Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid
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HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER RICK BURKHOLDER:** "As you guys know, Eric Berry ruptured his left Achilles Tendon Thursday night in the ballgame against New England. Many assume it's the same Achilles Tendon that he was struggling with in training camp, but it is not. He missed some time in training camp with his right Achilles Tendon, so it's the opposite side. He's on his way to Green Bay, Wisconsin, right now to see Dr. Bob Anderson, the same surgeon that operated on both of Derrick Johnson's Achilles Tendons. Bob Anderson is the Head of the Foot and Ankle committee in the NFL and is respected as the best foot and ankle surgeon in the country. If you remember from Derrick's injuries, this is about a six month recovery, however that's just a ballpark. We know that Eric Berry has done some amazing things in the past. He's already started the rehab process with us yesterday and as soon as we can get him back here from Green Bay we'll continue with it."
REID OPENING STATEMENT:"I'll finish up with the injuries, really there's not much to mention. Bennie Logan has got a little bit of a knee, kind of quad contusion, but there's a pretty good chance he practices. We'll just see how that goes when we get there. Everybody else is good to go. We look forward to the challenge of playing Philadelphia. We saw yesterday that they're a good football team, they're very aggressive on both sides of the ball, they have a real good special teams group, good coaches, good players, and we'll get back to the drawing board tomorrow. We'll start working on Philly as we go throughout the week and it's important that we have a good week of practice. Just a couple of things on a side note from football. Just a remembrance of 9/11 and the things that went on there and today is that day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those families that were touched by them. I was in Philadelphia when that went on and met a lot of the people that had gone through the tragedy there. Then the people in Florida, our hearts are with them and the people in Houston as they're recovering too."
Q:How is the team dealing with the Eric Berry injury and how is Eric Berry mentally dealing with the injury?
REID: "Eric's doing good with it. I mean he overcame cancer, so this is probably a little bit lower. He's fought for his life before. Is he disappointed? Absolutely, big time disappointed, but at the same time he understands he'll have another opportunity to play. There was a point in his life where he didn't know if he was going to have that opportunity to play or if he would. He's going to attack the surgery and the rehab after the surgery I'm sure with a lot of intensity and he'll be back. Then the players, they understand that you're not going to replace Eric Berry. That's not what you're going to do, not the whole package of Eric Berry he's one of the great ones in the game. He's probably the best safety right now playing football, but we have guys in that position that will step in and fill that role that their teammates have a lot of confidence in."
Q:Is Daniel Sorensen the first guy up?
REID: "It will depend on the package that we've got and we've got (Eric) Murray and Sorensen and they both are experienced there. It just depends on what we're going to do. Sorensen plays all over the place, but those are the two guys."
Q:You talked after the game in Boston about how Kareem Hunt at Toledo seemed to get stronger in the fourth quarter. How common is that for a running back to maybe be stronger and more effective in the fourth quarter than earlier in the game?
REID: "You always hear running backs talk about they want to be able to get into a rhythm and get going and when they feel that they, a lot of them at least, they end up being in that situation where they feel stronger in the fourth quarter. But in the National Football League it's tough to do that. Most teams aren't running the ball like it used to be. Most teams are mixing in the run and pass so for them to do be able to do that the pass probably takes more out of them than the run game the way it looks. But for him to feel that way, that was good, and then teams are rotating backs quite a little bit. We didn't do a ton of that the other night."
Q:To follow up on that we all got to see what he did running the ball, catching the ball, but as you went back and looked at the tape what about the other things that a running back is expected to do, pass blocking and the other responsibilities that we might not notice, how did he fair when you went back and looked at it?
REID: "He actually did a nice job with that. That will be his challenge as he goes through here, just to be able to pick up all of these blitzes that people throw at him and they had a few the other night that they came after us with. That will be where he probably ends up spending most of his time, learning that."
Q:You've coached against former assistant coaches a few times over the years, but I don't think you've ever coached against a former player before. What's it going to be like going against Doug (Pederson) on Sunday?
REID: "I didn't think of him as an ex-player, but he's kind of moved on and now he's coach. I have a lot of respect for him and I think he's doing a nice job there. I know he'll have his team ready and they'll come in here. He's got a good football team, he's got good coaches, so they'll come in and be ready to go. Once you start the game, though, you're playing the game and it really doesn't necessarily matter who's over there."
Q:When he was playing for you, I know he didn't play for you for that long, but could you see a coach in making? Could you see that someday he was going to make it this far?
REID: "I knew he wanted to head in that direction when I had him in Green Bay and then when he played for me at Philly. I knew he wanted to go there and then he did. He started coaching at the high school level and we stayed in touch and I knew somewhere he was going to want to move up whether it was to college or the NFL. I happened to have an opening and it worked out for him."
Q:In your relationship with him do you talk to him every week and because you knew he was going to be on the regular season schedule did you talk to him less this year than you would've say last year?
REID: "No to that last part. We've talked, it's not every week. Both of us are scrambling. As a head coach you have a million things you're doing and you're not talking really to anybody too much other than your guys that are right here and your players. But we do talk."
Q:As somebody who knows the culture of football in Philadelphia as he was just kind of learning the ropes as he went through last season did he reach out to you asking you how to handle certain situations or just to kind of get your input?
