“It’s something that we need: What Chiefs said in locker room after season’s 1st loss - soccerdelights.com
Connect with us

NFL

“It’s something that we need: What Chiefs said in locker room after season’s 1st loss

Published

on

“It’s something that we need: What Chiefs said in locker room after season’s 1st loss: ‘A reality check for us

Following “M-V-P” chants for quarterback Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills fans continued their party scene late into the night following Sunday afternoon’s 30-21 home victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Blue-clad supporters first danced in the aisles during the final seconds of the team’s win. Then, more than two hours after the game, they shot off fireworks in surrounding neighborhoods, with the sparks rising high above Highmark Stadium.

For a Bills fan base haunted by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the postseason, Sunday’s celebration was almost that of winning a mini-Super Bowl. The Chiefs, however, did not act afterward as if the stakes were the same on the other end.

KC’s players were disappointed, to be sure, following the team’s first loss of the season Sunday, which halted a 9-0 start and also marked the team’s first defeat since Christmas Day 2023. But the Chiefs also weren’t shying from tough questions in the locker room — or shirking responsibility — for the errors that led to their first setback this season.

“You’ve been in this league long enough, you understand wins and losses happen,” Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said. “It’s about what you do afterwards. So you’ve got to grow — as a team, as a unit — and find ways to get better.” For the Chiefs’ defense specifically, that will start with working to eliminate small mistakes that added up.

KC’s defense surrendered 30 points for the first time in nearly two seasons. The last time a team put up that point total was Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles in February 2023. Bolton listed a few technical errors he saw Sunday: • The team not keeping its pass rush balanced with players in the correct spots; • Guys blitzing from their spots too late;

Not playing with correct leverage to keep offensive players contained. “As the game progresses,” Bolton said, “those things magnify.” Bolton also said Sunday solidified how small the margin of error can be in the NFL — especially when facing a talent like Allen on the other side. “I think it’s eye-opening for us in terms of just, you can’t let three or four mistakes in a game lead to 16, 20, points,” Bolton said. “So you’ve got to figure out a way to knock those out.”

Chiefs safety Justin Reid said third downs stood out most to him. Buffalo converted nine of their 14 attempts on third downs, with five coming when the Bills faced eight yards or more to gain.

“I think we get off the field on third down, it’s a totally different landscape of a game,” Reid said. “There’s too many opportunities we had them on third-and-long, third and Josh being Josh, he makes a play.” The Chiefs have had losses serve them well before. Perhaps no better example was last season’s home defeat against the Las Vegas Raiders, which forced KC to make needed changes offensively to simplify things.

Reid said the team could gain a similar spark from Sunday’s adversity. “That’s absolutely what this needs to be. It needs to be something that we build off of,” Reid said. “It’s something that we need — a reality check for us.” Reid said he knew coaches and teammates well enough that they would learn from the Bills loss and build from it.

“We’re going to use it as a stepping stone,” Reid said, “to go where we really want to go.” The Chiefs losing their undefeated season might also re-frame the season in a way that can be productive. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Sunday’s result reinforced to him that the offense needed to have more urgency, especially at the beginning of games.

“And that starts with me,” Mahomes said. Cornerback Trent McDuffie, meanwhile, said the team had continued to win the past few weeks while overcoming “a few little mental mistakes” defensively. He said a loss can be an appropriate moment to refocus.

“When you’re doing good, I feel like a lot of things sometimes can almost be overlooked,” McDuffie said. “ … So I think we can take this moment to just see who we are as a team and learn from it and continue to grow.” Even some of the Chiefs’ top performers were vowing to improve. That included cornerback Chamarri Conner, who had an interception and also finished as one of the Chiefs’ top-two graded defenders in Pro Football Focus’ preliminary grades Sunday.

Conner still stood in front of his locker while telling reporters, “I feel like I played bad,” believing he could’ve done a better job with his tackling.

“Gonna learn from it, gonna get back in the lab,” Conner said, “and we’re gonna come back stronger.” Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal, a few cubbies to Conner’s left, said he had a specific way he wanted to use this loss: As fuel to motivate him for the rest of the season. “Remember this feeling,” Chenal said. “We’ve been kind of living up here a little bit. Remember the feeling and how much it hurts.”

 

Advertisement

NFL

New York Jets Could Catch Major Break After Miami Dolphins Injury Update

Published

on

New York Jets Could Catch Major Break After Miami Dolphins Injury Update

The New York Jets could catch a break against the Miami Dolphins in the season finale with one of their star players likely sidelined.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley (18) throws the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field.
Dec 29, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley (18) throws the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field.

The New York Jets don’t have anything more than pride to play for in their Week 18 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

But, the game is important for their AFC East rivals, who still have a chance at making the playoffs if they can pick up a victory and get some help from other teams along the way.

It is anyone’s guess what kind of performance the Jets will put forth. They have looked good at times in recent weeks, such as their surprising victory on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15.

But, the offense has fallen flat over the last two weeks. They scored only nine points against the Los Angeles Rams despite punting zero times and last week the offense failed to score a single point against the Buffalo Bills with Aaron Rodgers on the field; all 14 points scored came courtesy of Tyrod Taylor drives, who came on in relief in the fourth quarter.

