Dallas Clark Signs With Buccaneers - Kansas City News

Although it has not been officially announced, different sources have reported that Dallas Clark has signed with theTampa Bay Buccaneers.  This move makes a lot of sense as Tampa's starting tight end Kellen Winslow has been told that "his services are no longer needed" in Tampa Bay.

We were excited to learn that Dallas had made a visit to Kansas City and that he may possibly land here, but we spoke too soon and it looks like Dallas is headed to the Buccaneers instead.  Sorry Chiefs fans!  Here was our original article (that we had strong feelings but were eventually wrong about):

Dallas Clark's best friends is Chiefs O Lineman Ryan Lilja.  Clark and Lilja bonded when they played together in Indianapolis, where they won a Super Bowl together.  Dal las Clark makes frequent trips to Kansas City anyway to visit Lilja, so it is probable that Ryan Lilja had a little pull in getting Dallas Clark on the Chiefs roster.  We have had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with Dallas and his wife at recent parties and we find him to be very personable and down to earth.

After floating around in free agency for months, Dallas Clark was amazingly unsigned by anyone, even after his incredible career as a tight end.  Clark comes to the Chiefs with 4887 career receiving yards and 46 touchdowns, more than any receiving member of the current team.  It is not clear what Dallas Clark's role will be as the Chiefs already have two starting quality tight ends in Kevin Boss and Tony Moeaki, but adding another great leader to the team who happens to be wearing a Super Bowl ring sure can't hurt.

The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to beef up their running offense and their defense in the off season.  Although Dallas Clark is known for more of a receiving tight end than a blocking tight end, the Chiefs focus will remain on the running game despite the signing of Dallas Clark.  It makes sense for the Chiefs to have a lot of short out receiving options as starting quarterback Matt Cassel is notorious for his lack of long ball throwing ability.  Since Cassel has difficulty getting the ball down the field on long passes, it makes sense to bring in players like Kevin Boss and Dallas Clark so that they can run successful short passing routes that Matt Cassel is more likely to complete.  So, with that in mind, it looks like the Chiefs have a strong running attack with blocking that remains to be seen, a lot of short pass options, and a beefed up defense, who already played quite well last season.

We will expect an official announcement of Dallas Clark signing with The Kansas City Chiefs tomorrow morning.  Many Chiefs season ticket holders have had their eye on Dallas Clark in the past two weeks and now it seems that the Chiefs management are going to make them happy - if only in the short term.

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Chiefs Roster Moves 2012 Free Agency Draft Picks

Most Kansas City sports writers are basically writing updates, assuming that we already know about what happened the week before this, or the week before that. Well, here at Kansas City News, we're going to do you a favor that those half assed sports writers refuse to do, and that's give you a full recap. This week, some top analysts talked about all of the Kansas City Chiefs roster moves, free agency pick ups, and possible 2012 NFL Draft picks for the Chiefs. So here it is, Chiefs fans, a complete wrap up by the NFL's top source:

On what free agents the Chiefs are still looking at: Jerricho Cotchery, the WR from the Steelers, is visiting with them today. They like him and want to add a veteran WR so I think a deal is possible.

On whether Matt Cassel is good enough to take the Chiefs all the way: The Chiefs are building around their defense and their running game. If the Chiefs are as strong in those areas as they think they will be, then I do believe Cassel is good enough to get the Chiefs to another division title. Getting them deep in the playoffs is another matter.

On why the Chiefs didn't get Peyton Manning: The Chiefs never got in the game with Manning. Basically, they told him they wanted in and he told them, as well as some other teams, that he wasn't interested.

On whether the Chiefs will pick up a Nose Tackle in the 2012 NFL Draft: It's starting to look that way. That's their one remaining pressing need. But the Chiefs also have the luxury more than other teams of drafting best available player. They can find a NT elsewhere

On who the Chiefs have yet to pick up: A veteran WR, like Cotchery. Maybe some backups that they like. They'll still sign some more players but I think at this point, with possible exception of a NT, they'll all be backups.

On the Chiefs drafting Luke Kuelchy in the 2012 NFL Draft: With Johnson and Belcher, the Chiefs are OK at ILB. But with their moves in free agency, they have the flexibility to draft him or any other player they like. That one wouldn't surprise me at all.

On whether or not the Chiefs will see the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football in 2012: Schedule should be out in April and it will be interesting to see how that works out. Would think that would be one of the more attractive games on Denver's schedule as far as TV goes.

