Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 12/25

Chiefs Unplugged: Favorite Christmas Gifts from The Mothership

The Kansas City Chiefs are off today and will return to work on Thursday. On this Christmas Day, the entire Chiefs organization wishes you a very happy holiday season. In this latest edition of Chiefs Unplugged, members of the team shared memories of some of their favorite Christmas gifts they've received, while also offering some greetings to you, the greatest fans in the world.

Alex Smith: "I'm Getting Ready For Sunday" from The Mothership

Q: How important is it to end the regular season on a high note?

SMITH: "I mean, you're trying to win every single game you possibly can in this league. There are only 16 of them. These are such rare opportunities. Regardless of who is out there, we're trying to go out there and win the game. This is a division game. This is a team that's trying to get in the playoffs as well, so a chance for us to get a lot of things done."

Focus And Preparation Won't Change For Chiefs from The Mothership

Whatever decision coach Reid makes about playing time for his players, their preparation doesn't figure to change.

"Absolutely not," Chiefs DE Mike Catapano said. "I don't think you can ever change your preparation, no matter what situation you're in on the team. You have to be ready to fire on all cylinders, when your number is called, whether it be special teams, defense, or whatever role you have, you have to be ready. The Chargers are a really good team. They've beaten a lot of good teams, recently. Obviously, they beat Denver and they have a good resume and are a hot team, right now, so, we're going to have to be ready."

One-On-One With Chiefs GM John Dorsey from The Mothership

Do you give yourself a grade?

"I don't think it's fair for me to place a grade on myself. Now, I will reflect back on the negatives, but let's say something that didn't work, that didn't help us, and I felt like I made the wrong decision, I'll do a self-analysis and analyze where my mistakes were and make sure we don't do that again. I think that's where, at the end of the whole-year process, wherever you lead us, you go back and you find the mistakes that you possibly made and ask why that happened and make sure that does not happen again and learn from it and then move forward."

Chiefs Fan Appreciation Day At Arrowhead from The Mothership

Prizes were given away throughout Sunday's game to the Chiefs Kingdom's amazing fans that came out to support their team in the snowy, icy, 24-degree weather. It all led up to an incredible grand prize at halftime, a Chiefs Red Ford Fusion rolled onto the field to be given away to one lucky Chiefs fan.

Chiefs Announce Practice Squad  Roster Moves from The Mothership

The Kansas City Chiefs officially announced several practice squad moves on Tuesday. The team has signed running back Eric Kettani, wide receiver Jerrell Jackson and linebacker/defensive end Ridge Wilson to the practice squad roster.

The Chiefs released wide receiver Fred Williams, while FB Toben Opurum has been added to the Houston Texans active roster and TE Jake Byrne joined the San Diego Chargers 53-man roster.

Kansas City's 'Virtual Pitch' Kid Isn't Just Back To Normal At Christmas - He's 'Better Than Ever" from FS Kansas City

While Nick was recovering at Mercy in October, Kansas City Chiefs receiver Dexter McCluster popped in one day, just to say hello.

"He had been lying flat (in the hospital bed)," Mike recalls. "When he saw it was Dexter McCluster, he was looking quickly for any button that would raise him up. You should've seen it."

This one is for Dex. For Cook. For the lady who baked a dozen of the greatest chocolate-chip cookies in the world to try and ease Nick's pain. Then baked six dozen more.

This is for the strangers who filled a piggy bank with loose bills and change, enough vending-machine money to feed a small movie crew.

This is for the Athletics and for Google, and every big dog who threw a bone at the little guy standing at the foot of a mighty hill.

Mostly, this is for the hundreds of people, sight unseen, who wrote letter after letter, sent card after card.

Power Rankings: No. 10 Kansas City Chiefs from ESPN

After losing their third straight home game, this one in convincing fashion to the Indianapolis Colts, the Kansas City Chiefs are fortunate they're still in the top 10 of ESPN.com's Power Rankings.

Scouting The Kansas City Chiefs from The San Diego Union-Tribune

One-man offense?: Charles has taken 79 percent of the team's handoffs. In comparison, Chargers rushing leader Ryan Mathews, assisted by Danny Woodhead, has taken 61.5 percent of San Diego's handoffs. Also, Charles leads the Chiefs in receptions (70), reception yardage (693) and touchdown catches (7).

Chiefs Should Keep Cooper On Bench from ESPN

Rookie cornerback Marcus Cooper was one of the stars of the Kansas City Chiefs' defense almost from the minute his team claimed him off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers at the start of the regular season. He is a big, physical cornerback who was doing a nice job of disrupting routes at the line and making plays on the ball down the field.

