Chiefs Release Tackle Eric Winston

Just days after placing the franchise tag on left tackle Branden Albert, the Chiefs have released right tackle Eric Winston.  The release may signal that the team is heavily leaning towards drafting a tackle with their first overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Winston had signed a four-year, $22 million contract with Kansas City a year ago, and this move saves the Chiefs $5.5 million in cash and $3.5 million in cap space. Winston, who was originally selected by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft, became one of the better right tackles in the league before the Chiefs made a move for him in last year’s free agency period. Winston had a decent season for Kansas City, but the Chiefs are looking to get younger, and Winston may not be a strong fit for new head coach Andy Reid’s man-on-man blocking system after spending his career in a zone scheme.

Winston became famous in Kansas City for criticizing Chiefs fans for cheering when quarterback Matt Cassel got injured in a game last season. Winston told the media he understood Kansas City’s decision, and was appreciative that they released him quickly so he could catch on with another team.

In response to his release, Winston called the move “philosophical” and also suggested that the team will likely draft an offensive lineman with its top overall pick. Most draft experts believe that Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel or Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher could be likely targets for Kansas City.

One issue the Chiefs may face if they draft Joeckel or Fisher is dealing with Albert, who has made it clear he does not want to move to the right side of the line. The team could try to trade Albert to a team that is desperate for a good left tackle, or convince him to move to right tackle or guard. The Chiefs also could keep Albert at left tackle and use Joeckel or Fisher on the right side of the line.

KCMB 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 Complete Deal To Acquire Alex Smith

It is official – the Chiefs and 49ers have reached a deal that will send quarterback Alex Smith to Kansas City. In the deal, the Chiefs gave up their second round pick (No. 34 overall) in this year’s NFL draft as well as a conditional pick in the 2014 draft.

 

Smith’s career got off to a rough start, but he has played well recently. In the 2011 season he threw 17 touchdowns against only five interceptions, leading the 49ers to the NFC title game. Smith was having an even better season in 2012, with a 104 QB rating through nine games before suffering a concussion against the St. Louis Rams. After he got hurt, Colin Kaepernick played well, and 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh stuck with the talented Kaepernick through the team’s run to the Super Bowl.

There is no question that the Chiefs needed help at quarterback, and Smith provides an upgrade to the position. The big question Chiefs fans are now wondering is this: did the team give up too much to acquire Smith?

The answer is yes. Smith is a good player, but the Chiefs are not in win-now territory. The team was the worst franchise in football last year, and will need a year or two of rebuilding to get back to playoff contention. The 34th pick in the draft is extremely valuable, as well as a mid-round pick in 2014.

The move to get Smith makes sense – there aren’t any great QB prospects in this year’s draft. The staff likely felt Smith gave them the best chance of winning over Geno Smith or Matt Barkley, and Alex will be 29-years-old when the season starts (so he has several years of football left in him). It just seems like the Chiefs could have acquired Smith at a cheaper price, especially since it has become clear he is firmly the backup to Kaepernick in San Francisco.

The Chiefs could still take a quarterback in the draft and groom them for the future. The team may gamble on Geno Smith with the top pick, or attempt to trade down several spots in the first round and take a quarterback then. Kansas City also could take a chance on a project later in the draft, but losing their second-round pick gives the team less flexibility. Most feel that the team isn’t sold on any QBs in this year’s draft, and will instead take a player like Texas A&M tackle Luke Joeckel and attempt to find a young QB in the future.

With the acquisition of Smith, it appears that Kansas City will release Matt Cassel. Cassel is due $7.75 million in 2013.

KCMB 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 Close To Acquiring 49ers Quarterback Alex Smith

According to multiple reports, the Kansas City Chiefs have a deal that is nearly completed to acquire San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. Any deal involving Smith cannot officially take place until March 12, when the new league year begins.

