Chiefs vs. Bears: Game Preview from Chiefs.com
Conley, in Smith's eyes, has especially taken strides in his second preseason.
"The guy is extremely physically talented," Smith added. "You just start banking things that you're learning, whether it's out at practice or in the games. They all contribute to being a good football player and in his case, a well-rounded receiver. To be able to move him around, to be able to understand how he's being played and all the adjustments we're making, his sense of urgency of seeing things together with me has continued to improve. I think it will continue to improve as well. That's his nature. The guy soaks up everything."
Chiefs vs. Bears: How to Watch and Listen from Chiefs.com
TV Coverage
CBS (KCTV5 Local)
NFL Network
Play-by-Play: Carter Blackburn
Color Analyst: Trent Green
Sideline: B.J. Kissel
Five things to watch in the Chiefs' preseason game against Chicago Bears from The Kansas City Star
1. Can the run defense step up?
The Chiefs' first string defense has given up 141 yards on 25 carries in the first two preseason games. That's an average of nearly 6 yards per carry, and that's way, way, way too high. Linebacker Derrick Johnson said after their most recent loss, a 21-20 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, that the Chiefs were allowing too many 6- and 7-yard runs that should be 2- and 3-yard runs. The return of Eric Berry — who will report to the Chiefs on Sunday — will help, but it would be nice to see the first-stringers improve their gap discipline, run fits and tackling on Saturday.
Five things to watch as Chiefs battle Bears from Chiefs Digest
JUSTIN MARCH AND RAMIK WILSON
One of the key position battles on the starting defense is the competition among linebackers Justin March and Ramik Wilson to see who will lineup alongside Derrick Johnson.
Incumbent starter Josh Mauga continues nursing a groin injury, and that has opened the opportunity for March and Wilson. March appears to have currently have the upper hand based on snaps with the first team, but Reid said both have performed well.
"They're still learning on the job, so there are some snaps they would like to have back, but there are some pretty good snaps there," Reid said. "It's good to have young guys that you feel have a chance to play and contribute."
Chiefs aiming to play better run defense against Bears from ESPN
"A couple of runs they should've run for 2 or 3 [yards] and they go for 5 and 6 at a time,'' linebacker Derrick Johnson said after last week's game against the Rams. "We can't do that as a defense. It was preseason, so we're still in training camp mode. Got to get better, all of that good stuff.
"It's not a panicky thing. It's just disappointing to have a couple plays scoot through."
It has been more than a couple of plays and as a result, the Chiefs have had trouble getting the opposing offense off the field.
Against Chicago Bears in 1967 preseason, Kansas City Chiefs won NFL legitimacy from The Kansas City Star
Here comes Warpaint, the bay and white-spotted horse, clomping around the Municipal Stadium turf.
Len Dawson has just faked Chicago Bears cornerback Bennie McRae with play-action, rolling out and finding Otis Taylor along the right sideline: 70-yard touchdown. The horse sprints around the field, the rhythm of his hooves dissipating as elation echoes through 33,041 fans in the stadium. Warpaint's task is to prance around like this each time the Chiefs score, even in this preseason game, and rookie Jan Stenerud has just kicked the first extra-point of his career in Kansas City.
It's Aug. 23, 1967. The 75-cent game program bears a black-and-white drawing of Chiefs running back Curtis McClinton, a football tucked under his right arm. Over a cyan background, under the Bears' and Chiefs' logos and the art of McClinton, the program reads: "First AFL-NFL Game In Kansas City."
Safety Eric Berry expected to report to the Chiefs on Sunday from The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs could use Berry, who is the four-time Pro Bowler and reigning NFL Comeback Player of the Year. The first-string defense has been gashed a bit in the Chiefs' first two preseason games, and Berry, a very strong run defender, will surely help in that area when the Chiefs open the season at home against the San Diego Chargers on Sept. 11.
Berry's return on Sunday puts him in line to potentially play in the Chiefs' final exhibition game on Thursday at home against the Green Bay Packers, although it is not a given.
Source: Eric Berry plans to return to Chiefs on Sunday from ESPN
"It's a weird dynamic that you are juggling with finances and playing," Reid said earlier in camp. "But I've seen it before, guys normally come in and they just go. When it's time to play, they just play. They put the business side aside and they get after it."
Berry played in every game last season, less than a year after his cancer diagnosis. He made 55 tackles, had a pair of interceptions and resumed his role as the heart and soul of the defense.
Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt addresses Eric Berry, NFL relocation from Chiefs Digest
Hunt said he has not been involved in discussions with Berry about his decision.
