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Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 9/20

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Welcome to Victory Monday! Feels a little less crappy than a regular Monday. To start the week out right, we've gathered all of your Kansas City Chiefs news together in one spot. Enjoy.

Forget perfection. Forget pretty. And forget big statistics.

That’s not the Chiefs’ style. And so far, sloppy is sensational — because Kansas City is 2-0 for the first time in five years.

Coach Todd Haley said after the Chiefs’ 16-14 victory Sunday — an unsightly, occasionally nauseating kind of thing — that this is the way his team will have to win. With defense, with special teams, and with luck.

Chiefs grind out 16-14 win over Browns from KC Star

The short-term joy of being 2-0 after a 16-14 win over the Browns on Sunday is clouded by the long-term reality check that all the progress being made under coach Todd Haley and general manager Scott Pioli will mean bupkis if Cassel doesn’t improve.

Two games into his second season with the Chiefs, we’re still waiting for him to be effective. He completed just 16 of 28 passes for 176 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. His passer rating is now 55.8. No quarterback has started at least 12 games with a passer rating that low since Browning Nagle for the Jets in 1992.

Chiefs can't keep winning if Cassel keeps playing like this from KC Star

KC Star Photo Gallery: Chiefs 16, Browns 14 | Chiefs improve to 2-0 on the season

Cleveland Plain Dealer Photo Gallery: Browns Lose to Chiefs 16-14

NFL.com Video:  GameDay: Chiefs vs. Browns highlights

Why did Jamaal Charles have only 11 carries Sunday?

Beats us. Coach Todd Haley said after the game that his staff’s game plan leaned more toward Thomas Jones’ strengths. For the first time, Charles acknowledged that he is the Chiefs’ backup rusher, adding that he’s up for anything as long as the team is winning. It’s difficult to argue with a plan that wins, but it’s even more difficult to understand why a potential rising star spends most of his time on the sideline.

Chiefs Blitz | A look at the good, the bad and the ugly from Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns from KC Star

"The plan was no returns (for Cribbs)," Haley said. "They had to scheme to try to get him one at the end, and he had one early on a punt return. But what a job these two kickers did. They stepped up to the task in an unselfish way. They’re not worried about their own personal glory and they helped us win and that’s what I’m looking for."

Chiefs don't let Josh Cribbs hurt them this time from KC Star

Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers’ first career touchdown on an interception return came against an eventual Hall of Fame quarterback, Brett Favre.

His second touchdown came against a career reserve, Seneca Wallace.

"I’ll still take it, though," Flowers said

Flowers powers Chiefs with interception return from KC Star

Quarterback Matt Cassel said his coach’s decision did more than protect the Chiefs’ two-point lead. By passing on a punt, Cassel said, Haley showed players that he had confidence in the offense.

Haley returns to gambling ways on fourth-down play from KC Star

They have two offensive touchdowns in two weeks, they struggle to convert third downs and their quarterback seems stuck in neutral. But so what? It doesn't matter. What does is that the Kansas City Chiefs are 2-0 and sitting atop the AFC West, and tell me the last time that happened.

I'll spare you the trouble. It was 2005, and the Chiefs finished 10-6. Since then they never, ever, ever began a season without dropping their first two games, which is why Sunday's 16-14 defeat of Cleveland is significant.

Chiefs aren't stylish ... unless you count that spiffy 2-0 record from CBS Sports

One of these days the Chiefs might get their offense figured out. If they do, who knows how good their record will be. 

Kansas City improved to 2-0 on Sunday with a 16-14 win against the Browns, but they did it in spite of a listless offensive attack that showed very little progress from a similarly listless effort against the Chargers on Monday night.

Chiefs stay out of their offense's way to improve to 2-0 from Pro Football Talk

Sure, it's only two weeks into the NFL season. Still, look who is undefeated - and who is winless.

Yep, that's the Bears and Buccaneers and Chiefs and Texans at the top of the standings. And the defending division champion Vikings and Cowboys at the bottom.

 

Surprise! Look who is 2-0 _ and who is 0-2 in NFL from The Merced Sun-Star

Of prime concern might be the fact that in consecutive games the Browns were held scoreless after halftime. By Tampa Bay and Kansas City. Sunday, the Browns gained 55 yards and had three first downs -- one by penalty -- in the second half.

 

"We came out a little flat," Wallace said of the second half.

 

Really?

 

Chiefs Reviving Hope in Kansas City; Browns Killing It in Cleveland from FanHouse

Like many fans, the Browns front office wants more cheering and less obscene language and public drunkenness -- and the football organization is acting on it...