On the recovery of Jamaal Charles, Tony Moeaki and Eric Berry from their ACL injuries: The Chiefs are saying they will be. Those injuries, generally speaking, are nine-month injuries so that would put them all back by June, if it holds in their cases.

On who will be the Chiefs fullback in 2012: Looks like Hillis will do some of that. I can see him spending a lot of time in the same backfield with Charles or McCluster. Chiefs could also sign or draft a fullback.

On whether or not the Chiefs have the best players in the AFC West for 2012: Since free agency isn't over and the draft is more than a month away, it's too early to say. But they've got to at least be contenders in that regard. If Berry, Charles and Moeaki are healthy, I think I would take their lineup over anyone else's in the division.

On the Chiefs quarterback situation in 2012: I don't think Orton would have been a huge upgrade over Cassel. If the Chiefs surround either one with a strong defense and a strong running game, he should be able to win. That's the type of QB those guys are. As far as the rest of the Chiefs' QBs, they Chiefs are deeper with Quinn and Stanzi than they've been in a long time. I realize that's not saying much.

On whether or not the Chiefs should beef up on DBs just because Peyton Manning is in the AFC: I don't know they need to bring in an extra CB just for two games a year. Flowers is one of the better CBs in the league. The Chiefs seem to like Routt. We'll see how he works out.

On whether the Chiefs will take a quarterback in the 2012 NFL Draft: It's possible. Since they have no pressing needs other than NT, they have the flexibility to take a guy if one is there that they'd like. Makes a lot of sense to me. Cassel is still trying to establish himself. If he doesn't get that done this year, the Chiefs are going to need a new starting QB. Quinn is on a one-year contract. So it wouldn't surprise me. It's not Pioli's style to trade the farm for anyone, so they won't be making any bold moves like Washington made trading up to get RG3 (rookie black "shimmy and move, shuck and jive and then throw the ball quarterback" who's nickname is an idiotic RG3). That's why I think it makes sense that this is the year they draft a QB. If Cassel fails this year, you have a guy on hand to replace him. If Cassel turns out to be the guy, then you've got a QB you can trade. - Kansas City News note: Cassel will NOT be the guy...EVER.

On the Chiefs "ghetto fabulous" and not so bright wide receiver Dwayne Bowe: No, I think they'll keep him. They need him. Imagine what their receiving group looks like without him. Hard to say whether they can get a long-term deal done but I would think a holdout is possible.

On what the new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll will bring to the Chiefs in 2012: The Chiefs will probably do a lot of different things. But it will be based on the running game. In their perfect world, I think they'd like to give it to Hillis and to Charles 20 times a game.

On how much cap room the Chiefs have and what they will do with it in 2012: Yes, about $15 million as of now. They'll need about $6-8 million of cap space for rookies, in my estimation. So they have some room left. But you bring up a good point: They will save some of it to try to re-sign Albert, Dorsey and, if he plays on the one-year contract, Bowe. That's something Pioli likes to do.

On what the Chiefs plans are for star offensive lineman Ryan Lilja: Yes, I think he will be a starter this year. Let's see what happens in the draft but my guess is Lilja starts this year. They seem to be happy with where the line is right now with Albert and Winston and T, Lilja and Asamoah at G and Hudson at C. They do need some backups, though.

On the Chiefs beefed up receiving crew - is it a waste of roster space and cap dollars? Not at all. They'll throw the ball. If they don't get some big pass plays, they won't score enough points. But this thing will be built around defense and the running game. They won't be asking Cassel to win a lot of games for them. They will ask him to lose none.

Is Routt as good as Carr? Judging from the contracts they got, no. Carr got $10 million a year, Routt about $6.

Losing Carr gives a fragile feel to KC's defense, in my opinion. But that doesn't mean Routt can't be good enough to help the Chiefs win.

Crennel vs. Haley: Haley did some good things but he was a bad fit with Pioli and his volatility wasn't good for the Chiefs. Crennel is about the most stable coach there is and I think that reliability will be exactly what the Chiefs need right now.

On drafting Fletcher Cox in the 2012 NFL Draft: Dorsey's contract is up after this year and Jackson will carry a huge number but it;s not unsustainable. Salary cap should rise significantly next year. No position would be a huge surprise to me for the Chiefs at this point. They have few pressing needs, so they could go in a lot of directions, including DE.