"I can't confirm the report but we do expect Eric to show up soon," Hunt said. "We're looking forward to having him back with the team. He's a very important part of the team, a tremendous leader both on and off the field, and we look forward to getting him here and getting him going."
Chiefs' Eric Berry returns, loves football too much to sit out from ESPN
Contract situations can be unpredictable and take some unexpected turns, but the Chiefs always knew when the season starts on Sept. 11 against the San Diego Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium, Berry would be in their lineup.
Football means too much to Berry to think otherwise. It was important to him early in his career, like in college when he helped tend to helmets and other gear in the equipment room at Tennessee. Not because he had to, because he wanted to.
Both Chiefs, Eric Berry handled contract dispute the right way from ESPN
Neither Berry nor the Chiefs said much publicly about the situation from the time he was named their franchise player last winter. What was said was mostly deferential.
In another gesture of respect, the Chiefs have listed Berry as a starting safety on each of the weekly depth charts they've issued since the preseason started.
It's hard to miss the differences between this situation and the one involving the San Diego Chargers and another unsigned player, rookie defensive end Joey Bosa. The sides have recently traded incendiary comments publicly in the last few days.
Chiefs continue to discuss selling naming rights to Arrowhead Stadium field from The Kansas City Star
This is not the first time Donovan has mentioned selling the naming rights to the field at Arrowhead Stadium. At the NFL's annual meeting in March, Donovan told The Star that fans can rest easy that the word "Arrowhead" will be incorporated into any new name change, a notion he reinforced once again Friday.
"We said pretty vocally and consistently that we'd be looking for a partner that makes sense for Kansas City and a partner that understands the importance of keeping the Arrowhead name," Donovan said. "We think it's part of the building."
Tailgating concerns, naming rights remain on Chiefs agenda from Chiefs Digest
If you want to start a heated debate with Chiefs, two hot-button topics are tailgating in the parking lot before games and naming rights for Arrowhead Stadium, and right now the Chiefs are tackling both with ferocity normally reserved for pass rushers.
Team chief operating officer Mark Donovan said the challenge the team faces is utilizing the sports complex's approximately 19,000 parking spaces to accommodate a capacity crowd of more than 76,000 fans while maintaining what fans argue is the best tailgating experience in the NFL.
Offensive snap-count observations: Movement at backup tight end and receiver? from The Kansas City Star
Analysis: O'Shaughnessy and Travis got more reps than Harris, but don't read too much into it; Harris was still the No. 2 tight end in the game, and the man who replaced Kelce late in the second quarter. But keep an eye on the fourth tight end, as Parker — not O'Shaughnessy — earned reps next to Travis in the third quarter whenever the Chiefs went with two-tight-end personnel. The Chiefs went with a ton of "11" personnel in the fourth quarter, leaving O'Shaughnessy as the sole tight end on the field in what appears to be Aaron Murray's favorite personnel grouping.
Defensive snap-count observations: Chiefs take a long look at a young secondary from The Kansas City Star
Analysis: March got the start but saw his snap percentage fall as Wilson took over the first-team reps next to D.J. in the second quarter. The fact Smith saw his playing time triple is interesting, but it might not be a reflection on Alexander, who got a handful of second- and third-quarter reps next to Wilson. The Rams only ran nine offensive plays in the third quarter, with the Chiefs playing their dime subpackage with a safety at linebacker on the others, so that probably explains Alexander's low snap count (though he remains on the roster bubble).
Predicting Chiefs' 53-man roster: Version 2.0 from Chiefs Digest
Quarterback (3): Alex Smith, Nick Foles and Tyler Bray
Missing the cut: Aaron Murray
Practice Squad: Kevin HoganThe Chiefs are likely set at quarterback with the three listed above. Foles is the most polished of the backup quarterbacks. Bray has the best arm talent of the five quarterbacks and can make every throw on the field but likely needs reps on the practice field to read defenses. Murray continues to struggle with consistency on his throws.
We could be watching the greatest class of defenders ... ever from ESPN
The AFC West came away from the 2011 draft with a pair of terrors at outside linebacker. We can slot Miller alongside Chiefs star Justin Houston, who has averaged more than one sack per game over the past three seasons. The interior isn't quite as laden with talent, but we can move Seahawks cover linebacker K.J. Wright into the middle.
Throwing on this team? Good luck.
Eric Berry to return to Kansas City Chiefs next week from NFL.com
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport first reported Friday that Berry will report to the Chiefs' facility early next week to sign his tender, per a source with knowledge of the situation.
With Berry reporting next week there is a great chance he plays Week 1 when the Chiefs face the San Diego Chargers. Rapoport reported that Berry is in good shape and "trained like crazy" this offseason.
