Chiefs Move Closer Towards Top Pick In 2013 NFL Draft With Loss To Raiders

Despite playing the lowly Raiders on Sunday, the Chiefs yet again got embarrassed on the field, getting shut out 15-0. The loss now means that the Chiefs are one step closer towards acquiring the top overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

There really isn’t much to be said about Kansas City’s performance on Saturday. Opposing teams know that if Jamaal Charles is contained, the Chiefs have absolutely no shot of scoring many points on offense. The Chiefs only offensive weapon was held to 10 yards on nine carries, and Brady Quinn couldn’t get anything going with a group of young, unproven receivers. While the defense did a good job of keeping Oakland out of the end zone, this one never really felt in doubt.

It is time for Chiefs fans to look ahead to next season, and that starts with the 2013 NFL draft. Currently, the team is tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the worst record in football at 2-12. Philadelphia and Detroit are the next two teams in regards to fewest total wins, but both have four wins on the season. It appears that the race for the top pick in 2013 NFL draft is now solely between Kansas City and Jacksonville, and with both tied at the moment in regards to record, it is important to examine the NFL’s tiebreakers for draft order. Tiebreakers for draft order regarding teams with an identical record go in this order:

• Strength of schedule – The team with lower strength of schedule percentage wins this tiebreaker.

• Divisional record.

• Conference record.

First, let’s examine the remaining games for both teams. The Chiefs finish against the Colts and the Broncos, two teams that are vastly superior to Kansas City. The Colts will be fighting for a playoff spot, and the Broncos may be playing for a first round bye.The Jags play the Patriots next week, which is all but a guaranteed loss, but will get the lowly Tennessee Titans in its season finale. The Jags already beat Tennessee this season, and the Titans won’t be playing for anything. The odds of Jacksonville winning one of its final games has to be higher than Kansas City’s.

At this moment, Kansas City owns all of the tiebreakers and is in the driver’s seat for the top overall pick. If Kansas City drops its next two games, it will be picking first in the 2013 NFL draft.

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Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders - 2012 NFL Toilet Bowl

The Chiefs season has been about as bad as it could be, as the team is currently tied for the NFL’s worst record at 2-11. The good news for Kansas City is that its opponent, the Oakland Raiders, only has one more win than they do, and has looked almost as bad as the Chiefs this season. The official toilet bowl of the 2012 NFL season will take place this Sunday in Oakland, with kickoff at 3:25 p.m.

The Raiders relied on their passing attack in a 26-16 win earlier this season, and that will likely be the case again on Sunday. Carson Palmer has had a solid season for Oakland, throwing for 3,805 yards with 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, and with the Raiders struggles in the run game, the team will need Palmer to carry them. Darren McFadden has been banged up all season, but is expected to play on Sunday. The Raiders dynamic back ran for a season-high 114 yards in the first meeting between these two, and has found a lot of success against the Chiefs over the past couple of seasons.

If the Chiefs want to win this one, they will have to feed Jamaal Charles the ball early and often. The Raiders have one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL, and Charles is having a monster season for Kansas City. Charles was only given five carries in the Chiefs’ loss to Oakland back in October, a huge mistake by the coaching staff.

Despite having a record nearly as bad as the Chiefs’, the Raiders are a better team than the Chiefs and this game is being played in Oakland. If Charles can continue to rip off some huge runs and the defense forces Palmer to turn the ball over, the Chiefs could very well steal a victory. If not, Kansas City will be one step closer to having the first pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

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Kansas City Chiefs - Cleveland Browns Preview

The Chiefs will look to build off the momentum of their emotional victory over the Panthers last week when they travel to Cleveland to face the Browns. Kansas City is looking for its third win of the season, while Cleveland will be trying to earn its fifth win. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

The Chiefs have been the most discussed and dissected NFL franchise over the past week in the wake of the murder-suicide of Jovan Belcher. The focus on Belcher’s death has somewhat overshadowed the Chiefs previous game against Carolina, in which the team played its best football of the season. Most of that credit has to go to the offense, which controlled the clock by sustaining several long scoring drives which was the biggest reason the team won. Brady Quinn will be facing his old team, and he should have a good amount of confidence after playing well last week. Jamaal Charles already has topped the 1,000 yard mark for the season and is averaging 4.8 yards-per-carry, and he will continue to be the focus of Kansas City’s attack.