On the chances of Tebow landing in Kansas City, maybe just to sell tickets: No. You don't make trades to sell tickets. That's always a mistake. You make trades to win games and I don't see how Tebow helps them do that. Besides, the Broncos wouldn't send him here in a million years. - Kansas City News Note: Absolutely not, we don't want "God Boy" in here anyway.

On the Chiefs chances in the AFC West in 2012: Look at this division. Mediocre teams won it the last two years. With Manning in Denver, it looks like it will be improved next year but still, winnable to the team that makes the most improvements. Right now, the Chiefs might be winning that race, even including Manning to Denver.

The Kansas City Chiefs - Reports on Chiefs and AFC West

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Brandon Carr Contract with Dallas Cowboys not That Big of a Deal

Cowboy's fans, two words: calm down. The recent signing of Brandon Carr to the Dallas Cowboys is not that big of a deal. Carr was / still is an AVERAGE player at BEST. His rating in the free agency market was WAY overstated, and he is just not that great of a player. The fact that the Cowboys actually paid 50.1 million dollars for this average guy player is laughable! Brandon Carr has only had 8 interceptions in his ENTIRE CAREER with The Kansas City Chiefs, people. This is the most ridiculous NFL free agency deal since the Chiefs signed lackluster quarterback Matt Cassel for 48 million just because he had ONE good season with a Super Bowl bound New England Patriots that my grandma could have thrown successfully behind, and the fact that the Denver Broncos showed an interest in him.

The Dallas Cowboys signing Brandon Carr will prove to be a complete bust in the coming years, trust us, we here in Kansas City have been watching him play for years and have seen NOTHING that would show him to be a superstar talent in any way shape or form. 8 interceptions in his ENTIRE career? Yeah, that's worth 50 million dollars, any day. After the smoke clears from this ridiculous contract signing, you will not be hearing much from Brandon Carr. Dallas is a team that is notorious for having players with "great potential" that just never seem to get the job done, and the signing of Brandon Carr fits perfectly with that game plan.

We certainly will not miss Brandon Carr here in Kansas City, and Dallas has to be having some serious buyer's remorse right about now. Just because Carr was the only defensive back in free agency that had ever played the game of football doesn't mean that you have to throw 50 million dollars at him. But, on the other hand, congratulations to his agent, who got an incredible amount of money for one of the most average players in the league. In other news, Kyle Orton signs with the Dallas Cowboys as well. Who cares.

Kansas City News Factoid: Did you know that The Kansas City Chiefs used to be the Dallas Texans?

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Chiefs Franchise Tag Bowe - Kansas City Chiefs News

The Chiefs are making some moves in the off season and the biggest one so far happened today when the Kansas City Chiefs put the Franchise Tag on Dwayne Bowe, the Chiefs somewhat flaky but occasionally talented wide receiver. It's pretty sad when a team has to put a franchise tag on a mediocre player, who in the case of the Chiefs hardly gets a chance to make game changing differences. With two mid level quarterbacks on the roster, and an offensive line made of swiss cheese, the Chiefs have MUCH bigger fish to fry than to put a franchise tag on a slightly higher than mediocre wide receiver like Dwayne Bowe.

After an extremely lackluster 2011 Chiefs season, Dwayne Bowe put up a lukewarm 81 receptions for a measly 5 touchdowns - yikes! That's what the Chiefs call franchise tag material? Wow, we must be worse off than we thought. This is a sign that the Chiefs offense still has no direction whatsoever and we could be in for another 10 touchdown season total from this sputtering offense. Here at Kansas City News we have never been fans of Matt Cassel, figuring him to be the NFL's highest paid "back up" quarterback. With the franchise tag, Dwayne Bowe's salary will be 9.5 million dollars in 2012. He is a good back up quarterback, and did lead the New England Patriots to the playoffs when Tom Brady went down - but the fact that we paid this guy almost 60 million dollars to come play for the Chiefs is just plain ridiculous. With mediocre quarterbacks like Matt Cassel and Kyle Orton at the helm, putting the franchise tag on Dwayne Bowe just doesn't make any sense. If there is no one to get the ball to our receivers, then why are we putting such a high priority on them? The Kansas City Chiefs are going to be a defensive team, there is no doubt about it. We've made Romeo Crennel, who will absolutely be focusing on the defensive side of the ball, our head coach. And what is worse, we've brought in a terrible offensive coordinator from Miami in Brian Daboll, who had a miserable offensive season in 2011 with the Dolphins.

