AFC Notes: Sean Payton, Antonio Pierce, Andy Reid, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

After holding on to win a shootout against the Browns in Week 13, Broncos HC Sean Payton knows they have to be better on defense despite the interceptions that propelled them to victory. 

“Obviously when we go back and look at that tape, we are going to look at a lot of things defensively that we would have done differently,” Payton said, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “We have to. We had two interceptions for touchdowns and a third interception. I told them in the locker room that it was not pretty, and yet in the end we did what we had to do, especially late.”

Chiefs

The Chiefs benched LT Wanya Morris to move Joe Thuney over and insert Mike Caliendo at LG. Kansas City HC Andy Reid explained the thought process behind shaking it up after QB Patrick Mahomes was sacked five times. 

“So Wanya (Morris) he was struggling a little bit, so put Joe (Thuney) over there, (Mike) Caliendo in at guard. That was the right thing to do at that time,” Reid said, via Ed Easton Jr. of the Chiefs Wire. “(I) talked to Andy (Heck) about it. He agreed with it, and so we made that move and just solidify things. Pat (Mahomes) took a few hits there, and so we were struggling at times.”

Raiders

Raiders HC Antonio Pierce said he sent a text to the team after the loss to Kansas City on Friday.

“Proud of them, man,” Pierce said, via The Athletic. “Love the … determination. I actually sent pretty much our whole organization a text. I appreciate everybody’s effort, dedication, commitment and fight that they showed. On the short week, going to Kansas City, 10(-point)-plus underdogs with a chance to win the game there at the very end.”

Pierce was proud of the way that QB Aidan O’Connell performed and his ability to make all the throws required.

“I thought he competed,” Pierce said. “I thought for what we knew we was getting with Spags (Chiefs coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) and that defense, that he stood in the pocket, made some tough throws, took some hits, took the shots down the field like we wanted. We had some opportunities to take shots down the field (and) he threw them.”

O’Connell said that rookie TE Brock Bowers has been a great addition to the team this year and he has the trust of the locker room already.

“He’s pretty special, obviously,” O’Connell said. “He makes incredible plays, play after play. Sometimes I throw it, and I can’t really see the result that’s going to happen, but I have a lot of confidence in him, as well as a lot of other guys.”

Pierce added that O’Connell and Bowers have been spending extra time this week getting on the same page and that has transpired into the game.

“That’s a credit to both players just putting time in, even on a short week, working after practice and talking,” Pierce said. “Aidan is a pretty good communicator. He’s done a really good job of that since he’s gotten back. And Brock just works. If you ask Brock to be here today on the day off, he’ll be out there playing pitch and catch.”

• Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes there’s been a lot of buzz about Pierce possibly being fired after just one season as head coach after mismanagement issues in Week 13’s loss to the Chiefs. 
• Regardless of Pierce’s issues, Breer still thinks there have been some things Pierce deserves credit for, like having the sixth-youngest roster in the NFL and finding a spark after bringing on OC Norv Turner. 
• According to Breer, there could be a “mandate” to draft a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft by owner Mark Davis. With that, Breer writes there is some question to whether Pierce is the right coach to improve things in Las Vegas.