Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 10/10

Reclaiming The Record: 137 Decibels from The Mothership

"We have the best fans in the NFL and we are proud to support them in their efforts to break the Guinness World Record of Loudest Crowd Roar at a Sports Stadium (Outdoors)," the Chiefs organization commented. "All Chiefs fans will unite at the Chiefs vs. Raiders game in showing how loud and proud they are, in an attempt to break the current record of 136.6 decibels."

During the most recent home game against the New York Giants, the peak crowd noise level recorded was 124.5 decibels.

"Knowing that we got to 124.5 decibels at the last home game is awesome and is also very encouraging," Mark Powell, a group member advocating for the world record mentioned. "As pumped up as everyone is, we really believe that we can get to 137 decibels. We can break this record and become the loudest stadium, again."

Defense Gives Chiefs Foundation To Keep From Crumbling from KC Star

Even with the franchise's best start in a decade, much of the talk around the team is about the Broncos (39 days before the first time they play this season), trading for Tony Gonzalez (not happening) or whether the offense can improve (a legitimate concern, depending on your expectations).

This is a neglected orphan, basically, taken in by a wealthy and caring family and wondering if the authorities are coming tomorrow.

After the pain and anger and frustration of the last few years, this kind of sudden success is hard to digest. The good news is that if recent NFL trends are any indication, the Chiefs are well-positioned to avoid a major fall. They're structured and built a lot like those who've made some of the league's biggest turnarounds in a quarter-century.

All because of defense.

Alex Smith, Chiefs Embracing Raiders Week from The Mothership

New to the team and the AFC West in 2013, Chiefs QB Alex Smith is still well aware of the 108-game rivalry between the Chiefs and Raiders.

"It's new territory for me," Smith said. "I'm not too unfamiliar. I grew up in San Diego, so I'm very familiar with the AFC West and a little bit about what it's about. I'm excited; rivalries in the game of football are what makes it special at every level. For us at the NFL level, it's these division games and they all kind of have their unique relationship, each one of the four teams. I'm excited for this and obviously, I was playing football in the Bay area, close to Oakland; I'm very familiar with them and I'm excited for it."

Chiefs Receiver A.J. Jenkins Trying To Make Most Of This from KC Star

Jenkins knew his first year with the 49ers had not gone well - he appeared in just three games and became the first healthy first-round receiver since Clyde Duncan in nearly 30 years to not catch a pass -but the news still took him by surprise.

"It wasn't like, ‘Oh my God, are you serious?' " Jenkins said. "But it kind of stung me because I didn't wake up expecting to be on a flight in three hours."

Now, Jenkins - who was taken 30th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft by the 49ers after catching 90 passes for 1,276 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior at Illinois - is in a fight to avoid being labeled a first-round bust like Duncan, who was drafted 17th overall in 1984 by St. Louis and was out of the league after two years.

Jamaal Charles, Justin Houston Sit Out Chiefs Practice from KC Star

"So far, (Houston) has been cleared of any signs of (a concussion)," coach Andy Reid said. "That's a plus. But we're taking him through the whole protocol and making sure."

Reid said Charles' blisters are not a result of a heavy pounding. Charles has carried 92 times for 397 yards and has caught 28 passes for 250 yards.

"This is his feet," Reid said. "It's not the joints or anything like that. His feet are a mess. That's unusual. He's got blisters."

Determining the cause of Charles' blisters has been problematic.

"They've done the shoes and the socks ..." Reid said. "He'll be all right."

Chiefs Rewatch: Breaking Down Cooper, Smith, Charles, Bowe, Poe from KC Star

- This really was Alex Smith's worst game as a Chief, and it's not close. Hard to know how much the weather bothered him, or whether it was just the Titans being the best defense he's played against this year, or whether we should expect a dud game like this every once in a while. But with what the Chiefs are trying to do offensively, and Smith's specific strengths, there isn't much margin for error.

- If I was coaching against the Chiefs, I'd come after every punt. Colquitt is good enough that you're probably not getting a good return anyway, and the Chiefs have proven themselves vulnerable for a blocked punt.

KCChiefs.com Video: Alex Smith Wednesday Press Conference

KCChiefs.com Video: Andy Reid Wednesday Press Conference

KCChiefs.com Video: Chiefs Brief: Week 6

KCChiefs.com Video: A Message From Rob Riggle

Chiefs' McGrath Is A Warrior, A Poet, An Artist -- And A Budding KC Cult Hero from FS Kansas City

The man is all beard and no bull. Sean McGrath calls it like he sees it, straight-up, without filters or regret. When he loves something, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end's eyes light up like the Plaza in December, the giant thatch of whiskers giving him the affectation of a young Santa Claus -- only a Santa Claus who's 6-foot-5, 247 pounds and could stomp your ribs to freaking oatmeal, if he wanted to.