The Kansas City Chiefs need to realize where their priorities are and they need to do it fast. Putting the franchise tag on Dwayne Bowe is not the first thing that Chiefs fans wanted to hear in this off season. What we want to hear is that the Chiefs are going to look for a REAL quarterback, invest top draft picks on offensive lineman, and try to find a way to get our offense back on track. Thank God that Jamaal Charles is coming back, that should take some of the spotlight off of our hideous passing game. The Chiefs defense looks great and I think that the defense alone can get The Kansas City Chiefs 7-9 wins in 2012. Let's just hope that they don't put the franchise tag on any more wide receivers - who's next, Dexter McCluster?

Kansas City News announces that the Kansas City Chiefs put the franchise tag on Dwayne Bowe, March 5th, 2012.

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Romeo Crennel Hired as Head Coach of the Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs hired Romeo Crennel as their head coach after the interim coach brought home 2 wins out of 3 during his short tenure as interim coach. Romeo Crennel was head coach when the Chiefs beat the Green Bay Packers, relieving them of their perfect season in week 15.

Romeo Crennel was extremely unsuccessful at his only other head coaching position with the Cleveland Browns, posting an unimpressive record of 24 and 40. Crennel is a great defensive coordinator, but he has proven that he is no head coach. The Chiefs should have left Crennel at defensive coordinator, which he excels at, and hired a new head coach who possibly had a more offensive mind. None of these things will matter, however, unless the owners of the Chiefs spend some money to get some real players in here, which we all know will never happen.

As we at Kansas City News pointed out weeks ago, the hiring of the head coach was the least important thing on the Chiefs to-do list. The Chiefs owners need to put up money first and foremost - that's it. Without some marquis players on the team, The Chiefs will have as much chance of winning a playoff game as the Royals, who are in the same position - no money spent on players, just put in the pockets of the owners. If the Chiefs actually did put up some money for some quality players, then the next thing that we need to acquire is a decent offensive line. Don't even think about a quarterback until you have secured a competitive offensive line. After the 0-line is secured, then we can start thinking about a real quarterback, not some old hack qb that can barely move around in the pocket like Orton. Orton was just a grasp at desperation, and Matt Cassel is nothing more than a high paid back up quarterback.

Although getting a new head coach was on the list for The Kansas City Chiefs, it was definitely not one of the high priorities. The Indianapolis Colts proved for over 10 years that you don't need a head coach to win, Peyton Manning and a great offensive line is how you win games. Their head coach didn't do ANYTHING but stand on the sidelines and work for a very low salary. Let's see if the Chiefs put up money to build an offensive line and go out and get a real quarterback before we even worry about what impact Romeo Crennel will make.

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Chiefs Packers 2011 Chiefs Break Packers Win Streak

Cost of your POSER, BANDWAGON RIDING Aaron Rodgers jersey = $42.00

Tickets to Arrowhead today = $100.00 +

Getting beer poured on you by Chiefs fans who can kick your ass = humiliation

Watching your team get their ASSES KICKED by the CHIEFS = PRICELESS!

Sorry to all of you poser bandwagon Green Bay Packers fans out there, but your team officially sucks. The Chiefs ROUT the Packers today 19 - 14 in a game that revealed that the Packers are not even going to make it past round 1 in the playoffs. The Chiefs easily walked all over the Packers today as Romeo Crennel coached the Kansas City Chiefs to victory over the lucky and somehow undefeated Packers. The Chiefs ended the Packers win streak today. Done.

Once again, the Chiefs dominate on defense, stuffing Aaron Rodgers on every down. The Packers were unable to move the ball at all, and lost miserably at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs started quarterback Kyle Orton, who got his first win as a Chief as he led the team to a seamless victory over the hapless Packers. The Chiefs hogged the game clock, keeping the ball in their possession for well over half of the game. Today was a great showing by the Chiefs offensive line, who up until today have been severely lacking. Kyle Orton was able to sit back in the pocket and complete passes to Steve Breaston, Dwayne Bowe, and added to a total of 438 total yards on offense. The Packers were pathetic for the entire game, and the spineless Packers fans who were in attendance at Arrowhead were stuffed and stifled early and often as the Chiefs marched right over them. Hopefully the Chiefs fans were pouring plenty of beer on the poser Packers fans as they watched their team get pummeled by the mighty Chiefs. This game reminded us of the Pittsburgh Steelers game a few years ago after they won the Super Bowl and they came into Arrowhead with all of the poser fans wearing Rothlesburger (don't care if we spelled his stupid name right or not - he's not even worth Googling to find out) and the Chiefs stomped the crap out of the Steelers that day.

