Tag: matt nagy

Matt Nagy preparing to play without RB Isiah Pacheco vs. Bills

Kansas City #Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is preparing to play against the #Bills without running back Isiah Pacheco.

The late stretch of the NFL regular season features plenty of players dealing with nagging aches and injuries. The Kansas City Chiefs have more than their fair share of ailments entering Week 14, as several players could have different designations on this week’s injury report.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has to weigh a few more variables ahead of this Sunday’s matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The health of starting running back Isiah Pacheco is of concern as the team’s leading rusher has been dealing with a shoulder injury keeping him out of practice this week and possibly Sunday’s game. Nagy addressed the concern of being without Pacheco and utilizing Clyde Edwards-Helaire during his conversation with reporters on Thursday.

“I think that it’s one of those mentalities that we always say it’s a cliche that, you know, next man up if it goes that direction, and I think that that room has done a good job,” Nagy explained. “That’s one of the things building depth in that room. When you have that, it’s always nice to have. So I mean, Pop’s (Pacheco) has been phenomenal for us all year.

“You can see, you know, brings that energy, that physicality, really starting to become that leader as well. So, you know, the other guys in that room have done a really good job all year long of just really starting to complete that room by joining him and doing all the stuff we asked him. It’s got to be the next-man-up mentality.”

Clyde Edwards-Helaire was the starter until suffering an injury last season, allowing Pacheco to win the job with his exceptional performance.

“It’s your professional job always to prepare the right way. And then when you have that opportunity,” said Nagy. “Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) and these other guys entering your Clyde’s a vet so he understands that he gets it.”

Edwards-Helaire has filled in for Jerick McKinnon as the third down running back in recent games over the last two games. The versatility of the former first-round pick has made him a comfortable option and replacement.

“I think his speed looks good. As far as his running between the tackles, He’s been good. Even mentally, when you go through a transition, or you go through what he’s been through the last couple of years,” Nagy continued. “I think for him, he’s been a really good mentor and leader in the room; it starts there.

“When you get on the field when given opportunities, he’s trying to make the most of it. And that’s what I respect the most about him. And you know, in these situations, the running back position gets hit quite a bit. So if you have an injury or somebody next man up, you want to have a guy like Clyde, that’s ready.”

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy defends WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s 2023 performance

#Chiefs OC Matt Nagy defended WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling after his brutal performance against the #Eagles in Week 11.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ depth at wide receiver is being questioned again by critics following multiple dropped passes in Monday night’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The most notable drop was on the last drive of the game by veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling, which could’ve resulted in the go-ahead touchdown for Kansas City.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has had to answer many questions throughout the season regarding his receivers’ room’s quality. Monday night’s struggles, especially with the usually sure-handed Valdes-Scantling, raised more as he spoke with reporters via Zoom on Tuesday.

“There’s things that go into that. I think it’s probably everybody’s definition, I know, we all look at the numbers, and then that sort of thing,” Nagy explained. “But there is a lot at the same point in time. He does a lot, well, that sometimes doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. And you know, for instance, you look at the touchdown catch that Travis (Kelce) had that everybody’s gonna read about in the touchdown pass from Pat (Patrick Mahomes) and the catch by Kelce.

“But a lot of reasons why that play worked was because of what MVS (Marquez Valdes-Scantling) did. And sometimes that doesn’t show up in the staff book. And there’s other things that he does, and these players do that, that don’t show up, that we have to make sure that they get credit for behind the scenes. And so he does a lot of that. And I think that’s a credit to him. And that can be very selfless at times, which we love.”

Valdes-Scantling contributed as a diversion on Travis Kelce’s first-half touchdown reception but was unable to record a catch himself after three targets.

“Production-wise and number-wise. Yeah, he’s not where he was last year. And we do know that we have, hopefully, a bunch of (the) season left.” said Nagy, “And we want to be able to continue to keep working through these things as we have, you know, these different wide receivers, and I know similar to last year, but he’s had a great attitude this whole time, and we just got to keep staying positive.”

The Chiefs return to action in the AFC West on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, eager to put Monday Night’s collapse behind them with a strong effort on the road.

