Todd Haley is big on simulating game-like conditions for the Kansas City Chiefs as often as possible. On Friday when they visit the Atlanta Falcons, they won't be playing in 99 degree, St. Joe-esque weather.
They'll be in a dome.
So that's part of the reason the Chiefs moved practice inside Wednesday afternoon -- that and the heat.
"It’s another great thing about being here facility-wise; we’ve got an opportunity to kind of practice in the atmosphere we’re going to see Friday night," Haley said.
The Chiefs also carded some offensive and defensive plays during practice to prepare.
They also prepared for halftime. Yes, halftime of the Falcons game.
Haley said before Wednesday's practice that "halfway through this practice, we’re going to have a little simulated halftime. We’ll send them inside, let them sit in there for a little bit and then come out. We’re trying to simulate that aspect of the game – an area that we really struggled last year, a place you don’t always know exactly why, but we need to be better."
I don't know why that would help but it's worth a shot. The Chiefs always seemed to come out at halftime and get worked over in the second half. Maybe they didn't all the time but that's what it seemed like.
Meanwhile, the Falcons game will be a simulation of sorts for the regular season. The Chiefs will be able to put these guys in pressure situations and see how they react. There's not really a substitute for a real pressure situations so I think that's one of the big things the Chiefs brass is looking forward to seeing.