Go home Packers fans, your team is officially done. But thanks for playing. And, you suck.

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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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Tyler Palko to Start for Injured Matt Cassel

It was officially announced today that Tyler Palko will be the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs following last week's injury to starting quarterback Matt Cassel. Matt Cassel was tackled after a pass attempt and landed awkwardly on his right (throwing) hand, causing an injury which is possibly season ending.

In his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, Tyler Palko has played in 4 games and thrown for 82 yards on 13 attempts with 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Tyler Palko was drafted as an undrafted free agent in 2007 by the New Orleans Saints. Palko then signed with the Arizona Cardinals, and then the Pittsburgh Steelers before landing in Kansas City in 2010. Tyler Palko earned the position of 2nd string quarterback over rookie Ricky Stanzi during the 2011 preseason during which Palko proved to be the better man for the job. Palko was allowed to play the entire second half in the last game of the Chiefs preseason vs the Green Bay Packers. It is thought by many Chiefs fans that Palko earned the job of 2nd string quarterback through his knowledge of the playbook, as Ricky Stanzi is a rookie and has not mastered the system yet.

Palko will get his first NFL start on Monday Night Football vs the New England Patriots on November 21st, 2011. Although he is left handed, and thus more creative, he has yet to show this on the field. Many Chiefs fans agree that the change at quarterback from Matt Cassel to Tyler Palko is not going to impact the Chiefs performance as Cassel has been unsuccessful at leading the team thus far.

Chiefs Chargers Monday Night Arrowhead

Halloween night at Arrowhead Stadium will feature a rivalry bout between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers. The Chiefs have a chance to to share a piece of the lead in the AFC West if they can best the Chargers on Monday night football. The Chiefs defense has looked very strong of late and this game will be a battle to the finish. The Chargers offense, by contrast, has looked terrible lately with QB Philip Rivers barely able to complete a single pass. Brandon Flowers and the Chiefs secondary have been shredding opposing QBs with interceptions and pick six touchdown plays.

Arrowhead Stadium will be full of ghosts and ghouls as fans will dress up for Halloween, there will be live music by The Shanks and Almost Kiss, presented by Adam Blue Productions and lots of great tailgating. Tickets will probably be easy to find, however, as many parents will be taking their kids out trick or treating and missing the game. I doubt that many children are going to be talked out of going trick or treating to go to a Chiefs game. So here at Kansas City News we're predicting that it will be easy to purchase scalped tickets outside Arrowhead Stadium prior to the game.

The only monsters that Philip Rivers is going to see will be named Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson as they mercilessly rush the pocket. If the defensive line can get penetration in the pocket it gives the Chiefs secondary a better shot at making plays on errant passes. The main concern for the Chiefs will be their offense. They will need Thomas Jones and Jackie Battle to step up and control this game with the run. We do not want to get into a "shoot out" situation with the Chargers, but rather keep the ball on the ground, run the clock and control the time of possession.

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.

Chiefs Raiders 2011 Rivalry Game

It's as good as it's going to get for the Kansas City Chiefs right now vs. the Oakland Raiders this Sunday as the Raiders are limping around on a hobbled quarterback position. Recently, the Oakland Raiders lost their starting quarterback Jason Campbell to a painful collar bone snap, and this left them with their less-than-proven backup in Kyle Boller. As expected, the Raiders quickly snapped up Carson Palmer from the Bengals, which was an easy task considering that Palmer had told the Bengals at the beginning of the year that he would "not set foot inside Paul Brown Stadium again" and he also stated that he "has 80 million dollars in the bank" and that he does not have to play football for money any more.

It was speculated in the beginning looking at the Chiefs Raiders 2011 rival game that Carson Palmer would not be ready to participate in the game, but now sources are not ruling out the possibility. This leaves the Chiefs in an interesting position as the Raiders are forced to choose between a sub-par quarterback in Kyle Boller to start or a quarter back in Carson Palmer who has literally been on the Raiders for less than one week and with no time to prepare would be a risky start. Who will start at QB for the Raiders vs the Chiefs on Sunday? We will keep you posted...

