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Good morning everyone. Slept in a little bit today so here's your a-little-late Arrowheadlines. Enjoy today's Kansas City Chiefs news.
In a season of extremes for the Chiefs, this probably shouldn't come as a surprise. After last week's shutout victory over Oakland, it has now been six quarters since an opponent found the end zone.
Usually a streak like that is a symptom of some seriously suffocating defense. Not so for the Chiefs.
Chiefs defense has been stellar but questions linger | Kansas City Star
Additionally, over the past three weeks multiple sources in and around the team have steadfastly maintained that Rivers is healthy. And, in fact, while speculation about an injury has grown, the only tangible evidence he has ever been hurt this season is the ice pack he wore on his chest following the Chargers' game against Kansas City, more due to lingering soreness from a shot to the chest the previous week in New England.
So, then, if he's not hurt, what the heck is going on?
Rivers might be pressing but he insists he's healthy | San Diego Union-Tribune
"We just need to play better and put a complete game together," said Rivers, who finished with a season-low 179 passing yards. "We still haven't put one together and we're 4-2. You can look at that two ways: Obviously we're not playing as good as we can and we've won four games, or we better put it together or we're not going to get done what we want to get done."
Rivers has clearly not been playing up to his potential.
The three-time Pro Bowler has seven touchdown passes to nine interceptions - four fewer than he had all of last season. He had no touchdowns and two interceptions in a 20-17 win over Kansas City on Sept. 25, a victory that started the Chargers' three-game winning streak.
San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates (foot) is hopeful of playing his second straight game in Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Over his past five meetings with Kansas City, Gates has at least five catches in each game, and he has 66 or more yards in four of those outings. Gates has also found the end zone four times in the past four starts against Kansas City.
One reason is QB Philip Rivers. He's the one player who always made the Chargers different from all the other teams in the league. He was considered one of those elite quarterbacks and gave San Diego an edge.
That no longer seems to be the case. Right now, the AFC West is up for grabs unless Rivers breaks out of his slump, one that in six games has produced nine interceptions and a pedestrian (for him) 82.3 passer rating.
Flowers was penalized 15 yards for an excessive celebration after scoring the touchdown.
"We've talked at length about knowing as a team we'll have a hard time overcoming too many 15-yarders," Haley said.
"His free pass-go card or get-out-of-(jail) card has been used. Now, he might earn another one."
Listen: KC Star's Chiefs podcast
Todd Haley respects his adversaries. One listen to his latest press conference reveals the esteem that the Kansas City Chiefs head coach has for the San Diego Chargers, the team they face on Monday Night Football for the AFC West division lead in just a few days. In short, he loves just about everything about the team.
"This is a team that got us just a short time ago," says Haley. "San Diego is a very good team, a very well-coached team with some premiere, premiere skill players throughout their roster. They've been one of the best teams in the NFL for a pretty good stretch of time.
Haley says Chiefs need best game of the year to beat Chargers | SB Nation KC
The Kansas City Chiefs got a big win over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday and it is no secret that linebacker Derrick Johnson was a big contributor to the win.
While Johnson did have a very good game, his performance was not actually as solid as some are claiming.
Breaking down Derrick Johnson's play vs. Raiders | Arrowhead Addict
The Chiefs put up 28 points in Oakland over the weekend, but added seven more off the field as well.
Last Saturday night, the Kansas City Chiefs in-house production team (65 Toss Power Trap Productions) was honored with the franchise's first-ever Emmy awards.