OPENING STATEMENT:"Alright, really the only one not practicing today is A.J Jenkins. Everybody else will practice and we'll see how people do as we go here, but we look forward to the challenge of playing the Raiders and that is exactly what it is every time you have these rivals like this and an opportunity to go out to the black hole and play. Our guys have had a good day of practice yesterday and we'll have another good day today. We kind of put everything, the base, in yesterday and put the rest of it in today. Time's yours."
Q: Do you have to make a conscious effort to make sure the team doesn't overlook the Raiders this week after a big win and to that Denver game in two weeks?
REID:"Yeah, I think you just need to go through the process I've always done. Whether you win or lose the game before, you get back on the process of getting ready to play a game. This one's just a bit hurried up because of it being on a Thursday. If you do that the right way, it's all time consuming and you don't have to worry about all those other things."
Q: Is it a challenge to keep those guys looking at the task at hand and not ahead to the Broncos?
REID: "No I don't think that is. You turn on the film of the Raiders and you see good football players. They fly around. That catches you're attention right away. These guys have spent a lot of hours here yesterday and today we've had to kind of accelerate things. I think they're very well aware that they're playing a good football team."
Q: I'm sure you are aware of your stat that you have not allowed a rushing touchdown. How do you account for that and how does that come together?
REID: "I think it's actually down in the league. The numbers are, but it's a tribute to the guys for doing what they do. That's just sometimes how things fall. The guys obviously take a lot of pride in that."
Q: Do you have a feel for (Anthony) Fasano and (Donnie) Avery on whether they'll be able to go on Thursday?
REID: "We'll see today. They worked a little bit yesterday. We'll just see how they handle today. We'll be inside here. Fully controlled ground surface so we'll see how they handle that."
Q: With the Raiders always being a big rivalry to the Chiefs in the past, do you get that sense still around here that this is a rivalry?
REID: "Yeah you do. There's just something about the history of it. I know the guys feel that. You can't help but feel when you're out there. It's a wild place to play and they remind you that's it's a rivalry every snap."
Q: How did (Jamell) Fleming look yesterday and how he worked back into things this week?
REID: "Again, we'll see with him. I would tell you it's probably going to be a bit of a struggle for him to get back right now, but he's able to move around and do some things. It's kind of a short, a little bit of a short schedule here so we'll see how he really works today. Yesterday was more walking than it was running. Some of these guys that you're asking about, we've just got to see how they move around today and then we can kind of take it from there."
Q: How does the short week of preparation impact players on Thursday?
REID: "Listen, there's an urgency, but there's an urgency for both teams to put it together. The coaches, we got on it right after the game. Well, we actually did some stuff before the game and then came back and knocked some things out after the game and then the players came in yesterday. We threw the base at them, base game plan at them and then today they've got the goal line, red zone, short yardage and the rest of it thrown at them. There's not a lot of time for anything else here. You're kind of all consumed in this thing getting it right and accurate."
Q: Do strange things happen on Thursday night games because there's less prep?
REID: "Probably more from a physical standpoint really on both sides. Anytime you play this game, there's a physical element. It's just a matter of the guys getting themselves back and being able to be physically ready to play. The mental part, they handle it and they get that part done. You're back to back in games here in four days. That's a tough deal."
Q: You used a lot of fades and sweeps with De'Anthony (Thomas). What kind of impact does that have on the defense?
REID: "He's a factor. He's got great speed and quickness. If you can get him the ball, however you get him the ball, he normally, in space is going to make some good things happen. He's done that play before. He feels comfortable with it. We've called a few of those."
Q: Is this the role you drafted him for or is there still more for him to grow into?
REID: "I think the longer that he's in this thing. Every week we give him a little bit more. So, where he was playing about 20%, this week he was at 33%. You just keep adding into the package and he's able to handle it and do well, but you want to keep positive stuff for him."
Q: Were you kind of waiting for a guy like this to be added to your offense to throw in the different things you've been able to do? I remember seeing a little bit of the stuff you're doing last year.
REID: "The sweep part we did a little bit, but with Dex (Dexter McCluster). Dex was similar to this in the things that he could do. We're kind of using De'Anthony the same way we did Dexter. Dexter had more snap totals than De'Anthony's had at this point. Both of them are capable of doing the same type of things yeah."
Q: You guys are outscoring your opponents by almost 60 points in the fourth quarter. What do you attribute that to?
REID: "I guess execution and good defense, good special teams. I think we've done fairly well in that fourth quarter field positon game. I think all those things kind of go into it."
Q: How would you attribute the third down and red zone efficiency?
REID: "I think the third down part of it, we kept it in striking distance so you start getting in that eight, nine, plus areas and your percentages are going to drop rapidly and we've been able to keep in those manageable areas. Red zone the guys have executed and done that well. The run game part of it has helped in there obviously."
Q: As the season has gone on, has your team taken the personality of what you expected coming into this season or has it kind of been unexpected on how it's all come together?
REID: "No, I've mentioned this before, they're a good bunch. They've got a great attitude. They've had that since I came here. I felt that they are kind of all in and just want you to coach them and you respect that about them. It's the same way they started OTAs, they went through training camp. It's the same way with the guys that are hurt. We had some good leaders in that group. They helped set that foundation and the guys that step in just kind of picked up where they left off. From a coaching standpoint, that's a play. You don't have to worry about that part of it. They show up and they do their thing and work hard. It's a tribute to the guys."
Q: What has allowed Jamaal Charles to rise above all that the defenses throw his way? REID: "They do throw a couple of things at him and put a few people in the box. He's a pretty illusive guy. I think Andy Heck and EB (Eric Bieniemy) and Eugene Chung, I think they do a good job of putting packages together for him that give him an opportunity to use his strengths to the best of his ability and then you've got to give credit to the offensive line and the tight ends and then Sherm (Anthony Sherman). That's a rough job, that fullback thing. He's very willing there."
