Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 12/8

Good morning! Here is today's Kansas City Chiefs news. There's a good story on rookie Justin Houston from The Washington Post. Enjoy.

Palko is nonetheless settling in as the Chiefs' starting quarterback. He evidently will start against the Jets on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J. Kyle Orton was listed as being a limited participant in practice Wednesday because of an injured index finger on his passing hand.

"He's still pretty sore," Haley said. "We're going to take him day by day."

Rookie Ricky Stanzi was the No. 2 quarterback during the small portion of practice reporters were allowed to watch.

Haley Likes Progress Palko Has Made from KC Star

When Jones signed a free agent deal with the Chiefs, the Jets took out a full-page ad in the Kansas City Star to thank Jones for his three years of leadership.

The ad read: "A person who embodies TOUGHNESS, DEDICATION and LEADERSHIP. Thanks TJ for three great seasons." - Woody Johnson, Coach Rex Ryan, Mike Tannenbaum and the New York Jets.

Jones' role has changed significantly since he last played in New York.

With just 325 rushing yards through 12 games, Jones isn't likely to receive the 20-plus carries he often saw as New York's primary runner. He's yet to record a rushing touchdown this season and his single-game rushing high is just 55 yards.

Arrowhead Report: Thomas Jones Remembered Fondly In New York from The Mothership

KC Star Video: Chiefs Dexter McCluster On Catching Hail Mary Pass

Leavenworth Times Photo Gallery: Chiefs Visit Fort Leavenworth

Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali, who hurt his right hand in Sunday's victory against the Chicago Bears, practiced fully Wednesday but wore a protective wrapping on the injury....

...Hali, who leads the Chiefs with eight sacks, could play with a wrapping or cast if his hand is seriously injured.

Chiefs Buzz: Hali's Hand In A Protective Wrap from KC Star

Q: Le'Ron McClain seems to be one of your most optimistic players, how do you like to have someone like that on your team?

HALEY: "I'll leave the predicting to him but I really like Le'Ron and he's been a good addition to our team and part of that is just his experience of having been around a winning team. I think that's real important because I think sometimes if you take that for granted, the ability to pass on that information or that just is there with young guys that are just coming into the league, it's not and it definitely you know when you hear Kelly Gregg talk orThomas Jones or Le'Ron McClain talk they are speaking from experience and they are doing things that have gone on in other places and I believe you have to be a glass half full person in this league, you really do.

Q&A With Todd Haley 12/7 from The Mothership

Kansas City is two games behind AFC West co-leaders Denver and Oakland with four games remaining, and is holding onto slim chances to reach the postseason.

"We're coming on at the right time," coach Todd Haley said. "If we can figure out a way to win - pretty, ugly or indifferent - we have a chance."

Palko's first career touchdown pass didn't come in a conventional manner, but his showing against Chicago was much better than back-to-back three-interception performances in losses to New England and Pittsburgh the previous two weeks.

Kansas City At New York from CBS Sports

Though the Kansas City Chiefs remain in the top 10 in the league in rushing, the effectiveness of the ground game has been minimal in recent weeks. Defenses are stacking the line of scrimmage for the run and daring fill-in QB starter Tyler Palko to beat them.

The Chiefs have just three runs of 10 or more yards in their three games with Palko at quarterback, and their per-carry average has slipped to 3.9 yards, or well below the league average.

Kansas City Chiefs Team Report: With Palko At QB, Running Game Declines from SportingNews

As much as the Jets practice the Wildcat - "We're always trying to perfect it," tight end Matthew Mulligan said - it did not emerge as a focal point until the Monday before the Redskins game, when Ryan made it a point of emphasis. In their first 11 games, the Jets ran four Wildcat plays, according to Football Outsiders. On Sunday, the Jets ran seven, for 26 yards.

Jets Use The Wildcat And Like The Results from The New York Times

Justin Houston cuts an imposing figure standing in front of his locker in the Chiefs' practice facility. The rookie linebacker is 6-foot-3, 270 pounds of muscle, his right eye a bloody red, a large scar on his chest and a tattoo inked across his right shoulder...

...Sure, he's a big guy with bulging biceps, but he's thoughtful and polite. The bloody eye came from getting poked a couple weeks back against New England. That scar across his chest is from when he had a cyst removed as a child. And the scrolling tattoo reads, "Only God Can Judge Me," a reflection both of his faith and his upbringing, which was never all that easy.

After 3 Sacks Against Chicago, Chiefs Rookie Justin Houston Has Emerged As Blossoming Star from The Washington Post

The game plans have turned up golden for Chiefs defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel in recent weeks.

For one half against New England, the Chiefs shut down Tom Brady & Co. The next week against Pittsburgh, Kansas City held the Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger to just 13 points. Last Sunday in Chicago, facing a Bears offense without quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte, the Chiefs didn't allow a third-down conversion or a touchdown while winning 10-3.

The key, according to the men playing Crennel's defense, is one fact: The Chiefs use very simple plans.

Chiefs: To Win Keep It Simple from FS Kansas City

After seemingly stabilizing Chicago's nightmarish right tackle situation over the past month, Louis, a converted guard, completely fell apart in the loss to Kansas City. He was culpable for most of Kansas City's seven sacks and also had a holding penalty just outside his own goal-line. It was a performance that would have made even Winston Justice circa 2007 cringe.

It's not like the Chiefs did anything complex against Louis, either. They didn't stunt defenders near him or feign blitzes in his gaps. They simply lined players up mano-a-mano and won (Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson and even lowly Tyson Jackson all got through; by the fourth quarter, Romeo Crennel was putting players on waiting list for reps at left defensive end/outside linebacker).

Keep An Eye On: Week 14's Finer Points from CBS Sports

Joe McKnight, who hyperextended his right elbow Sunday, was practicing but had a compression sleeve and brace on the elbow. McKnight did not do any contact drills.

McKnight struggled to put his shirt on in the locker room and said he was not sure if he can play Sunday. He's waiting for a custom-made brace to give him more mobility. He said he could not carry the ball with the brace he wore Wednesday.

Jets' Moore Skips Practice, Expected To Play from The New York Post