Chiefs WR on top offensive issue after Raiders loss: ‘It’s just lack of discipline’
The Kansas City Chiefs had many problems in Monday’s 20-14 home loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
When asked to narrow the offense’s issues to a common theme, however, receiver Justin Watson singled out a specific culprit.
“I think just across the board as an offense, it’s just lack of discipline,” Watson said in front of his locker after Monday’s game. “There’s plays out there, the defense isn’t doing anything, and it’s just executing.”
Watson gave multiple areas where the team could improve: running the right routes, making the correct reads, staying onside and not taking penalties.
Each played a part in the Chiefs offense not being good enough in Monday’s defeat — the team’s fourth home loss of the season.
“It sounds simple, but it’s not always easy,” Watson said. “If we don’t take penalties and we catch the ball and block who we’re supposed to block, we’re gonna be scoring on every drive.”
When asked who was accountable for the team being better with discipline, Watson said that fell on everyone throughout the locker room.
“We’re all grown adults. We’re all professionals. I can’t point to one person on our offense that doesn’t have a very high standard for their own performances, myself included,” Watson said. “So the highest standard for Justin Watson is by myself, and I think you can say that about everyone in our receiver room.”
Watson admitted that it “feels like a broken record” when speaking about the team’s offensive woes. In particular, flags and negative plays haunted the team in previous weeks as well.
The stats bear that out. The Chiefs entered the game leading the NFL with 461 yards worth of offensive penalties this season, and that didn’t include Monday’s contest where they had three more accepted. To compare, the New York Jets have the second-most offensive penalty yardage at 429 yards, while Arizona is third at 395.
KC’s two turnovers were killers against the Raiders, too. According to the win-probability model at rbsdm.com, The Chiefs lost a combined 14.6 expected points on their lost fumble and pick-six interception late in the second quarter — a significant swing in a six-point loss.
Watson said he saw leadership from quarterback Patrick Mahomes on Monday as he tried to will the Chiefs back into the game.
“He’s taken a lot on himself. And we’ve all got to do the same thing,” Watson said. “He’s looking in the mirror, and we’ve all got to look in the mirror. Coach (Andy) Reid said the same thing. He’s gonna look in the mirror.”
Watson, as a leader in the receiver room, said it would be his job to make sure the wideouts were doing their part to correct mistakes. Last week, Watson said the group put in extra effort before and after practice, and he believed the results would eventually come if the guys continued to control that part.
“All you can focus on is yourself and your own room,” Watson said, “and that’s what we’re going to do.”
KC’s loss Monday officially ended the team’s hopes of landing the AFC No. 1 seed. That didn’t resonate much with Watson, who was part of Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl LV champion that began the postseason as the NFC’s No. 5 seed.
“You’ve just got to get in,” Watson said. “And I know people around here are accustomed to all the home playoff games and the first-round bye, but we don’t care if it’s easy. Nothing this whole second half of the season has been easy. Just give us a chance to play, and let’s do our thing.”
KC has two more weeks to prepare for a potential playoff run, starting with Sunday’s home game against Cincinnati. With a win, the Chiefs would clinch the AFC West and an opening-round home playoff game.
“We control our own destiny (in the playoffs),” Watson said. “And like I said, I couldn’t care about what seed we get in. I just want to get in, and once you’re in, it’s anybody’s show.”
This story was originally published December 25, 2023 at 5:49 PM.
