OPENING STATEMENT: "As far as injuries go for today's practice, Kendall Fuller won't practice today. He is making progress and getting better with his hand. Mitch Schwartz with his knee is making progress again. Both of these two are day-to-day. And then Sammy (Watkins) too is making progress and won't go. We look forward to the challenge of playing Seattle. We know they are a good football team and a great venue to play in. That stadium is unbelievable, that crowd is unbelievable. We look forward to that challenge of playing a good football team, well coached. Our guys are going to have a good week of practice here starting today and get some good work in. With that, time's yours."
Q: Did you mean Cam Erving when you said Mitchell Schwartz?
REID: "Mitch Schwartz. Cam (Erving) will do some limited stuff."
Q: How much does how good your offense is doing in the game go into going for it on fourth down?
REID: "I go off of if we have a chance to make it. Strictly on that. That's normally what goes into the thought process. There's some analytics that are involved in it that we look at. For the most part, you are kind of going off the feel of what you still have remaining. There are a bunch of factors, but what you have left in the plan to throw at them. If you feel comfortable and confident, you go for it. Just like the defense says, the offense always takes into consideration all things. If that's something that is happening that particular game, then you look at that, too."
Q: You have attempted more fourth downs than anyone else in the league, is that part of the confidence that you have in the offense?
REID: "I've always been big on going for it on fourth downs. I like doing that if the situation is right. It's not because of that. It is because I had good stuff and I felt good about it."
Q: Does it help that you have played defenses similar like the Chargers and 49ers to the Seahawks when preparing this week?
REID: "And Jacksonville is another one. They are all similar defenses. It works both ways. They got to see how the offense went against that defense and we got to see kind of how that defense rolls. Everybody has a different wrinkle to it. Pete (Carroll) is the originator of it. He will have something for us. I think it is good for both sides. It will be a good matchup."
Q: Can you speak to the bounce back ability of this team and having a veteran locker room?
REID: "We do have a good locker room. It is important that you learn from it. That's most important. You can hang your head and mope and do all those things you want to do, but that doesn't get anything accomplished. You get in, you learn from it the best you can, and you go do better. That's the approach I am taking. That is the approach I felt from the guys. On the other hand, if you are going to learn, then you have to dig in and not be afraid to say I goofed here or there, whether you are a coach or a player. I am the one standing in front of you, so I will always go back and analyze myself. And I have told you before, there are things I look at and go, 'I could have done a better job.' It is important that everyone does that. And that is where your locker room that you were talking about comes in. We have good guys and good strength there. They have done that."
Q: Will you go with a true running back by committee?
REID: "Yeah, that's kind of the role that we are doing now. Although, (Damien Williams) did a good job in that game, obviously. Is it equal all three ways? I don't know about that. Just see how it shakes down."
Q: How much do you expect Kelvin Benjamin and Charcandrick West to get involved now that they have had some time to get in football shape?
REID: "Again, I've told the guys if they are available, we will find ways to use you the best we can, so be ready and alert for it. We will just see how it all shakes out there. I would tell you the things that 26 (Damien Williams) did on game day, he did a nice job there. That was pretty impressive. He has to keep building on it. You have to do it week after week at this level."
Q: How do you evaluate how Kelvin Benjamin played?
REID: "He did a nice job. The opportunities he had, he ran hard. He is a different picture than Damien (Williams). It is a couple different looks you are going to get there. Charcandrick (West) is kind of the same thing. He is a different look. Spencer Ware is a different look. They all have their strengths and we try to play to our players strengths."
Q: Do you think the way the rules are now it gives teams a better advantage to come back late in games?
REID: "It depends on the calls. If you are making the plays and you are getting calls against you, all those things come in. Every crew is different, and every team is different. I am standing here when it just happened to us, so I would probably say yeah, it does that way. But it all depends. It depends on how things are rolling in a few different ways."
Q: There's nothing you can do about the calls that you sent in?
REID: "I loved all of them. It's Christmas time."
Q: Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson aren't exactly the same but there are some similarities, will you all go with Tremon Smith for scout team this week or go with someone else?
REID: "Yeah, the option he's good at. The throwing part, there's a reason why he's a corner. I reminded him of that. He did a heck of a job though. There might be a place we use him here and there, but not the whole time."
Q: Was Mitchell (Schwartz)'s knee something that occurred in the game?
REID: "Yes, it happened in the game."
Q: Were you surprised that Mitchell Schwartz and Chris Jones didn't make the Pro Bowl?
REID: "As a coach you want them all to make it. They are all busting their tail for you and doing a heck of a job. Somewhere, someone doesn't make it. Who knows why or the reasons why. The guys you mentioned were sure well deserving. I've stood here for a couple of years doing this and have answered those questions at this time and every year there is someone, and I am sure it's that way around the league, I didn't see who made it and who didn't, but you know there are disappointments. Then, there are other guys who look at it and go "Woah I made it!" You get both things. I tell them just to keep playing and don't get into all that stuff. You can't control it."
Q: What do you think of Patrick (Mahomes) making the Pro Bowl after the year he has had?
REID: "I am happy for all the guys who made it. Patrick, again, I am partial. I am sitting here as his head coach. Like I said, I would love for all of them to make it and the guys who are in there are all guys that have said "This guy or that guy could've just as easily been in here." They are pretty humble guys that way. More power to them and let's get on to Seattle. That's how I roll with it. It's a great honor and then this is what is real right now and let's go."
Q: Fifteen games into the season, how would you evaluate the defensive blitz and give and take balance of when to blitz when you have great pass rushers?