Chiefs Look To Stop "The Streak" from Chiefs Spin

Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson is one of the players in the locker room who appeared to be up for Sunday's game against an AFC West rival.

"Raiders Week is taken seriously, the rivalries here are taken seriously," Johnson said. "Best believe when we go out there on Sunday we know what's at stake and we're going to try and protect our territory here at Arrowhead."

Kansas City and Oakland meet for the 109th time on Sunday, marking the most the Chiefs have faced a single opponent. The Chiefs hold a 55-51-2 overall record against the Raiders, including a 28-24-1 record at Arrowhead Stadium.

But that home-field advantage has been minimized because it comes back to six.

Suffocating Chiefs Defense Is A Key To Unbeaten Start from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

"Just coming out and playing good hardnosed, tough football," Reid said in explaining the performance of his defense, which has been the biggest reason for their 5-0 start.

It's not just scoring where they've dominated, either. They have the best mark in the NFL when it comes to third-down percentage, allowing opponents to convert just 23.5 percent of their attempts. They're also best in the red zone at 25 percent, a number that was helped by their stand in Tennessee. And they're best in the NFL in takeaways with 15 already this season.

Hits Keep On Coming For Chiefs' TEs from ESPN

The Chiefs planned to use Kelce, a third-round draft pick from Cincinnati, in a variety of ways. During off-season practice and training camp he lined up at many different places in a formation, including as a wide receiver and he showed the ability to beat coverage down the field and make catches.

But he came up with a sore knee during training camp. He has practice rarely during the regular season and hasn't played a snap on offense.

Chiefs Rookie TE Kelce Has Arthroscopic Surgery from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

"I think this is an injury people get better from," Burkholder said. "He's a young guy. He's got a good, healthy knee. We protected him so he didn't do any additional damage. That gives him the best chance to come back and have a good, long career."

Raiders-Chiefs Preview from The Associated Press via Yahoo! Sports

He could be missing one of his top targets in Donnie Avery, who is recovering from a bruised shoulder. Tight end Anthony Fasano is also uncertain to play, fellow tight end Travis Kelce may miss the rest of the season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and right tackle Eric Fisher is likely out because of a concussion.

The Chiefs would like to get receiver Dwayne Bowe more involved in the offense, as he has just 17 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns, and a matchup with Oakland might provide the right opportunity.

Players React To 'Hard Knocks' Mandate from Chiefs Spin

The Chiefs organization isn't a stranger to the show, having been featured in 2007.

But a walk around the team's locker room on Wednesday reflected various opinions on the program, including a response from a player some may find surprising given his following in Kansas City.

Expect A Nail-Biter When The Chiefs, Raiders Play from The Wall Street Journal

This Sunday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid and quarterback Alex Smith will get their first opportunity to take part in the Raider rivalry. Oakland, meanwhile, starts nine defenders who weren't on the team last year. Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor threw one incomplete pass-his only career attempt against the Chiefs in Week 15 last season, making him the most experienced QB in the rivalry on either roster.

The Three Undefeated Teams: Hot Broncos, Cold Blooded Chiefs, But Are The Saints Just Right? from The Big Lead

In an interesting contrast, Denver and Kansas City this year are each other's most dissimilar team among all those undefeateds. To put that in some perspective, Denver has allowed more points than Kansas City has scored. The Chiefs have allowed only ten more points all season than Denver did on Sunday. Denver has a historically great passing offense, countered by easily the worst pass defense among the 43 undefeateds since 1990. Kansas City has a passing offense that is better than only the 2003 Panthers at this same point, in net yards per attempt, but in the top 5 in passing defense among undefeateds.

History Lesson Week 6: Chiefs 17, Raiders 7 (1969 AFL Championship Game) from Pro Players Insider

Led by Pro Football Hall of Famers such as defensive end Buck Buchanan and defensive tackle Curley Culp, linebackers Bobby Bell and Willie Lanier and ball hawking cornerback Emmitt Thomas, Kansas City (which had dethroned the defending Super Bowl champion New York Jets, 13-6, on the road the previous week) stifled Lamonica and backup George Blanda, who combined for less than 200 yards through the air and were intercepted four times, three of those at the expense of Lamonica. After scoring a touchdown in the first quarter, the Raiders were blanked for the remainder of the afternoon as Stram and company went onto a 17-7 win.

Coach Allen Talks Injuries, Chiefs And More from Raiders.com

Q: Without giving away any trade secrets, this Chiefs defense, how do you attack it?

