Chiefs intent on shaking off Super Bowl loss, looking forward during camp

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Chiefs Offensive Coordinator, Matt Nagy/Photo by Brent Martin

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

A hot, humid July morning greeted the Kansas City Chiefs for Training Camp on Monday, with a nice breeze helping cool things off at times.

Offensive Coordinator, Matt Nagy, says the offense was frustrated last year with a lack of explosive plays. It is a point of emphasis this training camp.

“Being able to figure out, okay, where’s that start at? What are we doing? Making sure we do our job as coaches,” Nacy tells reporters after practice. “Without a doubt, that’s been an emphasis and we want to speak it into existence. It starts with teaching it and making sure the guys understand it and then when we get out there in practice, we execute it.”

Nagy says the team takes the Super Bowl loss personally.

“But I think there’s a level to it as well where you’re careful of not making sure it’s like some deal where you’re focused so much on what happened last year that you let it affect this year,” Nagy says. “That hasn’t happened with any of us.”

The major factor of whether Kansas City returns to the explosive plays which have defined the Chiefs since Patrick Mahomes came to Kansas City rests on the shoulders of the receivers.

Hollywood Brown/Photo by Brent Martin
Hollywood Brown/Photo by Brent Martin

Throwing downfield has been the type of offense Hollywood Brown has thrived on his entire career. Brown says the team’s receivers are like brothers and he has encouraged them to enjoy the process.

“Enjoying the guys, enjoying the teammates, because you know it moves fast,” Brown tells reporters after the Monday practice. “So, that’s what I’ve been preaching. Let’s enjoy every day.  Let’s win every day, attack every day, and get better at something.”

Brown says speed sets the tone for the receiving corps this year, especially with the return of Xavier Worthy and Rasheed Rice.

“I think it’s no secret that we’re fast and we can fly. I mean, it’s no secret,” Brown says. “If you are not respecting it, we can run pass you and I think that just opens up everything underneath.”

On the other side of the ball is a defense which has steadily gotten better over the past few years. A key to that improvement is a young corps of defensive backs.

Trent McDuffie/Photo by Brent Martin
Trent McDuffie/Photo by Brent Martin

Cornerback Trent McDuffie has established himself as an All Pro even though he is only in his fourth year. McDuffie tells reporters Defensive Coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, has challenged the defense to shake off the Super Bowl loss and be bold, be courageous in this year’s camp.

“He pretty much said he wants a room full of guys that are confident, that are fearless, and that want to go out there and compete,” according to McDuffie. “And I think that really set the tone.”

McDuffie says the defense is not perfect, but players are flying around, having fun, and jelling. McDuffie knows he has gone from a very young player to one of the leaders of the team, which brings an added dimension to his play.

“For me this year just be someone that can be personable and approachable,” McDuffie says. “I think that’s what my leadership’s going to be and some of that is going to be consistently doing the right thing. And, hopefully, people will follow that.”

The Chiefs return to the Mosaic Life Care practice fields on the Missouri Western State University campus in St. Joseph Tuesday morning at 9:15.

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