REID: "I think we've had a decent blend there. We've affected the quarterback in a lot of ways. That's arguably, number-wise more than anyone in the league. That way he's had to move or alter throws or hit them or sack them. You don't want to blitz every snap. You pick and choose places to do it, especially if you have good rushers. We do a pretty good job of that. Games are also involved in that. Those guys look at your matchups and what you can do with all of that."
Q: You mentioned Monday that having Eric Berry back allowed you guys to do something different on tape that you hadn't shown all year. Is Eric Berry more effective in those blitzing situations?
REID: "He's one of the really good blitzers in the league. He gives you that flexibility to do that. That doesn't mean you are going to bring him every time. He's bringing a cover guy too."
Q: What have you had to adjust without Sammy Watkins?
REID: "It's a bit different. He's a good football player. We've got other guys who have stepped up and done a nice job. We use them, but there are certain things I don't do that I did with him. I try to use the other guys' strengths to fill in whatever we have designed. We are fortunate in that position we have some pretty good guys."
Q: What goes into putting a streak together like Chris Jones has with the sacks?
REID: "Go back and you guys were here, you saw the change in his body and how he really took care of himself physically with diets and workouts and all of that this offseason. His body fat is way down. He works his fundamentals and techniques. That's what he does. He still has room to grow, which is great. He isn't tapped out by any means where he is at. I will tell you it all started in the offseason. Now it is paying off for him as the season has gone on."
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Quotes
Q: What are your initial thoughts on making the Pro Bowl?
MAHOMES: "First off you're thankful for all of Chiefs Kingdom for voting and being supportive of me and my teammates. It is truly a special thing. I remember growing up as a little kid watching the skills challenges and the Pro Bowl and thinking how cool it was. For me to be in this spot it's a credit to my teammates for them making me look really, really good out there."
Q: When you are looking back at the final drive that stalled for the offense Thursday night, is it a matter of one thing happening that leads to another and so on? How do you prevent that from happening?
MAHOMES: "You just can't make the mistakes as a whole unit at the end of the game, I guess you would say. First off, we got the penalty on the kickoff. Then, we got out there and had a negative play to start off, then we got some yards back that second play and we had the false start. It's, like you said, the accumulation of all those things going wrong. You have to find ways to finish games in this league. We've been doing it well all year and we just didn't do it well the other night and it cost us."
Q: How difficult has it been adjusting without Sammy Watkins in the offense and how do you feel you've performed without him?
MAHOMES: "People have stepped up for sure. Chris Conley and Demarcus Robinson and now Kelvin (Benjamin) have all kind of stepped up and tried to replace that role as best they can. Sammy (Watkins) is a great player, he has a ton of talent and I'm excited for him and his recovery process. But at the same time, we've had that mentality all year. Whenever you get your opportunity, you step up and play and I feel like guys have stepped up and tried to play in his role as best they can."
Q: Have you done anything additional with Kelvin Benjamin to get on the same page?
MAHOMES: "Yeah, definitely. We've worked on routes, for sure, that fit our offense and fit the role that we want him to utilize in this offense for the rest of this season. You can tell he has the work ethic and the mentality that he wants to be great. He has a ton of talent and now it's about him learning the offense more and more every single day and getting him incorporated more and more every single week."
Q: What is it like for you to be right in the mix here and preparing for a Sunday Night Football game in Seattle?
MAHOMES: "It's exciting. It's going to be a great challenge. It's going to be a hostile environment. We got to play them in the preseason last year and you could sense how crazy and loud it was going to be, even in a preseason game. You know with it being a playoff implication game, it's going to be rocking pretty heavily. It's going to be a great challenge for us. It's going to give us a challenge that we can go out there and win a football game against a really good football team."
Q: Was this loss more difficult to flush because of the disappointing way it ended?
MAHOMES: "Every loss, like you said, is going to hurt, especially being a last second loss. That definitely hurts a lot, especially in the division. Luckily, we're still in a position where we control our own destiny. We can still win these last two games and get the No. 1 seed and get to have playoff games at Arrowhead. For us, we're focused on that and moving ahead and getting better."
Q: What has elevated Travis Kelce to have the numbers he's had this year and what have you learned about him after almost a full season together?
MAHOMES: "First off, he's so smart as a player, not just a tight end. He really recognizes coverages and recognized what's needed to be done in order to get himself open. Having him, it's something I can trust that he's going to be exactly where I want him to be on every single play. He's made a lot of great plays this year where he has made me look good where I kind of just throw it up and he's went and got it."
Q: What kind of season has Mitchell Schwartz had?
MAHOMES: "To me he's one of, if not, the best right tackles in the league. He's had a ton of success over a long time. It's disappointing for him not making (the Pro Bowl), but there's a lot of worthy guys. If it was my choice, I'd have the whole offensive line on there. They've been protecting me well this year."
Q: Do you think teams are starting to play the pass more against your offense and will you try to keep them honest?
MAHOMES: "I think we're just going to keep doing what we've been doing all season long. We've scored a lot of points every single game and we've utilized the run game, the pass game, and every facet of the offense. I thought (Damien Williams) stepped up big this last week catching the ball and running the ball. We're just going to keep working through our strengths and playing the game that we want to play."
Q: What's your message as a leader moving forward with this team?
MAHOMES: "I think the message for the whole team is we're not satisfied with where we're at. We wanted to put ourselves in this position, but at the same time, we know we still have a long way to go. We're going to keep in that mentality the rest of this season and into the playoffs (of) not being satisfied with just being here. We want to make sure we can go and win the big games whenever we need to."
Q: What are your thoughts on the Seattle defense?
MAHOMES: "First off, they're well coached. They run their scheme really, really well, and then they have a lot of young guys, but those young guys are playing hard, playing fast and playing to their potential. I'm excited for the challenge, but at the same time we're going to have to go out there and compete if we want to go score points to win the game."
