Kansas City Chiefs - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Preview

If the Chiefs are going to crawl back into the AFC West race and have a respectable season, they’ll need to take advantage of a winnable game on Sunday. The Chiefs’ next opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have won only one game this season, and have struggled on both offense and defense.

The biggest news for the Chiefs is that the team will have a new quarterback – Brady Quinn gets his first start in Kansas City after Matt Cassel’s concussion injury has ruled him out for Sunday. The Chiefs have run the ball extremely well this season, as Jamaal Charles has rushed for a league-leading 551 yards and also tallied 118 yards receiving. Tampa Bay has only allowed 74 yards-per-game on the ground this year, so this one may come down to whether or not Kansas City can get Charles going.

Tampa Bay has struggled offensively, averaging only 276 yards per game as a unit. Josh Freeman has been average at best under center this season, throwing for a pedestrian 790 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. The Bucs haven’t gotten their ground game going as well, as the team’s top two backs, Doug Martin and Legarrette Blount are only averaging 3.5 yards per carry. Kansas City’s defense looked very impressive against the Ravens last week, limiting Baltimore to only nine points despite often defending a short field due to Cassel’s turnovers. If the Chiefs defense continues to play well, a struggling Tampa Bay offense may have no answer.

Both the Chiefs and the Bucs are hard to get a read on, as the two teams have been incredibly inconsistent on both sides of the ball this year. Tampa Bay is coming off a bye week, while Kansas City is coming off an incredibly frustrating loss. Still, the Bucs’ offense has really struggled this year, and it appears that the Chiefs defense is coming into its own. If Brady Quinn can protect the football and make a couple of plays, Kansas City will have a good shot to pick up its second win of the year.

Tampa Bay has won the last three meetings in this series by a combined 13 points. Game time is Sunday at 12:00 p.m.

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Eric Winson Rips Chiefs Fans For Cheering Matt Cassel's Injury

The biggest story emerging from the Chiefs heartbreaking 9-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens isn’t that the team had a chance to stay to knock off one of the best teams in the conference, or that Kansas City’s defense played a fantastic game. Instead, Eric Winston has grabbed all the headlines with his criticism of Chiefs fans and their behavior during Sunday’s game. Winston ripped into Kansas City fans for cheering when quarterback Matt Cassel was injured.

Winston was quoted as saying the following after the game:

"We are athletes, okay? We are athletes. We are not gladiators. This is not the Roman Coliseum. People pay their hard-earned money when they come in here and I believe they can boo, they can cheer and they can do whatever they want, I believe that. We are lucky to play this game. People, it’s hard economic times, and they still pay the money to do this. But when somebody gets hurt, there are long lasting ramifications to the game we play, long lasting ramifications to the game we play. I’ve already kinda come to the understanding that I won’t live as long because I play this game and that’s okay, that’s a choice I’ve made and a choice all of us have made. But when you cheer, when you cheer somebody getting knocked out, I don’t care who it is, and it just so happened to be Matt Cassel — it’s sickening. It’s 100 percent sickening. I’ve been in some rough times on some rough teams, I’ve never been more embarrassed in my life to play football than in that moment right there.”

Winston was not the only player to criticize Kansas City fans for their behavior. Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and the Ravens’ Haloti Ngata both expressed their displeasure with the situation through the media.

First, credit Winston for somewhat acknowledging the frustrations of the fans and that the people who attend games to watch his team play spend a lot of their time and money to do so. Fans invest a lot into their team, and Kansas City has one of the most passionate fan bases in America.

Having said that, Winston has a point. It is no secret that Matt Cassel has played extremely poor thus far, and fans have a right to criticize him and even boo him when he doesn’t play well. However, cheering when someone gets injured is crossing the line. It shows a lack of class and puts Kansas City in national headlines for all of the wrong reasons. Fans keep obsessing over Cassel being benched, and for whom? Brady Quinn, the guy who was a disaster in Cleveland and couldn’t beat out Tim Tebow in Denver? Ricky Stanzi, who during the preseason appeared to not even belong on an NFL roster? Cassel is the best quarterback on this team, which says more about Scott Pioli’s failure as a GM.

Chiefs fans need to direct their frustration in the appropriate direction. Cheering when a home player gets knocked unconscious is a classless move, and KC fans are better than that. This was Oakland Raider territory.

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Kansas City Chiefs - Baltimore Ravens Preview

After getting blown out last week by the San Diego Chargers, the Chiefs’ backs are against the wall. At 1-3, the team faces a must-win situation on Sunday. Unfortunately, that win will have to come against the 3-1 Baltimore Ravens, who have looked like one of the best teams in the league so far this year.