Cleveland's offense is anchored by two rookies – quarterback Brandon Weeden and running back Trent Richardson, and both have had up-and-down first seasons. Despite being banged up for most of the season, Richardson has already had 229 carries this season. The Browns seem adamant about giving their top-pick as many touches as they can every game, and he needs to be the focus of a Chiefs defense that has struggled lately. If the Chiefs can bottle up Richardson, they will force Weeden to make some plays, and the rookie QB has been prone to turnovers this season.

The Browns have won two straight, although those wins came over the Steelers without Ben Roethlisberger and the lowly Raiders. Still, this team has been competitive all year, and Weeden and Richardson have settled into their roles and aren’t playing like rookies anymore. If the Chiefs can stop Richardson and get an early score, they will force Weeden to make some plays with his arm and play from behind, which could result in Kansas City’s third win of the season.

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Chiefs Overcome Tragedy To Beat The Panthers

Despite playing with heavy hearts after the murder-suicide of Jovan Belcher, the Chiefs were able to win their second game of the season yesterday, defeating the Carolina Panthers 27-21 at Arrowhead Stadium.

The team had one of its best offensive games we’ve seen in quite some time, and a lot of the credit has to go to Brady Quinn. Quinn threw his first touchdown pass in nearly three years on the last play of the second quarter, and added another in the third quarter to give Kansas City a 24-14 lead. Quinn finished the game with an impressive stat line: 19 of 23 for 201 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Kansas City’s banged-up offensive line did a good job protecting him as well, as Quinn was only sacked once on the day for a four yard loss.

Jamaal Charles also had another impressive game, carrying the ball 27 times for 127 yards. Not only were the Chiefs able to score points with their balanced attack, the long drives they sustained kept Carolina’s offense off of the field. Cam Newton and the Panthers had some success moving the ball, but Kansas City absolutely dominated time-of-possession, holding onto the football nearly 15 more minutes than Carolina.

The ball-control attack from the offense was crucial, because Kansas City struggled on defense. Newton had a good game running and passing, and the secondary had no answer for Steve Smith. To make matters worse, Brandon Flowers, Abram Elam and Derrick Johnson all left Sunday’s game with various leg injuries. The Chiefs’ offense will have to continue to protect the football and sustain long drives as a banged up defense struggles to get healthy and find some momentum.

Yesterday was an extremely difficult day for the fans, coaches and players, and all parties handled the situation admirably. Odds are the Chiefs will still end the season with the worst record in the league and many coaches and players will not be back next season, but that doesn’t change the fact that for one day, the organization bonded together to win a football game in the wake of a tragedy.

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Kansas City Chiefs - Carolina Panthers Preview

The Chiefs march towards the top overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft continues on Friday, when the team hosts the Carolina Panthers at home in Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff for the game is 12:00 p.m.

While the Chiefs have had an absolute disaster of a season, Carolina’s hasn’t gone much better. The Panthers currently have a 3-8 record, held back by a poor offense that is only averaging 19 points per game. Quarterback Cam Newton has struggled this season after a very impressive rookie year, struggling with inconsistency and turnovers. Newton is also the team’s leading rusher, and the team’s entire offense rests on his shoulders. If the young QB struggles in this one and commits some turnovers, the Chiefs are going to have a very good shot to pick up their second win of the year.

