the Big 12.

143&nbsp;– Big 12 victories by K-State since the conference's inception in 1996, the most among active programs.

15&nbsp;– Home wins by the Wildcats since the beginning of 2022, tied for 16th in the country and ranked first in the Big 12.

13&nbsp;– Consecutive CFP polls in which the Wildcats have been ranked, tied for fifth in the nation.

4&nbsp;– DJ Giddens is looking to become the fourth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

• K-State is looking to rebound from a 24-19 loss at Houston prior to its second bye week of the season. The Wildcats led the Cougars, 19-10, but two fourth-quarter touchdowns by UH proved to be the difference.

• The Wildcats entered the game at Houston off a dramatic 29-27 dramatic win over Kansas – its 16th-straight win over the Jayhawks – as linebacker Austin Romaine forced a fumble on defense before Chris Tennant nailed a 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left for the two-point win.

• The defense settled in and held the Jayhawks scoreless in their final four drives with the Romaine forced fumble and Brendan Mott recovery leading to the game-winning drive.

• Saturday's contest will be just the second home game for the Wildcats in a span of 49 days. K-State hosted Oklahoma State on September 28 and Kansas on October 26, while during that time the Wildcats had three road games and two byes.

• This weekend's game against ASU is the first of two-straight home games and the final two home contests of the year.

• Home games have been kind to K-State over the last three years as the Cats have 15 victories, tied for the 16th most home wins in the nation over that span. That figure is also the most among active Big 12 teams.

• With its sixth victory of the year at West Virginia, Kansas State will be playing in the postseason for a fourth-straight season and the 13th time in the last 15 years.

• Entering the year, K-State was one of just 16 Power 4 programs to play in a bowl game at least 12 times in the previous 14 years.

• K-State has a total of 229 victories since 1996, which ranks 22nd nationally.

• Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (237), TCU (235) and Utah (232).

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

• K-State is riding a streak of three-straight years of at least eight wins, its longest since 2011 (10), 2012 (11), 2013 (8) and 2014 (9), and the Wildcats need one more victory to extend the current streak to four-straight years.

• Entering the season, K-State was the only returning Big 12 team with at least eight wins in each of the previous three seasons and one of 13 Power 4 programs to claim that feat.

• K-State has 34 wins since 2021, which is tied for 13th nationally and first among active Big 12 teams.

• Kansas State has totaled 143 Big 12 victories since the conference’s formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active 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 60.2% (74-49), trailing only Oklahoma State (62.1%; 77-47).

• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 41-20 (67.2%) at home in Big 12 play and 33-29 (5.32%) on the road.

• K-State checks in at No. 20 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 as the Wildcats have been ranked in all 12 AP polls this year.

• It is the first time K-State has 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 active Big 12 teams and ranked 22nd nationally.

• Kansas State was ranked No. 19 in the initial College Football Playoff Top 25 of 2024, marking the 13th-straight time the Cats were ranked in the CFP Top 25. That figure is tied for the fifth-longest active streak.

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

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

• Additionally, half of the Wildcats’ schedule is against teams in which they have not faced in at least 10 years, if ever. Those are UT Martin (First Meeting), Arizona (1978), BYU (1997), Colorado (2010), Arizona State (2002) and Cincinnati (1996).

• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 118-39 career record, as his 75.2% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have led programs for at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 18 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 career victories.

• Klieman, who is 46-26 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 ranked in the top 10 nationally in turnover margin each of the last two years as the Wildcats finished eighth in 2022 and fifth in 2023, which marked the first time in the top 10 in consecutive seasons since 2011 (9th) and 2012 (3rd).

• After sitting at minus-2 in turnover margin and ranking 93rd in the nation entering the Oklahoma State game, the Wildcats are now plus-2 on the year to rank 52nd.

• K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 135 since 1999, 10 more than the next closest team (Alabama – 125).

• 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 rumble 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.

• Kansas State is 3-1 in one-possession games this season, with all three of its wins being in comeback fashion.

• The Wildcats' three wins this season when trailing in the fourth quarter are the most since 2017.

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

• 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.

• 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.

• Of K-State's three one-possession victories this year, two were on the road against teams currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 (No. 18 Colorado and No. 25 Tulane).