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy explains the lack of deep passing plays this season

#Chiefs OC Matt Nagy explains the lack of deep passing plays from Kansas City’s offense this season

The Kansas City Chiefs return to action from their bye week with plenty left to prove as they gear up for the second half of the season. The ongoing development of their offense under coordinator Matt Nagy and their young receivers seeking more significant plays down the field.

Nagy has heard the criticisms of the offense this season not being as dynamic as in past years, especially in the deep passing game. Connections like Patrick Mahomes to Marquez Valdes-Scantling down the field haven’t been as available as last season. He addressed the issue and plans to remedy it during Friday’s press conference.

“That is probably a little bit of everything,” Nagy explained. “We obviously look at that stuff, you want to be able to take shots, you want to be able to run the football, there’s a lot of things you want to do. But you also have to adjust to what defenses are giving you and what they’re not giving you. So I think when you look at, right now, with our downfield numbers, we’re still we’re still taking shots, right?

“Probably the biggest thing is we want to, however, that is, we want to be able to be a little bit more efficient with those numbers. So it’s not; you still need to keep defenses honest. However, you do it. And I think that our coaches and players on staff do a pretty good job of trying to figure out different ways with different personnel. But we’re certainly taking the shots; I think efficient-wise, we can be better.”

The Chiefs offense will need to make big plays this Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, who currently hold the best record in the league. They have fared well after bye weeks in the Andy Reid era, so the game could be a reset for the slowed deep passing attack.

The Chiefs’ deep passing game has fallen apart. How can they fix it?

The Kansas City Chiefs’ deep passing game has been a disaster this season. How can they turn it around against the Miami Dolphins’ defense?

When the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Miami Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany, they’ll be doing so with a severe deep passing deficit. Through the first eight weeks of the season, Patrick Mahomes has completed just 10 of 31 passes of 20 or more air yards for 351 yards, one touchdown, five interceptions, and a league-high eight turnover-worthy throws. That likes up for a passer rating of 44.1, and that’s a stark drop from last season, when Mahomes completed 28 of 66 deep targets for 931 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 104.7. Mahomes had just three turnover-worthy deep throws in the entire 2022 season, and that included the entire postseason, including the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win.

Mahomes’ receivers have taken a large share of the blame for this, and based on the tape, that’s legitimate. Justin Watson has been Mahomes’ only reliable deep target, with six deep catches on 12 targets for 180 yards, Other than that? Crickets. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has caught just three deep targets this season, and he was supposed to be Mahomes’ primary deep target post-Tyreek Hill (who Kansas City’s defense will have to deal with, of course).

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” Greg (of NFL Films and ESPN’s NFL Matchup) and Doug (of Touchdown Wire) get into why this has happened, and how the Chiefs can fix it.

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You can watch this week’s full “Xs and Os,” featuring all of Week 9’s biggest NFL matchups (including Ravens-Seahawks) right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Now, let’s unearth some of the issues with this Kansas City deep passing game.

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy explains Patrick Mahomes’ mindset following tough losses

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy explains QB Patrick Mahomes’ mindset following a loss

The Week 8 loss to the Denver Broncos left a sour taste in the first half of the season for the Kansas City Chiefs. The snapping of the winning streak over the Broncos and the current season mark raised questions about the offense’s effectiveness.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has worked with Patrick Mahomes since his rookie season. He’s understood his reactions to losses and his ability to uplift his teammates to prepare for the next game. Nagy explained the resilient mindset of Mahomes during his press conference on Thursday before boarding the team flight to Frankfurt, Germany.

“I see somebody that loves to win and hates to lose,” Nagy said. “When that happens, and you lose, the first thing he does is he starts with himself. And his teammates see that his coaches see it. It’s infectious that there’s no pointing fingers. It’s that we all need to coach better and play better. And if we do that, we have a pretty good chance of winning.”

Mahomes was dealing with the flu and struggled in the Week 8 loss, finishing the game with two interceptions and a lost fumble.

“So I think there’s more that it’s an ability for him to say, hey, you know what, I get another chance,” Nagy explained. “I think when we lost on Sunday, Monday morning, couldn’t get here soon enough because he was ready to go, and you have to accept what happened. And that’s real. And you give credit because Denver played a great game. And they they made that happen to us. So respect there, But now, what do we do moving forward.”

