The Kansas City Chiefs are back in action after a well-earned bye week. After the conclusion of the NFL’s Wild Card Round this past weekend, the Chiefs now know who their divisional round opponent will be. They can turn their full attention toward the Houston Texans. An opponent they are familiar with given that they played them just a month ago, having defeated them 27-19.
With their starters rested and ready to pick up where they left off, the Chiefs kicked off their playoff preparations with their first team press conference on Tuesday. Head Coach Andy Reid, Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Defensive Back Trent McDuffie, and Wide Receiver Xavier Worthy all spoke and shared their thoughts on the Texans. They provided team updates, and what they have to do leading up to game day to advance to the next round of the playoffs.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid On His Confidence and Team’s Preparation
Reid started his presser by first providing updates on players. “Everyone on the active roster is expected to participate in today’s practice,” Reid said. He also mentioned that Cornerback Jaylen Watson, who has been sidelined since Week 7, “has a chance of playing” on Saturday. Watson has practiced well, and Reid said, “What I’ve seen so far has been good. He’s in good shape.”
Reid also spoke on what jumped out to him most from watching the Texans defeat the Chargers this past week. “The first thing that jumps out to you is their speed. That front can run. The speed of the D-line and linebackers jumps out at you,” Reid said. The Chiefs are going to have to be ready for a defense that is not only hungry for revenge but is rolling at the right time, and has a chip on their shoulder as they come into Arrowhead.
Reid also addressed the elephant in the room and that’s the potential three-peat championship, however, he quickly shifted gears keeping his focus on the immediate challenge. “You don’t ever go there. You’re tunneled in. You’re trying to find another play that works,” Reid said. His approach was what it’s always been and that is focusing on what’s in front of you. This week what’s in front of the Chiefs is the Houston Texans and that’s all Reid and the rest of his team are worried about.
Patrick Mahomes On Facing the Houston Texans
Mahomes during his portion of the presser praised Houston, highlighting their strengths. “That defense is extremely real. They have a great quarterback, a great coach, and…they get after the quarterback really well,” Mahomes said. He also acknowledged despite them getting the better of Houston in their first go-round, that it was still a tough matchup and he expects another close game on Saturday.
Mahomes also reflected on the team’s success over his tenure with the Chiefs thus far but stressed staying grounded. “Obviously, this has been a fun run we’ve had with the Chiefs…building those memories with the guys and the community every single year is special,” he said. However, Mahomes made it clear the team’s goal is to take it one game at a time, staying aligned with head coach Reid.
As the leader of the offense, Mahomes understands the importance of preparing for Houston’s aggressive defense. “They have really good secondary players, and the linebackers fly around,” he added. The Chiefs’ offense will need to be at its best to counteract the Texans’ defensive pressure.
Xavier Worthy and Trent McDuffie’s Offensive and Defensive Insights
When McDuffie got up to the podium he made it clear that he and the rest of the Chiefs’ defense are ready for the challenge of facing the Texans again, and fully expect them to unveil new wrinkles in their offensive game plan. “Now it’s the playoffs, and the Texans are coming off a good win…so I’m expecting to see their best,” McDuffie said.
McDuffie also praised Houston’s top receiver Nico Collins, calling him a “complete receiver.” He added, “He’s big, he’s physical, he’s fast, good hands, and his connection to [C.J. Stroud] is at an all-time high.” The Chiefs’ secondary will certainly have their hands full trying to slow down Collins’ from taking over this weekend as he did against the Chargers.
Worthy, preparing for the first playoff game of his career, credited the team’s veterans for helping him stay focused. “I’ve got a lot of vets in the room, so they make it easy on me. Just take it week by week and treat it like every other game,” Worthy said. Worthy has shown consistent growth throughout the regular season, which he attributes to learning from experienced teammates.
Worthy reflected on his breakout performance earlier this season which he believed came during their first loss of the season against the Bills. He noted its influence on his preparation. “I feel like my understanding that week and the way I prepared just kind of gave glimpses. So I just took that week and applied it every week from there,” he said.
Final Thoughts
The Chiefs as of now have everyone healthy and practicing as they prepare to host the Texans in their first playoff game of the year. With Jaylen Watson potentially returning and the rest of the active roster on track, the team is in a strong position heading into Saturday’s game.
As the postseason begins for Kansas City their short-term focus is to go 1-0 every single week. However, their ultimate goal has not changed and with Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and other leaders on this team leading the way, the Chiefs are locked in for what they hope will be a memorable playoff run.