• With the entire six-game 2024 home slate trending toward being sold out, K-State is currently riding a streak of 18-consecutive sellouts dating back to the beginning of 2022.

• Kansas State is one of only three schools in the nation to rank in the top 20 of percentage of capacity filled each of the last 10 seasons, joining Ohio State and Oklahoma.

• So far this year, K-State ranks 10th nationally by filling its stadium to 103.17% capacity.

• K-State enters this week's matchup ranking 19th nationally by averaging 208.3 rushing yards per game, while the Cats are seventh in the country by averaging 5.8 rushing yards per carry.

• K-State's school record for average yards per rush is 5.27 yards in 2016.

• The average is driven by 66 rushes of at least 10 yards to rank seventh in the nation, while K-State's 20 rushing plays of 20 or more yards this season are tied for 11th in the country.

• The Cats have rushed for at least 200 yards in six games this year, the most in the Big 12. The Wildcats have already equaled last year's regular-season total, which was the most since doing so in eight regular-season games in 2016.

ONE OF ONLY TWO• Four K-State players have had at least 20 rushing attempts and each average at least 5.4 yards per carry.

• Headlining that group is Dylan Edwards, DJ Giddens and Avery Johnson at 6.8, 6.1 and 5.4 yards per rush, respectively. K-State is one of just two Power 4 programs to have three active players to average at least 5.4 yards on at least 50 attempts (Notre Dame: Jadarian Price, Jeremiyah Love, Riley Leonard).

• Giddens and Johnson are the only Power 4 teammates to each record 22 or more rushes of at least 10 yards.TOTAL OFFENSE• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 29 of the last 36 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.

• During that stretch, the Cats held a 10-game streak against Big 12 foes with 375 or more yards, the longest in school history.TWENTY-EIGHT IS GREAT• K-State has scored at least 28 or more points in 15 of its last 17 games, its most over a 17-game stretch since doing so nine times over the final 11 games of 2007 and each of the first six games of 2008.RED ZONE SUCCESS• The 2024 season is a continuation of red-zone success under Chris Klieman, as the Wildcats rank first among active Big 12 programs by scoring on 90.8% (257-of-283) of their overall red-zone trips since 2019 with 192 touchdowns (67.8%).

• Last season, the Cats ranked second nationally by finding paydirt on 78.5% of their red-zone possessions (51-of-65), and they narrowly finished behind Oregon State by 0.11%. K-State would have led the nation last year had the Cats not been in the red zone when taking a knee to close out the Pop-Tarts Bowl win.

• K-State enters play this week ranked ninth nationally and third in the Big 12 in red zone scoring at 93.8% (30-of-32) with one of those failed attempts being a kneel down at the end of the West Virginia game.RED ZONE THREATS• Kansas State's tight end unit has combined for 10 touchdown receptions this year, tied for the most in the nation.

• The 10 touchdowns have come from four different players in Will Anciaux and Garrett Oakley with three apiece, while Brayden Loftin and Will Swanson each have two.OFFENSIVE LINE STEPPING UP• Although the offensive line lost four starters from a year, the current group is stepping up. In addition to its rushing rankings, K-State also ranks in the top 25 nationally in fewest sacks allowed (21st; 1.11 per game) and fewest tackles for loss allowed (20th; 4.00 per game).

• Despite limited starts at K-State entering the season, the current starting unit is experienced overall as the six players that have made start this year have combined for 118 starts and 8,260 career offensive snaps. The leaders in those departments are on the left side in tackle Easton Kilty (46 starts, 2,877 snaps) and guard Hadley Panzer (35 starts, 2,281 snaps).A GREAT START• Quarterback Avery Johnson has started 10 career games under center with the Wildcats going 8-2 those games. Included in those victories are three wins over ranked teams – No. 19 NC State in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl in addition to No. 20 Arizona and No. 20 Oklahoma State this season – and a win at Colorado, which checks in at No. 20 in the most recent College Football Playoff Top 25.

