AFC Notes: Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

• According to the Athletic’s Daniel Popper, Chargers RT Bryan Bulaga underwent core-muscle surgery on Tuesday and his return from the injured reserve has not been determined.  
• Chargers HC Brandon Staley said LB Drue Tranquill shouldn’t be out long with his pec injury. (Daniel Popper)

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes didn’t want to blame the team’s defense as to why he is turning the ball over more. Mahomes says he’s not trying to compensate by being over-aggressive on offense. 

“Not at all,” Mahomes said, via Adam Teicher. “We try to score every single time we touch the football. That’s how it’s been my entire career here, and that was the precedent that was set before I even started here.

“That’s kind of how I have my mindset going into every single game is that, when we get an opportunity to go out there and have success and be successful, we have to capitalize on that. It has nothing to do with whatever is happening on the other side of the ball. It’s just our job as an offense on this team.”

Mahomes added he doesn’t want to change who he is as a player.

“You don’t want to lose yourself. You don’t want to lose things that you’ve done so well so long,” Mahomes said. “But at the same time I’ve got to make sure I’m firm with the fundamentals and make sure I stay within the pocket. It’s the same thing every year when you kind of see me get a little off. You’ve got to go back to the basics and make sure I perfect those things, and then I think everything else will come along with it.”

Raiders

Raiders GM Mike Mayock didn’t want to speculate too much into owner Mark Davis‘ opinion on the resignation of HC Jon Gruden. Davis barely addressed reporters and instead left much of it to Mayock. 

“Mr. Davis was dealing with that. I think he wanted to be fair to Jon Gruden,” Mayock said, via Raiders Wire. “And he wanted to be fair to the Raiders organization. He knew ultimately he was going to have to make a decision, but I’m not getting into timelines. You’re going to have to talk to Mr. Davis for any more detail.”

Mayock added the Raiders’ organization stands for inclusion and diversity.

“The way I grew up the Raiders always stood for diversity,” Mayock said. “They had the first Latino quarterback Tom Flores who also became the second Latino head coach, the first African American head coach was Art Shell, the first female CEO was Amy Trask. Obviously, all of that was under Al Davis’s watch. Now, this week his son Mark Davis, I think, had a tough time. He had a tough week. He had to gather facts, he had to do his due diligence, and since the day I took this job almost three years ago, what Mr. Davis has preached has been three things; it’s been Diversity, Social Justice, and Domestic Violence.”

• According to Jason Cole, people around Davis are telling him they think the NFL wants to get rid of him as an owner.
• Per ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez, Raiders OC Greg Olson will take over for Gruden as the offensive playcaller.
• Raiders interim HC Rich Bisaccia said he told the team they can still reach their goals: “We have a good team. We’re a 3-2 team. … My message to the team was really about the team, them—their goals are still alive.” (Albert Breer)