REID: "There were a couple of times, but it wasn't so much on how to handle Philadelphia. He had played there so he knew that. It was more of a couple of little scheduling things, what we did in the offseason, just a reminder of kind of what we did, but other than that he's got a good grasp on all of that stuff. He's pretty sharp."
Q: What kind of complications can arise when you face a coach who knows your offense backwards and forwards?
REID: "If you get into a checking game they kind of know your checks and signals and those things. That's one thing. They know formations, they might be able to tell formations. Normally it goes both ways."
Q:You're five years removed from coaching in Philadelphia. Are there still cobwebs? Do you totally forget it? Where are you?
REID: "You don't forget it, it's part of your history and part of your life. I don't want to forget Philadelphia. The people there were great to me, the organization was great to me, but again I'm all red now. I'm all in with the Chiefs and I'm loving it here. I love the people here. There's nothing like Arrowhead and I welcome them in to Arrowhead and I know our fans will be ready to welcome them in too."
Q:Do you see fewer mental mistakes now in your offense than you did in your first game in 2013?
REID:"That is a good question. We are probably doing a little bit more than we did the first year. The guys have a little bit more to think about. Are there still mental mistakes? Yeah, we have so much to work on right now. In all areas, whether it is physical or mental, we need to tune some things up as we go. But that first year, it was brand new, so there were things we couldn't do with snap counts and things that you do."
Q:Which year could you say that the offense was full go with the Chiefs?
REID:"We are always trying to evolve. I think you are always trying to do that in this league. Too many smart football guys that study it in the offseason. So you have to continually add to it. That doesn't mean you don't have your base go-tos. But you have to change a little bit and move things around. That is kind of the neat challenge. I don't know if you ever say, 'Hey, listen, they've got everything you have,' because you are always trying to grow as a coach, too."
Q:Could the number of penalties in that first game be explained by it being the first game?
REID:"Well, I would hope so. That wasn't good. If you want to be a championship caliber team then, as you evolve, you have to get rid of those. That is the attitude our guys have. They want to be the best. So if you are going to do that, you have to eliminate some of these dumb things."
Q:Are some victories bigger than others? Does it mean more?
REID:"Every win and every loss affects your team in some way. It strengthens it or weakens it, that's what it does. It is important on how you grow. Unfortunately, in this business, you get to enjoy these things [very little] and then you have to move on. The teams that do that the best in our line of teams sustain winning throughout 16 games and whatever you get after that. So it is important that we do that. It is a first game of the season. Now that it is over, it is probably the most overrated of the year because it gets so much publicity because everyone is so fired up to start the season and get this thing underway. Coaches, players, fans, media. But it is done. And now we are on to the Eagles. That is in the past and we have to move on."
Q:How do you defend Carson Wentz?
REID:"So he is a big man. He is a big strong kid and moves around well. You have to stay disciplined on how you rush him. Once you have an opportunity, you have to wrap up on him so he doesn't get out of there. He has great vision down the field so you have to maintain your coverage than just the quick count there and you have to stay on your guys forever."
Q:Would you compare him to Ben Roethlisberger?
REID:"You might. He has a ways to go. He will probably tell you that. Ben has been doing it for a long, long time. He surely is a talented kid and looks like he has a bright future ahead of him."
Q:Is it meaningful for you that you generated your own way on offense with long drives?
REID:"Offensively, we have to do some things better. Special teams, we have to do a better job with the field-position part. Field position ends up being a big thing no matter what side of the ball you are on or special teams, that is a big part of this game. I am talking about football in the National Football League. We all have to do better. On the other hand, was I happy with the way the offense was able to sustain drives? Yeah, that is a tough thing to do in this league, in particular, consistently game to game. You have to take care of the field position. All three phases do."
Q:How do you keep young guys focused coming off of this game?
REID:"It is important that you look at the tape. That is what is real. I'm not talking about the TV copy, I am sure that is how some of the guys watch the game. But you put the tape on, and you see how that team plays, young guys realize that every week, you better get it tuned up. The margin between winning and losing in this league is very small. Everybody has an opportunity. That is what the Commissioner wanted with all this parity in the league. Everybody on any given Sunday can win the game and our guys have to make sure our young guys are ready. I have some good veteran players that will help with that and coaches that will help with that."
Q:Can you speak to Red Friday and the community involvement?
REID:"That is one of the things I am real proud of. I am proud that our players get out into the community. I am proud the organization allows that and encourages that. Our organization, I joke with Mark Donovan all the time, because he always has the suit and leaving to do dinners and get togethers. He works as hard as anyone in this league making sure he gets out in the community and the community feels a part of our team and that we feel a part of the community. It starts with Clark (Hunt) and how he wants it done. It is a neat deal. And it is year round. It isn't just during football season, it is year round. It is as close to a college environment as you are going to find in the National Football League where we have the tailgates. I get here early morning on noon games, and there are people lined up here at 4:30 or 5 o' clock. One guy in particular has his barbeque out, gate is closed, and he is barbequing and handing hot dogs to people and I am going, 'This is unbelievable. This is a phenomenal deal.'
Q:What do you think of Steven Terrell?
REID:"Yeah, we thought he had a good feel when he was here. He gives you some special teams, he is good back on the back end there. He is a smart kid. We like the way he played when he was here. He seemed to be a good communicator back there, which is what you need."
