The AFC notebook had a little bit of everything Wednesday: a quarterback working through the mental side of an injury, a receiver in Kansas City being asked to carry more of the load, and a rookie passer in Las Vegas still waiting his turn.
In Denver, Bo Nix was candid about where things stand with his ankle. Asked whether there was still a mental hurdle, he didn’t dodge it.
“ I’d be lying if I said no. … I’m not scared.
I’m not physically worried. I just think there’s something to the sport.
All guys, when they come back from an injury, it’s just doing it one day at a time. That’s part of the game, that’s part of the process.
I had surgery six months ago. It takes a while for things to fully re-engage and come back.
”
Across the division, Xavier Worthy was a bigger part of the Chiefs’ offense in their Week 6 win over the Chargers, finishing with seven catches for 73 yards. Worthy said the staff made it clear all week that he would be leaned on.
“They told me all week it’s going to be for me, and I’ve got to step up for the receiver room,” Worthy said, via Nate Taylor of ESPN. “Guys are down, so I did my job.”
He described the feel of that kind of volume in basketball terms.
“You hit five in a row [in basketball], it doesn’t get any better than that,” Worthy said. “It obviously built the confidence and led to a strong game.”
Andy Reid said the Chiefs don’t view Worthy as just a field-stretcher. In Reid’s eyes, the receiver can do far more than run past people.
“People look at him because he’s a little bit smaller and he’s real fast, so they think of him as just a deep threat,” Reid said. “We’ve always looked at him like he can run shallow crosses, deep crosses.
He can do all that stuff and [is] very good at it. He’s tough and he’s smart, so you can move him around a lot in a lot of different spots.”
Kansas City was also dealing with a couple of practice absences. Reid said right tackle Jaylon Moore, who is in concussion protocol, and wide receiver Rashee Rice, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, did not practice Wednesday, per Matt Derrick. Rice missed practice again on Thursday.
In Las Vegas, the Raiders are taking a patient approach with first-round quarterback Fernando Mendoza, leaving him behind Kirk Cousins on the depth chart as the season moves toward its midpoint. Klint Kubiak said he likes what he’s seen from the rookie.
“I’m very pleased with where he’s at, and none of us really know until he goes and plays. But he’s doing everything that we’re asking him to do,” Kubiak said, via ProFootballTalk. “Really, he’s doing more than asked, and that’s just his character.”
Kubiak also pointed to the extra work Mendoza is putting in after practice.
“Yeah, I think it’s as simple as me just walking down the hall here to go get in the steam room when everybody’s gone, and he’s out here on the field by himself,” Kubiak said. “So, he’s not the only guy that’s doing that, but he’s putting in the extra time.”
Cousins, for his part, said Mendoza is progressing and staying ready.
“He’s making plays, learning every day, and just refining, as we’re all doing,” Cousins said. “I’m in year 15, still trying to refine, and he’s doing it. Thought he played well against New England, and he’ll be ready if for when his number is called, he’ll be ready, and he’s staying ready.”
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