Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 9/11

Good morning! Today's Kansas City Chiefs news includes more recaps and analysis of last Sunday's game against the Falcons, but we are already beginning to see information on the upcoming matchup against the Bills. Enjoy!

The Chiefs just one game into their season are a team sorely in need of something to lift their sagging spirits. Alone he won't be enough to fix everything that ails them, but linebacker Tamba Hali returned Monday to their practice facility and will be in their lineup Sunday when they play against the Bills in Buffalo.

Chiefs In Rush To Have Hali Back from KC Star

Teams typically start off the opening week at full strength, and through the brutal grind of practice and games, guys pick up the inevitable bumps and bruises, and often injuries more serious than that. The teams that best cope with them are usually in the playoff hunt.

If the Kansas City Chiefs have any designs on returning to the postseason in fourth months' time, they'll have done so by taking a vastly different approach.

Hali Back With Chiefs, But No Word On Injuries from The Associated Press via The Wall Street Journal

KC Star Photo Gallery: Assessing The Chiefs After One Game

KCChiefs.com Video: From The Podium: Romeo Crennel

Flowers returned to practice in a limited role for the first time last Monday, but he was not a full participant throughout the week. Flowers had sat out practice since July 31 when he bruised his left heel, an injury that has taken more time to heal than originally expected.

Without Flowers, the Chiefs started CB Jacques Reeves, who had not played a regular-season game since 2009. Reeves struggled against Atlanta WR Julio Jones, who had six catches for 106 yards and two TDs. CB Jalil Brown, who typically backs up Flowers, suited up but did not play much because of a groin injury.

Chiefs Notebook: Romeo Crennel Says CB Brandon Flowers Needs To Practice To Play from CBS Sports

As he stood on the sideline, he leaned over to Ryan during the national anthem and said, "Look up there - that's where you're going to see the stealth bomber.

"I told him about the fans chanting ‘(Home) of the Chiefs!' at the end of the anthem and Matt leaned over to me and said, ‘I'm never going to a movie with you - you're giving away the ending.'"

Gonzalez Savors Return To Arrowhead from The Examiner

If there was anything to quibble about, it was the failure to score even more points. The Falcons had some great field position, starting four of their nine possessions inside Chiefs territory through a long kickoff return by Jacquizz Rodgers and three second-half turnovers by the defense. They also put together a long drive to set up first-and-goal at the Kansas City 3 late in the first half, only to settle for one of Matt Bryant's four field goals.

Clearly, the Falcons would prefer more touchdowns and not so many field goals, but it's hard to complain too much about their efficiency in the red zone - especially playing in raucous Arrowhead Stadium.

Falcons Turn On The Power Against Chiefs from The Savannah Morning News

If Buffalo Bills fans want the backup quarterback to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick, then they better know who to beg for at Sunday's home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Start coming up with signs that involve witty Thigpen puns.

Tyler Thigpen Still No. 2 On Bills QB Depth Chart from The Buffalo News

The injury news was as bad as feared for Buffalo Bills receiver David Nelson.

For running back Fred Jackson, it was better - but still not great.

Nelson will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his right knee and Fred Jackson will miss at least the next month - also with an injury to his right knee, which is believed to be a sprained LCL ligament.

Injuries To Nelson And Jackson Deal Bills A Double Whammy from The Buffalo News

ADAM TEICHER (KC STAR): Does anyone that didn't play this week have a chance next week?

CRENNEL: "The situation is the same as far as we have to wait to see what they can do as far as practice goes. They were all here today. I think (Anthony) Toribio is limited and will be very limited. (Allen) Bailey is limited. (Kendrick) Lewis, he's limited. Those are the three guys who are the most limited. Everybody else should be able to practice, and we'll see what they can do."

Q&A With Romeo Crennel - 9/10 from The Mothership

It has been 19 hours since the Kansas City Chiefs tore the hearts out of their fan base for the umpteenth year in a row and laid an egg on the field at Arrowhead by losing 1,238 - 24 to the Atlanta Falcons.

Oh, wait, the score was only 40-24? Sorry ... I thought that I just saw Julio Jones waltz into the end zone unmolested again.

Time For Clark Hunt To Open Up The Checkbook from Examiner.com

"I am very happy to see Tony is back from his knee surgery," said Wheaton Warrneville South Ron Muhitch, "and ready to play for Kansas City. He had such a great rookie year in the NFL, that I am sure he will make an impact for the Chiefs at TE with his blocking and catching talent. Kansas City has three guys recovering from ACL knee surgery that will require them to regain their confidence as players and Tony is one of them. I have already talked to him and wished him well on his return to action in 2012."