The only thing we can focus on right now is what we do know:

Darren McFadden can REALLY run the ball. We have to stop him. Matt Cassel and the Chiefs passing game has been in a brief renaissance period and we need that to continue. We've got to get Steve Breaston involved across the middle and get some tasty passes up top for Dwayne Bowe. Finally, we're going to have to run the ball. Hopefully Jackie Battle can put up similar numbers to his performance last week and Thomas Jones can bash through the Oakland Raiders defensive line for some crucial 3rd down conversions. There are two X factors at play in this rivalry match up as well; Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson need to create an extremely uncomfortable environment for whoever the Oakland QB is, cause turnovers and stop the run. The other X factor is a hobbled Janikowski, the Raiders kicker, who is trying to recover from a hamstring injury. There is no need to mention that the kicking game usually comes into play when the Chiefs play the Raiders.

Chiefs 9/11 Tribute Sunday Sept 11th

For all of you Chiefs fans who are attending the Chiefs season opener this sunday September 11th, the Chiefs are asking that you please take your seats 20-30 minutes before kickoff (noon) because they are going to be doing a special pre game program dedicated to those who served and those who passed during 9/11 2001.

All of the NFL teams playing on Sunday will be doing a similar program and tribute and they will be switching the television feed back and forth through all of the stadiums. We want to be sure that when the camera switches over to Arrowhead that the stadium is full and that the Kansas City Chiefs fans are dedicated and respectful of the 9/11 program that they will be putting on.

For any of you out there who might be going to your first Chiefs game on Sunday, September 11th, you should know that the pre game shows are one of the best parts of the Arrowhead Stadium experience! Everything from the on-field entertainment to the military jet fly over is something that you just have to experience. All players in the NFL will be allowed to wear special 9/11 tributes on their jerseys, shoes, gloves, etc. in remembrance of the events of 9/11. The show will most assuredly be a great one, music, fireworks, who knows. So if you can, let's all try to make a good showing for Kansas City and get to our seats 20-30 minutes before noon to make a great impression on the rest of the country, thank you from Kansas City News.

Chiefs Roster Cuts 2011

This has to be a tough day for Chiefs coaches, it's always hard to fire someone. If you've never had to do it, you should consider yourself lucky because there is no easy way to take someone's job, life goal and dream away in a short meeting. But the Kansas City Chiefs must make roster cuts to get their roster down from 80 players to 53 by 5pm today.

So far, the Chiefs roster cuts include:

OL Chris Harr, Safety Reshard Langford, Linebacker Micah Johnson, Linebacker Pierre Walters, Guard Mike Ingersoll, Fullback Shane Bannon, and Tight End Charlie Gantt, Nose Tackle Harold Ayodele, Linebacker Justin Cole, Fullback Mike Cox, Defensive Tackle Dion Gales, Defensive Tackle Bobby Greenwood, Offensive Guard Darryl Harris, Wide Receiver Jeremy Horne, Linebacker Amara Kamara, Wide Receiver Quinten Lawrence, Offensive Guard Butch Lewis, Wide Receiver Zeke Markshausen, Tackle David Mims, Defensive End Luke Patterson, Defensive Back Ricky Price, Tight End Cody Slate, Nose Tackle Anthony Toribio, Wide Receiver Verran Tucker, Linebacker Pierre Walters, and Defensive Back Demond Washington.

Also, Tony Moeaki and Linebacker Gabe Miller have been placed on injured reserves.

This completes the Chiefs roster cuts for 2011.

Chiefs Home Opener 2011 Bills

The Kansas City Chiefs preseason is a little different than other NFL team's preseason - if you haven't been able to tell that already. But that will all be over soon and September 11th, 2011 will be upon us and the Chiefs home opener against the Buffalo Bills will be happening at Arrowhead Stadium.

The anticipation level for the Kansas City Chiefs hasn't been this high since the 90's, and Jamaal Charles is being gobbled up by fantasy football owners in the first round. Even Madden NFL 12 has given the Chiefs an admirable boost in player ratings this season.

Although not as exciting as last year's Chiefs home opener on Monday night vs. the Chargers, the 2011 Chiefs home opener will be Kansas City's first look at the real 2011 Kansas City Chiefs and what game plan they have in store for their more difficult 2011 schedule. There is no doubt that the Chiefs plan to implement more of a dependable and productive passing game, drafting Jonathan Baldwin in the first round and picking up Steve Breaston in the off season. We're all hoping that Matt Cassel is up to the task and can keep the heat off the running game that should carry us deep into the playoffs this year.

