Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 1/12

Good morning Chiefs fans! Here's today's Kansas City Chiefs news. Now I'm off to shovel snow. Enjoy.

The Chiefs made unquestioned progress this season. By winning 10 games, they matched their total from the previous three seasons combined. They had many young players develop to the point that the Chiefs will be able to count on them for several years.

But the nagging fact is that the Chiefs struggled against the better teams on their schedule. In the final month alone, the Chiefs lost to San Diego, Oakland and Baltimore by a combined score of 92-17.

Chiefs confident in growth despite way the season ended from KC Star

Chiefs coach Todd Haley could wind up calling plays next year.

Haley said Tuesday he intends to hire a replacement for offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, who is leaving to take a similar position at Florida. But Haley also indicated he might take a bigger role in calling plays, which he did in 2009 when he fired offensive coordinator Chan Gailey shortly before the season opener and assumed the position himself.

Todd Haley may call Chiefs' plays himself next year from USA Today

KC Star Video: Todd Haley's Season Ending Press Conference

After firing Chan Gailey, his original coordinator, and then losing this year’s play-caller, Charlie Weis to the University of Florida, Haley is gaining the reputation of a coach who is difficult to work for.

Haley disagreed with that notion and said it wouldn’t hurt him during the job search.

Haley has opening to fill again at offensive coordinator from KC Star

Kansas City is a football city and Red Fridays are Red again!  We have four pro bowl caliber players on defense, if not more (Hali, Flowers, Berry, Johnson).  We have four pro bowl caliber players on offense, if not more (Charles, Bowe, Moeaki, Waters).  Most teams don't send more than four players to the pro bowl in one season, the chiefs arguably had 8 that should be in the pro bowl at sometime in the future!  That is a heck of a lot of talent.  A new era, a new decade of dominance, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS.

Chiefs: A Reason for Optimism from Upon Further Review

And with the 30-7 embarrassment comes a blitz of depressing postmortems about what went wrong, grumbling about why the offense took the day off and babbling about what next season will bring. 

But when you're done reading all that crap and need a laugh, turn to The Kansas City Star's fantastic piece of sports journalism documenting how rookie safety Eric Berry seems to have difficulty kicking the habits he acquired before becoming a super-wealthy athlete.

Eric Berry is the Kansas City Chiefs' epically lovable cheapskate from The Pitch

The Hall of Fame wide receiver who played for the Dallas Cowboys questioned the Chiefs' decision to have quarterback Matt Cassel pitch the ball to running back Jamaal Charles on fourth down-and-1 from the Ravens' 33-yard line rather than having Charles run behind his blockers.

"That's straight intimidation," Irvin said of the pitch, which resulted in a 4-yard loss and turning the ball over to the Ravens on downs. "You have a half of an inch to go and you pitch the ball. That's what they think of the Ravens defense."

NFL Network's Irvin applauds Ravens for Sunday's win from The Baltimore Sun

"It's getting close,'' Gonzalez said when asked to compare Atlanta crowds to the ones in Kansas City. "Come playoff time, I'm hoping it goes up another notch. Kansas City, there isn't anything else going on in that town and they're just die-hard Chief fans out there."

Gonzo: Falcons need big game from fans from ESPN

The New York Giants have signed veteran offensive lineman Ikechuku Ndukwe, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation.

The 6-foot-4, 325-pounder has previously played for the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins.

Source: Giants Sign Ikechuku Ndukwe from National Football Post

The Chicago Bears signed WR Onrea Jones (ahn-RAY-uh) and DT Tank Tyler to reserve / future contracts.

Tyler was originally selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round (82nd overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft out of North Carolina State.

Chicago Bears Roster Moves from ChicagoNow.com

I feel the same way about the Kansas City Chiefs this year.

All season long, they took nothing but P.E. classes and got everyone to believe they were the most improved team in football.

Then, when they finally had to play a real team or take a tough class, they failed miserably.

A Sideline View from The Maryville Daily Forum

At the end of this past summer's training camp and preseason, the Chiefs traded Page to New England for future draft considerations. He worked his way into the lineup through special teams before getting reps on defense against Miami.

But in the following game against Baltimore, that calf injury resurfaced and Page missed the next six games. He returned for the Monday Night blowout against the Jets, which turned out to be his best statistical effort as a Patriot, as Page tallying five tackles (three solo).

He has gotten increasingly more opportunities at safety as he's learned the system, and even started the Week 16 Buffalo game.

Page has all his bases covered from Patriots.com

William Roaf has more than enough credentials to warrant a first-ballot journey to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August.

Eleven trips to the Pro Bowl, six-time first-unit pick for All-Pro, three times voted to the second unit of that team, an eight-time All-Conference performer and member of both the All-Decade Team for the 1990s and 2000s.

But even with such a gaudy resume, will a star-packed group of skilled position players soak up the votes and prevent Roaf from making it to Canton, Ohio as a first-time candidate?

ROAF: FIRST-BALLOT INDUCTEE? from The Ruston Daily Leader

Jason Whitlock of FOXSports.com joined PFT Live today, and Big Sexy brought the high heat regarding Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Chiefs coach Todd Haley.

Jason Whitlock thinks Charlie Weis’ replacement will be green, literally from Pro Football Talk

The Chiefs offense was much better in 2010. Haley said that he was more comfortable in 2010 than in his rookie head-coaching season because he had more time to work with the overall team than he did in 2009. 

I think the Chiefs should continue that way. This is not a matter of Haley being an ineffective play caller. The overall team is just better when he has the time and flexibility to help everywhere.

Haley needs a play caller from ESPN