Smith’s story was well documented this past season due to the emergence of Colin Kaepernick during the 49ers run to the Super Bowl. After a strong 2011 season in which he threw 17 touchdowns against only five interceptions, Smith was having an even better season in 2012 – enjoying a 104 QB rating through nine games before suffering a concussion against the St. Louis Rams. Kaepernick played well in Smith’s absence, and head coach Jim Harbaugh stuck with the young QB instead of Smith all the way up through the 49ers loss in the Super Bowl to the Baltimore Ravens.

The Chiefs’ most glaring need is at quarterback, and many thought the team would draft a QB with its top overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft. However, this draft does not have any quarterback prospects that deserve to go number one overall, and many reports have indicated that Kansas City is moreinterested in drafting Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel.

If the Chiefs trade for Smith, there are two paths the team can take. Kansas City could make Smith the starting quarterback and still draft a QB like Geno Smith or Matt Barkley with the top pick, grooming the young signal caller for the future similar to how the Packers brought along Aaron Rodgers. The Chiefs could also make Smith the starter and spend its top pick on an impact offensive or defensive lineman, and select a QB later in the draft or next season. Acquiring Smith certainly gives the team options.

Is Smith a good fit for Kansas City? He rarely turns the ball over and has excelled in a scheme in San Francisco that emphasizes conservative passes and running the football. With the dynamic Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs are built to be a run-first offense, and Smith could give the Chiefs just what they need – a steady quarterback who limits mistakes. The downside to Smith is that he struggled his entire career in San Francisco until a championship-level team was built around him. As Matt Cassel proved, an average QB can look good with a strong team around him, and Smith will not have the talent supporting him that he enjoyed in San Francisco.

KCMB 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.

Why The Chiefs Should Sign Alex Smith

Alex Smith, the San Francisco 49ers’ former starting quarterback, has asked for his release before the NFL’s free agency period begins on March 12. Smith was enjoying a strong season for the 49ers before being benched in favor of Colin Kaepernick. The Chiefs are rumored to be one of several teams who are interested in pursuing Smith, which makes sense. Signing Smith would be a great move by new general manager John Dorsey.

First, let’s look at Smith. The former top overall pick struggled early in his career, often getting benched and never living up to his lofty draft status. However, over the past few seasons, he has grown into an efficient quarterback who rarely makes a big mistake. In the eight games he played this season, Smith compiled a 104.1 passer rating. Had that held up for an entire season, it would have finished as the third highest rating in the league this past season behind only Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning.

Smith has been labeled by many as a glorified game manager, but that wouldn’t be a bad fit with Kansas City. With the dynamic Jamaal Charles in the prime of his career, the Chiefs should be a run-first team in the near future. Matt Cassel’s turnovers completely derailed the offense last season, and Smith can provide the Chiefs with efficient, mistake-free football.

Many Chiefs fans feel the team should draft a quarterback with its top overall draft pick, but this simply is not a good draft class for quarterbacks. The team could massively upgrade its offensive or defensive line with the firstoverall pick if it gets Smith in free agency, and then decide to draft a quarterback next year or in the later rounds of the draft. Kansas City could also sign Smith and still draft its quarterback of the future. Smith will likely be available for a decent price, and his presence would allow the Chiefs to bring along its new quarterback slowly.

One of the biggest mistakes Scott Pioli made during his reign of terror as Kansas City’s GM was not investing into the quarterback position apart from his initial signing of Matt Cassel. The Chiefs may or may draft their QB of the future in April, but either way, they should sign Alex Smith.

KCMB 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 Officially Introduce Andy Reid As Head Coach

The Chiefs officially introduced Andy Reid as the team’s head coach this afternoon, ending a short search that brought the former Philadelphia coach to Kansas City within a matter of days. Now that the ink on Reid’s five year deal is dry, Chiefs fans can turn their attention to several burning matters that Reid must address.

For starters, Reid will have to decide who will be the team’s general manager, an integral piece of rebuilding the team’s roster. The Chiefs have the first overall pick in this year’s draft, and thus will have a pick at the start of each round in the draft as well. This provides the franchise with an excellent opportunity to instantly inject young talent into the roster, as the weak drafting by Scott Pioli was one of the leading causes to the downward spiral the team has been on over the past two seasons. Kansas City also needs to do a better job in free agency, as the team has badly whiffed on several signings while losing valuable veterans such as Brandon Carr.

