Showing posts with label Chiefs Bills preview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chiefs Bills preview. Show all posts

Friday, September 14, 2012

Kansas City Chiefs - Buffalo Bills Preview

Kansas City will be seeking to avenge one of its early-season blowout losses from last year, as it visits Buffalo to take on the Bills. This should be an interesting matchup, as both teams have similar story lines entering week two. Kansas City and Buffalo each gave up more than 40 points in their opener, and both teams are missing several key players due to injury.

If there ever was a time for the Chiefs to right the ship, this is it. The Bills were destroyed by the New York Jets in week one, 42-21, making the embattled Mark Sanchez look like Dan Marino. The team also lost starting running back Fred Jackson and receiver David Nelson, two big blows for the offense. Kansas City is still banged up on defense, and it is unknown if Brandon Flowers, Kendrick Lewis and Anthony Toribio will play on Saturday. All three are currently listed as questionable. One player who will be back is pass rushing specialist Tamba Hali, who should give Kansas City’s defense a huge boost. The biggest wildcard for this matchup is Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Since signing a lucrative long-term deal, Fitzpatrick has struggled in Buffalo, and last week he completed only 56% of his passes while throwing three interceptions. If Fitzpatrick plays well, the Bills will have a shot to score on the Chiefs’ banged up defense; if he continues to struggle and turns the ball over, the Chiefs may be able to take advantage of the good field position and put the game away. Kansas City will also have to deal with Jackson’s backup, C.J. Spiller, who exploded for 169 yards in week one including a 56 yard touchdown run.

Matt Cassel also struggled with turnovers in week one, as the Chiefs’ quarterback threw two interceptions and fumbled deep in his own territory. All three turnovers led to points for the Atlanta Falcons, a big reason why the game got out of hand quickly in the second half. Cassel and the Chiefs’ offensive line will have to account for Mario Williams, one of the best pass rushers in the NFL who signed with Buffalo during the offseason. If the team can slow Williams down and allow Cassel time to throw, he could be in for a big game against a Bills secondary that got torched last week. As usual, the Chiefs should be able to move the ball well on the ground, which should only help Cassel.

Both teams are reeling from big opening day losses, however the return of Hali and the Bills’ injuries on offense should help the Chiefs slow down Buffalo’s attack. This one will likely come down to the play of the quarterbacks, and big game from Cassel or Fitzpatrick could be the deciding factor.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Chiefs Injury Report - Key Players Return To Practice

Injuries played a big part in the Chiefs’ season-opening loss to the Falcons last Sunday, as the defense found itself completely overmatched after due to the absence of several key players. There are some positive signs that the Chiefs are getting closer to full strength, although it is still unknown who will be playing this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Five players who have been battling injuries returned to practice on Wednesday – cornerback Brandon Flowers, safety Kendrick Lewis, defensive tackle Anthony Toribio, cornerback Jalil Brown and defensive end Allen Bailey. None of the players were full participants in the practice, but it is a good sign that they suited up and got some repetitions. Flowers also got some practice time last week, and head coach Romeo Crennel has indicated that Flowers will play when he is able to significantly practice. Wide receiver Devon Wylie, who has been battling a hamstring injury, did not practice and will miss Sunday’s game.

Flowers, Lewis and Toribio were all starters entering the season, while Brown and Bailey are key backups. Having both Flowers and Brown hurt at the same time is an especially crushing blow for Kansas City’s defense, as Brown serves as Flowers’ backup. With both absent on Sunday, plus Lewis’ injury, Atlanta’s wide receivers had a field day.

While the Chiefs are missing some key pieces on defense, the Bills are without two crucial offensive players. During their opening day blowout loss to the New York Jets, Buffalo lost both running back Fred Jackson and wide receiver David Nelson. Jackson sprained his knee and will miss four weeks, while Nelson tore a right knee ligament and has been placed on injured reserve, ending his 2012 season. The end result will be two depleted units facing each other for the first time since the Bills blew out the Chiefs in last season’s opener.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Several Questions Following The Chiefs Loss To The Falcons

The Chiefs’ season opener is in the books, and the team will try to regroup after an embarrassing home loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Kansas City still has some major question marks on both sides of the ball in regards to injuries and personnel decisions, and it will be interesting to see how this translates to the team’s second game against the Buffalo Bills.

The biggest question regarding the defense is whether or not Brandon Flowers will be able to play this Sunday. After it appeared that Flowers would be able to go against the Falcons, he was held out of the game due to an ongoing foot injury. Head coach Romeo Crennel has stated that if Flowers can practice, he will play. This week’s practices will be a telling sign on whether or not Flowers is ready to start again for the Chiefs. Flowers’ return is even more crucial because his normal backup, Jalil Brown, is battling a groin injury and barely played against Atlanta. Jacques Reeves got torched by Julio Jones several times on Sunday, showing how crucial a healthy Flowers is to the defense.

One player who was missing Sunday that will for sure suit up against the Bills is Tamba Hali, who has served his one-game suspension and is officially back. Kansas City’s pass rush against the Falcons was weak – while Justin Houston got a sack and pressured Matt Ryan several times, Edgar Jones (who played in Hali’s spot on passing downs) failed to get to Ryan. Hali’s return should make a big difference this Sunday against Buffalo.

Offensively, most Chiefs fans are wondering where last year’s first-round pick Jonathan Baldwin has gone. Against Atlanta, Baldwin did not start (the Chiefs started Steve Breaston and Dexter McCluster) and did not receive a target. It didn’t seem like he even got on the field. For the game, McCluster received ten targets, while Dwayne Bowe and Tony Moeaki each received six. The coaches raved about Baldwin during training camp, and it appeared that he was on the verge of breaking out and having a big season. Not seeing him get much action has to be disheartening for Chiefs fans, and many will wonder if the team has yet again whiffed on a first round pick.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

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