Game Day! Today's game is out west so there's a late kickoff. The Kansas City Chiefs enter San Diego just a game back in the division, and leading the NFL in many categories (all bad). Yeah, that's all I can spin that. Here's today's news. Go Chiefs!!
This week, the team simplified practices and the playbook in an effort to reduce confusion and build confidence. The changes weren’t limited to the field.
Carr insisted to several of his teammates that they join him socially, whether it was at a restaurant, one of their homes or in the team’s film room. He said he had dinner with a group of teammates three times this past week, an effort to forget the troubles of work and simply get to know each other better.
The players on those bygone teams that lost so much, Carr said, had little chemistry and were poor communicators as a result.
Chiefs Pledge Not to Fall Into the Abyss from KC Star
A GM’s job is to balance the now with the future, today with five years from now. A coach’s job is to prioritize the now, because he’s usually not around if it takes five years.These are different men in different jobs with different life experiences and beliefs and senses of humor. What might fuel the tension even more is what they have in common: successful backgrounds, hard-headed personalities, and complete conviction that their way is the right way.
Neither is the type to back down from an argument.
Chiefs' Haley and Pioli Have to Mesh During Tense Times from KC Star
Today: Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming west between 5 and 10 mph.Game Day Weather Report from The National Weather Service
Though the task of replacing injured All-Pro RBJamaal Charles won’t fall squarely on the shoulders of Thomas Jones, the Chiefs are certainly relying on the 12-year veteran to elevate the play of the team’s healthy ball carriers. Already the unquestioned leader of the Chiefs backfield, Jones must now find a way to help guide the Chiefs’ offensive identity without its most explosive rusher.
Leading the Charge from The Mothership
After hideous losses of 41-7 to the Bills and 48-3 to the Lions, they’re underdogs of more than two touchdowns in today’s game against the Chargers in San Diego. That’s a generous spread for a game in a league where, supposedly, any team can beat any other on any given Sunday.
On one hand, it’s incomprehensible the Chiefs could fall this far this quickly. But on closer inspection, they are some compelling reasons for their predicament. Here are four of them.
Four Reasons for the Chiefs' Horrendous Start from KC Star
The Chiefs have allowed more turnovers and giveaway points than any team in the NFL. Nine teams had zero turnovers in the first two weeks and those teams went 7-2. Last year, teams that didn’t turn the football over won 83% of the time.
Kansas City must eliminate its lofty giveaway total.
San Diego Take Five from The Mothership
Bottom line
The Chiefs lost their last two games at Qualcomm Stadium by a cumulative score of 74-14. So they can get blown out in that stadium even when they don’t bring a team misfiring in just about every area. Sooner or later, the Chiefs will become competitive. This week, against an opponent intent on regaining the AFC West championship, doesn’t look like the time. Prediction: Chargers 27, Chiefs 7
Chiefs-Chargers Scouting Report from KC Star
Exploitation. Philip Rivers respects the heck out of Chiefs safety Eric Berry. But Berry is not here. He is in Kansas City with a torn ACL that ended his season two weeks ago. The Chargers must corral defensive end Tamba Hali, who has 5½ sacks, two tackles for loss, an interception and three forced fumbles in 10 career games against them. Inside linebacker Derrick Johnson can affect the flow of traffic, and the Chiefs have two good corners. But it is Berry that made that defense good in 2010.Five Things to Watch: Kansas City Chiefs at Chargers from The San Diego Union-Tribune
What will happen
This game will be over by the second quarter. The Chargers desperately need a win, and the Chiefs are in no position to deny them. Expect big stats and lots of points for the Chargers, who will cruise to a 2-1 start.
Prediction: Chargers 28, Chiefs 10
Chargers: Keys to Victory from The North County Times
Philip Rivers talked to his teammates on Friday about taking urgency into Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, playing as if a championship were in the balance.
The Chargers can’t win anything but a single game today. But it doesn’t take a major stretch to see that the path to either disappointment or possible fulfillment is being breached at this juncture.
Chargers Know It's Time to Turn Potential Into Reality from The San Diego Union-Tribune
Some things were just doomed from the start, like New Coke, Blues Brothers 2000, the XFL and the 2011 Kansas City Chiefs.Kansas City's anchor-like descent has been astounding. Starting with their loss to Oakland in last season's regular-season finale on Jan. 2, and including preseason games this year, the Chiefs are now 0-8 this calendar year. In their 0-2 start this season, they have been outscored by a margin (89-10) not seen in the NFL in more than two decades.
Glasgow: Chiefs Season Seems Doomed from The Quincy Herald-Whig