While the GM is the first step to the puzzle, Reid also must decide how to assemble his new staff. The former Eagles coach was heavily criticized in Philadelphia for some extremely questionable hires at defensive coordinator, and the offensive-minded Reid will likely need to find an experienced coach he can trust to run the defense.

Finally, Reid must figure out what to do with the quarterback position. Reid has constantly had a good quarterback on his roster, whether it was Brett Favre while he was an assistant in Green Bay, or Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick during his tenure as head coach for Philadelphia. If the team does select a quarterback with its top overall pick, Reid and his staff will have to devout time and energy to helping the player develop. If the Chiefs decide to move in a different direction, Reid and his new GM will be forced to find a veteran who will provide a significant upgrade from Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn. That shouldn’t be hard to do, as there are several good veteran quarterbacks looking for a starting shot this offseason.

Reid has a lot of work to do, and Chiefs fans should be excited that a new era has begun in Kansas City. The next several weeks will be interesting to watch.

KCMB 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 Fire Scott Pioli

After four disappointing seasons, Scott Pioli has been fired from his position as general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. The move comes with the expected news that the Chiefs will hire former Eagles head coach Andy Reid, and that Reid will be choosing a GM.

Pioli was a massive flop for the Chiefs, who thought they were getting a top-flight GM when they acquired him from the Patriots. In New England, Pioli was a five-time NFL Executive of the Year and served as the top front-office assistant to head coach and general manager Bill Belickick.

During Pioli’s tenure in Kansas City, the Chiefs compiled a 23-41 record. Both of his coaching hires – Todd Haley and Romeo Crennel – didn’t pan out, as Pioli famously feuded with Haley during the coach’s final season. Pioli’s style also frustrated coaches and players, as he was accused of bugging phones in team offices and other secretive behaviors.

It was Pioli’s personnel decisions that were the biggest red flag during his tenure in Kansas City. Pioli made several ill-fated moves, most notably trading a second-round pick to the New England for quarterback Matt Cassel and then signing him to a $63 million contract. Pioli also made several other puzzling moves – he traded Kansas City icon Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta for a second-round pick that he used on Javier Arenas and signed several veterans such as Stanford Rout that were disasters. Pioli also drafted extremely poorly, and as a result, the team found itself with paper-thin depth the past couple of seasons.

It was obvious that Pioli had to go, and the Chiefs should have cut ties with the GM much earlier. Kansas City needs to find someone who can build the team through the draft and create a roster with depth at every position. Hopefully, the GM that Reid brings in will be able to get things turned around.

KCMB 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.

2013 NFL Draft - What If The Chiefs Don't Take A Quarterback With Their Top Pick?

With only two games remaining in the 2012 NFL season, Kansas City is guaranteed to have one of the top two picks in the 2013 NFL draft and is a heavy favorite to land the top overall pick. Many draft experts feel the Chiefs will take a quarterback with their first-round pick, as the team desperately needs an upgrade over Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn.

While the Chiefs will certainly address the QB position this off-season, they may not do it via their top draft pick. Geno Smith and Matt Barkley are the consensus top two QBs in the draft, however many feel that both are not worthy of being the top pick in the draft. The combination of Smith and Barkley doesn’t appear to be in the same league of Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, the quarterbacks who went one-two last year and are both enjoying fantastic rookie seasons.

So what are the Chiefs’ choices? For starters, they could bring in a veteran QB for this season and take a shot on a QB later in the draft or wait until next year. Seattle used this strategy last off-season, signing veteran backup Matt Flynn from the Green Bay Packers and drafting Russell Wilson in the third round. Several veteran quarterbacks such as Alex Smith or Michael Vick will be looking for a new starting opportunity this off-season, and the Chiefs might feel better about grabbing one on a bargain deal and finding a QB later in the draft or taking a chance on one next season.

