Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 11/6

Good morning! I want to start out by saying "thank you" for all of the thoughts and well wishes. I was off the grid for a few days (no power for a day, no cable/internet for almost a week), but really I only endured minor inconveniences. Thankfully, everyone I know escaped with nothing more than a little property damage. When you expand the circle to their friends and family it gets ugly. We are all doing the best we can here in Jersey to pull together and take care of each other. Again, thanks for all of the well wishes. I also want to thank Matt and Joel (and whoever else helped out) for covering Arrowheadlines for me.

Alright! Let's get this started. Here is your Election Day Kansas City Chiefs news. Go Vote!

Romeo Crennel Removes Himself As The Chiefs' Defensive Coordinator from KC Star

By the time the Chiefs regrouped Monday to begin preparations for their Nov. 12 game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh, he'd come up with a couple of significant tactics. First, Crennel relinquished his defensive coordinator duties, handing them over to linebackers coach Gary Gibbs.

The Chiefs also released starting cornerback Stanford Routt, who was one of their major offseason free-agent acquisitions. They also signed veteran defensive tackle Shaun Smith, who played for the Chiefs in 2010.

Defensive Roster Moves And Responsibility Changes from The Mothership

A series of changes took place at The University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex. The Chiefs waived cornerback Stanford Routt and signed DT Shaun Smith Monday.

These 'Fixes' Won't Do Anything For Chiefs from KC Star

There is no fix. Not at this point. Not when we are halfway through a season and the Chiefs have one win, zero plays called with the lead, and are the undisputed Greatest Disappointment In The NFL.

There is nothing Romeo Crennel can do in a weekday press conference to fix a team that was either wildly overrated with help from Todd Haley's coaching or has by now cried Uncle on a dead-end season of historical failure.

Brady Quinn Still Not Cleared To Play Against Steelers from KC Star

The Chiefs still don't have a starting quarterback for Monday's game against the Steelers. Brady Quinn has yet to be cleared by doctors after suffering a possible concussion against the Raiders on Oct. 28, and until he is, the job belongs to Matt Cassel.

But Quinn could be cleared this week in time for him to prepare to play against the Steelers. Coach Romeo Crennel said he would make a decision between Quinn and Cassel as the starter if Quinn gets the OK to play.

Crennel Relinquishes Defensive Duties from The Associated Press via FOX Sports

Crennel said he wasn't overwhelmed by his dual roles, but he did say that the time demands made it difficult to spend as much time as he wanted with both sides of the ball.

''We're going to try to get this thing right and get this thing turned,'' Crennel said. ''We're going to try to do everything we can to come out these eight games on the winning ledger.''

KC Chiefs Crennel Removes Himself As Defensive Coordinator, Routt Cut from Examiner.com

The bottom fell out for Routt during the team's 38-10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he was torched early and often by quarterback Josh Freeman and his receivers.

Something may have been in the air last week as Routt was inactive for the Chiefs game last Thursday night against the San Diego Chargers. The Chiefs claimed that it was injury-related. Routt's spot at cornerback will probably be filled by Javier Arenas.

Chiefs Cut Stanford Routt; Gary Gibbs In As Defensive Coordinator from CBS Sports

Routt sat out Thursday's loss at San Diego because of a hamstring injury, and Travis Daniels and Javier Arenas took his place at the right corner spot. According to Pro Footbal Focus, Daniels and Arenas were targeted nine times and Philip Rivers completed all nine of those passes for 127 yards and a touchdown.

Sports Store Running Unique Chiefs Promotion from FS Kansas City

More proof that desperate times call for desperate measures: At least one group of Kansas City Chiefs fans is now trying to turn misery into profit.

Sports Time Fan Shop, a sports apparel store in Wichita, Kan., is currently running a unique sale: All Chiefs apparel is 50 percent off until either the woebegone franchise wins a game - the 1-7 squad has lost five in a row - or until its embattled general manager, Scott Pioli, is fired.

Chiefs Expect More From Jon Baldwin from ESPN

Kansas City Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel admitted that Jon Baldwin hasn't produced as much as the team had hoped when the second-year receiver was excelling in the offseason.

