AFC Notes: Browns, Chiefs, Jaguars

Browns

• According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Browns are expected to retain HC Kevin Stefanski but added that the team will look to expand their passing offense with QB Deshaun Watson.

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes had high praise of RB Jerick McKinnon as a ball carrier, route runner, and pass protector. 

“Yeah, he’s just a true professional,” Mahomes said, via ChiefsWire. “He does everything the right way when he’s in the building. He’s taking care of his body every single day and he does everything – like I said, he does everything the right way. So he protects well, he runs routes well, he runs the ball well. And so, we can have him in there and trust that he’s going to know exactly the protection assignment, where to be at, on time and whenever we give him the runs, he’ll make plays.”

Mahomes added that “everybody loves” having McKinnon on the roster. 

“He’s a great player, but even a better dude,” Mahomes said. “And I think that’s why everybody loves having him on the team.”

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Doug Pederson thinks that QB Trevor Lawrence did well executing their plan and managing Thursday’s Week 16 win over the Jets. 

“For the most part, I thought he did a nice job of controlling and managing what we asked him to do,” Pederson said, via Gene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union. “The weather was obviously a challenge with the wind and the rain, but I thought he played tough again, played physical. It was really good to see out of our quarterback.” 

Regarding Jacksonville’s defense recording eight tackles for loss, three sacks, and eight pass defenses against the Jets, OLB Josh Allen called it a “great feeling” to play well but they must finish out the season on a high note. 

“What a great feeling this is to just do what we said we were going to do,” said outside linebacker Josh Allen. “Now we just have to finish these last two [games]. So the attention to detail and sense of urgency is still up high.”

Lawrence said they are approaching their final two weeks of the regular season as “must-win” games. 

“Every game is a must-win for us and that’s how we’re treating it and we understand that, and we love it,” said Lawrence. “That’s the position we put ourselves in, good and bad. We love where we’re at, we love the momentum we have, but yeah, good teams win these games because you have to. Just to see how the team has grown, how we’ve stuck together.”