Andy Reid roundup: Five takeaways from the Chiefs head coach

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke to media members via conference call on Monday following the team’s 35-32 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Here were some of the items that stood out:

1. Andy Reid further explained why RB LeSean McCoy was a healthy scratch on Sunday.

It was a bit of a surprise when the Chiefs’ leading rusher, LeSean McCoy, was on the inactive list on Sunday leading into the Chiefs’ game against the Tennessee Titans. The Chiefs head coach was asked about the decision again on Monday.

“We’ll see,” said Reid. “I’ll just manage him the way I think is best, so he stays effective throughout the season. So I haven’t — that’s not where I’m at right this minute. I’ll get there, so we’ll see how it goes this week.”

Reid confirmed that McCoy, who had six snaps against the Vikings, remains in “good shape.”

“He’s a little bit older, and so it’s my responsibility to manage him the way I feel is right,” added Reid. “So I chose to do what I did there. Right or wrong, I chose to do what I did there, and then we’ll just see how it goes going forward.”

2. Reid was asked about the condition of Frank Clark, who revealed he has been dealing with a pinched nerve since training camp Sunday after the game.

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Reid did not have much to say when it came to Clark.

“I know (Chiefs head trainer) Rick (Burkholder) will keep a close eye on it, which he’s been doing,” said Reid. “Those things you could help with treatment and that, so they’ll work on that.”

3. Reid feels “OK” about the numbers at offensive line.

Due to injuries piling up in the second quarter, the Chiefs’ offensive line appeared as follows at one point in the game against the Titans:

But Mitch Schwartz only missed three snaps before returning to the game, and the Chiefs expect to get some starters back this week.

“There’s a chance — Larry (Laurent Duvernay-Tardif) practiced and Fish (Eric Fisher) practiced a little bit, so there’s a chance you get those guys back in the mix,” said Reid. “We’ll just see how that goes throughout the week. I think we’ll be OK there. My hat goes off to coach (Andy) Heck for having to deal with that for the guys — the guys that stepped up and in. We were able to still move the ball effectively, I thought they did a good job of stepping in. The thing he does with the rotation throughout the year pays off in situations like this.”

Reid added that if it came to it, one of the tight ends would have filled in as a fifth offensive lineman.

4. Reid broke down the two special teams plays that cost the Chiefs the game in the fourth quarter.

Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

• On the botched snap between long snapper James Winchester and holder/punter Dustin Colquitt: “We just had a miscommunication between the center and the holder. That’s what happened. We’ll work on that and fix it. That’s what we do as a team. We’ve all made mistakes and collectively, we’ve got to make sure we fix those things.”
• On the blocked field goal on the last play of the game: “I did not think the guy (Joshua Kalu) was offsides. I thought he timed it up and he beat Blake (Bell) off the ball just by timing it up. And that happens. The guy got a great jump on him. Blake wasn’t able to get his right hand out there and slow him down. The guy kind of hand-slapped it, swiped it.”

5. Reid appreciated how good Patrick Mahomes looked in his return from injury.

Mahomes played for the first time since the kneecap injury he suffered Week 7.

“I thought he got back in the swing fairly quick,” said Reid. “The first throw, he had a little bit of pressure on him. That wasn’t a designed roll-out. After that, it settled down, protection-wise, for the most part. He came back on the second play with a nice completion to Sammy (Watkins).”

Mahomes finished 36 of 50 for 446 yards and three touchdowns in his return.

“He does an amazing job,” added Reid. “He sure is a good football player. That’s one of the things that’ll get masked through the loss. There were some good things done offensively, but again, it’s tough with the mistakes we had with penalties and that. You start taking touchdowns off the board and those type of things — fumbles — those hurt you. And it’s a shame. We’ve got to do better, I’ve got to do better. I’ve got to make sure I’m putting the guys in the right positions at the right times, also. Those things will mask what took place there.”