If the Chiefs do elect not to take Smith or Barkley at number one, they would have several options. First, they could attempt to trade down and a quire more picks, however it might be hard to find a suitor. The team could massively upgrade both its offensive or defensive line with Texas A&M OT Luke Joeckel, Utah DT Star Lotulelei, Ohio State DT Johnathan Hankins or Florida State DE Bjoern Werner. The team could also acquire a pass rusher, although this may be a lower priority with former pro bowler Tamba Hali and Justin Houston on the team (the latter has developed into a good NFL starter).

The question for the next Chiefs General Manager will be this: Is Smith or Barkley worth taking with the top pick in the draft? Chiefs fans will have to wait until the end of the season to see which direction the team is leaning.

KCMB 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.

Kansas City Chiefs - Carolina Panthers Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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 Lose To Bengals

The Chiefs only fueled their reputation as the worst team in the NFL on Sunday, getting hammered by the Cincinnati Bengals, 28-6. The loss drops Kansas City to 1-9 on the season, and the team keeps moving closer towards acquiring the top draft pick in next year’s NFL draft.

Arrowhead stadium was only about half-full for this one, and many fans dressed in all black in attempts to send a message to ownership to clean house in the front office and coaching staff. Chiefs fans are right on the money – Scott Pioli has completely failed as the Chiefs GM and Romeo Crennel is a failed NFL coach who should have never been given another opportunity to lead an NFL franchise. Kudos to Kansas City fans for taking strong measures to voice their displeasure and making a stand.

The game itself was pretty much what most expected – Kansas City’s passing offense completely bombed and failed to complement another strong game from Jamaal Charles. Matt Cassel put up poor stats in the first half, and Brady Quinn failed to do any better in the second half. The Chiefs only committed one turnover all game – a Peyton Hillis fumble that didn’t cost the team any points when the Bengals missed a long field goal. The problem was Kansas City didn’t force any turnovers, and this team simply cannot be competitive when it loses the turnover battle.

Defensively, the Chiefs let Andy Dalton pick the secondary apart all game, consistently moving the chains with quick throws to his talented receivers. A.J. Green had a big day receiving, and running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis had his best game of the season. Kansas City’s special teams even let the team down, as the Bengals converted a fake punt early in the game that lead to their go-ahead touchdown.

Kansas City is getting closer and closer to the top pick in the 2013 NFL draft. Not only are the Chiefs bad, they are banged up – both wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and left tackle Branden Albert left Sunday’s game with an injury. It looks like Chiefs fans now need to be concerned with three things: who will coach the team next year, who will be the team’s GM and which quarterback will the team select early in the draft?

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.

Kansas City Chiefs - Cincinnati Bengals Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Kansas City Chiefs - Pittsburgh Steelers Preview

Monday night football seems like a really bad idea for the Kansas City Chiefs, who have been an absolute disaster this season and are currently tied for the worst record in the NFL. The entire country will get to watch the Chiefs take on a strong Pittsburgh Steelers team that hasn’t lost a Monday night home game in over 20 years.

The biggest storyline regarding Monday night’s game is former Chiefs coach Todd Haley facing off against his former team. Haley was fired during the season last year, despite leading the Chiefs to a division title the previous season and maintaining a decent product on the field despite a slew of devastating injuries. Chiefs fans now know the truth – Haley simply did not get along with Scott Pioli, who has quickly established a reputation as one of the worst general managers in professional football. Many fans wish Haley was still the head coach, as Romeo Crennel has looked absolutely clueless running the ship this season and has to shoulder a good portion of the blame for the team’s terrible first half of the season.

Matt Cassel will get the start at quarterback, and actually has played decently since returning to the starting role when Brady Quinn went down with an injury. The Chiefs lead the league with 29 turnovers, which has been the biggest factor in their historically bad season. Pittsburgh’s defense has played well recently, and the team will have to play mistake-free football in order to put enough points on the board to win.

The Steelers got off to a poor start this season, but have since rallied to win three in a row. Last week, the team defeated the reigning Superbowl champion New York Giants, and the offense seems to be clicking under Haley and veteran Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh defeated Kansas City last season, 13-9.

