Xavier Worthy is treating the playoffs ‘like every other game’

For a second straight season, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ vast receivers are being led by a rookie. First-year speedster Xavier Worthy’s 638 receiving yards rank second behind the workforce’s legendary tight finish Travis Kelce.

On Saturday, the rookie will make his postseason debut because the Chiefs play the Houston Texans on GEHA Discipline at Arrowhead Stadium. Whereas it is going to be the largest second of his younger profession, Worthy is working laborious to maintain it from overwhelming him.

“[I’m] just treating it like every other game,” he defined to media members on Tuesday. “[There are] a lot of vets in the room, so they kind of just make it easy on me — just taking it week-by-week and treating it like a regular game.”

A yr in the past, Worthy performed within the School Soccer Playoff, catching two passes for 45 yards as Texas misplaced to Washington within the semifinals. However he believes the NFL playoffs will probably be “a little bigger.”

Nonetheless, quarterback Patrick Mahomes believes the younger wideout’s resume will probably be sufficient to arrange him for the approaching problem

Photograph by David Eulitt/Getty Pictures

“Obviously, [his] adrenaline is going to be flowing,” mentioned Mahomes. “[He’s] going to be a little nervous — or whatever that is — but once you get on the football field, you just play. I think that’s something that he’s done great this entire season. He’s played a lot of big games. He’s done a lot of productive things — and I expect him to do the same things as we get into the playoffs.”

Beginning in Week 11, Worthy had a streak of seven straight video games with not less than 4 catches, whereas recording three receiving touchdowns — plus a fourth on a lateral that was formally recorded as a speeding rating.

Head coach Andy Reid might see it coming — simply because it did for final season’s rookie sensation Rashee Rice.

“He’s a smart kid,” the coach mentioned of Worthy on Tuesday. “You would see the expertise. You knew it was a matter of time. I noticed that with Rashee the yr earlier than. We’ve seen it with a bunch of receivers over time.

“So as long as they’re willing to work smart — and have the skill he has, obviously — you just hang with it. They’ll work through it. They’ve got to see it — [to] get those main defenses down [along with] the reads and the routes and all that. He’s done a nice job of all that.”

However Worthy’s highest reward could have come from now-two-time All-Professional cornerback Trent McDuffie, who in contrast him to Kansas Metropolis’s veteran deep risk Mecole Hardman.

“You can tell his confidence is up,” McDuffie reported of taking part in in opposition to Worthy in apply. “You give anyone a full yr on this system within the league [and] they’re all the time going to get higher. His routes have change into crisper. You’ll be able to inform within the sport plan they’re discovering him a [few] extra routes he can run as a substitute of simply going vertical. [He’s] getting some extra of the brief sport [and] getting a couple of jet sweeps — form of like Mecole used to get.

“[He’s] someone I’ve just been a fan of — just his play on the field [as well as] off the field — and someone I’m really excited to see what he’s going to do. I think he’s a threat. He’s a factor — and he’s someone I know Pat really loves.”

Worthy believes that a lot of his success comes from the veteran vast receivers surrounding him.

“I feel like [I’m] just understanding the game more [from] being around guys that have been around — and [have] done it against good corners,” he defined. “Getting it from them — and understanding their knowledge [of] how to do it — has just helped me evolve as a player.”

He cited DeAndre Hopkins and Hollywood Brown as his greatest influences.

Photograph by Jamie Squire/Getty Pictures

“DHop [is] really route-savvy,” he remarked, “[He] has played the league for a long time and understands it. Also, Hollywood Brown — a guy kind of similar to me; [he’s] smaller in frame — telling me how to run routes against bigger guys [and] smart guys has helped [me] a lot.”

Simply don’t anticipate the NFL’s quickest man to enter the specifics of what Hopkins and Brown have taught him.

“They just gave me… like… techniques,” Worthy smiled. “I can’t really tell you the advice — that’ll give away my tricks — but they just gave me little techniques on how to beat certain coverages and stuff.”

McDuffie is simply grateful he doesn’t must cowl Worthy in video games.

“[With] the plays he’s able to make [and] the catches he’s able to make,” famous the cornerback, “you can just tell that he’s someone that wants to be that person. He wants to be the No. 1. He wants the ball — and when you have someone like that, I think [they] can be a real threat.”