The Ravens have been traditionally known as a defensive team, however their offense has played well this year. Joe Flacco has slowly turned into one of the better quarterbacks in the league, and he is enjoying a very efficient season so far. Flacco is surrounded by talented skill position players like running back Ray Rice (on his way to another big year) and receivers Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin.

The Ravens’ defense is also playing at a level Baltimore fans are accustomed to, having only given up significant points in one game this year (a close win over the Patriots). The defense’s strengths and weaknesses actually match up perfectly against the Chiefs – Baltimore has struggled with its pass defense but its run defense has been stout.

For Kansas City, everything starts and ends with Matt Cassel. The Chiefs running game has been as efficient as ever this year and Jamaal Charles has produced some big plays. Cassel, however, has struggled more than any other time as the Chiefs quarterback, and has already thrown seven interceptions this year (against five touchdowns). He has also fumbled three times, accounting for two-thirds of the Chiefs league high 15 turnovers.

Defensively, Kansas City has really struggled defending the pass this year, giving up 10 passing touchdowns which is the second highest total in the league. The team will have to worry about both the Ravens’ dynamic receivers and Rice, who is averaging 5 yards per carry this season. The Chiefs defense will have to find whatever magic it discovered in the second half of its comeback win against the Saints.

If the Chiefs want to have any shot of winning this game, they will have to avoid turning the ball over. The Chiefs lead the league in turnovers, and Baltimore has shown a penchant for forcing interceptions and fumbles. Kansas City will have to protect the ball and hope the Baltimore offense has an off game to have a shot in this one.

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Kansas City Chiefs - New Orleans Saints Preview

Six times in the last seven years, the Kansas City Chiefs have started a season 0-2. Despite several slow starts, the team has often righted the ship and still had a decent, if not good, season. Will that be the case this year, or are the Chiefs headed for an early draft pick in the first round? We will have a better idea after the team travels to New Orleans to play the Saints on Sunday.

The Saints are reeling this season, with an 0-2 start themselves and a defense that ranks dead last in the NFL. The Saints struggles were somewhat expected, as the team is currently without head coach Sean Payton and several key players as a result of the bounty scandal. New Orleans is giving up an average of 186 yards per game on the ground, while Kansas City has run the ball effectively this season. Jamaal Charles is expected to play, and the team’s other running backs have also been effective this year. Expect Kansas City to pound the ball on the ground to exploit the Saints’ weakness and to keep New Orleans’ high-powered offense on the sideline.

New Orleans not only has struggled on defense, but its offense has been a turnover machine this season. Drew Brees already has over 600 yards and four touchdowns, but he has also thrown four interceptions. Brees has over 100 passing attempts through two games, while the team has only rushed the ball 37 times. Running back Pierre Thomas has been effective for the Saints, but this team still lives and dies by Drew Brees. If Kansas City can force some turnovers and steadily pressure Brees, they will have a chance to spring an upset. If the Saints’ All-Star QB connects on some deep balls early, Kansas City will be staring at an 0-3 start.

In the team’s upset of the previously undefeated Packers last season, the Chiefs showed the blueprint to beating a team like New Orleans. Kansas City must protect the football, sustain long drives and pressure the quarterback. With the Saints’ defense playing even more poorly than the Chiefs (which is saying something), the team should be able to move the ball and keep Brees on the sideline. Expect the Chiefs to score some points on Sunday, the key will be the defense. If Kansas City can force a few turnovers, the team will have a great opportunity to pick up its first win of the season. If not, the Chiefs will find itself in a shootout with Drew Brees in a dome… which is likely a recipe for disaster.

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Bob Fescoe's Rant On Chiefs Lame, Not Funny



Bob "The Bulldog" Fescoe

Bob Fescoe, radio personality and host of Fescoe in the Morning is making headlines today after throwing a fit on-air regarding the Kansas City Chiefs. Fescoe’s frustrations have seemingly hit a high point after Kansas City got off to an 0-2 start this season while being outscored 75-41.

Fescoe’s frustrations are understandable, as the Chiefs have jumped out to an 0-2 start once again and haven’t even been competitive so far this season. However, the radio personality borders on ridiculous in his rant. Fescoe claims that Chiefs fans are embarrassing their mother, their father, the city, their wives and their children. What?

I’m all for sports rants, as they have given us some of the funniest sound clips you will find and provide YouTube gold. But Fescoe’s rant isn’t funny, and he just seems like a bitter fan. He claims people are tired of spending money on tickets, parking, and refreshments at the stadium. Well Bob, if you are sick of it, stop going. Chiefs fans pride themselves on being one of the “best” groups in the country and making Arrowhead stadium an intimidating place to play. If you want to carry that label, you can’t simply abandon your team when they play poorly after two games.

Fescoe also claims that the Chiefs give people nothing to live for. Really? I mean, seriously?