While the Panthers’ offense has struggled this year, it has been nowhere near as bad as the Chiefs’ anemic attack that is averaging 10 points per game in its last seven contests. Kansas City has 32 turnovers this year and only 94 red zone points, and both stats rank last in the NFL. After Matt Cassel’s poor play this season – he threw for six touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions – Chiefs fans demanded to have him benched. Unfortunately, his replacement, Brady, Quinn, has not been any better. Quinn has yet throw a touchdown pass this year, and has four interceptions of his own. It appears that neither quarterback is the long term answer, and the odds of the Chiefs selecting a QB with their first round pick in the 2013 draft are increasing.

The lone bright spot for the Chiefs this season on offense has been Jamaal Charles, who has rushed for 928 yards and boasts a healthy 4.8 yards-per-carry average. It is a shame that one of Charles’ prime seasons was wasted this year, but the back should be one of the few offensive players on this current team that is a part of Kansas City’s long term plans.

Despite how terrible the Chiefs have played lately, this is a winnable game. The Panthers played well and picked up a win last week, yet they have been inconsistent all year. If Newton plays well and can put some points on the board, the Chiefs won’t have a chance. However, if the Panthers’ young QB commits some turnovers, this might be a low-scoring affair that comes down to the wire.

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Kansas City Chiefs - Cincinnati Bengals Preview

After losing to the Steelers in overtime, the Chiefs return home to host the Cincinnati Bengals (4-5), who are currently fighting for a playoff spot in a very even AFC. The game will begin at 12:00 p.m.

Kansas City had a great opportunity to knock off Pittsburgh last week, but several untimely penalties prevented the team from expanding an early lead. After making a brilliant throw to help the Chiefs force OT, quarterback Matt Cassel was picked off in the extra period which essentially ended the game. Turnovers have been the biggest reason why the Chiefs currently sit at 1-8. Jamaal Charles is quietly having another strong season, and Kansas City will need him to have a monster game to score points. The Chiefs receiving unit is very banged up, as Jonathan Baldwin is out with a concussion and leading receiver Dwayne Bowe has been limited by a hamstring injury.

Many Chiefs fans have speculated that Brady Quinn would get another shot at the starting quarterback role, but Matt Cassel has been officially named the starter for Sunday. Head coach Romeo Crennel has stated that Quinn is still recovering from his concussion and has not yet been cleared to play.

The Bengals are coming off their most impressive performance of the year, a 31-13 win over the defending champion New York Giants. Andy Dalton has become a solid NFL quarterback, and receiver A.J. Green has quickly become one of the league’s top wideouts. The Chiefs defense has not lived up to its preseason expectations, but it has the talent to keep the Bengals offense in check. Kansas City will likely need to force a few turnovers to slow down Dalton and Green and give its struggling offense a short field to work with.

The Chiefs proved last week that when they limit turnovers (Kansas City had zero during regulation) they can still compete with anyone. Still, it is hard to see this team repeating that type of performance two weeks in a row, especially with a banged up receiving unit. The Bengals are fighting for a playoff spot and have a lot of confidence, and also may be getting several good players back from injury. The Chiefs will likely need a few turnovers to pull this one out.

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Chiefs Fall To Steelers In OT

Despite owning the worst record in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs continue to fight. The team took the Pittsburgh Steelers to overtime last night, eventually falling 16-13.

The weather was downright terrible for this one, which had a big effect on both teams’ offenses. Kansas City took advantage of Pittsburgh’s stalled offense early, grabbing a 10-0 lead off a Jamaal Charles touchdown run and a chip shot field goal from Ryan Succop. However, the Steelers would answer with 13 consecutive points despite losing quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to injury. The Chiefs had plenty of chances to extend their lead – Dwayne Bowe had a touchdown reception called back due to a questionable holding call, and Succop missed a short field goal moments later.

Kansas City put together its best drive of the season at the end of regulation, as Cassel converted a couple of clutch throws to move the chains. It appeared that Kansas City was finished after tight end Tony Moeaki was called for offensive pass interference, and the Chiefs faced a fourth and long around midfield. However, Cassel made one of the best throws of his career, stepping up in the pocket and drilling Bowe which gave Kansas City a first down and moved them into field goal range. Succop drilled a low field goal through the wind to force overtime, and it appeared that the Chiefs had all the momentum heading into the extra period.

