Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 12/3

via media.kansascity.com

Good morning Chiefs fans. Looks like it's cold as all get out in KC, and I can tell you it's raining like no one's business out here in Jersey. Here's today's Chiefs news.

Winter arrived in Kansas City on Wednesday. Temperatures were in the 30s, with the wind blowing from the north-northwest, gusting at times to 20 mph. That pushed the wind chill down into the 20s.

But there were the Chiefs, a perfectly good – and heated – practice facility sitting empty as they practiced in the winter conditions.

And, there was there head coach Todd Haley, not a child of the beaches of southern California or the hot house of Florida, but of western Pennsylvania where it gets plenty cold, walking around during the nearly two-hour practice wearing shorts.

Putting Chill In The Chiefs … Thursday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

Eventually, false perceptions in the NFL get pancaked.

Brett Favre is too creaky to throw. Josh McDaniels is too young to coach.

And now there's this: The Kansas City Chiefs are difficult to beat at home in December.

Favre and McDaniels already have done their part to expose untruths pertaining to them. But for all the talk this week of how difficult it is to beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in the season's final full month, the truth is they haven't won a December home game in almost three years.

True, the Chiefs once were all but unbeatable in December at Arrowhead. Starting with the 1983 season, otherwise known around these parts as the beginning of the John Elway era, the Chiefs have gone 37-10 at home in December.

Chiefs no long December darlings from Denver Post

Former Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil used to say he wanted to give more rest to his smallish featured back, Priest Holmes, but rarely removed him from the lineup in fear the play he missed would be the one Holmes would have made to win the game.

Vermeil and Holmes are long gone, but current coach Todd Haley knows the feeling. He’s suddenly facing a similar dilemma with his new featured back, Jamaal Charles.

The Chiefs have quickly become addicted to Charles and not just as a runner.

Chiefs find using Charles a lot harder to avoid from KC Star

The Chiefs just added a player to their practice squad who may never play in a game.

But the signing of offensive lineman Jermail Porter is intriguing.

Porter, who originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with New England (where else?) this year, did not play college football but was an All-American wrestler at Kent State.

He finished sixth at the 2009 NCAA championships after winning the Mid-America Conference heavyweight title as a senior and going 31-4.

Daily download: Porter is a fascinating pickup by Chiefs from KC Star

NFL teams now have new, stricter instructions for when players should be allowed to return to games or practices after head injuries, guidelines that go into effect this week.

In the latest step by the league to address a hot-button issue, commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to the 32 clubs Wednesday saying a player who gets a concussion should not return to action on the same day if he shows certain signs or symptoms. Those include an inability to remember assignments or plays, a gap in memory, persistent dizziness, and persistent headaches.

NFL changes return-to-play rules for concussions from KC Star

Chiefs coach Todd Haley said the team has studied center Rudy Niswanger’s bad snaps from last weekend’s 43-14 loss at San Diego, and Niswanger will spend this week trying to correct those mistakes.

Niswanger delivered two errant snaps to quarterback Matt Cassel, who was in the shotgun formation.

Haley indicated that there was a "common denominator" in Niswanger’s poor snaps, but he wouldn’t reveal the specific problem. Niswanger said he didn’t know what caused the problems, but both he and his coach said the episode was enough to elicit extra work to prevent future mistakes.

Chiefs notes: Team works with Niswanger on snaps from KC Star

Although Cassel said he never talked to anyone from the Broncos during that period and was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs instead, he was unwillingly linked to one of the biggest offseason stories in Broncos history.

"It was crazy, because I was watching ESPN like you were and saying ‘How the heck did my name get thrown in here?’" Cassel said.

Cassel was unwilling participant in Broncos drama from The Colorado Springs Gazette

The Chiefs immediately proffered a six-year, $63 million contract because, clearly, Cassel was a franchise quarterback.

Today, Cassel ranks 24th in the NFL by passing yardage, 22nd by passer rating, 26th by completion percentage and 28th by yards per pass attempt. The Chiefs, whom the Broncos play Sunday, are 3-8.

Cutler and Kyle Orton, who were eventually traded for one another, haven't exactly set the world on fire either, but at least Orton can claim a winning record.

The best thing you can say for Cassel is that it's too early in his Kansas City tenure to say anything.

Krieger: Chiefs' investment in Cassel falling short from The Denver Post

With his team in the middle of the playoff race, quarterback Kyle Orton wants the Denver Broncos to be playing their best football from here on out.

The Broncos hope to fix some mental errors and get their offense in sync Sunday when they visit the Kansas City Chiefs in the first meeting of the season between these AFC West rivals.

Denver (7-4) appeared to be well on its way to the West title after opening with six consecutive wins, but four straight losses dropped the Broncos one game back of San Diego for the division lead.

Denver finally returned to the physical style of play it displayed earlier this season in a 26-6 win over the New York Giants on Thanksgiving. It was the Broncos' first victory since beating the Chargers 34-23 on Oct. 19 and came four days after a 32-3 home loss to San Diego.

Chiefs vs. Broncos from CBS Sports

almighty31 wat up to my homies on the eastside

almighty31 so tired but cant sleep

ChiefsPR #Chiefs QB Matt Cassel has thrown 8 fourth-quarter TDs, the highest total of any NFL QB this season.

jcneedham: ...The Chiefs will win at Arrowhead this weekend. Chiefs 27 Broncos 16

jennarader: I am going to the Chiefs/Broncos game on Sunday...the perfect way to celebrate being done with all these ridiculous group projects.