Maybe there is a much more reasonable argument to be made – Kansas City isn’t that good of a football team, and they have played one of the best teams in the league followed by a borderline playoff team on the road. Throw in that they were missing three key defenders in week one and play one of the toughest schedules in the NFL and an 0-2 start doesn’t seem that far-fetched.

Fescoe tries very hard to make his rant humorous. He claims he could have gone pumpkin shopping or drank cider in Louisburg rather than watch the Chiefs play – which again, isn’t funny. None of this is. This guy hosts a radio show?

It is quite clear what all of this is: an attempt to grab headlines and coverage. Fescoe is simply trying to get attention because the media will always eat up a juicy sports rant. Naturally, there are several articles in newspapers and online this morning about the rant with sound clips. Congrats Bob, you did it!

There is a reason I stopped listening to Kansas City sports radio years ago: it isn’t good. What initially put me off is that the hosts covering college sports all have clear agendas for their local team of choice. Jack Harry, of all people, gets to host a radio and television show – the same Jack Harry who picked the national runner-up and Big 12 champion Kansas Jayhawks to finish sixth in the league in basketball simply because he is a die-hard Mizzou fan. The same Jayhawks that have won the league eight years in a row. This guy has no clue what he is talking about 90% of the time and is a complete homer for one team, yet he is all over the airways. I’d rather watch paint dry than listen to this guy screaming on the air about nonsense.

People like Harry would rather stir the pot than actually analyze and objectively look at teams and matchups. It gets people talking and boosts ratings - but it isn't good radio. Not to me, at least.

Since I no longer listen to the local coverage, I had never heard of Bob Fescoe or his show. Judging by this rant, it looks like I’m not missing anything. Kansas City deserves better sports radio than this.

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Who Is To Blame For The Chiefs' Terrible Start?

After yet another 0-2 start to the season, Chiefs fans are demanding to know who is to blame for the team’s disastrous start. Kansas City has given up 75 points over the first two games of the season, and looks nothing like a team many thought would challenge for the AFC West division title.

When Kansas City got off to a rough start last season, most pointed the finger at former head coach Todd Haley, claiming he simply did not have his team ready to start the season. Romeo Crennel has received similar treatment from many Kansas City fans, especially because he is a defensive coach. Several media pundits have suggested that Crennel is stretched too thin juggling both the head coach and defensive coordinator positions.

Crennel responded to the criticism yesterday, insisting that the blame rests more on his players failing to execute. Safety Abram Elam and linebacker Derrick Johnson have agreed with Crennel that they need to play better, but both also admitted to the media that communication could be better, and that at times, the players and coaches are not on the same page. If Crennel wants to turn things around quickly, he needs to stop pointing fingers at his players and accept ultimate responsibility for the defense’s performance. Crennel is a lot more expendable than guys like Johnson, Tamba Hali, Eric Berry and Brandon Flowers, especially since this is a second chance for him after his failure as a head coach in Cleveland.

The biggest target for criticism after Kansas City’s start is embattled GM Scott Pioli, who has made headlines recently due to the Chiefs’ refusal to spend money and the stories about his actions told by Haley. Pioli is the ultimate architect of the team, and so far, he has done little to make Kansas City a winner. Many of the Chiefs’ top players were on the team when Pioli arrived, and his biggest acquisition so far has been the signing of quarterback Matt Cassel, who is an average-at-best starting NFL quarterback the Chiefs GM signed to a mammoth contract.

Pioli hasn’t drafted very well either, and the result is that the team lacks significant depth. Kansas City’s horrible preseason record over the past couple of seasons is proof that the Chiefs simply are not very deep, and this ultimately falls on Pioli as well. Coaching and execution play a big role, but you need to have talent on your team to win.

The blame may rest somewhere in the middle of the coaching, players and GM, but one thing is for certain – Kansas City needs to turn things around quickly. If the team drops its next couple of games, the franchise might have to blow everything up and enter yet another rebuilding project.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Chiefs Release First Depth Chart

With the 2012 NFL regular season only a few weeks away, the Chiefs have announced their first unofficial depth chart. While most positions were already etched in stone, there were a few surprises on this first chart.

The biggest surprise may be at nose tackle, where journeyman Anthony Toribio is listed as the starter over first round pick Dontari Poe. Toribio has had a terrific camp, and Poe is still learning the ropes, so perhaps this is simply a motivational tool for Poe. Another interesting note is that Steve Breaston is listed as a starting receiver. Dwayne Bowe is still in the midst of a holdout, which means Breaston is the de facto starter opposite of second-year man Jonathan Baldwin. Also, despite a reputation of being one of the most dynamic running backs in football, this is the first Chiefs depth chart that actually features Jamaal Charles in the starter’s role.

