AFC Notes: Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

Chargers DL Sebastian Joseph-Day defended HC Brandon Staley‘s decision to play the starters.

“Yes. Why not?” Joseph-Day said via ESPN. “It’s all about momentum. At least in my previous employment, we used this bottom half to win out and propel us.”

Chargers WR Keenan Allen also agreed with the decision and added that he needed the extra reps after missing a majority of the season.

“We signed up for 17 games,” Allen said. “This is definitely — I mean I only played what, six or seven games this whole year? So it was good for me to keep playing.”

Chargers QB Justin Herbert said everyone wanted to go out and compete and the team believes in the front office’s and coaching staff’s decisions.

“I think everyone on this team wanted to go out and compete today, wanted to battle,” Herbert said. “We believe in the front office, the coaching staff, and whatever they decided, we’re behind them 100%.”

Chargers DB Drue Tranquill added that by continuing to play, the team can continue to build positive momentum heading into the playoffs.

“As a competitor you want to be out there, you want to find rhythm in your game and certainly not playing for a week and begin two weeks — can take away from your rhythm,” Tranquill said. “Our strategy coming was we were playing to win, be on a five-game win streak and be one of the hottest teams heading into the playoffs.”

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes wrapped up a spectacular season that has him in line for his second MVP award, even though the team traded away one of the best players in the NFL in WR Tyreek Hill this offseason. Chiefs HC Andy Reid pointed out that may have actually been beneficial to help Mahomes learn how to spread the ball around to different receivers rather than (understandably) leaning hard on Hill and TE Travis Kelce.

“That’s the part of the equation that people didn’t talk much about — they talked about how it hurt Pat, not how it helped Pat in a way that he would have to grow in different directions,” Reid said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “That’s what he did. And he knew it. He knew what he had to do, so he jumped in, and you gotta give him credit for that. He jumped feet first and helped teach those kids. Made them feel a part of it, and Kelce did, too.”

Raiders

Raiders RB Josh Jacobs didn’t surrender any negotiating leverage, but he confirmed he wants to be back in Las Vegas in 2023 if the money is there. He’ll be a pending free agent and has reportedly already had some extension talks with the team. 

“For me, it’s got to make sense,” Jacobs said via ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez. “But this is obviously where I want to be. Coming in, I remember sitting down with [defensive end] Maxx [Crosby] and all these guys and talking about the Raiders organization and the culture and wanting to be part of the change. I still feel that way so, hopefully, I’ll be back.”