Coach Allen: Well, you have to block them, that's the first thing. They're very talented. They have two guys on the edge in [Justin] Houston and Tamba Hali, both those guys are really good football players. They play the run and the pass exceptionally well. Dontari Poe is really playing good as a nose [tackle]. Derrick Johnson's been an outstanding linebacker in this league, a guy that can run around, makes a lot of plays, makes a lot of tackles. I think they play a tough, physical brand of football. I think their secondary is really outstanding, so you have to execute and that's what it really boils down to. If we execute our plays, we'll have a chance. But it's going to be a tough game, especially for our offense against their defense.

Pryor Talks Mechanics, Chiefs And More from Raiders.com

Q: How do you prepare your game going against a team that is undefeated?

Pryor: The message that I relay to our offense is that they play sound ball, so we have to play sound ball. That doesn't mean that they're better than us because you never win a game on paper. You never win by looking at a record. It's all about who goes out there and who is the more physical team. That's what we expect. We expect to battle. Are they a good team? Yeah. I think they have one of the best defenses in the NFL. I think it's going to be the best defense we play against all year. They have a tough team, but we're very tough too.

Week 6 NFL Picks: Drew Brees- Tom Brady Matchup, Broncos' Historic Point Spread Vs. Jaguars Highlight Weekend from CBS Boston

Maybe I'm straying into "hater" territory at this point, but I'm still having a heck of a hard time buying into the Chiefs. I can't be alone in this. I know that I should believe in them. I know that of their five wins, four have been by nine points or more. I know Andy Reid isn't as bad as we've all said he is over the years (I actually don't know that, but it feels right to say it).

I just think the Raiders may be able to out-possess the Chiefs. Oakland can run the ball (4.7 YPC) and KC can't stop the run (5.3 YPC), and that should be enough to at the very least keep the score reasonably close on Sunday.

Oakland Raiders' Terrelle Pryor Taking His Place As Top-Notch NFL Passer from The San Jose Mercury News

Pryor's 97.6 passer rating ranks behind Peyton Manning, Tony Romo, Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan. His completion percentage of 68.3 trails only Manning (75.8), Rivers (73.7), Romo (71.8), Brees (69.7) and Ryan (69.3).

And it's not all because Pryor is breaking outside and finding receivers on scramble drills. According to ESPN stats and Information, Pryor's 72.7 completion percentage in the pocket is fourth in the NFL, ahead of both Brees and Rodgers.

Some of Pryor's success has to do with Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson furnishing him with the routes he throws best.

Raiders Get Healthy For Unbeaten Chiefs from The San Francisco Chronicle

Both McFadden and Jennings were limited Wednesday, but that they were on the field early in the week was encouraging for Oakland...

...Especially because one thing Chiefs don't do great is stop the run: They are 30th in the league, allowing 5.3 yards per carry.

And especially because McFadden ran for more than 100 yards in each of Oakland's wins over Kansas City last season.

NFL Week 6 Picks: Brees, Saints Set To Topple Tom Brady, Patriots from SportingNews

The Raiders are trying to operate much like the Chiefs to turn around their offense fortunes, by having Terrelle Pryor get the ball out quickly and use his legs to move them. Their host archrivals, however, are better at doing just that with Alex Smith, and also have the healthiest, most explosive back in Jamaal Charles. Chiefs 31, Raiders 14.

Darren McFadden Back At Practice With Raiders from The San Jose Mercury News

Running back Darren McFadden was on the field for the Raiders Wednesday, working with the first team during an early walk-through and then going through drills with his position group...

...His availability would be at least a mild surprise, given his history of injury combined with the fact that the Raiders have a bye after facing the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, giving him McFadden extra time to recover.

Matchups Boost Fantasy Values For Foster, Romo, Wayne from USA Today

Duds

QB Terrelle Pryor, Oakland Raiders: The young passer put on a clinic against the Chargers in Week 5, logging 22 standard fantasy points and completing 78.3% of his attempts. Life won't be so easy in Kansas City. The Chiefs have limited quarterbacks to 224.0 passing yards and less than a touchdown per game.

Andrew Luck, Drew Brees, Marshawn Lynch Gaining Ground On Peyton Manning In MVP Power Rankings from NESN

5. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 4) Stats: 92 carries, 397 rushing yards; 28 catches, 250 receiving yards and five total touchdowns (three rushing, two receiving)

The defense is what gets all the attention in Kansas City, and rightfully so, but Charles has been the one pacing the Chiefs' underrated offense. He's fifth in the NFL in rushing yards and second among running backs in total touchdowns - only Adrian Peterson (six) has more. He's a dangerous runner and has developed into one of the best receiving backs in football. He's a big reason for the Chiefs' 5-0 start and will be key to whatever success they manage the rest of the way.