• Johnson is the fifth K-State quarterback since 1990 to lead his team to victory at least eight times in his first 10 starts and the first since Collin Klein over the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The others are Johnathan Beasley (1999), Michael Bishop (1997), Brian Kavanagh (1996) and Matt Miller (1995).BY AIR AND GROUND• Quarterback Avery Johnson was the top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023, and he's putting that on display during his true sophomore season as he is one of only six quarterbacks nationally and the only Big 12 player with at least 1,875 rushing yards and 375 passing yards.

• If he were to stay at his current averages, Johnson would end the season as just the 18th quarterback in Big 12 history and just the second K-State quarterback ever with at least 2,700 passing yards and 550 rushing yards. The other Wildcat to hit those marks was Michael Bishop in 1998.MULTIPLE TDs• Avery Johnson threw for three touchdowns and rushed for two others in K-State's 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State en route to Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.

• He was the first K-State signal caller to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a conference game since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012.

• A product of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson has been responsible for 21 touchdowns this season as he needs three to tie for 10th in school history for a single season.

MULTIPLE 1,000-YARD SEASONS• Running back DJ Giddens has 995 rushing yards this season as he eyes his second-straight 1,000-yard rushing season.

Cats Begin Season's Stretch Run by Hosting Arizona State

Q: When you got Peyton Hendershot, did you have your eye on having him contribute on special teams?

TOUB: “Yeah, he (Peyton Hendershot) was a good player in Dallas. I talk to (Cowboys Special Teams Coordinator John) Fassel down there and he called me immediately as soon as we traded for him, and he said, ‘You got my guy.’ He does a good job. He can run and he does a good job, he’s real physical. He understands, he has good instincts, and he helped us in that game. He was able to step in on a short – you know obviously when he (Jared Wiley) got hurt – he got (called up) on a short notice and was able to be a three-phase player for us in that game so it helped.”

Q: What did you see on Mecole Hardman’s 30-yard return?

TOUB: “It was a good job by him (Mecole Hardman). You know we blocked it up pretty good, we doubled down the gunners, we had six guys in the box. We got a good punt, he set it up really well and bounced it out to the wall. Once we got to the wall, he was able to use his speed and get out. Unfortunately, that’s where he got hit and landed on his shoulder, but he was able to come back in the game and he toughed it out and came back. It says a lot about him.”

Q: What’s the scouting report on the Broncos?

TOUB: “Ah man, they are really good and I’m not just – I mean this is real. They are probably (a) top five unit right now. You know as it speaks – as it is right now, statistically. You put on the tape, and it got our attention right away. They fly around, the (Broncos) returner (Marvin) Mims is probably the best guy we’ve faced all year. (Broncos) Punter Riley Dixon moves the ball well. (Broncos) Kicker (Wil) Lutz is doing a great job. I mean, (they’re) well coached. (Broncos Special Teams Coordinator) Ben Kotwica is probably the – you know I have a lot of respect for him, I think he is one of the best coaches in the league. We’ve got our hands full. They’re built to dominate on special teams. They’ve got a few of our ex-players too. They’ve got (Broncos CB) Tremon Smith and – (Broncos FB Michael) Burton. I can’t forget about Burton, I mean shoot, he’s a great player.”

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Listen, we got a – it’s a quick week coming off a Monday night game, hopefully we get plenty of rest and get ready to play on Sunday. (It’s) nice to have a noon time game with a little sunlight out so we’re looking forward to that – AFC West Divisional Game so we’re pretty fired up about that. With that, I’ll open it up.”

Q:&nbsp;How do you feel Joshua Williams did with the added snaps?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“(Joshua Williams did a) solid job. We have some things we have to work on. I think if you asked all the guys – I don’t know, maybe you’ve spoken to them. Listen, the most important thing is we won the game. Nobody felt good about the way it ended defensively. The last thing we want to do is put the offense back out there, go to overtime – the whole thing, so that part was disappointing. Quite frankly, we need to get better there because in the last three games – I mean the other two games were two possessions, it’s a little bit different, but this one stung a little bit and we hope to improve there. Getting back to the original question, I thought Josh (Joshua Williams) was solid. There’s some things we have to get better (at), and we’ll see where we go from here.”