While most expected Brady Quinn to win the job as Matt Cassel’s backup, he has been in a battle with Ricky Stanzi for the position. The first chart lists Quinn ahead of Stanzi, while rookie Alex Tanney is the fourth quarterback on the roster. It is hard to imagine the Chiefs keeping four healthy QBs when the season starts, which means Tanney will have to beat out Stanzi if he wants to avoid a spot on the practice squad.

The first unofficial depth chart is below. The starters are listed first.

Offense

WR: Steve Breaston, Dexter McCluster, Josh Bellamy, Devon Wylie, Aaron Weaver, Zeke Markshausen

LT: Branden Albert, Donald Stephenson

LG: Ryan Lilja, Jeff Allen, Rich Ranglin

C: Rodney Hudson, Lucas Patterson, Rob Bruggeman, Cam Holland

RG: Jon Asamoah, Darryl Harris, Justin Cheadle

RT: Eric Winston, David Mims, Ray Willis

TE: Kevin Boss, Tony Moeaki, Steve Maneri, Jake O'Connell, Tim Biere

WR: Jon Baldwin, Terrance Copper, Jamar Newsome, Jeremy Horne, Brandon Kinnie, Junior Hemingway,

QB: Matt Cassel, Brady Quinn, Ricky Stanzi, Alex Tanney

FB: Shane Bannon, Patrick DiMarco

RB: Jamaal Charles, Peyton Hillis, Shaun Draughn, Cyrus Gray, Nate Eachus


Defense

RDE: Glenn Dorsey, Amon Gordon, Brandon Bair, Ethan Johnson

NT: Anthony Toribio, Dontari Poe, Jerrell Powe

LDE: Tyson Jackson, Ropati Pitoitua, Allen Bailey, Jerome Long

ROLB: Tamba Hali, Cameron Sheffield, Edgar Jones

RILB: Derrick Johnson, Cory Greenwood, Leon Williams

LILB: Jovan Belcher, Brandon Siler, Caleb Campbell, Dexter Heyman

LOLB: Justin Houston, Andy Studebaker, Gabe Miller

RCB: Stanford Routt, Javier Arenas, De'Quan Menzie, Neiko Thorpe, Mikail Baker

LCB: Brandon Flowers, Jalil Brown, Jacques Reeves, Chandler Fenner

FS: Kendrick Lewis, Travis Daniels, Donald Washington, Tysyn Hartman, Dominique Ellis

SS: Eric Berry, Abram Elam, Jean Fanor, Terrance Parks


Special Teams

P: Dustin Colquitt, Matt Szymanski

K: Ryan Succop, Matt Szymanski

Long Snapper: Thomas Gafford, Cory Greenwood, Andy Studebaker

Holder: Dustin Colquitt, Brady Quinn, Ricky Stanzi

PR: Javier Arenas, Dexter McCluster, Devon Wylie

KR: Javier Arenas, Dexter McCluster, Devon Wylie

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Chiefs Sign Edgar Jones & Other Training Camp Updates

The Chiefs’ 2012 Training Camp is in full swing, and the team has been busy signing free agents to bolster depth while dealing with several injuries. Kansas City recently signed linebacker Edgar Jones, who had spent his first five seasons in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens.

Jones has never started an NFL game, but comes from the highly-successful Ravens defense that has always had stars at the linebacker position. The Chiefs didn’t have much quality depth behind Tamba Hali and Justin Houston – Andy Studebaker, Cameron Sheffeld and Gabe Miller are the other outside linebackers on the roster – and Houston has missed some time in camp with an illness. Jones’ experience in the Ravens’ system behind standouts like Terrell Suggs should be useful for the young and talented group in Kansas City.

The Chiefs had their first significant injury of camp over the weekend, as defensive back Kyle McCarthy suffered what coach Romeo Crennel described as “it doesn’t look good.” McCarthy is a former Notre Dame player who was trying to make the team as a reserve DB as well as someone who could play special teams.

Position battles are heating up in camp, and one player who has made some huge strides is nose tackle Anthony Toribio. Toribio spent last season on the team’s practice squad, but has impressed the coaches so far in camp. Will he unseat 2012 first round pick Dontari Poe as the starting NT? Most expect Poe to be in the starting lineup by the time the regular season approaches, but Toribio should push the rookie and, at the very least, provide some solid depth at the position.

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Kansas City Chiefs 2012 Training Camp Preview

The Chiefs’ 2012 training camp is approaching, which means that a new NFL season is just around the corner. The team’s camp will be presented by Heartland Health at Missouri Western State University located in St. Joseph, MO and will begin tomorrow. The camp will run through Aug. 16, with outdoor practices open to the public (indoor practices due to inclement weather will not be open to the public). A full list of the team’s training camp schedule can be found here.