The home opener at Arrowhead on Sunday September 11th will get us back in full football mode with an air force fly-by, The KC All Stars performing on the main stage, a great new stadium to enjoy, and most of all, a good day to be a Kansas City Chiefs fan. See you there!

Breaking Down the Chiefs' WR Position

The Kansas City Chiefs have made an effort to surround QB Matt Cassel with more weapons to work with, including an upgraded receiving corps. The Chiefs already boast one of the top rushing attacks in the league, and if the team can find some consistency and explosiveness with its wideouts, Kansas City will likely have one of the best offenses in the NFL.

Dwayne Bowe finally delivered the type of performance Kansas City fans thought he was capable of last year, earning a pro bowl bid after a monster regular season. While Bowe produced like a bona fide top WR, Kansas City struggled to find other receivers to take some of the heat off him and spread the field. The Chiefs upgraded their receiver corps this offseason by signing Steve Breaston, who has been productive in his first few seasons in the league. If Breaston can stay healthy, he should have a strong first season in Kansas City.

Since Breaston will likely be used more as a slot receiver, the attention now turns to who will start on the outside opposite of Bowe. The Chiefs selected Jonathan Baldwin in the first round of the draft, and by all accounts, the rookie has been impressive so far in camp. However, Kansas City currently has Jerheme Urban listed as the starter opposite of Bowe. Urban showed a lot of promise in Arizona before missing last season with a broken hand, and his experience could help him get the nod over Baldwin early in the season. No matter who starts, expect both to be mixed into the passing game with Bowe, Breaston and tight end Tony Moeaki.

Kansas City will likely keep Terrance Copper as the team's fifth receiver due to his ability on special teams and may keep Jeremy Horne as a sixth receiver. Horne, who signed with the Chiefs as an rookie free agent in 2010, spent last season on the team's practice squad.

Chiefs Sign Amon Gordon

In an effort to add some much-needed depth to its defensive line, the Kansas City Chiefs have signed free agent Amon Gordon. Gordon has been a bit of a journeyman in his NFL career, having played with the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks.

Gordon has made four starts and seen action in 17 games in his pro career. The former fifth round pick out of Stanford has 36 career tackles and a forced fumble.

The 6'2, 305 lb. lineman should provide some good competition for Tyson Jackson, who has had some motivational issues in the past. By all accounts, Jackson has showed up for camp this season in great shape and could be poised to live up to the hype that surrounded him when the Chiefs selected him third overall in the 2009 draft. This is a make or break season for Jackson, and the Chiefs were smart to pick up a little insurance should the former LSU star once again fail to live up to expectations.

Chiefs Signed Brandon Carr And Justin Houstin

After signing OLB Tamba Hali to a five year deal, Kansas City only had two key free agents left to sign and get into camp. The Chiefs have now reached terms with cornerback Brandon Carr and rookie LB Justin Houston, putting Kansas City at full strength on the defensive side of the ball.

Carr has started every game at corner for the Chiefs over the past three seasons, pairing with Brandon Flowers to form one of the best cornerback tandums in the league. Yesterday, Carr signed his restricted free agent tender, and will join the team in camp shortly. After agreeing to terms with Carr, Kansas City added more depth to its defensive backfield, signing safety Sabby Piscitelli.

Kansas City finally came to terms with rookie Justin Houston, making the former Georgia star the last rookie to sign with the team. Houston's four year deal is worth around 2.8 million dollars, a bargain for a player many thought was talented enough to be drafted in the first round. Kansas City is counting on Houston to provide a much-needed pass rush opposite of Hali, who has been the team's only consistent threat to opposing quarterbacks.

Chiefs Sign Tamba Hali To Five Year Deal

The Chiefs have signed OLB Tamba Hali to a new five year deal worth 60 million, making the Chiefs star one of the highest paid pass rushers in the league. According to sources, 35 million of the contract will be guaranteed.

This has been a long time coming for Hali, who has quietly developed into one of the best pass rushers in the league. Hali led the AFC with 14.5 sacks last season, and has been extremely consistent since being drafted 20th overall from Penn State in 2006.

The deal was absolutely necessary for Kansas City, and the Chiefs were smart to lock up Hali for the rest of his prime. The team doesn't have much of a pass rush without Hali - Wallace Gilberry placed second on the team in sacks last season with seven. As we learned last season, teams cannot reach the Superbowl without a strong pass rush, and a player like Hali makes the entire defense better.