In overtime, Cassel quickly went from hero to goat, as the maligned quarterback threw an interception on the Chiefs second play that Pittsburgh returned to the five yard line. The Steelers quickly booted the short field goal and escaped with a win, as Kansas City moved closer to the draft lottery.

The story for the Chiefs all season long has been turnovers, and it is no surprise that Kansas City was ultimately beaten due to a Cassel interception. Before Cassel’s overtime pick, the team hadn’t turned the ball over once against Pittsburgh, despite the rainy conditions. The Steelers are a playoff team that hasn’t lost at home all season, so the Chiefs deserve a lot of credit for putting up a great fight and nearly stealing a win. When this team doesn’t turn it over, it can still be competitive. Unfortunately, that seems to be asking a lot from Cassel.

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Chiefs Lose Another Home Game To The Raiders

One of the saddest things that has come with the demise of the Kansas City Chiefs organization is how poorly the team has played at Arrowhead Stadium, once considered one of the toughest places to play in the country. Kansas City lost to Oakland on Sunday, the Raiders’ sixth straight win over the Chiefs at Arrowhead.

The Chiefs are heading towards historically bad territory. For starters, the team has not led in regulation this season, the first time since 1940 that a team has gone this deep into the season without having a lead at any point in regulation play. The Chiefs lone win came in overtime over the lowly New Orleans Saints.

The biggest problem for the Chiefs continues to the turnovers – Kansas City committed four more on Sunday and now leads the league with 25 giveaways. Despite once again giving the ball away at will, the Chiefs had a few bright spots offensively. Matt Cassel replaced the injured Brady Quinn and had a decent outing, connecting on 20 of 30 attempts for 218 yards. Quinn looked awful before leaving the game with a head injury, suggesting that the coaching staff once again blew a personnel decision.

The biggest question mark from this game surrounds Jamaal Charles – the Chiefs top offensive weapon was given only five carries in the game, and head coach Romeo Crennel had no explanation as to why Charles wasn’t used more. Cassel ended up being the team’s leading rusher with 35 yards, and Peyton Hillis also received four carries.

There is no way to sugarcoat anything surrounding the Chiefs – this team is really bad and needs to fire its GM, head coach and his entire staff this offseason and start over. Kansas City fans can only hold onto the hope that the team’s next GM will not blow the Chiefs’ top draft pick in 2013, and that brighter days are ahead.

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Kansas City Chiefs - Oakland Raiders Preview

Throw the records out the window, because it is rivalry week in Kansas City. On Sunday, the Chiefs will host the Oakland Raiders, and kickoff is set for 3:05 p.m.

Earlier this week, Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel announced that Brady Quinn will get the start for Kansas City. Matt Cassel has recovered from the concussion he suffered against Baltimore, but Crennel feels that starting Quinn is an “impactful move to get everyone’s attention.” Basically, Crennel is looking for anything to spark a Chiefs offense that has not played well this season. Most of that is on Cassel, who has accounted for a ridiculous 14 turnovers this season and has completed only 58% of his passes. The Chiefs will have to rely on Jamaal Charles to move the ball, although that may be a tough task against the Raiders defense, which is only allowing 102 yards per game on the ground.

Defensively, the Chiefs have been incredibly inconsistent this season. At times the unit has looked great, and other times it has made bad quarterbacks look like hall-of-famers. Kansas City’s main goal will be stopping Darren McFadden; although McFadden is having a down year, he is capable of breaking a long run at any time. The Chiefs have done a good job against McFadden in the past, and the team’s top priority should be to contain the dynamic back and force Carson Palmer to beat Kansas City through the air. Palmer has thrown for only seven touchdowns this season, and can be prone to turning the ball over.

