Showing posts with label Brandon Flowers injury. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brandon Flowers injury. Show all posts

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Derrick Johnson and Brandon Flowers Expected To Play Sunday

Yesterday we reported that while Derrick Johnson will likely play on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, several other key players were still question marks in regards to their availability. Chiefs fans get even better news today, as it appears star cornerback Brandon Flowers will likely be good to go for week one.

Flowers lined up with the starters in practice yesterday, which is a strong sign that he will be used heavily this Sunday. It is unlikely the Chiefs would use Flowers with the first-string defense this close to its first regular season game if he couldn’t play or would receive limited minutes. Flowers has made some big strides in the past couple of days in his recovery from a foot injury he sustained in late July.

While the Chiefs’ cornerback may be rusty after missing the entire preseason and getting limited practice time, Flowers should still be a big boost for Kansas City’s defense. The Falcons have several dangerous wide receivers, and the Chiefs will be missing Tamba Hali due to his one-game suspension.

Flowers’ return is also big because it appears that Kendrick Lewis will not be on the field Saturday. Asking the secondary to play well without Hali missing one starter is already a tall ordeal, and there is no way the unit would stop Atlanta if both Flowers and Lewis were missing on Sunday. Jalil Brown, who had replaced Flowers in the starting lineup, appears to be banged up as well.

Apart from Lewis, it appears that defensive linemen Anthony Toribio and Allen Bailey will not be able to go Sunday. Their absence means the team will depend on first-round pick Dontari Poe to make a difference for the Chiefs’ defensive line. The experience should benefit Poe, but the Chiefs are starting to get paper-thin in terms of depth. Any more injuries, and the defense may be unable to duplicate the success it enjoyed last season.

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Chiefs Make Roster Cuts

Fresh off a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Chiefs were forced to make some roster cuts. Kansas City ended up cutting 14 players to reach the league-mandated number of 75 for this point in time.

Most of the players cut are first or second-year players that have not made much of an impact on the team. Chiefs fans will likely recognize wide receiver Jeremy Horne and fullback Shane Bannon, who have seen playing time in the past. Bannon’s release is a little surprising, given that the team has been very thin at fullback during the preseason. Many expected him to at least make it to the 53 man roster cut. Kansas City fans may also remember Tim Biere, who was a standout tight end at the University of Kansas.

The full list of the players Kansas City cut:

• Shane Bannon - FB

• Tim Biere - TE

• Caleb Campbell - LB

• Justin Cheadle - OL

• Dominique Ellis - DB

• Jean Fanor - DB

• Dexter Heyman - LB

• Cam Holland - OL

• Jeremy Horne - WR

• Ethan Johnson - DE

• Brandon Kinnie - WR

• Zeke Markshausen - WR

• Matt Szymanski - K

• Aaron Weaver – WR

The team will make its final cuts on Friday, after concluding its preseason schedule with an away game at Green Bay. Head coach Romeo Crennel has yet to comment on the roster cuts, but injuries may play a factor in regards to which players the team keeps. The Chiefs have been hit hard in the secondary, as cornerback Brandon Flowers and safety Kendrick Lewis continue to nurse nagging injuries and may miss some time early in the regular season. The team signed a several undrafted free agent defensive backs this offseason, and these players have to feel better about their chance to make the final 53 man roster.

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Monday, August 27, 2012

Chiefs-Seahawks Game Recap

After a disappointing showing against the St. Louis Rams, the Chiefs were looking to make a statement against the Seattle Seahawks in the all-important third preseason game. Rather than turn things around, things went from bad to worse for Kansas City, as the team got embarrassed by Seattle, 44-14.

The Chiefs had no answer for Seattle’s Russell Wilson, a rookie third-round pick out of Wisconsin who recently won the team’s starting job over Matt Flynn. Wilson threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns while also running for 58 yards, leading the Seahawks to scores on their first six possessions. The absence of cornerback Brandon Flowers and safety Kendrick Lewis was noticeable in the passing attack and the Chiefs front seven mustered little pressure on the QB and routinely gave up big plays on the ground. Kansas City had one of the better defenses in the NFL last year, but the unit has not looked sharp this preseason. With Tamba Hali suspended for the first game of the regular season and Flowers and Lewis continuing to fight nagging injuries, head coach Romeo Crennel is going to have to get creative and find a way to improve the defense while it is missing some key players.

Offensively, Kansas City struggled all night long, including going three-and-out on the team’s first four drives. The Chiefs had one impressive drive in the second quarter, marching 80 yards and scoring on a Dexter McCluster reception, but the rest of the night was pretty dismal. Matt Cassel threw an interception that was returned 75 yards for a touchdown, and the team failed to hit on any big plays once it got down by a couple of scores.

Even special teams were troublesome for the Chiefs, as Seattle’s Golden Tate returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter.

It is still only the preseason, but Kansas City played its starters well into the third quarter and looked overmatched by an average Seattle team. Injuries on defense have been a major problem, and the team will have to find more consistency on offense. Hopefully the return of Dwayne Bowe will ignite a spark for the offense, and Flowers and Lewis can return from injury soon to aid the defense.

