Oct 25, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Chris Conley (17) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City won 23-13. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Something finally clicked for the Chiefs' third-round draft pick out of Georgia. John Rieger USA TODAY Sports
Chris Conley thinks he's finally mastering the "War and Peace"-sized tome that is Andy Reid's playbook.
It wasn't easy. The Chiefs rookie needed several exhibition weeks and seven regular-season weeks to understand his coach's weighty plans.
"A lot of the plays that we ran today, we just ran them out of different sets, different people in the same spots," Conley told reporters. "And moving it around, you have to know the concepts because you can be in anywhere in any situation, especially in hurry-up when you have to run every route."
Conley picked the right week for a "eureka" moment. The Chiefs needed their third-round pick to start when Jeremy Maclin (concussion) couldn't.
One week after a drop-filled game against the Vikings, he scored his first touchdown while setting career highs in catches (6) and yards (63) vs. Pittsburgh.
Reid was proud. His young receiver learned from his mistakes and found answers in his playbook.
"Sometimes, with young guys, you've got to take a step back to take a step forward," Reid said of Conley's performance. "I think he did that."
Added Reid: "He's a talented kid and it's just a matter of keep working through any hiccups that you have."
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