The Raiders are statistically very similar to the Chiefs – Oakland averages 19 points per game and allows 28 points per game, and Kansas City averages 17 points per game and allows 30 points per game. Both teams rely on their running backs for big plays, and that should be the difference on Sunday. If Charles gets going early, Kansas City will have a good chance to pick up its second win this season. If the Chiefs run game is ineffective and Brady Quinn is forced to make a lot of plays, the team will likely be one step closer to a top-five draft pick.

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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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Chiefs Fall To Chargers, 37-20

In our preview for today’s Chiefs-Chargers game, we noted that it was essential that Kansas City win the turnover battle to have a chance against a good San Diego team. It is only fitting that the Chiefs turned the ball over six times in route to a 37-20 loss to the Chargers that was never close. The loss drops the team’s record to 1-3 on the season.

Last week, Kansas City was able to overcome a slow start to pull off a thrilling comeback win over the Saints. Today was a different story, as the Chiefs once again started slow but never really threatened to make it a game. San Diego scored the first 20 points of the game, capitalizing on three Matt Cassel first half interceptions. The first quarter was so bad for the Chiefs that the team found itself down 17-0 after only running five offensive plays. After Jamaal Charles scored on an eye-popping 37 yard run, the team cut the score to 20-6 (Kansas City botched the PAT). Cassel threw a pick six only a few minutes later, and the fat lady was warming up at halftime.

The Chief showed a little life early in the second half, scoring a touchdown to make it a two score game. However, the offense went three-and-out on the team’s next two possessions, and Shaun Draughn fumbled on the next to essentially end the game.

Kansas City was won only three of its last 11 home games, a startling statistic for a team that prides itself on its home field advantage. Home or away, this team simply has no shot to win when it turns the ball over. The Chiefs once again ran the ball effectively today; it just found itself in a hole because the Chargers routinely had a short field. Kansas City has been outscored 41-6 in the first quarter this season, terrible news for a run-oriented team.

Things don’t get any easier for the Chiefs, as they host the Baltimore Ravens next week. Unless the team pulls off a big upset, it looks like this will be another losing season in Kansas City.

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Chiefs Win First Game In Dramatic Fashion, Beat Saints In OT

Step away from the ledge, Chiefs fans – Kansas City has won a game! The team picked up a road victory this Sunday against New Orleans in dramatic fashion, finishing the Saints off in overtime after an impressive comeback from a double-digit deficit.

In the third quarter, it appeared that the Chiefs were on their way to an 0-3 start, as the team trailed the Saints by 18 points and had no answer for Drew Brees and the high-powered New Orleans offense. Matt Cassel had just thrown a terrible interception, and the Chiefs offense looked lost. However, the Kansas City coaching staff made a brilliant (and obvious) move to help get the team back in the game – it fed Jamaal Charles the ball. Charles ripped off a 91 yard touchdown run – the longest in team history – to help get the Chiefs back in the game. New Orleans moved the ball on the next drive, however Stanford Routt intercepted an underthrown Brees ball at the goal line.

From there, the Chiefs defense finally looked like the unit it was expected to be this season. Brees never completed another pass, and the Saints offense never got another first down. The fourth quarter belonged to Kansas City, as Ryan Succop hit three field goals in the period and the team also got a safety on a sack from Justin Houston, who had a monster game for the Chiefs. Once overtime started, the Chiefs had all of the momentum, and after the defense once again held the Saints on New Orleans’ first possession, the team found itself with great field position. A few short passes and a gutsy fourth down conversion moved the team into field goal range, where Succop nailed his sixth kick of the day to give Kansas City the win.

Winning this game was obviously huge, but it is the way Kansas City pulled this out that should have fans excited. The team relied on its playmaking running back to move the ball late and stopped asking Matt Cassel to throw the ball down the field, which should be the team’s game plan every week. The most encouraging sign was the play of the defense - the Chiefs absolutely shut down the Saints during the fourth quarter and overtime and looked like one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Kansas City faces a tough schedule this season, but if its defense continues to play well, it should be in every game. This win should give the Chiefs some momentum and badly-needed confidence after the Kansas City media spent all of last week ripping the team.