Mahomes has consistently found ways to take his game to another level whenever criticized. The unique opportunity to right those wrongs in Germany with everyone watching nationally seems like the perfect platform.

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy comments on Mecole Hardman’s availability for Week 7

Kansas City #Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy commented on Mecole Hardman’s availability for Week 7 during comments to the media.

The Kansas City Chiefs offense is getting a jolt from the past with the return of wide receiver Mecole Hardman. After completing the trade with the New York Jets on Wednesday, the Chiefs are focused on getting the former Pro Bowler back up to speed.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy addressed the availability of Hardman for this Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers during his Thursday press conference.

“Right now, just kind of going through everything and trying to, you know, figure out where we’re at where he’s at,” Nagy explained. “Again, you [have] got to remember [that] a lot of this for him is, quote, unquote, like riding a bike and jumping back into it. But you also just spent several months learning, you know, somewhat of a new offense and new terms.

“So it’s right away. It’s not always just super simple, but it is certainly easier for somebody like him that’s been here to come back in and go so plan-wise, see where he’s at physically, mentally, and then see where we’re at too with everybody else, and then try to fit him in because he can do some good things for us.”

Nagy is hopeful but doesn’t give a clear indication as to whether or not Hardman will be available for this Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

“I would hope so, but again, we have to see,” Nagy said. “Once we get through today’s practice”, said Nagy, “and just kind of see where things are at, and coach (Andy Reid) and (Brett) Veatch can decide what the final decision is.”

Hardman has proven very useful in many formations, showcasing his speed. The Chiefs haven’t been their explosive selves this season, so the former Georgia Bulldog could be the kickstart they need.

Where has Patrick Mahomes’ deep ball gone?

Patrick Mahomes’ deep ball is usually something you can count on, but this season, it’s not. Doug Farrar investigates why that’s become the case.

Patrick Mahomes is the most dynamic quarterback in the NFL today. Of that, there is little doubt. And after their win over the Denver Broncos last Thursday, the Kansas City Chiefs stand at 5-1 on the season. So, it looks like business as usual for the defending Super Bowl champs. The Chiefs rank fifth in Passing DVOA, so you might assume that everything is awesome with Mahomes and the offense.

Not so fast, as they say. Through the first six weeks of the 2023 season, Mahomes and that offense have come up seriously short on deep passes.

In the 2021 regular season and postseason, Mahomes completed 33 of 76 deep passes for 1,168 yards, nine touchdowns, three interceptions, seven turnover-worthy throws, and a passer rating of 113.4.

In 2022, Mahomes completed 28 of 66 deep passes for 931 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, three turnover-worthy throws, and a passer rating of 104.7.

In 2023, Mahomes has completed eight of 23 deep passes for 278 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions, six turnover-worthy throws, and a passer rating of 38.5. Only Jameis Winston, Anthony Richardson, and Jordan Love have a lower passer rating on those deep passes, and no quarterback has more turnover-worthy throws on them.

Why is Mahomes struggling this much with deep throws, and what are defenses doing to amplify those frustrations? Let’s take a look under the hood.

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy spoke about his offense’s ‘next man up’ mindset

Kansas City #Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy spoke about his offense’s “next man up” mindset in recent comments to the media.

The Kansas City Chiefs can owe a portion of their current four-game winning streak to the depth of their roster. The work done by General Manager Brett Veach and his staff ensured that the team would be ready for injuries or multiple package changes during a game.

When speaking with reporters on Monday, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy shared his thoughts on adjusting the game plan without Travis Kelce in the lineup due to his ankle injury.

“Whenever you have any type of injuries with any player, you always have to go through kind of and say, Okay, this is what we think is going to happen, and based off of, you know, Travis (Kelce) and or whoever the player is, we as a staff, you know, just listening to Rick Burkholder and (Brett) Veach, and Coach (Andy) Reid, and just listening to where they think things are, we have to be able to put together what we think is going to happen, and then that contingency plan.”

Kelce left towards the end of the first half only to return later in the second half, but during his absence, the offense was able to move the ball down the field, eventually leading to a touchdown.