The Steelers are banged up and missing a few key players and it is entirely possible that they will overlook the Chiefs a bit. Expect Kansas City to put up a better fight than most predict, but winning a Monday night game in Pittsburgh will require a near-perfect performance to pull off.

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.

Will The Chiefs Take A QB In The First Round Of The 2013 NFL Draft?

With both the college football and NFL seasons past their halfway point, Chiefs fans can begin to think about the upcoming draft. Currently, Kansas City is one of three teams with only one win this season (tied with the Jaguars and Panthers) and appear to be a lock for a top pick.

The biggest position Kansas City fans will be focused on is quarterback. Matt Cassel has been a disaster this season, and Brady Quinn failed to play any better in his limited playing time. In today’s NFL, you simply cannot win without a good quarterback – the most recent Superbowl winners include Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Really in the last 20 or so years, the only two quarterbacks who won the Superbowl that weren’t considered “elite” were Brad Johnson and Trent Dilfer, and both were efficient, mistake-free players who had the top defense in the league. The Chiefs haven’t drafted a quarterback in the first round since 1983, when the team famously picked Todd Blackledge over future hall of famers Jim Kelly and Dan Marino. While Kansas City has had some success bringing in veterans, such as Joe Montana and Trent Green, many feel it is time for the team to draft and develop a quarterback.

At QB, two names have dominated the discussion – Geno Smith and Matt Barkley. Earlier this season, it appeared that Smith was the frontrunner for the Heisman trophy, however West Virginia has struggled since getting blown out by Kansas State. Still, Smith has completed an astonishing 74 percent of his passes while only throwing two interceptions, and his athleticism could be a weapon at the next level. While there are some questions about his accuracy, Smith is extremely talented and will go early in the first round.

Barkley is considered to be more of a finished product, playing in what is his third season as USC’s starting quarterback. Barkley has played well, however many believe he should have done more this season with a bevy of future NFL players around him. USC has struggled this season and Barkley has been given a lot of blame for the team’s failure to meet expectations.

If the team picks up a few wins down the stretch and can’t get either Smith or Barkley, Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson would be an option. Wilson has become arguably the best quarterback in the SEC and has good size and an NFL-caliber arm, and is expected to go somewhere in the top 10 after Smith and Barkley.

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.

Chargers Blow Out Chiefs - Pioli & Crennel Must Go

The latest embarrassing episode of the Chiefs 2012 season came last night, when Kansas City was throttled on national television by their division rivals, the San Diego Chargers. The team committed four turnovers and let the game slip away in a disastrous fourth quarter, in which the Chiefs were outscored 2103.

Turnovers have been the biggest problem for the Chiefs all season, and the stats at this point are comical. Quarterback Matt Cassel has more turnovers than every team in the NFL save the Dallas Cowboys, despite missing nearly two games’ worth of action due to injury. As a team, the Chiefs have committed more turnovers in the first eight games of the season than any NFL team in the last 15 years. When you can’t protect the football and routinely give the other team great field position, you are going to lose.

Last night’s game was bad, but it is time for Kansas City Chiefs fans to look at the bigger picture here. The Chiefs General Manager, Scott Pioli, has completely failed. Pioli has drafted poorly and missed on most first and second round picks, has made poor free-agent signings and has assembled a team that is not very good. Throw in a coach who appears to be clueless, and you have a recipe for disaster. Why exactly did Romeo Crennel get another head coaching opportunity after being terrible in Cleveland? Because he beat a Green Bay team last year that had wrapped up a home field advantage and had nothing to play for? Romeo Crennel is a better option than Todd Haley, who won the division three years ago and kept a depleted roster competitive last season? The list of poor decisions this franchise has made just goes on and on.

The team needs to absolutely clean house and spend some money to find a solid GM and coach. The good news is that Kansas City should have some high picks in next year’s draft. The Chiefs need to trade the veterans that don’t want to be here anymore (Dwayne Bowe) for draft picks and give the next GM something to work with.

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 Lose Another Home Game To The Raiders

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Kansas City Chiefs - Oakland Raiders Preview

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

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

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

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

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 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.

Kansas City Chiefs - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Kansas City Chiefs - Baltimore Ravens Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.