Hali could join the team's practice today, as could Gilberry, who also recently signed. Kansas City has signed all of its top defensive players but two - CB Brandon Carr and rookie LB Justin Houston.

Breaking Down the Chiefs' Schedule

Kansas City surprised the NFL last season with a remarkable turnaround, transforming from one of the league's worst teams into the AFC West champions. Kansas City has made a lot of good moves this offseason, and its younger players will be more experienced when the 2011 season starts. Despite all the signs that this could be a special year for Kansas City, many NFL pundits think the Chiefs won't even be back in the postseason, and for good reason: the Chiefs face a brutal schedule.

Many NFL coaches like to break down their teams' schedule into four segments, so that is what we will do here. In the first segment, Kansas City has two winnable home games against the Bills and the Vikings, and two tough road games against the Chargers and Lions. If the Chiefs want another shot at a playoff run, the team likely needs to win three of these games (since the later portion of the schedule is chalked full of playoff teams). Kansas City should take care of Minnesota and Buffalo at Arrowhead, and a split of San Diego and Detroit doesn't seem that far-fetched.

In Kansas City's second schedule segment, the team faces three AFC opponents it hasn't had very much luck against recently. Apart from a bye week, the Chiefs play the Colts and Raiders on the road, and San Diego at home. Kansas City will likely need to win two of these games to sniff the postseason, which could be asking a lot. The team finishes this portion with a home game against Miami, who will have one of the best defenses in the league. A winnable game, but the Dolphins will be a tough out next season.

Kansas City opens its third schedule segment hosting Denver, a game the Chiefs should win. However, things get a lot tougher, as the team then travels to New England to face the Patriots and hosts last season's AFC champion, Pittsburgh. Next, Kansas City travels to Chicago to take on the NFC runner-up Bears. The Bears have had a poor offseason and were a lucky team last year, and the game in Chicago should be one Kansas City can steal. If it can split between New England and Pittsburgh, the Chiefs could be in great shape. That is a gigantic"if" though.

The final portion of the Chiefs schedule could be even tougher than the third segment, as Kansas City opens with a trip to New York to face the Jets. You may not like all the talking New York does, but the team will have one of the best defenses in the league, and there is a reason why they have made the last two AFC championship games despite starting one of the worst QBs in the league. After the Jets, Kansas City hosts last year's Super Bowl champion. Being in Kansas City gives the Chiefs a better shot at knocking off Green Bay, but the Packers could very well be even better next season. The Chiefs final two games are both winnable, which is good because Kansas City could very likely need to win both to qualify for the playoffs. The team hosts Oakland before wrapping up the regular season on the road in Denver.

The Chiefs will likely be a better team next season, however the team's win-loss record may not reflect that. On paper, Kansas City's schedule looks like one of the toughest in the league, and the team will likely need to pull a few upsets for another shot at a postseason run.

Chiefs Sign First Round Pick Jonathan Baldwin, Several Free Agents

Kansas City has signed its first round pick from the 2011 draft. The Chiefs reached terms with WR Jonathan Baldwin, inking the former Pittsburgh star to a four year deal with an option for a fifth season.

While the news was expected, the Chiefs can breath a sigh of relief now that the team doesn't have to suffer through a messy holdout from its top draft selection. Despite being a rookie, Baldwin is expected to be an immediate contributor to Kansas City's offense, pairing with pro bowler Dwayne Bowe and the newly acquired Steve Breaston to give the Chiefs one of the strongest WR corps it has had in years.

Signing Baldwin means that Kansas City has now come to terms with every one of its draft picks except Justin Houston. Houston, a defensive end selected in the third round out of Georgia, was expected to contend for some serious playing time this season, and should be a priority for the Chiefs now that Baldwin is signed.

Apart from Breaston, the Chiefs also announced several other roster additions - all players who played for Kansas City last year. The team will be bringing back center Casey Wiegmann, tight end Leonard Pope, wide receiver Terrance Copper, running back Jackie Battle, safety Jon McGraw, cornerback Travis Daniels and tackle Ryan O'Callaghan. Fullback Mike Cox signed his restricted free agent tender, while safety Reshard Langford signed an exclusive rights free agent tender. The team released 2008 third round pick Brad Cottam, who was unable to recover from a serious vertebra injury sustained in 2009.