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Good morning and welcome to December. We have a long list of Kansas City Chiefs stories for you in today's Arrowheadlines. Enjoy!
Haley again indicated Palko would start Sunday's game against the Bears in Chicago. But Haley also said that he won't hesitate to change quarterbacks during the game if events warrant and he believes the recently acquired Orton is ready to play.
"We've got to get ready to win a big game," Haley said. "We'll do it by whatever means possible. If it takes playing three quarterbacks and going wildcat 20 plays, we've got to do that."
Palko, Orton Split Practice time At Quarterback For Chiefs from KC Star
Orton says that learning the playbook won't be an issue. He's more concerned in developing a winnable on-field rapport with his new teammates.
"It's not just about learning the plays and drawing things up on paper," Orton said. "Its how is Dwayne (Bowe) going to run the route? Its how is Jonathan (Baldwin) going to run the route? How's Dexter (McCluster) going to do it?
"You know, it's about all of that stuff. It's all new and it was fun to go out there and practice with those guys."
Palko, Orton Both Ready For Starting Job from The Mothership
KC Star Video: Kyle Orton Says He's Ready To Play Sunday For Chiefs
Chester McGlockton longed to play for the Chiefs. He famously asked then-coach Marty Schottenheimer to bring him to Kansas City, even while in the midst of playing for the Oakland Raiders in a game at Arrowhead Stadium...
...McGlockton, who was establishing himself as an up-and-coming coach as an assistant at Stanford, died early Wednesday of an apparent heart attack. He was 42.
Chiefs Mourn Chester McGlockton , 'A Consummate Pro' from KC Star
Former Chiefs defensive lineman Chester McGlockton died of a heart attack Tuesday night at the age of 42. A 12-year NFL veteran, McGlockton played three seasons (1998-2000) in Kansas City before retiring from professional football following the 2003 season.
McGlockton had been serving as a defensive assistant at Stanford since 2010.
Arrowhead Report: Former Chiefs DL Chester McGlockton Passes Away from The Mothership
"Every week you have to earn the right to put your hands under center and lead the team, whether we're 2-0 and I'm playing well or what's happened the last two weeks," Palko said. "I'm not looking at it any different this week. It's hard a position to play; you're going to have your ups and downs."
There have been a lot of downs for the Chiefs lately.
Struggling QB Palko Still Starting For Chiefs, But Orton Will Be Ready To Face Former Team from The Washington Post
Q: How different is it for you preparing when there is another quarterback here getting a part of the first-team snaps?
PALKO: "The way I view it is you have to earn the right to put your hand under center Sunday afternoon, Sunday night or Monday. That's just how it is, that's how I've always viewed it. I think that you have to earn the right to do that and turning the ball over seven times in two games is just inexcusable regardless of whose fault it is, it's inexcusable and like I said you have to earn that right."
Q&A With Tyler Palko 11/30 from The Mothership
Q: What does Kyle need to show you to make you feel comfortable with him playing this week?
HALEY: "We've got to get him ready to play, and that process has already started. Obviously get him out there and he's got to get reps to get a guy that hasn't been here ready to go and he's going to have to show some of those things I talked about the other day. An ability to understand the offense number one, and how we speak in the huddle, how we speak in the line of scrimmage and understand his personnel because that's always a little bit of a trick but it's very, very important. It's not something that just happens overnight.
Q&A With Todd Haley 11/30 from The Mothership
Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz declined to discuss rumors linking him to college and NFL head coaching vacancies.
The 18-year NFL coaching veteran has been mentioned as a possible candidate for openings at Arizona State, UCLA and with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who fired coach Jack Del Rio on Tuesday.
Martz's current deal is set to expire following the season after he and the Bears failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension over the summer.
Chicago Bears' Mike Martz Won't Discuss Arizona State, Jacksonville Jaguars Rumors from ESPN
The Vikings' injury-ravaged secondary welcomed another former couch potato Wednesday when veteran strong safety Jarrad Page returned to the field two weeks after the Philadelphia Eagles released him.