“These players, they gotta, if you’re a certain position, you also have to understand that if this guy can or cannot go, you have to know those circles and spots. I keep talking about the concept. And not just that one position that you’re playing right now. I think the way that we teach this offense allows us guys to do that. And so with guys like Travis (Kelce), there’s going to be defensive coordinators that go into every game with a plan that stops Travis. We know that. So, it’s the first element of what we want to do with them. But then it’s the second element, or what’s the defense going to do? And then I suppose you could say the third element of his health, so all of that is just a constant communication throughout the day of where guys are each week, and then we always have our prepare with him with a contingency plan or a backup plan.”

Nagy and the offense showed their strength, with ten different receivers recording catches in the game.

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy optimistic QB Patrick Mahomes will learn from mistakes

Kansas City #Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is optimistic that quarterback Patrick Mahomes is learning from early-season mistakes. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are still amongst the best teams in the league after four weeks, regardless of the offense’s inconsistent play. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes has seen his efficiency slightly drop to start the season as he looks ahead to play this Sunday better.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has worked with Mahomes since his rookie season as a backup behind Alex Smith. He’s seen the growth behind the scenes and understands the focus he has to be a better quarterback. Nagy spoke to reporters Thursday about Mahomes’ recent turnover issues and optimism that he will figure things out.

“Well, you rely on Patrick (Mahomes) just being a savvy vet,” Nagy explained. “[I rely on him] knowing where he made the mistake… there’s been a lot of unbelievable quarterbacks that have made some throws that you wonder how they made it, or why they made it.

“e’s allowed to have a couple of those every now and then. And that happened to be a game we’re, you know, again, he had two throws where right away one he knew, he just said, ‘that’s all me’, like ‘I pulled the string’ or ‘The ball just kind of floated in the second one’, or ‘That linebacker got underneath, second, third level underneath the deep cross’, and ‘The kid made a good play.'”

Nagy further elaborated on how he intends to respond to Mahomes’ candor through his early-season struggles and made it clear that nobody is more committed to getting back on track than the reigning MVP.

“To us, as coaches, it’s like, you sit there, and you say, ‘Okay, we know that you know, decision-wise, what to do, we know you can make every throw in the book. Now, let’s get back to this week in practice; let’s get back to the defense we’re about to see, let’s get back to timing with our wide receivers. Keep working that, and understand that he’s a true pro.

“He’s going to use our coaching to help him get better and, and eliminate what was last week with those two throws because he, again, Patrick’s harder on himself than anybody, even right after the game, you know, hey, I put us in that situation, with the field position, et., with those throws. He knows that, and you don’t need to, you know, beat it down; we just move on from it and learn .”

Mahomes has four interceptions through as many games in 2023 after finishing with 12 total in his MVP season last year.

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy preparing for a ‘fistfight’ battle with Jets’ defense

#Chiefs OC Matt Nagy is preparing for a fistfight type of battle with the #Jets’ defense | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs will enter Sunday night with plenty of momentum on both sides. They will have to battle offensively against a New York Jets defense considered one of the best in the league, regardless of their overall record.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is proud of his unit’s growth last Sunday in the rout of the Chicago Bears, but he’s well aware that the Jets are a defense to be concerned about Sunday night. Nagy addresses his thoughts on the matchup without holding back on his description of New York’s toughness during Thursday’s press conference.

“It’s a big-time challenge. I mean, when you watch the tape on this defense, they don’t do a whole lot.” said Nagy, “And there’s some defenses that do a lot. This is not one of those defenses. But what this defense does is they play very, very hard, they’re physical.

“This is one of those ones that you hear the cliche going back in a dark alley; it’s gonna be a fistfight. I mean, these guys aren’t good. They’re not just good on the front level. They’re not just good on the second level, and they’re not just good in the third level, they’re good and all three. They’re well coached.”

The Jets’ defense caused four turnovers from Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen in the team’s lone Week 1 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

“We have our hands full, but we are excited for that opportunity,” Nagy explained. “But, this isn’t something with this defense that is just once every couple of weeks; this is every week, they produce, and they stress an offense. So we understand that we know that ball security’s got to be big. We got to make sure that we have a great week and continue to have a great week of practice, but that respect level for that defense is real.”