Game Day!
Good morning and welcome. Having already seen today's Kansas City Chiefs news, all I can say is, "Wow." There are excellent stories this morning. I really liked the ones on Clark Hunt and 65 Toss Power Trap (be sure to check out the photo). Hats off to the wrtiers at the Star for what they've given us.
With the first round of cuts soon, another interesting piece is Bob Gretz's roster review. He's seen every practice and this isn't his first rodeo so it's good to get his thoughts. Read and enjoy.
For all of their Pro Bowl skill players and all of the high-profile, wide-receiving acquisitions, it’s a soft-spoken tight end who has the ability to energize the Chiefs’ passing game.
The Chiefs will try to get their dormant passing game going, along with tight end Tony Moeaki, as their preseason continues with tonight’s game against St. Louis at Arrowhead Stadium.
Moeaki Adds Versatiity to Chiefs Offense from KC Star
"Hey, this is a home game for us and that’s very important for our team," Haley said. "Our home field advantage, our ability to win games at home, is very important to our overall success. I think the earlier you establish that, even if it is in the pre-season when the numbers won’t count obviously, but you can establish some of that feel and that confidence of walking out of your own tunnel, your own locker room, hearing your fans screaming for you.
"It’s the best feeling in the world to walk out there on Sunday right before the game and they’re there and you hear it. There’s no better in the league, I don’t believe."
There Must Be Progress... Game Day Cup O'Chiefs from Bob Gretz
Today: Sunny, with a high near 87. South southeast wind between 3 and 6 mph.Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. South southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm.
Game Day Weather Report from The National Weather Service
Keep McCluster involved.
Second-year player Dexter McCluster’s role intensified when Jonathan Baldwin suffered his hand injury. He was impressive last week at Baltimore, and the Chiefs would feel much better about missing Baldwin if McCluster continues to be an offensive force.
Five Things to Watch in Tonight's Chiefs Game from KC Star
With the cut next week moving the roster to 85 players, and then a few days later falling all the way to 53, there are a lot of decisions that must be made in a very short time.Here’s this man’s opinions on where these 89 players rank at their spot and who has reasons to be looking over their shoulder for the fabled "Turk" the mythical figure who brings news of football unemployment.
Pre-Season Rankings - Week #3 from Bob Gretz
"I tell the players, ‘I coach you the way you deserve to be treated.’ They deserve to be coached (differently). I’m not one of those ‘coach everybody the same or consistent.’ I coach you the way you deserve to be coached. If you’ve earned stripes, doing things the way you’re supposed to do it, then you get (treated differently). That goes for the team, too."
Haley didn’t intend it this way, but if you read between the lines you can see a message for Baldwin in those words.
Haley Can Be Receiver Whisperer For Baldwin from KC Star
The Chiefs reached into the "whatever happened to" bag of veteran players and pulled out TE Anthony Becht, who they signed on Wednesday to a one-year contract......That makes him the third veteran free agent signed by the Chiefs in the last three weeks that did not play in the NFL during the 2010 season.
Pre-Season Roster Update - 8/25 from Bob Gretz
"It's been a privilege to play 10 years in the NFL. I love playing this game and I'm fortunate to get this opportunity. I will work my hardest to help the Chiefs this season. I would like to thank everyone for (their) support. … It's good to be back!" Becht said via his Twitter page.
Becht’s addition comes on the heels of Jake O’Connell leaving practice with an undisclosed injury earlier this week.
Anthony Becht Excited for Gridiron Return from The Mothership
We're interested to see if we can run the ball better than we did last week, and if we can stop the run better than we did last week, and lots of other things," Spagnuolo said. "I think the guys know that even though it's not a regular-season game, there is some importance to it. To get ready and carry some confidence into the next two weeks.Rams Ready to Test Their Starters from The Belleville News-Democrat
Yes, Haley plans to play his starters more than he has in the Chiefs’ first two preseason games, and Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo plans to put his top guys on the field for at least one series in the second half. But both understand the need to give ample time to the fringe players fighting for the final spots on the roster, those trying to make it as substitute rushers or on special teams.Rams, Chiefs Hope 3rd Preseason Game Tests Starters, Shakes Out Backups As Cuts Loom from The Washington Post
Kansas City Chiefs fans chimed in on our sound-off question regarding how they feel about first-round pick receiver Jonathan Baldwin. He was reportedly in a fight with teammate Thomas Jones. Baldwin hurt his hand and he will likely miss the rest of the preseason. Here are some of your responses:
Sound-Off Responses from ESPN
Can the Chiefs repeat as the top rushing team?Last year the Chiefs ran the ball down the throat of their opponents as they amassed a league-high 2,627 yards for an average of 164.2 yards per game. In Jamaal Charles, who gained 1,467 yards, the Chiefs have one of the best running backs in the league. Thomas Jones chipped in with another 896 yards, but at 32, he is at the age where the production might start to go backwards. To beef up any short-yardage problems they added fullback Le’Ron McClain from the Ravens. So in a word, Yes.