The former starter was looking for work after a roster crunch squeezed him out of Philadelphia. He joins cornerback Benny Sapp, signed two weeks ago after being cut by Miami in Week 2, in Minnesota's defensive backfield reclamation project.
Vikings Add Former Philadelphia Eagle Jarrad Page To Depleted Secondary from Pioneer Press
Future from Fla. wants to know if I think the Kansas City Chiefs could draft Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Bill Williamson: I don't think drafting a quarterback in the first round will be the Chiefs' first priority. I think they will look at improving both lines first. At this point, it seems like a long shot to me.
AFC West Mailbag from ESPN
The Chiefs do have talent at the receiver position, including Dwayne Bowe. I was planning to spend my offseason campaigning for the Bears to sign Bowe until he concluded his effort against the Steelers Sunday night with one of the most gutless plays in the history of the NFL. (To see video, CLICK HERE.) The Bears need to be physical and hit these guys on the outside. It's very clear they don't want any part of it.
Kansas City Chiefs at Chicago Bears Game Preview from ChicagoNow.com
Kansas City Chiefs at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET Sunday. The Bears were really hoping for the return of Kyle Orton to help them at quarterback, but the Chiefs won the waiver claim for the former Broncos starter instead. Now there's a good chance Kansas City starts Orton over Tyler Palko, and it's on Chicago's defense to make sure Orton doesn't out-perform Caleb Hanie. Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs will help their teammates play off the tendencies of Orton, who should also be a bit rusty in a new offense. The key for Hanie is handing off to Matt Forte and having trust in the other side of the ball. Bears 20, Chiefs 13.
NFL Week 13 Picks: Packers To Swat away Giants With Ease from SportingNews
So in the short term, Hanie has to figure out a way to overcome nerves and sketchy decisions to guide the Bears through a somewhat-favorable five-game finish to the regular season and into the postseason, where he can - the team hopes - hand the reins back to Cutler. Up first is the easiest game, a matchup at Soldier Field against the 4-7 Kansas City Chiefs, losers of four consecutive games.
"I'm not thinking about winning out," Hanie said Wednesday. "I'm just thinking about the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jay Cutler A Long Shot To Return In Regular Season from The Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler admitted Wednesday that he was a little surprised by how much of the offense Mike Martz threw at Caleb Hanie in his first NFL start Sunday.
Hanie, who threw three interceptions and two touchdowns in a 25-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders, was starting in place of the injured Cutler and attempted 36 passes, compared to 27 rushing attempts.
For that matter, in a nation that adores football, how is it possible, Kansas City Chiefs, that you could come up with no better idea than Tyler Palko? The California Redwoods of the United Football League cut Palko in 2009, and I have never even heard of the California Redwoods or the United Football League.
Take Two: The Phone won't Stop Ringing At QB Rest Home from The Columbia Daily Tribune
For all intents and purposes, the Kansas City Chiefs' season is over.
There will not be a repeat for the defending AFC West champions in a season that started bad, and has now taken a drastic nosedive into the cellar-dwelling depths of the NFL - a dark place fairly familiar to Chiefs fans.
But there's no reason to panic.
Chomping At The Mitch: Things Are Bad For The Chiefs, But It's Not Time To Panic from The Marshfield Mail
In the professional sports world, the NFL starts getting to the thick of things during the holiday season, meaning my fantasy team stops performing and the Chiefs break my heart. With that said, there isn't much better than late-season divisional races in below-freezing weather. The holiday season is when NFL stars become legends, rivalries thicken and the commitment of shirtless fans everywhere is tested. Christmas Eve is headlined by the Oakland-Kansas City rivalry, while the Bears face off against the perfect Packers on Christmas Day. Is it possible to ask for anything more?
Holidays Liven Up Sports World from The Truman State University Index