The Chiefs will host a night practice at Spratt Stadium on Tuesday, July 31 at 7:15 p.m. The Chiefs annual Family Fun Day presented by American Family Insurance will be held on Saturday, Aug. 4 at 1:30 p.m. at Spratt Stadium. Missouri Western will charge a $5 admission fee with no charge for children ages three and under.

This will be a critical camp for the team, as the Chiefs are installing a completely new offense under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Several new starters will also need to be integrated into the system, most center Rodney Hudson and right tackle Eric Winston. While Dwayne Bowe is still absent, last year’s first round pick Jonathan Baldwin will have an opportunity to continue to impress coaches and teammates and acquire a bigger role in the offense.

One of the biggest goals the Chiefs have is to simply get healthy – on offense, Jamaal Charles, Matt Cassel and Tony Moeaki are all returning from season ending injuries. Defensively, Eric Berry is also back, and will try to build on the promise he showed during a pro-bowl caliber rookie campaign.

The most interesting position battle may be at quarterback – where newly signed Brady Quinn will battle with 2011 fifth-round pick Ricky Stanzi for the backup spot behind Matt Cassel. Given Cassel’s injury history and his inconsistent play, there is a chance that more than one signal-caller leads the team during the regular season.

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Who Will The Chiefs Take In The First Round Of The 2012 NFL Draft? - Kansas City News

The first round of the 2012 NFL draft is only two days away, and the Kansas City Chiefs hold the 12th pick in the first round. Last season, injuries derailed a talented team that found itself with a decent shot at a playoff berth late in the season, but failed to capitalize and ultimately finished 7-9. Despite a solid young nucleus, the Chiefs still have several holes to fill entering the draft.

Arguably the biggest need for the Chiefs is at nose tackle, an essential position for the 3-4 scheme Kansas City runs. Last season, Kelly Gregg played well for the Chiefs, which was a big reason why Kansas City’s defense was stout all year. However, Gregg will not be back this year, and the Chiefs need to solidify this position for the future. Devon Still and Dontari Poe could be potential first round candidates for Kansas City, and there will be solid options in the second and third rounds as well. The Chiefs have a shaky history in regards to drafting defensive tackles, and Kansas City cannot afford to miss on another interior defensive lineman.

The Chiefs could also use some help defensively at inside linebacker, where the team needs a playmaker next to the dynamic Derrick Johnson. Jovan Belcher had a decent season for the Chiefs, but pairing Johnson with another Pro-Bowl caliber LB could make the Chiefs’ defense one of the best in the NFL. Many believe Kansas City will take Luke Kuechly of Boston College in the first round, who is graded by most draft scouts as the top inside linebacker prospect in the draft. The Chiefs may likely grab Kuechly and opt to address the NT spot later in the draft.

The Chiefs also could use an upgrade at guard, and Stanford’s David DeCastro will likely be available when the Chiefs are on the clock. DeCastro has been labeled by most as the best interior offensive lineman in the draft, and could solidify Kansas City’s line and start from day one. It is unlikely the Chiefs would take a flyer on any other Guards so early, and they may elect to add depth to their offensive line later in the draft.

It is hard to guess what Scott Pioli will do Thursday night. Conventional wisdom suggests the Chiefs GM will grab a DT, ILB or G, but Pioli has also expressed interest in acquiring Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The Chiefs are in a position to win now, and hopefully will find an impact player that helps put them back in the playoffs.

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Chiefs Finish Strong Need Coach Money Offensive Line

Hey, at least the Kansas City Chiefs squashed all of that Tebow hype, and exposed him to be what he really is: an unusually large man, who can run the ball fairly well, and....well, that's about it. Tim Tebow couldn't throw a good pass if his life depended on it and that was more than obvious in Sunday's Chiefs Broncos game. It's great that he is a Jesus Crispy and just like Eric Cartman proved, the Jesus Crispies are going to guarantee you at least some kind of automatic fan base. But, as you could see on Sunday, Jesus has more things to do than to worry about a stupid football game. Tim Tebow is mediocre at best, and with him at the helm, the Pittsburgh Steelers absolutely have nothing to fear in their upcoming AFC Playoff matchup with Denver.

On to the Chiefs - most fans are confused about what we need and what order we need it in, so we're going to spell it out for you:

1. Spend Money

The Chiefs have to be ready to use up a lot of cap room and get out there and spend some money on some quality players and coaches. Without money, the team can't make ANY moves.

2. Offensive Line

It doesn't matter who our head coach is, or who our quarterback is if we can't block up front. Our offensive line is in shambles, and we need to fix that immediately.