Q:&nbsp;When you look at where you guys are now, what traits stand out to you about how you’re finding all these different ways to win and what is it that drives that?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“The head coach drives it first, then the quarterback, then hopefully the defense is factored in there somewhere. It’s funny, you ask the question, and I don’t know, maybe this is a fault, I don’t know but I get – I’m kind of like so here (motions hands to indicate being focused) that sometimes I’m unaware that we’re winning games like we’re winning them because all I’m really concerned about is not letting them score points to give our team a chance to win. We’ve found ways, ahead, behind, overtime, field goals, touchdowns and that’s – I think it’s a credit to the guys in the locker room – the character of those guys.”

Q:&nbsp;What do you see out of Broncos Quarterback Bo Nix?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“When are we going to get one that’s not so good (laughter)? Boy, for a rookie, he (Broncos QB Bo Nix) has a command. I watched – I went back and watched the first game he played in and was – I thought he – (Broncos Head Coach) Sean (Payton) had him doing things that sometimes you say, ‘Do you have a rookie do it in the first game that he plays?’ But yet, there he is doing it. I just think he’s gotten better every week. He looks more comfortable. You guys (the media) see it. It’s another athletic quarterback and I think those guys are always headaches because there’s certain things you can and can’t do because you’re afraid that he’s going to make you look bad with his feet and he can do that. I think he’s getting – listen, the guy can throw the football, there’s no doubt about that. They have themselves a good one.”

Q: What are some of the keys to the success on third down and what is the importance of converting on third down?

NAGY:&nbsp;“It’s very important. Probably just staying ahead of the sticks first (and) second down and it always goes to that. (That’s) kind of the commonsense answer but then also there’s been some stuff with Pat (Patrick Mahomes) using his legs. Conceptionally, if something’s not there I think he does a good job of ‘eyes down and then how can I make something happen with my feet.’ Then, (it’s) almost like you see whether it’s first, second or third down, he also now entices the defense that they’ve got to stop him and now he does a good job of still kind of playing that ‘go, throw or go’ type (of) deal with the line of scrimmage where you either go and run, you throw it or all of a sudden they think you’re going to do that then he runs and gets a first down. It’s a combination of all of that but I’ll go back to the start. First and second down, staying ahead of that – the sticks and then eliminating the penalties.”

Q: How have you guys been able to be so adaptable despite all the injuries this season?