...Holmgren apparently meant business. The holding area inside of the stadium's basement was nearly full by the end of the fourth quarter, said city police officers and security guards who worked inside of the stadium Sunday. Most fans were escorted to this area because they were inebriated.

Browns crack down on fans behaving badly from The Cleveland Plain Dealer

CELEBRITY WAITERS: The Chiefs’ Corey Mays will play host to a celebrity waiter night from 6 to 10 p.m. at 801 Chophouse, 71 East 14th St. in Kansas City; various Chiefs players will wait on patrons; benefits the A-Maysing Beauty Foundation and Corey’s Foundation. TUESDAY

Week Ahead: Quisenberry celebrity golf classic nears an end from KC Star

All four AFC West teams winning on the same day is a pretty common occurrence, right?

Oddly, no. Despite the recent (ahem) success of the Raiders and Chiefs, the last time it happened was Nov. 20, 2005. That’s when the Chiefs beat the Texans 45-17, Oakland topped Washington 16-13, San Diego whipped Buffalo 48-10 and Denver thumped the Jets 27-0.

Blitz package: Tough day for Cowboys, Favre and other quarterbacks from KC Star

Wallace, a career backup who started Sunday in place of the injured Jake Delhomme in the home opener, took full responsibility for the Browns' disheartening 16-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

''It is the mistakes that are killing us, and I had a big part in that today,'' Wallace said of his second-quarter interception that cornerback Brandon Flowers returned 33 yards for a touchdown.

Wallace takes blame in loss from The Akron Beacon Journal

At his emotional low point, Cliff Frazier never would have imagined that losing a leg might liberate him...

...A second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, he knew he faced a rough road when the Chiefs phoned him on draft day.

"They didn't say, 'Welcome to the Kansas City Chiefs,' " Frazier said. "They said, 'We hear you've got a bad attitude,' and it broke my heart. I said, 'What? Who told you that?' "...

Ex-UCLA nose guard Cliff Frazier takes life in stride from The Los Angeles Times

By winning yesterday, perhaps the Chargers can stop hearing or talking about Kansas City, the mistakes and the ultimate upset. Among the most common explanations of what took place was the Chiefs’ decision to almost never leave Gates single-covered, something Gates didn’t take personal. He thought that was more a case of K.C. wanting to take away the slot receiver, usually Gates, and force Rivers to make longer, wider throws of a wet ball through a wicked crosswind.

Gates left wide open by Jags from The San Diego Union-Tribune

Counting their victory over Denver in the 2009 season finale, the Kansas City Chiefs have now won three consecutive games. It is their first such winning streak since 2006. And the 2-0 start has certainly been a team effort. All three phases have scored touchdowns. 

Rick Gosselin's Week 2 observation deck from The Dallas Morning News

In last Wednesday's Clicks, I didn't knock Matt Cassel for his Week 1 mediocrity -- given the heavy rains that accompanied Chiefs-Chargers. But there are no excuses for Cassel's shoulder-shrugging production from Week 2 (176 passing yards, 2 INTs), other than saying the Kansas City coaches obviously value winning over fantasy success (cue sitcom-audience laugh track).

Schaub, McNabb, Snelling claim top honors for Week 2 Revelations from Sports Illustrated

Kansas City has an idea of what they need to do in order to build a winning program.  More than an idea actually, whereas Cleveland doesn’t seem to have an idea, actually, they don’t have an idea at all.  Coaching staffs are completely different.  Draft classes too.  Chiefs have an identity, do the Browns?

Week Two 9-Route from The National Sports Review

And then there is Kansas City. Chiefs 2-0! Turns out that the Chiefs are a gutsy team, who have now found a way to win games they once lost. Interesting to see how the season will pan out. 

Good Year For Football from The McCook Daily Gazette

Kansas City. The Chiefs have budding stars in the Brandon Carr and Brandon Flowers, the latter making a key interception return for a TD at Cleveland. Throw in the three rookies -- safeties Eric Berry and Kendrick Lewis and nickel back Javier Arenas -- and that's a nice young-but-talented group.

Week 2 NFL Checkdown from The Sporting News

The past two years the Dallas Cowboys have had the best running back trio in the NFL of Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. All three posses different running styles and could be the starter for any other team in the NFL...

...BUT….there is a new trio in town. It’s in Kansas City and is led by Thomas Jones with Jamaal Charles and Dexter McCluster serving as his backups.

The Better Trio Of Running Backs: Dallas or KC? from AllHipHop.com

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