Baldwin, the No. 26 overall pick in 2011, took advantage of Dwayne Bowe's holdout in the offseason and in training camp. However, in the regular season, the focus has been on Bowe. He has 45 catches for 571 yards. Baldwin has 15 catches for 213 yards...

...Baldwin is an important piece for Kansas City moving forward and getting him involved is vital. Bowe is likely going to leave as a free agent after the season.

Romeo Crennel: Gary Gibbs To Run Kansas City Chiefs' D from NFL.com

Both moves acknowledge broad mistakes in Kansas City. Crennel is holding himself accountable for a defense that ranks 17th in the NFL but has crumbled in recent weeks. Crennel told The Star he stepped down to adopt a more global approach with his sinking team.

Routt didn't help matters. The former Oakland Raiders corner signed a three-year, $18 million contract in February, but he failed to fill Brandon Carr's shoes.

Bomani & Jones: The Bright Side Of The Chiefs Being Terrible from SB Nation

Sure, Kansas City hasn't led in regulation for a second this season. However, can't you see how that's the best thing for Chiefs fans? Hope is great, if the home team is just gonna lose no matter what, why toy with the faithful's emotions? If a team's going to lose, it may as well eliminate the mystery to the outcome early.

Chiefs Midseason Awards: The Best Of The Bad from CBS Sports

Every week the thought in Kansas City has been, "It can't get any worse than this, can it?" Every week, it gets worse. Eight games in and the consensus is this is just a bad, mismanaged football team, and the only thing left to determine is whether the Chiefs (1-7) will end up with the No. 1 pick and which quarterback they'll take.

Forced to pick midseason standouts, here they are:

Romeo Crennel: 10 Things You Can Feel Confident He'll Do from The Pitch

Just as Monty Python's Black Knight once exclaimed that he was not dead yet, Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli sat down with KMBC Channel 9's Len Dawson Sunday night to explain why the Chiefs are still capable of biting off some kneecaps. The most interesting answer from Pioli was about head coach Romeo Crennel. Pioli explained that this season wasn't a failure of coaching but rather of execution.

"I'm still as confident in Romeo as the day I hired him," Pioli told Dawson (who, while not tough, at least asked questions).

We here at The Pitch also have confidence in the coach. So here are 10 things that you can be confident Romeo Crennel will do.

For Buffalo Bills' Mario Williams, Boos Are Good News from The Los Angeles Times

Most interesting of those story lines is the Monday night game pitting Haley and the Chiefs, although that's a mismatch on paper. Kansas City is 1-7 and the first team in the Super Bowl era to get this deep into the season without holding a lead in regulation. (Its lone win came in overtime.) It has an NFL-high 29 turnovers...

...Pittsburgh has the 10th-ranked passing offense - recently described by Ben Roethlisberger as "dink and dunk" - and the Chiefs are tied for 11th in pass defense. The passing game is Haley's specialty, and that's where it will be most interesting to watch this reunion.

Insider: Culliver Is One Of NFL's Top Cornerbacks from ProFootballWeekly

"When you are $20 million-$25 million under the cap, you can't afford to let a homegrown guy like Brandon Carr get out of the building. Carl Peterson drafted him in the fifth round - (GM) Scott (Pioli) didn't draft him. (Carr) is a bona fide starter and he is young and you let him get away on his first contract without getting anything in return? Go and pay him, especailly if he is so far under the cap. You are going to bring in Stanford Routt, who is getting diced by whoever he is lining up against and expect the same results? Routt can't cover himself up at night."

Breaking Down Chiefs' Big Moves from ESPN

These moves show no jobs are safe in Kansas City. Still, there isn't a lot more that can be done.

Kansas City has already made a quarterback switch. Brady Quinn could start next Monday night at Pittsburgh if he is cleared after suffering a concussion in Week 8. Perhaps No. 3 quarterback Ricky Stanzi could get a shot if Quinn and Matt Cassel continue to struggle.

Regardless of these changes, more, perhaps drastic, moves are surely in the works after this miserable season ends.

KCChiefs.com Video: From The Podium: Romeo Crennel