Kansas City’s offensive coordinator is working on making the offense bounce back against Carolina this Sunday.
In an effort to move past the team’s tough loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 11, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is emphasizing the importance of execution across all phases of the offense as they prepare for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
From shoring up protection along the offensive line to fostering better rhythm with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Nagy believes the team has the tools to bounce back, observing that during its final touchdown drive against Buffalo, the offense showed “a sense of urgency.”
“You saw what happened,” Nagy reminded reporters on Thursday. “We moved the ball a little bit, there was a tempo in and out. We’ve had those this year — and we’ve also had a lot of long drives where there [have been] 18-19 plays and scored touchdowns… Let’s get that rhythm going — and we’ve got the guys to do it. I think the guys have understood where we’re at. We want to get back on track.”
For the Chiefs, that starts with the offensive line. The unit has surrendered 10 sacks in their last three games after allowing just 12 in the first seven. According to Nagy, its success begins with consistent communication — especially in hostile road environments like Buffalo.
“Protection wise, I always start off with the communication part,” he noted. “Are we getting the communication part down in game? So [when] you go on the road last week in Buffalo, it’s loud. It’s always going to be that way on the road. I think our communication has been pretty good for the most part.”
Still, the pressure got to Mahomes throughout the afternoon. The Bills sacked him twice. On his first pass of the game, Buffalo’s pressure forced him to make a throw while being tackled. That led to an interception — which Nagy sees as a learning opportunity for both the offensive line and his quarterback.
“There are a lot of times when [we] drop back in practice and it’s all on time and in rhythm,” he explained. “We practice a lot of that. We still always practice off to the side working on [his] feet and making sure that [he’s] working different angles and movements.
“But [when] you get in the game, it’s always so different; it’s hard to replicate that. So it’s never perfect [and] it’s never easy. And I think that’s where Pat has really grown over his career: being able to use his feet to find different levels to throw the football.”
That comfort in the pocket is especially critical for unlocking the Chiefs’ explosive plays. Just the same, the connection between Mahomes and rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy remains a work in progress. That was demonstrated by a deep pass in Buffalo where a slight overthrow made it difficult for Worthy to get two feet inbounds on the catch. Nagy recognizes these moments are part of the process — but also knows improving them is a key to the offense reaching its full potential.
“Patrick always starts with himself,” remarked Nagy. “[He asks,] ‘Could I have gotten the ball out earlier?’ Xavier [also] starts with himself: ‘Should I have had more awareness to try to toe-tap and catch that ball?’ We [coaches] start with ourselves: ‘Are we setting up the play the right way?’
“They know that it’s a part of the deal. It’s a game of inches — that certainly was a part of that — but we want to get those. We need to get those big chunk plays.”
