Matt Cassel Appendectomy Injury Report for Chiefs

Matt Cassel Has Appendectomy Surgery - Injury Report for The Kansas City Chiefs
by Kansas City News

Today the question about why Matt Cassel was suddenly absent from Wednesday's practice was answered when it was reported from The Chiefs camp that Cassel had an emergency Appendectomy this afternoon.  Cassel, who has been performing great on the field for the Chiefs of late will likely miss up to 4 weeks due to this injury.  At the very least he will miss this Sunday's game when the Chiefs play the San Diego Chargers - a must win game for the Chiefs.  According to medical sports experts, the earliest that a player has returned from an appendectomy was 10 days, but the injury should likely sideline a player for up to 4 weeks.

While we are all happy that Cassel will be okay, this will surely affect the outcome of the game against San Diego this Sunday.  Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones will really have to step up and carry The Chiefs to a victory this week.  With Cassel out, Chiefs backup quarterback Brody Croyle will be the starter.  Croyle has not thrown a pass in regular season this year, while Matt Cassel has thrown for 2503 yards, with an astonishing 23 - 4 touchdown / interception ratio with a passer rating of 98.4.

The Chiefs officially gave Cassel a 50% chance of starting once the news of his appendectomy was announced, but this statistic is very doubtful according to medical experts.

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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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.

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

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.

Matt Cassel to Start on Sunday vs. St. Louis

Matt Cassel to Start on Sunday vs. St. Louis
by Kansas City News

I'm going to go ahead and call it - after listening to coach Todd Haley's interview today it really looks like Matt Cassel is going to be a go for Sunday.  The Chiefs are looking at this game as the biggest game they have faced so far this year - not because of the weak ass Rams, but because the game means so much now that the 49rs couldn't figure out how to stop the Chargers.  I don't want to hear any more about how great the 49rs defense is - NO GOOD - they suck ass.

We will be the first news source to announce the starting of Matt Cassel, and we hope that Matt feels well on Sunday and can lead us to victory.  Further into the interview today Haley mentions that he is preparing "multiple quarterbacks" for Sunday, showing us that he does not trust Brody Croyle and that he is probably taking applicants from people on the street to play the QB role for the Chiefs.

No matter who is playing QB this week, we need to throw the ball early and often so that the St. Louis defense doesn't get comfortable early in keying on our running game - like we did vs the Chargers last Sunday - sheesh - let's just telegraph exactly what we're going to do - idiots.  The Chiefs running game shouldn't even be featured until the 2nd quarter at the earliest.

Matt Cassel Doubtful, Brady Quinn Likely To Start Against Tampa Bay

Matt Cassel’s concussion injury sustained on Sunday means he is doubtful for the Chiefs next game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Thus, the Chiefs are entering practice this week planning on starting Brady Quinn.

Chiefs fans have been screaming for Cassel to be benched for weeks, and now they finally will get to see a new QB under center. While head coach Romeo Crennel has not officially ruled Cassel out, the quarterback’s injury and poor play make Quinn the likely starter this weekend. Before getting hurt, Cassel was in the midst of one of the worst statistical seasons a quarterback has had this season, throwing for a league-leading nine interceptions with a quarterback rating of only 66.2.

Brady Quinn’s arrival in Kansas City this offseason brought a great deal of intrigue, and now we are seeing why. Cassel has struggled with both injuries and inconsistent play over the past couple of seasons, meaning that whoever won the Chiefs’ backup quarterback position would have a great opportunity to play. After a stellar career at the University of Notre Dame, Quinn was selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Quinn has struggled to find playing time in his six year NFL career, throwing for a paltry 1,934 yards with 10 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a lowly 67.3 quarterback rating. Kansas City fans are hoping that he can live up to the potential that made him a first round draft pick, but the play over his career should not inspire anyone with a great deal of confidence.