Kansas City Chiefs' Annual Civic Event Takes Place Without Eric Berry from KCUR
"We were disappointed to not being able to reach a long-term contract with Eric," Hunt said at training camp when asked about the stalemate in contract negotiations. "He's somebody we think very highly of. He's been a great player on the field and does so much in the community. He's a team leader."
Except for a few youth clinics in the area, Berry was seldom seen around Kansas City this summer. Without a contract, Berry technically had no obligation to participate in the Chiefs' off-season workouts — and he didn't.
Understudies could take center stage in ‘dress rehearsal' from The Chicago Sun-Times
The scrutiny of the preseason seems to be souring John Fox's mood as the Bears turn for home heading into Saturday's exhibition game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Soldier Field (noon, Fox-32).
While the third preseason game is generally viewed as an all-important "dress rehearsal" — a regular-season preview with at least some game-planning, halftime adjustments and perhaps decisions on some key position battles — to Fox it's just another week he'd like to prepare in a hermetically sealed bubble away from prying eyes.
Bears vs Chiefs Preview with Arrowhead Pride: DT Chris Jones is a freak athlete from Windy City Gridiron
WCG: Andy Reid is entering his fourth season now as head coach of the Chiefs, and has done a good job at turning that team around after many years of mediocrity. He's made the playoffs twice in his first three years, and the team should compete again in 2016. But Reid has never won a Super Bowl, and some are saying this is the best he can do with the Chiefs. Have we seen peak-Reid, or can he get the Chiefs into the upper-echelon of the NFL?
Thorman: "After the Patriots and Steelers, I would argue the Chiefs are already right there in the AFC. They have as good of a shot as anyone behind those two.
Andy Reid expects more kickoff returns "than ever" before from Larry Brown Sports
"I think these special teams coaches are smart guys," Reid told PFT Live on Friday. "They're popping the ball up, so we might have more returns than we've ever had. It's crazy. I'm not sure it's the same thing the league was trying to get, but that's what we're getting right now.
"These kickers are so accurate and they can put it right down there within the five yard line and the goal line and force you into a return and then your coverage teams have got to do their thing. Special teams coaches and coverage teams have the confidence that if the kicker does that then they can keep them within that 25-yard area or actually within that 20-yard area. So I think your probably gonna see more returns than ever."
Andy Reid: Alex Smith "gets it," and his arm is strong enough to win a championship from ProFootballTalk
So what's the best thing Smith does?
"He's highly intelligent and he just gets it," Reid said. "I'm not telling you he's got the strongest arm in the league, but he's got plenty strong enough to win a championship with and he knows how to use it. I've got full trust in the guy, he's been a real pleasure to coach."
49ers coach Chip Kelly may be wishing that he were coaching Smith right now, which may have happened if the team hadn't picked Colin Kaepernick over Smith. Some (like PFT Live producer and ardent 49ers fan Rob "Stats" Guerrera) think the 49ers kept the right guy. The rest of the reasonably-minded world knows otherwise.
Eric Berry should return to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday from The Playoffs [translated from the original Portuguese]
Remember that Berry will be free of fines and punishment for any training time and lost games, since he has not yet signed the franchise tag. He will receive $ 10.8 million upon his return and U $ 645.647 mi weekly, having sacrificed much of his holdout to return before the regular season starts. Berry is one of the most important players in the defense of the Chiefs, having a great year 2015 after recovering from cancer.
Olympic Gold Medalist Visits San Diego Elementary School from NBC San Diego
So what's his next goal? Well, before he went to the Rio Olympics, he tried out for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The team told him to go to the Olympics and bring home gold. He's done that and now he wants to play in the NFL.
Jeremy Maclin, Lamarcus Joyner fined $9,115 after ejections from ProFootballTalk
Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports that both players have been fined $9,115 for striking an opponent. That fine is this year's minimum penalty on the fine schedule used by the league while offenses judged to be more serious, like Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed roughing Vikings quarterback Shaun Hill last week, will cost $18,231 or more.
U.S. Bank Stadium will be VERY loud for Vikings fans from Viking Age
Right now, the Kansas City Chiefs fans hold the record for the loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium with 142.2 decibels. ABC News wanted to remind people that approximately 140 decibels is the level of sound of a jet taking off.
Thankfully, the free earplugs being distributed should help fans worried about short-term damage. However, those only attending a couple of games may not have to worry about the intense noise in small doses unless they are experienced frequently.
ESPN confirms transmissions to Brazil this week 1 NFL from The Playoffs [translated from the original Portuguese]
The time is coming! The ESPN released early on Friday transmissions to Brazil from Week 1 of the regular NFL season in 2016...
...On 11 September, the first Sunday of the NFL, the highlights are the divisional classic between Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.