Chiefs Coordinator QuotesNovember 7, 2024ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: When you got Peyton Hendershot, did you have your eye on having him contribute on special teams?TOUB: “Yeah, he (Peyton Hendershot) was a good player in Dallas. I talk to (Cowboys Special Teams Coordinator John) Fassel down there and he called me immediately as soon as we traded for him, and he said, ‘You got my guy.’ He does a good job. He can run and he does a good job, he’s real physical. He understands, he has good instincts, and he helped us in that game. He was able to step in on a short – you know obviously when he (Jared Wiley) got hurt – he got (called up) on a short notice and was able to be a three-phase player for us in that game so it helped.”Q: What did you see on Mecole Hardman’s 30-yard return?TOUB: “It was a good job by him (Mecole Hardman). You know we blocked it up pretty good, we doubled down the gunners, we had six guys in the box. We got a good punt, he set it up really well and bounced it out to the wall. Once we got to the wall, he was able to use his speed and get out. Unfortunately, that’s where he got hit and landed on his shoulder, but he was able to come back in the game and he toughed it out and came back. It says a lot about him.”Q: What’s the scouting report on the Broncos?TOUB: “Ah man, they are really good and I’m not just – I mean this is real. They are probably (a) top five unit right now. You know as it speaks – as it is right now, statistically. You put on the tape, and it got our attention right away. They fly around, the (Broncos) returner (Marvin) Mims is probably the best guy we’ve faced all year. (Broncos) Punter Riley Dixon moves the ball well. (Broncos) Kicker (Wil) Lutz is doing a great job. I mean, (they’re) well coached. (Broncos Special Teams Coordinator) Ben Kotwica is probably the – you know I have a lot of respect for him, I think he is one of the best coaches in the league. We’ve got our hands full. They’re built to dominate on special teams. They’ve got a few of our ex-players too. They’ve got (Broncos CB) Tremon Smith and – (Broncos FB Michael) Burton. I can’t forget about Burton, I mean shoot, he’s a great player.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Listen, we got a – it’s a quick week coming off a Monday night game, hopefully we get plenty of rest and get ready to play on Sunday. (It’s) nice to have a noon time game with a little sunlight out so we’re looking forward to that – AFC West Divisional Game so we’re pretty fired up about that. With that, I’ll open it up.”Q:&nbsp;How do you feel Joshua Williams did with the added snaps?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“(Joshua Williams did a) solid job. We have some things we have to work on. I think if you asked all the guys – I don’t know, maybe you’ve spoken to them. Listen, the most important thing is we won the game. Nobody felt good about the way it ended defensively. The last thing we want to do is put the offense back out there, go to overtime – the whole thing, so that part was disappointing. Quite frankly, we need to get better there because in the last three games – I mean the other two games were two possessions, it’s a little bit different, but this one stung a little bit and we hope to improve there. Getting back to the original question, I thought Josh (Joshua Williams) was solid. There’s some things we have to get better (at), and we’ll see where we go from here.”Q:&nbsp;When you look at where you guys are now, what traits stand out to you about how you’re finding all these different ways to win and what is it that drives that?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“The head coach drives it first, then the quarterback, then hopefully the defense is factored in there somewhere. It’s funny, you ask the question, and I don’t know, maybe this is a fault, I don’t know but I get – I’m kind of like so here (motions hands to indicate being focused) that sometimes I’m unaware that we’re winning games like we’re winning them because all I’m really concerned about is not letting them score points to give our team a chance to win. We’ve found ways, ahead, behind, overtime, field goals, touchdowns and that’s – I think it’s a credit to the guys in the locker room – the character of those guys.”Q:&nbsp;What do you see out of Broncos Quarterback Bo Nix?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“When are we going to get one that’s not so good (laughter)? Boy, for a rookie, he (Broncos QB Bo Nix) has a command. I watched – I went back and watched the first game he played in and was – I thought he – (Broncos Head Coach) Sean (Payton) had him doing things that sometimes you say, ‘Do you have a rookie do it in the first game that he plays?’ But yet, there he is doing it. I just think he’s gotten better every week. He looks more comfortable. You guys (the media) see it. It’s another athletic quarterback and I think those guys are always headaches because there’s certain things you can and can’t do because you’re afraid that he’s going to make you look bad with his feet and he can do that. I think he’s getting – listen, the guy can throw the football, there’s no doubt about that. They have themselves a good one.”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: What are some of the keys to the success on third down and what is the importance of converting on third down?NAGY:&nbsp;“It’s very important. Probably just staying ahead of the sticks first (and) second down and it always goes to that. (That’s) kind of the commonsense answer but then also there’s been some stuff with Pat (Patrick Mahomes) using his legs. Conceptionally, if something’s not there I think he does a good job of ‘eyes down and then how can I make something happen with my feet.’ Then, (it’s) almost like you see whether it’s first, second or third down, he also now entices the defense that they’ve got to stop him and now he does a good job of still kind of playing that ‘go, throw or go’ type (of) deal with the line of scrimmage where you either go and run, you throw it or all of a sudden they think you’re going to do that then he runs and gets a first down. It’s a combination of all of that but I’ll go back to the start. First and second down, staying ahead of that – the sticks and then eliminating the penalties.”Q: How have you guys been able to be so adaptable despite all the injuries this season?NAGY:&nbsp;“Probably the mentality that (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid has. No matter who it is – I say this and I mean it, he doesn’t care and we don’t care. Whoever’s out there, we put it on us that we’ve got to stay together, we’ve got to do what’s best for the players – whoever it is. We believe in those guys (and) we hope (that) they believe in us and then let’s go stay positive and make things happen and guys have done that. They’ve been able to step in, some guys have had prior history that we know with JuJu (Smith-Schuster) and Kareem (Hunt) but there’s other guys too that are going to have to step up. They feel the belief and Coach Reid has the belief in his players and coaches. We all feel that and it’s something that just organically grows.”Q: Does it feel like you have so many different ways to win now? Is that something that has come from your ability to adjust with injuries?