The good news for the Chiefs is that Brady is a traditional quarterback like Cassel, which means the offense does not need to make any drastic changes (as it did when Tyler Thigpen took over at quarterback several seasons ago). Tampa Bay has one of the weaker pass defenses in the NFL, which means Brady should have a good opportunity to get comfortable and have a decent game.

Kansas City fans even went as far as to fly a banner over Arrowhead Stadium calling for Cassel’s benching. Now, they will get to see if Quinn can do any better.

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

Chief's Passing Game - Receivers to Blame

Much talk around Kansas City this week has focused on the play of Chief's QB Matt Cassel. Cassel has not come close to living up to his enormous contract and has been average at best in his short time in Kansas City. However, blaming all of the Chief's passing woes on Cassel is wrong - Kansas City's mediocre receiving corps should shoulder most of the blame.

Until Cassel has a legitimate number one receiver, it is impossible to fully analyze his accomplishments. The Chiefs spent a first round pick on WR Dwayne Bowe, who has, to put it mildly, failed to live up to expectations. Bowe's drop of an easy touchdown catch against the Colts (that would have given the Chiefs a fourth quarter lead) has prompted SI's Peter King to name him the goat of the week. This is the Chief's best wideout? Chris Chambers has all but dissapeared this season as well, leaving Cassel with little to work with with his receivers.

Despite the poor numbers, the Chiefs do have some hope to improve in the passing department. Rookie tight end Tony Moeaki looks like a futre Tony Gonzalez, and has produced at a high level while also providing a few eye-popping grabs. The Chiefs have playmakers who can do a lot after the catch like Dexter McCluster and Jamaal Charles, and the team's strong running game should keep the passing game open.

The team needs to address its problem at receiver quickly for Matt Cassel to have any chance to be a legitimate NFL QB. Until he has the proper talent at wideout, Cassel's performance grade remains an "incomplete."

Chiefs Chargers 2011 Kansas City News

The Chiefs Chargers rivalry continues today at 3:05pm when the banged up and limping Chiefs take on the San Diego Chargers in their home town. The Chiefs are playing with a skeleton crew after losing star running back Jamaal Charles, tight end Tony Moeaki and starting strong safety Eric Barry. With those players missing from the Kansas City Chiefs lineup, it doesn't leave much left on the field. Matt Cassel is an average quarterback at best, and although Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston and Jonathan Baldwin might be talented receivers, it doesn't matter if the quarterback can't get them the ball. Cassel made a few feeble attempts to throw the ball down the field last week vs the Lions, but Cassel's long pass attempts looked wobbly and weak and the receivers had to halt their route and turn around and come back to the floppy passes to try to make a catch. This is not the type of quarterback that you need to win games. Your team's quarterback should be able to throw the ball far down the field with zip and confidence or the opposing defenses will never respect the quarterback's arm and will be able to stack up against the run. It's that simple. As poorly as Cassel throws the ball, Jamaal Charles wouldn't have stood much of a chance anyway as defenses would have been keying on him heavily.

The Chargers are also a little banged up, with Antonio Gates injured and on the sideline for this match. Look for Vincent Jackson to make some big plays behind the arm of Philip Rivers, and possibly some rushing yards from 2nd year running back Ryan Matthews.

As always with Kansas City Chiefs football games, if the Chiefs can somehow get into the end zone first, they stand a better chance to stay in this game. But with the incredible passing skills of Philip Rivers, the Chiefs really don't stand a chance. The Chiefs continue to build towards the "Suck for Luck" losing campaign. If the Chiefs can manage to lose all of their games this year, they will get the first pick of the 2012 draft and have a shot at getting a real quarterback in Andrew Luck. Let's hope that happens as we need to get rid of Matt Cassel immediately.

Chiefs Name Brady Quinn Starting Quarterback

Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel has announced that Brady Quinn will start for Kansas City on Sunday, when the team plays rival Oakland. Matt Cassel has been cleared to play following his concussion injury against Baltimore; however Cassel’s poor play to start the year has earned him a spot on the bench.