The team’s final preseason game will be this Thursday, when the Chiefs travel to Lambeau Field to play the Green Bay Packers. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Tamba Hali Suspended For Chiefs Season Opener

The Chiefs defense has suffered some injuries to several key players over the past few weeks, and now the unit has received more bad news. Tamba Hali, the team’s best pass rusher and a key to Kansas City’s defense, has been suspended from the season opener against Atlanta. Hali will be suspended without pay, and will be fined an additional game’s paycheck as well.

The good news for Chiefs fans is that Hali only received a one-game suspension. Often, the NFL doles out a four game suspension (or longer) for a substance-abuse violation. The bad news is the one game Hali will miss is a big one – the season opener against a talented Atlanta Falcons team. The Falcons have been a playoff team for the past two seasons, and should give Kansas City all it can handle to start the season. Even worse, the team is missing Brandon Flowers and Kendrick Lewis, and it is unknown when the two defensive backs will return. A depleted secondary and the absence of the team’s best pass rusher could be a recipe for disaster for Kansas City.

Since the team drafted him in the first round, Hali has been a consistent force for Kansas City. In his career, Hali has 266 tackles and 53.5 sacks, as well as 22 forced fumbles. His last two years have been his best, with 14.5 sacks two years ago and 12 last season.

It is unknown who will replace Hali in the starting lineup. Andy Studebaker is the most likely replacement, as he has been a reliable backup for the team over the past four seasons and knows the defense well. The other option is Cameron Sheffield, who hasn’t seen much playing time in his three year career. Neither player is known for his ability to pressure the quarterback, which will make second-year player Justin Houston’s play even more important. Houston showed the ability to get to the quarterback in his rookie season, and the Chiefs will need him to step up and play well with Hali sidelined.

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Friday, August 17, 2012

Chiefs Conclude Camp, Prepare for Rams

The Chiefs 2012 training camp is officially over, as the team held its final practice yesterday. The team has made some strides, looking very good in its first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals and establishing a depth chart. However, Kansas City has also suffered a few key injuries, and has several questions to answer with the regular season approaching.

The biggest question for Chiefs fans is the status of All-Pro wide receiver Dwayne Bowe – and at the moment, we don’t have an answer. The team failed to reach a long-term deal with their best wide receiver, and Bowe is currently holding out for a better deal. Some speculate that the team may choose not to resign Bowe, as the Chiefs will have several other important players who will need to be resigned in the near future, including Branden Albert, Jovan Belcher, Glenn Dorsey, Brandon Siler and Dustin Colquitt. Jonathan Baldwin, the team’s 2011 first round pick, had an impressive camp, and the team has other reliable receivers such as Steve Breaston. There is no denying, however, that Bowe makes the Chiefs a better team, and Kansas City is running out of time to get something done.

The Chiefs have also dealt with several injuries, and Brandon Flowers, Cameron Sheffield, DeQuan Menzie and Cyrus Gray will all miss the team’s second preseason game tomorrow against the St. Louis Rams. Flowers’ injury is the most concerning, as his hurt foot has yet to heal. Flowers should be ready to go by the time the regular season starts, but it would be nice for the Chiefs’ best corner to get some preseason reps in.

Kansas City travels to St. Louis tomorrow for its second preseason game. The Rams’ looked terrible in their first preseason contest, getting destroyed by the Indianapolis Colts 38-3. Many thought St. Louis would be improved this year, with Sam Bradford maturing and new head coach Jeff Fisher running the team, but their first preseason game was a disappointment. Kansas City looked very sharp in its first preseason game, and tomorrow’s game will be a good opportunity for the team to continue to work in its new offense.

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Thursday, August 16, 2012

Chiefs Training Camp Updates

The Chiefs have one preseason game under their belt, and the 2012 NFL regular season is only a few weeks away. The team is still practicing, and there are several important updates that have recently come out of camp.

The biggest concern the team has is the foot injury of starting cornerback Brandon Flowers. Flowers has a bruised heel which has kept him out of practice since July 31. Initially, the coaching staff thought Flowers would only miss a few practices; however now the team is worried that he might not make it back for the team’s regular season opener on Sept. 9 against the Atlanta Falcons. Flowers is a critical component to the Chiefs defense, and it is very concerning that his foot has yet to heal properly. Time is still on the team’s side, and hopefully Kansas City’s top corner can get healthy before the regular season starts.

One of the biggest position battles has been at nose tackle, where Anthony Toribio continues to impress coaches and hold down the starting spot. This has drawn the ire of many Chiefs fans, as Poe was considered a reach by many and now it appears that the team’s first round pick isn’t good enough to win a starting position. Kansas City has done a poor job of drafting defensive tackles in the past, which is likely part of the reason Chiefs fans are so on edge, but this seems like an overreaction. Poe has talent, and Toribio has had an extremely productive camp. The rookie should be given a little more time to learn the ropes, and Chiefs fans should be happy there is good depth at a position that is critical to the team’s 3-4 alignment.

Finally, it appears that Brady Quinn is still the second string quarterback – although this could change in the near future. Quinn was not impressive in the team’s first preseason game against the Cardinals, and he has rotated with Ricky Stanzi in practice lately as the number two QB. If Quinn has another unimpressive performance in the team’s next preseason game, Stanzi will likely get a shot to win the backup QB position behind starter Matt Cassel.

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