Good morning, Chiefs fans. Most of today's Kansas City Chiefs news deals with Bowe/Cassel and the passing game. Read on and see what reporters across the country have to say about your team. Enjoy.

Lesser on-field sins have found other players a seat on the bench or a ticket out of Kansas City. But the Chiefs and coach Todd Haley continue to show uncommon patience with wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.

His third-quarter dropped pass in the end zone was a key play in the Chiefs’ first loss of the season Sunday in Indianapolis.

Chiefs’ Haley backing Bowe, Cassel from KC Star

For the third time in four games this season, QB Matt Cassel was held below 200 yards in Sunday's 19-9 loss to the Colts, completing 16-of-29 passes for 156 yards. With the defense keeping Kansas City in the contest for nearly all 60 minutes, Cassel and Co. were only able convert one third down in 10 chances and made just two trips into the red zone, which resulted in three points.

Passing game could prevent Chiefs from being great from Pro Football Weekly

There are defenses to be made for Matt Cassel, lines of logic that start with his receivers failing to get open and continue throughout the rest of the league, where, outside of maybe eight or 10 teams, EVERYBODY wants a better quarterback...

...But here's a fun little game: name the starting quarterbacks who you believe Cassel is better than.

For our purposes, here are the names, in alphabetical order:

The Matt Cassel game from Don't Shoot the Mellinger

Back in Kansas City, fans are furious with the former LSU star, just as they have been in the past when he dropped passes or onside kicks in a career that's never taken flight since he was a first-round draft pick in 2007.

There's no way to know if the Chiefs would have beaten the Colts had Bowe caught the TD pass...

...But without doubt, it would have taken some heat off a quarterback who is also sinking deeper and deeper into the fans' doghouse.

Chiefs coach Haley defends Cassel, Bowe from Sports Illustrated

What to watch for: Even though they lost, the Chiefs have to feel confident going into their road game against Houston. The Chiefs looked much better than the Texans did in Week 5, as they were hammered by the Giants. If the Chiefs can win this game, they will be looking very strong at 4-1.

Moving on: Kansas City Chiefs from ESPN

On Sunday, Chiefs defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel reminded the rest of the league how his old Patriots defenses used to play the Colts with a "rope-a-dope" approach -- rush three and drop eight into coverage. While the Colts won, it was effective and kept the game close. Expect more teams to study this tape in order to give themselves a chance late in games against Indianapolis.

Super Bowl a distant memory for struggling Saints, Colts from NFL.com

The Texans' inconsistency this season is maddening for their players, coaches and fans.

The Texans have developed a split personality that has taken them on a roller-coaster ride that began with the victory over Indianapolis at Reliant Stadium and continued the next week at Washington, where they overcame a 17-point deficit and won in overtime.

The Team With Two Game Faces from The Houston Chronicle

The official Texans calendar lists all the traditional holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas.

Preseason, regular season, watch the playoffs on TV.

It even marks that little-known, Gary Kubiak-created holiday "Too Early to Panic Day." Tep Day, as we observers refer to it, typically falls around Columbus Day.

This panic talk should take a holiday from The Houston Chronicle

But why? Several rebuilding teams - notably Tampa Bay (3-1) and Kansas City (3-1) - are further along than expected because of an infusion of young talent, suggesting that recent draft classes might have been more talented and better prepared than first thought. But there must be something beyond Super Bowl hangovers (the Saints) and quarterback controversies (how does Arizona's undrafted rookie quarterback, Max Hall, beat the Saints after replacing Derek Anderson as the starter?) to explain why so many teams are regressing or rising toward the mean.

Brandt has observed the N.F.L. since the 1950s and he has a few theories:

Parity: Trying to Muddle Through Equally from The New York Times

Anyway, back to the Chiefs.

Their defense is much improved, but Kansas City needs to figure out more ways to move the football offensively. It won't be easy unless receiver Dwayne Bowe starts hanging on to the football. Bowe's drop in the end zone during Sunday's 19-9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts cost KC the game, in my opinion. As I was watching that game, I said to friends that the first team to score a touchdown would win the game. Bowe's drop cost the Chiefs what would have been the game's first TD.

Don’t Wade too deep from The Wichita Eagle

Matt Schaub was held to 196 yards passing by the New York Giants and now he goes against a solid defense in the Kansas City Chiefs. Andre Johnson, the Houston Texans standout wide receiver, has been hindered by an ankle injury but is now said to be 100%. 

This could get Matt Schaub back in the game as a leading NFL and fantasy football passer.

Fantasy Football 2010 Week 6: NFL Best Start/Sit Quarterback Q & A from Associated Content

The 3-1 Chiefs: I thought they would get blown out at Indianapolis Sunday. I was wrong. Though the Chiefs lost 19-9, they held Peyton Manning to fewer than 300 yards passing and didn't allow a touchdown pass. Until Colts backup running back Mike Hart busted through three players for an 11-yard TD run, the Kansas City defense hadn't allowed more than 14 points in a game all season.

So who's going to win the Mild, Mild West? I think the Chiefs are headed in the right direction, but they are a season away. I still think the Chargers have enough firepower to win the division. And earn a quick playoff exit.

Who will win the AFC's Mild, Mild West? from The Denver Post

The ten teams that lead the NFL in rushing attempts per game are currently a combined 30-17 (.638) on the season. Not only that, but the top five teams (Atlanta, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New York Jets, Baltimore) are a combined 17-6 (.739).

We all know how important the passing game is to finding success in the NFL, but lets not go overboard and dismiss the running game as archaic.

Enter the Red Zone from National Football Post