Cassel has been an enormous disappointment this season, throwing for only five touchdowns next to nine interceptions and a 66.2 QB rating. His fumbles and interceptions have routinely forced the Chiefs defense to defend a short field, and has neutralized a successful ground attack lead by the dynamic Jamaal Charles. To make matters worse, Cassel signed a huge six year, $63 million contract when he was brought to Kansas City by GM Scott Pioli, which makes his poor play even more frustrating to Chiefs fans.

Enter Brady Quinn, the former first round pick out of Notre Dame who has only 393 career pass attempts. Quinn’s career rating is only 65.4, and he has actually produced worse stats than Cassel when he has seen the field for the Chiefs this season. Quinn has shown some flashes of the talent that led to the Browns drafting him in the first round, and Chiefs fans have to hope that Quinn will improve as he gets more playing time. Crennel has stated that he hopes this move helps shakes things up a bit, and that he plans on sticking with Quinn for the foreseeable future.

The Chiefs have stated they are not giving up on Cassel, but this move seems to signify that his days in Kansas City are numbered. Since enjoying a pretty good season two years ago, Cassel hasn’t played well and cannot stay healthy. Is Quinn the answer? Probably not, but he has shown some flashes of arm strength that Cassel seems to lack. Cassel’s contract and play will likely lead to his exit at the end of the year, and Quinn now has a second chance to earn an NFL starting job.

Many also believe that the Chiefs could take a quarterback in next year’s draft, especially if the team continues to lose and finds itself with a top-five pick. It is very likely that the Chiefs could resign Quinn this offseason and let him compete with and help groom a rookie quarterback when the 2013 season begins.

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

Chiefs Offense Rolls, Matt Cassel Doesn't Suck

What a Game! The Chiefs offense was near perfect in their dismantling of the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday afternoon. 503 total yards of offense, 41 minutes of possession, and a 42-24 final score. The game really wasn't close as Seattle scored 7 of their points on a blocked punt in the first half. No longer will this blogger use the keywords "Matt Cassel Sucks". His play the past few weeks has made a believer out of me. Of course the fact that Dwayne Bowe is playing out of his mind and Jamaal Charles continues his excellent play is helping the cause. Cassel threw for 233 yards and 4 TDs, three of them to Bowe. Dwayne Bowe also extending his franchise record string of games with a TD catch and the record for most TD receptions for a Chief in a season with 14 - there are still 5 regular season games on the schedule. Oh, and did I mention he also leads the League in TDs.

Then there is Jamaal Charles - second in the league in total rushing yards, and he doesn't even have the most carries on the team! He averages a stunning 6.3 yards/carry, more than a yard ahead of the League's leading rusher Arien Foster. He reminds of Marcus Allen, only much faster. He can squirt through the smallest of holes, or beat you with his speed around the outside.

The Chiefs remain 1 game ahead in the AFC West with little margin for error, what fun the remainder of the year will be. I think we can look for a beat down of gigantic proportions as the Broncos (and Todd Haley's Best Friend Josh McDaniels) come to town next Sunday in a rematch of the Chiefs worst game a few weeks ago.

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.

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

Chiefs Beat Packers, Regular Season Prediction

The Kansas City Chiefs finally got a preseason win, beating the Green Bay Packers 17-13 last night at Arrowhead Stadium. The preseason is finally over, which means Kansas City fans can officially look forward to the regular season.

Over the preseason, I felt like I was able to get a good grasp on the Chiefs strengths, weaknesses and possibilities. With that in mind, lets break down the teams game-by-game and take a look at the Cheifs' regular season schedule:

Week 1: San Diego Chargers

The Cheifs will put up a fight, but the Chargers have too much talent on both sides of the ball. LOSS

Week 2: @ Cleveland Browns
Chiefs get revenge from last season's debacle and hang on to win a close road victory

WIN

Week 3: San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have too much talent on defense, and Alex Smith may have moved past Matt Cassel in the QB picking order of the NFL. Sad isn't it?