But as with many of his defensive teammates and Kansas City's defense as a whole, the quality of Cooper's play has fallen sharply. Over the last several games Cooper has allowed numerous big plays, and it got to the point in last week's game against the Indianapolis Colts that the Chiefs benched him.

Scouting Report: Chargers vs. Chiefs from Chargers.com

On Defense for the Chiefs

Kansas City has boasted one of the best defenses in the NFL for most of the season, though their numbers have dipped as of late.  They are still an opportunistic bunch, with Quintin Demps leading the way with four of the team's 20 interceptions while Eric Berry has three.  Meanwhile, Derrick Johnson has been a nightmare for opposing offenses, leading the Chiefs with 107 total tackles. The big names on defense remain to be Tamba Hali and Justin Houston who are both tied for the team lead with 11 sacks.

Simple Game Plan Was The Key To Success Against Chiefs from Colts.com

On the game plan against the Chiefs:

"It was simple. We wanted our guys to play fast. We took some things out that we normally take into a ball game. Especially on offense it was going to be loud so you had to worry about the communication but it's no different on defense. Sometimes you have all these grandioso ideas on how to do this and that and get after the quarterback and sometimes you can just over think it. The plan that we had in place and the way our players on defense were able to play fast and make plays was a huge part of that."

Reid May Play It Down Middle vs. San Diego from ESPN

Caught between his wish to keep some key players fresh for the upcoming playoffs and a desire to see the struggling Kansas City Chiefs build some momentum, Andy Reid may play things down the middle in Sunday's final regular-season game against the Chargers in San Diego.

Reid said starters and backups alike at all positions would get some practice time this week with the first team. He will then decide later in the week which starters will play against the Chargers and how much.

NFL Awards Watch: Week 16 from Sports Illustrated

Offensive Player of the Year

3. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (3): Even during a disappointing week for the Chiefs, Charles shined. He rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries for the Chiefs and added another five receptions. He's the entire Chiefs offense and his numbers are every bit as good as McCoy's.

Fantasy MVP? Hand It Off To Jamaal Charles from Delaware Online

Overall Fantasy MVP

RB Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs: Peyton Manning and LeSean McCoy deserve consideration as well, but many fantasy owners went out on a limb to draft Charles in the top five. Not even those convinced he was fully recovered from his 2012 knee surgery expected Charles to be so productive, especially with a new coachand a team that won two games last season.

Charles has double the catches he had in 2012 and has been targeted more than 100 times by QB Alex Smith. Charles' 19 total touchdowns, including a whopping five in Week 15, put him ahead of McCoy as this season's most valuable fantasy running back. Charles stepped up when it counted most, too, finding pay dirt at least once each of the last five weeks.

The Waitress Always Wanted To Be A Sports Commentator - And She Is from The Los Angeles Times

The perfect name, and the perfect patter, her intelligent sports quips entertaining everyone from disarmed dudes in football jerseys to elderly couples who will spend two hours nursing coffees just to listen.

"Sitting at one of her tables is like tuning into ESPN for an hour," says Glen Grant, one of her countless retiree regulars.

Butkus, 45, with steely blue eyes that turn red when she covers them with Kansas City Chiefs contact lenses, spreads her passion five days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a mixture of softness and sassiness that turns the Peppertree dining room into a family room.

The All-22: The NFL's Division Leaders, And Their Potentially Fatal Flaws from Sports Illustrated

Richardson has just three yards per carry, and part of the reason is because he isn't fast enough to the line to exploit the quick gaps Indy's line may open. Donald Brown, however, has the knack for doing the same, and this was clear in his 51-yard touchdown run against the Chiefs last Sunday.

With 12:55 left in the third quarter, Brown took the ball on first-and-10, and blew through Kansas City's front seven, aided by extra blockers.  Brown ran behind two pulling blockers - left guard Xavier Nixon (71) and tight end Jack Doyle (84) - who took care of linebacker Derrick Johnson (56) and safety Quintin Demps (35). Receiver Da'Rick Rogers (16) blocked safety Eric Berry (29) on the edge, and that gave Brown the hole he needed.

Andre Reed Talks About The Current Buffalo Bills And What He's Doing Now from Buffalo Rumbings

I was in the minority fellowship program this year in Kansas City with Andy Reid and it was great fit for me and a great time to be there during the preseason and not only get back on the field and smell the grass and reminisce about the times you were on the field at training camp but be there and help out their receivers and make them better not only as players but as people. It was a clear opportunity that the Chiefs gave me. The Hunts - the owners of the team - and Andy gave me the opportunity. That's what life is about - taking advantage of an opportunity. Who knows what's going to happen.