Analytics has been a hot topic for Chiefs Kingdom lately after Patrick Mahomes was graded as the eighth-best quarterback by Pro Football Focus following his dominant Week 1 performance.
Mahomes joked after the team’s game on Thursday night that he’d be getting a low PFF grade this week after all of his near-interceptions. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Chiefs HC Andy Reid spoke about Mahomes’ comments, Pro Football Focus and how analytics play a role in what they do in Kansas City.
“He stays in tune with everything,” Reid said of Mahomes. “He’s pretty observant of things. Pro Football Focus has done a nice job with their stats and their analysis. I think they’re pretty accurate with things. That’s usable information. If it drives, it drives you, but it’s also pretty real. Mike Frazier deals with all of that. He tells you what’s right and what’s wrong and he gives guys — he’s also putting information out there for us.”
Frazier is the man in charge of all things analytics in Kansas City. That means evaluating the information that is put out there by Pro Football Focus, Football Outsiders and other analytics entities, but also developing his own models for tracking and evaluating stats relevant to the team. He is entering his 10th season with the Chiefs in the role of Statistical Analysis Coordinator and his role remains prominent in terms of pre-game preparations.
“So, he can give you just about anything, statistically, that you need,” Reid said of Frazier. “Percentages and stats in certain areas on every situation that you’re talking about. It could be as simple as things that a team does on first-and-10. Their success rate, run-pass, what personnel groups are best and (so on). He gives us quite a little book there of stats that we can look at.”
In addition to the information that Frazier provides players and coaches with ahead of the game, Reid also confirmed he’s on the headset during the game informing everyone of statistics on specific scenarios.
That doesn’t always mean that Reid will listen to him, though.
An example was the field goal at the end of the third quarter which tied the game against the Chargers.
“Absolutely,” Reid said. “He’s on the headset. I mentioned after the game that, statistically, that might be the time that you kick it. And you have to evaluate that. That’s where I come in. I’ve got 51% of that vote and I have to make a decision there on how I feel things are going at that time and the what-ifs and all that. I’d tell, statistically, that’s a time when you normally go for it and you don’t end up kicking it.”
Reid opted for the field goal to tie the game when the analytics might have said otherwise. On the ensuing defensive stand, rookie CB Jaylen Watson had his 99-yard interception returned for a touchdown. It’s safe to say that Reid feels he made the right choice, even going against what the statistics might say in that particular situation.