LOSS

Week 5: @ Indianapolis Colts
This game is terrifying

LOSS

Week 6: @ Houston Texans
The Texans simply have a little more talent on both sides of the ball.
LOSS

Week 7: Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City matches up well with the Jags on defense. The offense and special teams should make the difference.
WIN

Week 8: Buffalo Bills
Chambers doesn't drop the sure touchdown this time. Kansas City simply has the better team
WIN

Week 9: # Oakland
Raiders finally have a decent quarterback. Feeling a split this year with the Raiders.
LOSS

Week 10: @ Denver
Mile High has been a house of horrors for the Chiefs
LOSS

Week 11: Arizona Cardinals
Matt Cassel will look like a superstar compared to the mess at QB for Arizona.
WIN

Week 12: @ Seattle Seahawks
The Seabirds lack talent, and seem to be hampered by injuries every year. This game is late, so...

WIN

Week 13: Denver Broncos
Chiefs repeat last year's home finale by running all over Denver again. Not even this guy will save the donkeys.
WIN

Week 14: @ San Diego Chargers
Meh
LOSS

Week 15: @ St. Louis Rams
You and I could lineup for WR for the Rams. Seriously lets do it.
WIN

Week 16: Tennessee Titans
Chiefs will struggle to stop the Titans potent ground attack
WIN

Week 17: Oakland Raiders

Last time I checked, Al Davis still owns this team.
WIN

All in all, the Cheifs have a very easy schedule (most pundits have deemed it the easiest schedule in the league) and have the chance to be competitive. If Cassel can recover from a poor preseason and the defense keeps improving, Kansas City will have a shot.

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.

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

Top QB Fantasy Draft Picks 2011

Here are the top QB fantasy draft picks for 2011 brought to you by Kansas City News:

Rank Player Team Bye
1 Aaron Rodgers GB 8
2 Tom Brady NE 7
3 Philip Rivers SD 6
4 Drew Brees NO 11
5 Peyton Manning* IND 11
6 Michael Vick PHI 7
7 Matt Ryan ATL 8
8 Tony Romo DAL 5
9 Ben Roethlisberger PIT 11
10 Matt Schaub HOU 11
11 Eli Manning NYG 7
12 Joe Flacco BAL 5
13 Sam Bradford STL 5
14 Josh Freeman TB 8
15 Matthew Stafford DET 9
16 Jay Cutler CHI 8
17 Kevin Kolb ARI 6
18 Kyle Orton DEN 6
19 Colt McCoy CLE 5
20 Mark Sanchez NYJ 8
21 Ryan Fitzpatrick BUF 7
22 Matt Cassel KC 6
23 Jason Campbell OAK 8
24 Donovan McNabb MIN 9
25 Chad Henne MIA 5
26 Matt Hasselbeck TEN 6
27 Cam Newton CAR 9
28 Andy Dalton CIN 7
29 Alex Smith SF 7
30 David Garrard JAC 9
31 Vince Young PHI 7
32 Jake Locker TEN 6
33 Christian Ponder MIN 9
34 Blaine Gabbert JAC 9
35 Colin Kaepernick SF 7
36 John Beck WAS 5
37 Rex Grossman WAS 5
38 Tarvaris Jackson SEA 6
39 Shaun Hill DET 9
40 Jon Kitna DAL 5
41 Bruce Gradkowski CIN 7
42 Charlie Whitehurst SEA 6
43 John Skelton ARI 6
44 Matt Flynn GB 8
45 Jimmy Clausen CAR 9
46 Matt Leinart HOU 11
47 Matt Moore MIA 5
48 Tim Tebow DEN 6
49 Tyler Thigpen BUF 7
50 Kerry Collins IND 11

That is the results of the top fantasy QB draft in 2011 brought to you by Kansas City News.

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

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

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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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 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 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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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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