3. Quarterback

The Chiefs need a real quarterback, Matt Cassel is no playoff quarterback, nor will he ever be. Yes, he got lucky behind a FINELY TUNED New England Patriot offense, but my grandma could have thrown the ball effectively behind that team. If you need an example of what any average quarterback can do behind a great team, just look at what 2nd string Green Bay quarterback Matt Flynn did on Sunday, breaking EVERY Packers single game record with 480 yards passing and 6 touchdowns. Unless we get the rest of our team up to the level of the 2007 New England Patriots or the 2011 Green Bay Packers, Matt Cassel is just not going to be enough - sorry.

4. Head Coach

The role of the head coach in the NFL has become less and less important as the skill of the players has become more of a deciding factor in actual games. Example, Indianapolis head coach Jim Caldwell basically serves absolutely no purpose and it is now obvious that Peyton Manning was running that team. Chiefs fans are frothing at the mouth about finding a head coach and it should be no higher than 4th on their list of priorities.

5. Put Romeo back at defensive coordinator, he was doing a great job, and after they moved him to head coach it was obvious that the defense was not performing as well. Did anyone see 68 year old Denver running back McGahee (don't care if we spelled it right or not) run all over the Chiefs on Sunday? Put Romeo back now, put him back son.

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Chiefs Fan Puts Sign In Yard to Scott Pioli and Clark Hunt

Northland resident and Chiefs season ticket holder Mike Mason and his neighbors are fed up. On Monday night, Mason and some neighbors erected a 55 foot sign in his front yard with a message to Clark Hunt and Scott Pioli to make some changes in the Kansas City Chiefs organization.

The sign was intentionally designed as a morale building tool for Chiefs fans as they were going to write positive messages on the sign to motivate Chiefs fans in the neighborhood. That was last season - after the events of the 2011 season, these Chiefs season ticket holders are asking for their money back. The sign in the front yard reads "Attention Scott Pioli & Clark Hunt from a 33 year season ticket holder", the sign points out that the Chiefs are $32 Million dollars under the spending cap as well as questions starting quarterback Tyler Palko and the pitch play to Jackie Battle in the end zone that resulted in a safety against the Jets on Sunday. Mason and his fellow season ticket holding neighbors are saying that "enough is enough" and that they want their money back...oh, and a free hot dog.

It is no secret that The Kansas City Chiefs, like the Kansas City Royals do not spend enough money on players. The owners of both franchises simply pocket the left over money from the salary cap pool that is set aside to make team improvements, draft high dollar players and coaches, and generally improve the Chiefs and the Royals' chances of competing with the other teams in the league. Chiefs owner Clark Hunt pockets the cap money and instead of spending the cap money on badly needed players, Hunt spent the money revamping Arrowhead Stadium, essentially finding even more ways to make money off of Chiefs fans. Hunt also raised all ticket prices and also parking prices at Arrowhead to a whopping $27 per vehicle in 2011. David Glass, owner of the Royals, has done the exact same thing, he has pocketed all of the Kansas City Royals cap money and instead of going out and getting high dollar players and/or keeping Royals players who become great (like Zack Grienke), Glass also revamped Kauffman Stadium with more bars and distractions for fans to spend more money on, and more importantly provide something to do besides watch the atrocity that is happening down on the field.

When David Glass and Clark Hunt decided to revamp both stadiums they might as well have said "Hey fans! Don't pay any attention to the team that is pathetic and getting their asses kicked on the field down there, look at this shiny new BAR! And look at these neat little pictures of ex Chiefs and Royals players on little spin cards, and DON'T FORGET TO STOP IN AND SPEND SOME MONEY AT OUR NEW GIFT SHOP! But whatever you do, do NOT pay attention to the actual sports teams because they suck."

What Clark Hunt and David Glass are doing to our beloved sports teams is criminal. They are pocketing all of the money and spending mere pennies on improving the teams and coaches. Just think of all of the money the Glass family are going to pocket after hosting the 2012 MLB All Star Game - they are going to make a MINT on that freakshow. The fans in Kansas City are so dedicated that they will continue to attend the games anyway. It is a shame, but most fans only go to Chiefs games to tailgate and to get drunk. Chiefs season ticket holders like Mike Mason have a right to be upset, and hopefully this message will get to the greedy owners that are ruining this city's great sports legacies.

More on Mike Mason's Chiefs yard sign on the video below:

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Chiefs Jets 2011 AFC Playoffs Out Of Picture

It is official, The Kansas City Chiefs will not be making an appearance in the NFL Playoffs in 2011. While we had placed our hopes in the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs defense, they just couldn't carry the team today vs the New York Jets. Tyler Palko did his usual job of scrambling around, getting sacked and throwing interceptions, but the defense just didn't show up today. The Chiefs defense needed to get some pressure on mediocre quarterback Mark Sanchez but were unable to do so. Sanchez threw 2 touchdowns and effortlessly ran 2 more in himself with absolutely no resistance from the Chiefs defense.

