AFC Notes: Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

Chargers WR Keenan Allen is confident in their offense but they must execute at a higher level. 

“I keep saying it, we gotta execute,” Allen said, via Gilbert Manzano of the Los Angeles Daily News. “It sounds easier than it is.”

Allen points out that their offense didn’t break any tackles in Week 10 and reiterated that they must execute. 

“Just making plays, man,” Allen said. “We didn’t even have a broken tackle last week, I don’t think. It’s execution. We got to be better. We got to play better and play better together.”

Chargers RB Austin Ekeler mentioned that their offense hasn’t responded well to the defensive adjustments from opposing teams over the course of the season.

“Everyone’s like, ‘Man, you came out hot at the beginning of the season,’” Ekeler said. “That’s because we were running the same plays through training camp for the entire weeks we were doing that. Once you get into the season, you have to prepare for the team you’re playing. It’s not the same team, and you’re not running the same plays you’re running in training camp.”

Allen believes they must do a better job of getting WR Mike Williams the ball in order to score more frequently. 

“I think we got to do a better job of getting him the ball,” Allen said. “Mike’s obviously a production guy. When he gets it, he produces at a high level and scores a lot for us. Obviously, we haven’t been scoring. It’s probably got to do with Mike not getting the ball. So yeah, just finding more ways to give him the ball.”

Chiefs

Chiefs executive Clark Hunt acknowledged that the Kansas City Royals’ decision to search for a new stadium in the city’s downtown area “will have an impact” on their organization, while they will look into their own future stadium plans within the next year. 

“Obviously we’ve been connected to the Royals for almost 50 years now here at the sports complex,” Hunt said, via Dave Skretta of Yahoo.com. “So their decision on their long-term future will have an impact on us. We’re going to watch as they go through the process and at some point in the next year or so start thinking about what’s next for the Chiefs from a stadium standpoint.”

Hunt said they will take examples from the Rams’ and Chargers’ Sofi Stadium in Inglewood and the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. 

“The way fans want to consume the game and the kind of spaces that you need, those things change over time,” Hunt said, “and we’re paying attention. We’ve had beautiful new stadiums open now in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and there will be things when we get to the end of our lease here in nine or so years that we will want to incorporate into the stadium.”

• Chiefs HC Andy Reid said RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (knee) had a “good week of practice,” but wouldn’t say whether he would be activated off the injured reserve in time for Week 11.  (Adam Teicher)

Raiders

• Raiders’ OC Greg Olson believes the key on offense for the Raiders is combining running backs Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake, along with ensuring that TE Darren Waller sees the highest amount of targets from QB Derek Carr. (Vic Tafur)