With the offense playing inconsistently, a lot of pressure fell upon the defense, which has been among the worst units in the NFL since head coach Robert Saleh was fired and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich took over on an interim basis.

But, the much-maligned unit looks like it will be catching a huge break in the regular season finale.

As shared by Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN, the Dolphins are currently preparing as if backup quarterback Tyler Huntley will be starting on Sunday afternoon. Head coach Mike McDaniel said that it is “unlikely” Tua Tagovailoa sees any action.

This would be the fifth start of the campaign for Huntley, who has gone 2-2 in place of Tagovailoa this year. He has lost to the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts while leading the team to victory over the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns.

Last week against Cleveland, he had a stellar performance, completing 22-of-26 attempts for 225 yards with one touchdown. He added 52 yards and another score on the ground, as New York’s defense is going to have to keep an eye on the dual-threat talent.

While it won’t help them against the Jets, Tagovailoa has said that he will be in the lineup next week should Miami earn a playoff spot.

“I’ll be available next week — no ifs, ands or buts,” he said via Louis-Jacques on X.

 

Continue Reading

NFL

JETS FINAL VERDICT AMIDST NEW MOVES: “It will be pointless to get a HC but not  getting  a GM” Jets’ owner Woody Johnson breaks silence after series of interviews with Headcoaches amidst decision to replace  Jeff Ulbrich 

Published

on

JETS FINAL VERDICT AMIDST NEW MOVES: “It will be pointless to get a HC but not  getting  a GM” Jets’ owner Woody Johnson breaks silence after series of interviews with Headcoaches amidst decision to replace  Jeff Ulbrich 

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson has broken his silence regarding the team’s recent coaching and front-office shake-up. Following a series of high-profile interviews with head coach candidates, Johnson made it clear that the Jets’ decision to part ways with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and bring in a new General Manager (GM) was only the first step in the team’s rebuilding process. Johnson emphasized the importance of making the right decisions in both key roles to ensure future success.

“It will be pointless to get a head coach without a strong GM to lead our football operations,” Johnson stated, reflecting his commitment to creating a well-structured leadership team. After weeks of speculation and interviews, the Jets chose to move forward with Mike Vrabel, the former defensive coordinator and head coach of the Tennessee Titans, as their new head coach. Vrabel, known for his defensive acumen and leadership, is expected to bring a fresh perspective and boost to the team.

In addition to the coaching change, the Jets also addressed their front-office needs, hiring former Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff. Dimitroff, who led the Falcons to consistent playoff appearances during his tenure, brings extensive experience to the Jets, making him a vital addition to the organization. His deep understanding of player personnel and talent evaluation is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the team’s future roster.

The decision to bring in both Vrabel and Dimitroff signifies a strategic shift for the Jets, who are hoping to build a competitive team capable of contending in the AFC East. Johnson’s comments suggest that the Jets are no longer focusing on short-term fixes but are committed to long-term success. The next few seasons will be pivotal in determining whether this combination of leadership will propel the team back to relevance in the NFL.

 

Continue Reading

NFL

BREAKING: Aaron Rodgers, Jets agree to new two-year, $75M guaranteed contract

Published

on

BREAKING: Aaron Rodgers, Jets agree to new two-year, $75M guaranteed contract

Pelissero: Rodgers, Jets agree to two-year, $75M fully guaranteed contract through 2024 season
Another box has been checked in the burgeoning Aaron Rodgers era in Gotham

Rodgers has agreed to a new two-year, $75 million guaranteed contract through the 2024 season with the New York Jets, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported, per NFL salary data, Wednesday afternoon.

Rodgers is taking a pay cut of roughly $35 million as his previous deal had nearly $110 million guaranteed remaining, per Pelissero. Pelissero added that the four-time Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player’s new contract is technically a five-year deal with two option years to spread out bonus proration. The pact also creates a 2023 cap number of just less than $9 million.

Rodgers confirmed a reworked deal on Wednesday, though he was relatively mum on the details other than seeming to hint it meant he does not intend to just play one season with the Jets.

Justin Herbert, Chargers agree to five-year, $262.5 million extension
“The team gave up significant pieces for it to just be a one-year deal,” Rodgers said, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “I’m aware of that. … Anything could happen with my body or the success we have this year, but I’m having a blast, so I really don’t see this as a one-year-and-done thing.”

Rodgers thinks he’ll stay with Jets for more than one season: ‘I’m having a blast’

In a long-anticipated and long-awaited transaction, Rodgers was traded from the Packers to the Jets in April. One of the caveats of the trade was Rodgers would eventually restructure his contract with the Packers. Rodgers, who signed a massive extension with Green Bay prior to the start of the 2022 season, was due to make just $1.16 million in base salary in 2023, but a whopping $107.55 million in 2024.

Thus, the Jets had a very low cap number in 2023 to work with, but a comically high number in 2024 that commanded a restructure, all the more so if Rodgers was to stick around past being a one-and-done solution for New York’s long-standing QB ills.

Rodgers’ willingness to accept less in guaranteed money signals his hope that a financial loss could lead to future Super Bowl rings.

Continue Reading

Trending