Up next for the Chiefs is a home game against the San Diego Chargers, who were beaten badly by the Atlanta Falcons yesterday. Kickoff at Arrowhead stadium is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

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Chiefs Injury Report - Charles Expected To Play

Things haven’t gone Kansas City’s way over the first two games of the 2012 NFL season, and when Jamaal Charles banged up his surgically-repaired knee during Sunday’s blowout loss to the Bills, it appeared that things would get worse. Chiefs fans can breathe a small sigh of relief, as Romeo Crennel has indicated that while Charles’ knee is sore, he will likely play this week against the New Orleans Saints.

Charles only played two games last season before tearing the ACL in his left knee, a huge disappointment after he enjoyed a monster season in 2010. Kansas City signed Peyton Hillis this offseason, and so far the team has limited Charles to only 22 carries this season. The running game has not been a problem for the Chiefs, and the team has often found itself being forced to pass as the defense has given up points at an alarming rate so far. Expect Kansas City to keep Charles’ load light, and for Hillis and Shaun Draughn to continue to get a good amount of carries. The team cannot afford to lose its biggest playmaker on offense for a second consecutive year, and must be cautious.

Kevin Boss also found himself in the locker room during Sunday’s game; however it appears his injury is much more serious. Boss sustained a head injury against the Bills, and left the game after feeling woozy after his hit. Boss is being re-evaluated this week, and since Kansas City has a good amount of depth at tight end, the Chiefs should be fine if Boss needs a week or two to heal.

Crennel also mentioned that cornerback and kick returner Javier Arenas hurt his neck against the Bills. There has been no word yet on whether or not Arenas will miss any time. There also have been no updates on defensive tackle Anthony Toribio or safety Kendrick Lewis, who haven’t played so far this season due to injuries.

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Chiefs vs. Falcons Recap

The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2012 season got off to a rocky start yesterday, as the team fell to the Atlanta Falcons, 40-24. A disastrous second half ultimately did the Chiefs in, and the team is once again starting the season off with a loss.

Atlanta was the favorite, and the Chiefs were hit hard with injuries to key players that impacted the game. It appeared that cornerback Brandon Flowers was going to play, however the team decided to hold him out of Sunday’s game. With injuries to safety Kendrick Lewis and defensive tackle Anthony Toribio, as well as Tamba Hali’s absence due to a one game suspension, the Chiefs entered the game missing several critical components to its defense.

Despite being out-manned, Kansas City hung right with Atlanta throughout the first half. The team consistently moved the ball and found themselves only trailing 20-17 at the break. However, the third quarter proved to be disastrous for the Chiefs. Ryan Succop missed a field goal, and the Falcons answered with a touchdown minutes later to take a 27-17 lead. On the team’s next possession, Cassel fumbled while getting sacked, giving Atlanta another short field to work with. Former Chief great Tony Gonzalez hauled in a seven yard touchdown catch to give the Falcons a commanding 34-17 lead. After a couple more Atlanta field goals, Kansas City found itself down 40-17 in the fourth, and a Shaun Draughn touchdown in the game’s waning seconds made the game look closer than it really was.

Offensively, the team managed to run the ball effectively, and Jamaal Charles looked like his old self in the first half. Unfortunately, the team was unable to overcome Matt Cassel’s up-and-down performance. Cassel made some good plays, but his three turnovers gave Atlanta a short field, which the Falcons exploited every time. Cassel has to make better decisions and limit his turnovers, especially while the defense struggles to get healthy. Expect the Chiefs to rely on the ground game even more in the future, especially now that Charles has proven that he is fully recovered from his ACL tear.

It is hard to judge the Chiefs defense after this game because so many key players were missing. Kansas City was without its top pass rusher, top corner and a starting safety, and Matt Ryan took advantage and had a field day. Hali’s return will give this unit a significant boost, but the team has got to get Flowers back soon. He should be close to returning, and a healthier Chiefs defense should look a lot better in week two.