The Chiefs almost set a record in penalties and penalty yards today as they had 11 total penalties for over 100 yards, 81 of those yards came on ONE DRIVE when the defense committed 5 penalties for 81 yards, and eventually coach Todd Haley got involved and get an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty all by himself when he berated the referees during the penalty fueled drive by the Jets.

Dwayne Bowe dropped an easy touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, but the game was way over by then and although it was a disappointment, it didn't really impact the game. In another comedic moment, kicker Ryan Succop fluffed an onside kick attempt, rolling his left foot over the ball and kicking the ball about 2 yards forward awkwardly, giving the Jets the ball on the Chiefs 38 yard line. Murphy's Law could not have applied more to this game as what could go wrong did go wrong for the Chiefs. It was an embarrassing performance by the Chiefs and it was a good thing that the game wasn't a Sunday or Monday night game where the entire world would have been watching.

With the Chiefs season officially over, they will crawl into a Packers fan filled Arrowhead Stadium on November 18th, and essentially play an away game at home since Arrowhead will be filled with bandwagon fake Packers fans with their freshly purchased Rodgers jerseys and their flaky pride put out for all to see. It would be great if The Chiefs could just skip the game all together as seeing the stadium full of fake Packers fans cheering all game is going to be infuriating. Hey Packers fans who live in Kansas City, why don't you just MOVE to Green Bay and get the fuck out of our stadium - you guys are spineless and weak and I hope someone spills beer all over you and your fake Packers jersey. What tools you are.

At this point, the only thing that the Kansas City sports fans have to look forward to is the 2012 MLB All Star Game set to take place in Kansas City next year.

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Chiefs Jets 2011 Kansas City Chiefs

With thier hopes of making the playoffs barely breathing, The New York Jets may have to win out the remainder of their games to earn a spot in the AFC playoff picture. Their remaining 4 games will include facing The Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday at MetLife stadium at 12pm followed by bouts against the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and finally the Miami Dolphins. After watching several Jets games this season, this just isn't going to happen. Anyone watch the Sunday night game in week 4 vs the Ravens? After watching that debacle, coupled with the Jet's recent loss to the luckiest team in the world Denver Broncos on Thursday night, I just don't think that the Jets have what it takes to be a playoff contender.

With that being said, let's turn to our Kansas City Chiefs. You cannot give enough credit to the Chiefs defense right now, they are performing so well that we don't even need an offense, well, maybe just a little bit. But seriously, if the Chiefs defense can just get a pick 6 this Sunday, or a fumble recovery touchdown, or at least put the offense on the 2 yard line - we could win this game. The only reason that the last game looked so close was because the Chiefs weren't awarded the defensive score that we earned in the play where we clearly had a safety and the refs called holding on a nonexistent player (number 69? Jared Allen? Are you here?) when the holding play DEFINITELY occurred deep in the end zone. With those 2 points on the board and a resulting kick coming to the Chiefs, that game would have looked like a blow out. Slow and boring, yes, but a blowout none the less.

The Chiefs defense has taken the team on their shoulders, led by Tamba Hali (8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles), Derrick Johnson who is playing like a man possessed, taking out the Bear's star running back Matt Forte within his first few carries last week with a SMASHING tackle, and of course the emergence of our rookie draft pick Justin Houston who has finally started showing some signs of life at line backer. Mark Sanchez cannot be looking forward to this game, as he will be sacked repeatedly and will hopefully even cough up a few fumbles. The Jets running game is almost nonexistent with the ever slow Shonn Greene gaining just a couple yards per carry at best. Old man Ladainian Tomlinson leads the pre game chants, but that's about it. He's good for a few catches in the flat, which has proved to be a weakness in the Chiefs defense in the past so they should keep at least one eye on that.

Tyler Palko will again get the start this week, as he faces his old college teammate from the University of Pittsburgh Darrelle Revis. There has been no mention of Kyle Orton since he was injured after just one snap last week. Thomas Jones should be fired up as well as he returns to MetLife Stadium where he was the star running back a few years ago. Our prediction for this game is Jets 24, Chiefs 13 as the Chiefs will put up a good fight but will eventually be overmatched by Jets wide receivers Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes who will probably bust a big play or two in between Sanchez sacks.

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Chiefs Stomp Bears Easily as McCluster Leads Offense

The Kansas City Chiefs pounded the Chicago Bears like they weren't even there today, revealing that the Bears are not even close to a playoff quality team and are extremely inept at running the ball or throwing the ball. The only player that showed up for the Bears today was Julius Peppers, who pestered Tyler Palko as he easily led The Chiefs to a victory over the pathetic Chicago Bears.

