Before the Miami Dolphins’ Divisional Round game against the Buffalo Bills, safety DeShon Elliott, a Dolphins defender who cracked quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ helmet in the Wild-Card Round, took a jab at Kansas City.
“I pray by the Grace of God on the Chiefs down fall, I hope Buffalo beats them like they stole something,” Elliott wrote in the caption of an Instagram photo that he shared.
Following the Dolphins’ season-ending 26-7 loss to the reigning Super Bowl champions at Arrowhead Stadium on January 13, Elliott is supporting his division opponent.
Matt Nagy Discusses Rashee Rice’s Growth
Rashee Rice, a rookie wide receiver, is one of the reasons Kansas City’s offense has improved, but not significantly, in the second half of the regular season.
According to Pro Football Reference, since Week 11 of the regular season, Rice has averaged 8.5 targets, 6.3 receptions, and 81 receiving yards per game. The youngster is blossoming at the ideal time for Kansas City, as seen by his career-high 130 receiving yards in his most recent game against the Dolphins.
When questioned at his January 18 press conference when he became aware that rookie receivers in the Chiefs offense typically don’t produce, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy of the Chiefs responded that Rice was a quick learner.
“When you see it in the game, it’s on the field. In particular, I feel negatively against the Dolphins for an unknown reason that I am unable to pinpoint. It seems like you could see that something was beginning to click with him at that point, Nagy said.
“Practice, the tempo, or his entry and exit from the huddle are all examples of this. During training camp, we discussed how to line up, enter and exit the huddle, and simply try to run the play in the proper manner. He’s moved on from that now. As he approaches the line of scrimmage, Nagy said, “he’s seeing what the defense does and can now let his natural ability take over.” It seemed to click for me about the middle of the season.
The best part is that he desires more and wants to be coached. The other thing, in my opinion, is that those wide receivers that surround him are also supporting him, even though it’s difficult for those outside the building to see it. You see men in there, the more seasoned guys, who are actually assisting him and going on to become coaches. It is fantastic; you require it. Overall, he realizes he still has a lot of space to grow, but he did a fantastic job.
The Chiefs’ road game against the Bills on January 21 will present Rice with another chance to improve on his already outstanding rookie year. The AFC Divisional Round contest is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Central time and will be broadcast on CBS.
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