Raiders vs. Chiefs Picks And Predictions 2013, Week 6: Almost Everyone Thinks KC Will Stay Unbeaten from SB Nation via Philly.com

All five writers at SBNation have picked the Chiefs to win and stay undefeated. All three experts at Yahoo! Sports agree that Kansas City will come out victorious. There was one expert at CBS Sports that is going with the upset, however.

While seven of eight at CBS are picking KC, John Breech thinks the Raiders can pull this one out and give the Chiefs their first loss of the year.

Dan Graziano's MVP Watch from ESPN

The Chiefs' defense is an MVP candidate convention, and Houston is the keynote speaker. Dontari Poe and Tamba Hali deserve mention, and Poe was on this list at one point this year. But Houston has 8.5 sacks for a total of 55 lost yards. He has three passes defensed, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He reminds Andy Reid of what Trent Cole used to be like before Reid lost his mind and made an offensive line coach his defensive coordinator, dooming Cole to a midcareer bout of confused mediocrity. It's all better now for Andy, and Houston is a big reason why.

Jack's Smack: What We Need To Do To Beat The Raiders This Week from KSHB

It's "Raiders Week" and people like me have been reminding you that the hated black and silver have kicked our butts every year at Arrowhead since 2006.

I'm still trying to figure out how in the world that's happened.

Fantasy Football: Week Five Fantasy Takeaways from CBS Atlanta

Maybe Donnie Avery can be trusted going forward off of a three catch, 91 yard game. He draws a dream match-up against the Raiders this week and is a perfect bye week flex option for those that still need someone to plug in for the upcoming week. Jamaal Charles continues to be an elite option at running back and should be at the top of your target list to acquire if you have a desperate owner needing depth.

2013 NFL Trade Roundup: Tony Gonzalez A Wanted Man? from CBS Sports

Tony Gonzalez wants to remain a member of the Falcons despite their 1-4 start. He has made that much known. But that doesn't mean Gonzalez will definitely wind up remaining with Atlanta and as CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reports (see: video above), there are teams interested...

..."It's all going to be in Tony's court," La Canfora notes.

Broncos Are The Class Of The NFL from The Cornell Daily Sun

If the Broncos can escape that with a win, their season comes down to visits to New England and Kansas City. The way the Patriots looked last week was certainly not encouraging, but given their history, it feels wrong to totally rule them out.

However, the Chiefs have one of the best home field advantages in the NFL. Maybe a raucous Kansas City crowd could drown out some of Peyton's audibles and cause confusion on offense. The Chiefs have the best secondary in the AFC to go along with a group of monsters on their defensive line, which will make for tough sledding for the Broncos offense. While the Chiefs offense doesn't strike fear into hearts of defenders, they can control the clock and keep the Broncos offense on the sideline.

QB Watch: Chiefs' Alex Smith from ESPN

One area where Smith can improve is in his completion percentage, which is at only 58 percent. This isn't all on Smith because pressure has forced some off-target throws. But because he throws a lot of shorter and therefore easier-to-complete passes, his completion percentage should be a lot higher. Chiefs receivers haven't dropped a high percentage of his throws. Smith completed 70 percent of his throws last season for the San Francisco 49ers.

Week 6 Las Vegas Market Report from National Football Post

The Chiefs have been rock solid so far in 2013, but the early money clearly felt that laying 10.5 points was far too great a number for a squad that is averaging 25.6 points per game. In addition, the underdog in this series is 11-1 ATS over the last 12 meetings while the Raiders are 7-0 ATS over their last seven trips to Kansas City. This is a divisional showdown that is sure to command the full attention of both teams, so there's no need to consider the "look ahead factor" here.

Can The 5-0 Chiefs, Broncos Or Saints Emulate Undefeated 1972 Dolphins? from Sky Sports

The Chiefs' chances at joining the Dolphins are somewhat slim. Their defence is excellent, but they sorely lack scoring punch, and it is almost impossible to imagine them going blow for blow with Manning. They do benefit from playing Manning in cold weather - something that has ruined him in past seasons - but that probably will not be enough.

On the bright side, the Chiefs have an easier schedule and should also be undefeated and coming off a bye at 10-0 when they meet the Broncos in Denver.

Chicago's "D" May Have Eli Viewing From The Ear Hole from The Harlan Daily Eneterprise

Unlike the Chargers, Kansas City will stop Oakland. The Chiefs will make special teams plays that are actually special. And the guys at Arrowhead will play a patient, productive, and occasionally provocative style of offense. This one's as close to a lock as we are likely to find this week.