Once again the Chiefs defense pummeled and stumped the opposing team's passing and running attack with sacks going to Tamba Hali, Justin Houston, Jon McGraw (uncredited), and a key interception by Eric Carr to boot. This is the second straight week that the Chiefs defense has allowed less than 14 points and in the past two weeks the Chiefs defense has only allowed a total of 16 points. The Chiefs really should have defeated the Steelers as well, but the offense just couldn't get it done. Dexter McCluster surprised everyone and shushed the doubters today as he put up monster numbers on the ground and in the air. McCluster caught a 45 yard touchdown pass at the end of the 1st half, representing the Chiefs only touchdown for the day. Dwayne Bowe was definitely off his game, dropping passes and acting like he doesn't care (as usual), we're not impressed with Dwayne Bowe today, or last week, or the week before that. Yes, we understand that Palko doesn't put the ball where he is supposed to most of the time, but Bowe still needs to go up and try to get that ball. We told you before the season even started that we should have gone after Plaxico Burress, look at how he's playing now.

Overall it is great to see the Chiefs playing defensive football again. It has been a long time since the Chiefs have dominated with their defense and with the way the offense is playing lately, we really have no other choice. In other news, our new 2.3 million dollar quarterback Kyle Orton played 1 down and injured his right index finger, and then left the game.

The Chiefs were almost the only winners today in the AFC West, until Denver once again got lucky and squeaked out a win.

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Kyle Orton Signs with Chiefs - Kansas City News

Today the Kansas City Chiefs must have decided that they did not trust Tyler Palko or Ricky Stanzi to take over quarterback duties for the injured Matt Cassel as they went to the "quarterback couch" and picked up Kyle Orton, formerly of the Denver Broncos, who was replaced earlier in Denver's season with backup quarterback Tim Tebow.

Kyle Orton was signed to a one year deal after only starting a handful of games for Denver in the 2011 NFL season, by popular demand from Denver fans, religious fanatic Tim Tebow was put into action early in the season. The Denver Broncos released Kyle Orton soon after and he has been on waivers ever since. This now leaves the Kansas City Chiefs with 4 quarterbacks including one Matt Cassel on injured reserve. Kyle Orton was a miserable 12 and 21 as a starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, throwing 8434 yards, 49 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. Kyle is known for being an ultraconservative quarterback, rarely taking any chances down field, and stick to the dink and dunk passing. Orton usually throws the ball within about 10-15 yards of the line of scrimmage, which really won't be much of a change from Matt Cassel, who rarely threw the ball further than 20 yards or so.

The Chiefs will lose the mobility that Matt Cassel and Tyler Palko bring to the table and this may result in a tough outing for the slower and less elusive Kyle Orton. The Chiefs offensive line is questionable at best and due to a recent injury to star offensive lineman Ryan Lilja, they will be even less likely to effectively block for the quarterback. Matt Cassel and Tyler Palko were both running for their lives during the past few games due to the weak offensive line and with a slower quarterback in Kyle Orton this doesn't look good. It has not been announced yet whether Orton will start on Sunday night when the Chiefs take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on National TV, but since the Chiefs only have about 10 passing plays in the playbook, this should be a quick study for Kyle Orton.

All we can say to Kyle Orton is, be ready to be sacked - a lot.

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Chiefs Defense 2011 Improving

Well hello Kansas City, I do believe that we have a defense! This Sunday's Chiefs Raiders game only solidified the proof that the Chiefs can hold their own in the trenches on the defensive side of the ball. Although the Chiefs have historically been regarded as a tough defensive team, especially at home, it has been over a decade since the defense has been anything over average. The last good Chiefs defense was during the Derrick Thomas + Neil Smith era back in the late 90's, when opposing quarterbacks ran for their lives from the Chiefs defensive line and the spider bite attack of Derrick Thomas from the right and Neil Smith from the left. After Sunday's slaughter over the Chiefs rival Oakland Raiders it is becoming clear that the Chiefs are turning once more into a defensive team.

The most important thing about the Chiefs defense right now is that they are playing like a unit. At the end of last year and at the beginning of this year it was like "hey, look how good Tamba Hali is, and look how great Eric Barry is" - but now it is clear that other members of the defense are stepping up. Brandon Flowers had an incredible game vs the Raiders on Sunday with two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown (talking smack to quarterback Carson Palmer the whole way into the endzone). Derrick Johnson continues to be a force at linebacker, seemingly involved in every play and tackle, and was personally responsible for the Chiefs goal line stop against the Raiders, who used all 4 downs trying to penetrate the end zone, and Derrick Johnson personally stopped 3 of those attempts. "Law Dog" Jon McGraw is playing out of his mind lately and had a great heads up interception on a tipped pass in the 2nd half, sealing the Raiders fate.

The Chiefs defense is going to be crucial next Monday night vs the Chargers at Arrowhead, when the Chiefs will be playing to land a 3-way tie for first place in the AFC West.