Next up for Kansas City are the Buffalo Bills, who got blown out by the New York Jets in week one. The game is in Buffalo, with a 12:00 p.m. kickoff.

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Chiefs-Cardinals Game Recap

Football is back, and the Chiefs got their preseason schedule off to a great start with a 27-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Kansas City scored touchdowns twice in the first quarter, using a balanced attack to put the Cardinals away early.

The biggest thing Chiefs fans can take away from this game is that Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry and Tony Moeaki all played and looked like their old selves. The team lost this trio to injuries last year, which was a big part in Kansas City’s failure to reach the postseason. Charles took a hit to his surgically-repaired knee on the first play of the game, but appeared fine as he rushed for 12 yards on three carries.

Offensively, the team’s first-string offense looked very good in the first quarter. Kansas City got a huge boost from new running back Peyton Hillis, who broke a long run and continuously found good yardage on his inside runs. Hillis also scored the game’s first touchdown, catching a wheel-route pass from Matt Cassel for an 11 yard touchdown. It appears the Hillis may be able to return to his 2010 form and provide a nice complement to Charles, while keeping the team's feature back fresh. The Chiefs’ offensive line looked great early on, opening up holes for Charles and Hillis while giving Cassel time to find receivers open downfield.

Defensively, Kansas City did not allow a touchdown until after halftime and made a few big plays as well. Newly-signed safety Abram Elam intercepted Arizona’s John Skelton and returned it 37 yards, which lead to a Ryan Succop field goal. The Chiefs also got points following a great special teams play, as rookie Devon Wylie had a long punt return to set up another short Succop kick.

The team has struggled mightily in the past during preseason play, which led to a lot of criticism from the media and fans of former head coach Todd Haley. It was refreshing to see the team look sharp early-on in this one and defeat a weak team at home.

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Fantasy Football 2011 Top Ten Players Drafted

It's that time of year again, where we get involved in fantasy football, which therefore makes us pay attention to teams from other cities that we normally could care less about. Today, we're going to break down the top ten fantasy draft picks for 2011 as they have occurred so far in fantasy drafts around the nation. Personally, I think that if you hold your fantasy draft any time before September 1st your fantasy league manager is an idiot, as you have no way of knowing who is going to get injured, suspended, arrested or cut. But hey, the world needs idiots too. Here is our take on the consensus top ten fantasy draft selections:

1. Adrian Peterson
Coming in at number 1 is Adrian Peterson. Arguably the best running back in the NFL, we do not doubt that. What we definitely doubt is the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikes are certainly a team on the decline. They are actually moving in the opposite direction that logic would lend itself to. Instead of drafting and hiring younger players to build for the future, they are buying old, washed up players like Donovan McNabb and watching their offensive line become old and weak. It's not that I wouldn't take Adrian Peterson, I'm just not sure that I would take him first.

2. Arian Foster
Once again, we don't doubt the player, we doubt the team. Yes, the Houston Texans are an exciting team, but they just don't win. Houston has had only ONE winning season in the history of the team and they are a complete joke. Last year's running stats on Foster were pretty much a one time thing. Defenses will key on him heavily and his stats won't even come close to last year's. Now, with that being said, I would still draft him, just not first.

3. Chris Johnson
Now here is a real running back. True, he shares the same fate as Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders in that he plays for one of the worst teams in the NFL, but Chris Johnson is still an easy first round safe pick.

4. Jamaal Charles
This is the most ridiculous positioning for a fantasy pick that I've ever seen. The NFL has put so much hype around Jamaal Charles that it is plain laughable. Obviously they don't live in Kansas City, and they don't understand the basics of Chiefs football. Number 1, Charles will never get 20 carries a game, number 2, the entire NFL is now acutely aware of his presence and opposing defenses will be ULTRA KEYING on Charles all season. His stats weren't that great in 2010, and they are certainly not going to improve in 2011 with everyone watching his every move. Sorry fantasy "experts", but you've got this one WAY wrong. The Chiefs aren't going to make a star out of ANYONE, especially not on offense. Take it from a 25 year Chiefs fan.