Tony Moeaki, Coby Fleener Give Local Flavor To Start Of NFL Season from MySuburbanLife.com

What's clear is that Tamba Hali is the pass rush for the Chiefs. Atlanta's Matt Ryan won't need to launder his jersey before the next game - it was still sparkling white as he trotted off the field. Right now, the margin for error is just too small for this team. Too many kicks are returned to the 25-yard-line. Too many players have to stay healthy. Too many things have to go right for them to win. I suggest that you invest in some Tums. The Chiefs aren't going to make it easy this year.

The Chiefs Took A Gut Punch In Their Home Opener from The Pitch

David Koechner is going to have a very busy year.

On top of prepping for Anchorman 2 alongside Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and the Channel 4 gang, Koechner will have his hands full with fantasy football. This season, the diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan is serving as the new spokesperson for Bud Light's Fantasy Football League.

'Anchorman 2': Actor Who Played Sportscaster 'Champ Kind' Reveals New Details Of Sequel from Celebuzz

Why were people excited about Peyton Hillis in Kansas City? He had 16 yards on seven carries against the Falcons. He just doesn't make people miss.

Monday Musings: Give Skins' Defensive Credit from CBS Sports

That has to be an unsettling promise for Broncos opponents, given that Manning completed 19 of 26 passes for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns. Next Monday night, the Broncos will face the Falcons in Atlanta, and then they will host the Texans; both teams are considered strong playoff contenders. After the Kansas City Chiefs - a popular pick to win the A.F.C. West - were throttled Sunday by the Falcons, 40-24, the Broncos are clearly in that category, too.

Manning Foregoes A Grace Period In Denver from The New York Times

Matchup to watch - Chiefs WR Steve Breaston vs. Bills CB Stephon Gilmore: Veteran quarterbacks know how to exploit a weakness, and the rookie cornerback out of South Carolina was picked on by the Jets. Gilmore isn't raw, he was a three-year starter, but Breaston is a veteran with good route-running skills. And after Gilmore's struggles with big Jets WR Stephen Hill in the opener, the Chiefs will likely show him a heavy dose of Jonathan Baldwin as well.

Week 2: Chiefs-Bills Matchup from Lindy's Sports

Worst quarterback from the 2005 draft: For one day anyway, take your choice between the Bills' Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Chiefs' Matt Cassel, who each committed three turnovers in their teams' blowout losses.

Best And Worst: NFL Highlights And Lowlights From Week 1 from USA Today

It's time to regroup and get ready for Buffalo. We might be getting an old AFL-type of shootout up there because the Bills allowed 48 points to the Jets in Week One and the Chiefs gave up 40. Cassel can't afford another bad second half. He looked on point, throwing with conviction in the first half but fell apart as he pressed the further the Chiefs fell behind. The Chiefs ran for 152 yards on 33 carries and should continue this formula. They're not panicking yet by any means.

AFC West Spin Cycle: Week 1 from ProFootballWeekly

On paper, Ryan's game was brilliant: 23-of-31, 299 yards, four touchdowns (three passing), and just one interception. Kansas City can be a tough place for a visiting quarterback, but the more notable item is that the team was missing linebacker Tamba Hali (suspension) and corner Brandon Flowers (injury), arguably the team's two best defenders. Naturally, while the Falcons were rumored to be preparing for a more wide-open offense all season, they found a defense without Hali or Flowers to be very amenable to the Matt Ryan League MVP Bandwagon. While Ryan still might have a few big games in him, he doesn't get to play a defense missing two Pro Bowl-caliber guys every week.

San Fran's Super Sequel from Grantland

Maybe Nixon's call to Dawson and Stram after a Super Bowl wasn't his first, but I can't recall of any that have lingered in my memory, at least none that I can remember being made today where the visit to the White House seems to have taken its place.

For the record, there is no recording of Nixon's call to either Dawson or Stram, or so I was told. I guess Nixon wasn't recording yet what would become the "smoking gun" leading to his resignation as President of the United States. Accordingly, we have no voice record of what the men said but we do have file copies of "President Richard Nixon's Daily Diary", and a listing titled "The White House Telephone Memorandum" of January 11, 1970.

The CHIEF Calls The Chiefs from The Mothership