Ten Questions About the AFC West from The Toronto Sun
The Chiefs bolstered their wide receiver corps by adding Steve Breaston in the slot and drafting Jonathon Baldwin out of Pittsburgh. Jerheme Urban, who spent all of last season on injured reserve with a torn flexor tendon in his right hand, is taking snaps as the flanker opposite of Bowe. That’s a pretty electric top four wideouts, if Urban can prove to be a capable No. 2 receiver. Baldwin, recovering from a thumb injury, could eventually replace Urban during the season.
Fantasy Preview: AFC West from The Cover Two
"I had all the football cards, Walter Payton and all the others, and I’d see all the running backs had big arms," Jones says. "It was my dream to be on a football card and have big arms in my uniform."Chiefs Running Back Jones Makes A Strong Impression from KC Star
For a while, anyway, the Chiefs were forgettable — even in terms of nationwide marketability.
The power of persuasion is a significant thing in today’s NFL, and while the Chiefs were mired in three consecutive losing seasons, players such as the Colts’ Peyton Manning and the Steelers’ Troy Polamalu were gobbling up all the offers for television commercials. Gone were the days of Derrick Thomas and Tony Gonzalez helping to direct the national conversation.
Well, those days may be back.
Chiefs Find Success and Hollywood Beckons from KC Star
The Cincinnati Bengals had every reason to feel good about their prospects heading into the 2010 season. They had just come off a 10-6 campaign, one in which they improved by six wins over the previous year and were surprise champions of the AFC North.
But the Bengals tumbled to the bottom of the division last season, falling victim to a trend that says teams making huge leaps in the win column will have trouble sustaining that success the following year.
Chiefs Know That A One-Year Turnaround Is Not A Recipe For Long-Term Success from KC Star
In these past five years, Hunt has revealed his leadership style. He is at times ruthless, and at all times competitive, making changes his father wouldn’t and helping to craft the Chiefs in his image. The team in the next room is young, aggressive and eager to prove it belongs in the national discussion. In many ways, that’s the best way to describe the man sitting here.Clark Hunt Knows He Can't Fill His Father's Shoes, So He Puts His Stamp On NFL from KC Star
The Chiefs employed numerous marketing techniques to try to show fans that they cared about them. Peterson and Schottenheimer did road shows around the region, meeting fans face-to-face. They also started the Chiefs Ambassadors, a group of former players who traveled the area promoting the franchise. To create a college-like atmosphere, the Chiefs began to encourage tailgating before and after games. In 1990, during Peterson’s second season, Arrowhead finally sold out again.
Now that the fans had returned to their seats, the Chiefs went about reminding them just how much of an impact they could have. They’d cater to fans by comparing their noise level to that of a 747 jet and flashing signs beckoning them to yell at the right times. It wasn’t long before Arrowhead was known as "Terrorhead."
Feel the Noise: Loud Fans Make Impact On Game from KC Star
With the Chiefs leading 9-0 midway through the second quarter, it was time for the right play at the right time.
65 Toss Power Trap.
There have been plenty of famous plays in pro football history. Alan Ameche’s overtime touchdown run in the 1958 NFL championship game … Bart Starr’s quarterback sneak in the 1967 Ice Bowl … The Catch by Dwight Clark in the 1981 NFC championship game.
But few people, other than the participants, know the names of those plays.
How 65 Toss Power Trap Became A Signature Play In NFL History from KC Star
When we crunch the numbers and run our 10,000 season simulations, the Football Outsiders supercomputer spits out two basic types of results. One is each team's mean projection, which we present at the beginning of each chapter. The other thing we get from the supercomputer is the standard deviation associated with each team's mean projection. We also present this at the beginning of the chapter, albeit translated into the form of a probability associated with a given range of win totals. This year, Kansas City ended up with the largest standard deviation of the 32 projections, meaning that our model is more uncertain about the fate of the 2011 Chiefs than it is about any other team.32 Paragraphs About 32 NFL Teams From The 2011 Football Outsiders Almanac from Deadspin
Albert has spent the 14 years since repairing his personal life and rebuilding his career, which now seems to be at the level it was before the scandal. He will call NFL games on national television for the first time since NBC lost the package in 1997......Albert, who will work a practice game with Gannon on Friday night, begins his CBS duties Sunday, Sept. 11, in Kansas City, where the Chiefs play host to the Bills.
Albert's Career Has Gone Full Circle from The Albany Times Union