5. Maurice Jones-Drew
Take it from a fantasy owner who has owned this guy for at least 2 seasons. He's a complete bust in every way. Stay away from this idiot at all costs.

6. Ray Rice
Sheesh, have we got this desperate this early in the 1st round? Ray Rice? You've got to be kidding me. I would take a receiver in the first round before I would pick up this fool.

7. Aaron Rodgers
Now the list is starting to make a little bit of sense anyway, Rodgers is a stud who plays for a stud team. The only thing wrong with the Packers is that if they get out to a lead early (which they often do), they will abandon the passing game and run out the clock. Regardless, you still DO NOT take Rodgers before Michael Vick.

8. LeSean McCoy
LeSean McCoy fall under our curriculum of a good player, playing for a good team. The Eagles are going to kick some serious butt in 2011 with the signing of Nnamdi Asomugha on defense. The Eagles will be fierce this year and you would be safe to pick up any of their offensive players. Especially LeSean McCoy and heck, even Ronnie Brown because you know that the Eagles will end a lot of games running out the clock after putting up 35 points in the first half.

9. Andre Johnson
Too early to take a receiver, throw this one back. Andre is a great receiver and should be considered in the top 3 receivers to choose, but don't choose him in the first round. C'mon man!

10. Michael Vick
This may be the first year that a quarterback is selected first by fantasy captains who have numbers 1-5. I'm a man who believes firmly in selecting a stud running back with your first round pick, but if you draw pick 5-10 and Vick is still on the board, grab his ass up.

Where Do Chiefs Players Land in the NFL Top 100

The NFL has announced its top 100 going into 2011, and the list includes several Chiefs players. Kansas City has a total of five players on the list, which is tied for fifth most in the NFL. There are two teams in the league that do not have any players on the list.

There are several picks that make sense, most notably Eric Berry being listed at 93. Berry showed a lot of promise as a rookie, and should be even better next season. Guard Brian Waters checks in at 67, which seems about right for the reliable offensive lineman.

There has been some controversy with Tamba Hali's ranking, as most Chief fans felt he should be much higher on the list. Hali came in at number 64, a ranking that seems a bit low considering he is one of the best pass rushers in the league. Despite registering 14.5 sacks last year for a division winner, the Chiefs' pass rush specialist continues to fly under the radar. Hopefully another monster year will result in Hali getting the recognition he deserves.

Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe are the other two Chiefs players who will be listed in the higher rankings.

Chiefs Win, Control AFC West

The Chiefs Defense came up big time and time again on Sunday to beat the Broncos 10-6. No, it wasn't pretty, but a win is a win. That coupled with a Raiders upset at San Diego have the Chiefs in control of the AFC West. The Chiefs kept it interesting all day with their inability to score (or lack of foresight to kick the field goal in a tight game.) Penalties really hurt the Chiefs offense all day long as well as a very stingy Denver defense, particularly in the passing game. Dwayne Bowe was held catchless by Champ Bailey and others as he was double-teamed all day. Matt Cassel was again efficient going 17-13 for 196 yards and a TD (again no INTs - and 158 consecutive passes without an interception). Jamaal Charles was steady with 116 yards rushing. The return to action of Dexter McCluster was a much needed boost. He had a couple of catches.


The real story for the Chiefs in this one was the Defense. They were excellent. Brandon Carr, especially, but the whole secondary gave Orton fits. The Denver quarterback was just 9-28 on the day, OUCH! Tamba Hali had two sacks, one of which he forced a fumble and recovered it (Derrick Thomas Style).


San Diego's unexpected loss to the Raiders give the Chiefs a 2 game lead in the division. A win next week in San Diego would all but clinch it (barring the Raiders winning out). Whatever happens, it sure is good to play meaningful games in December, watching the scoreboard to see what other teams are doing, in short, it's just good to care again.