Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 12/26

Throwback Thursday: Perfecting The Playoffs from The Mothership

Lamar Hunt has been duly credited with many innovations in his sport, although it is no surprise that he rejected plaudits for any role he took in the improvement or alteration of the game of professional football, preferring a more modest tract as simply a team owner. One of his last efforts to improve the game he loved was the NFL's playoff system, which Hunt found in need of what he called, "modifications."

Kansas City At San Diego from CBS Sports

Set to hit the road for a wild-card game in two weeks, Chiefs coach Andy Reid is debating whether to play his starters or keep them on the sidelines.

"If you look at the history of it, it's about a 50-50 shot over the last three or four years of people who have done it. It's what you're most comfortable with as a coach," Reid said. "The obvious benefit is you rest your guys. You kind of get back a little fresher than what they were at the end of the season. You take a risk of the timing part of it. So those are the things that you have to evaluate.

"... This is one of those decisions you make, it's a bit of a gut feeling you go with."

Week 17: Wednesday Injury Report from Chiefs Spin

The Chiefs list eight players on the initial injury report for Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers.

The Chiefs practiced Tuesday and were off Wednesday, so the report reflects the participation from Tuesday.

Playing Time Would Benefit Chase Daniel from ESPN

Quarterback Chase Daniel's regular-season NFL playing experience is limited to nine passes in his four seasons as Drew Brees' backup with the New Orleans Saints, and eight passes this season as Alex Smith's understudy for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Daniel might get to benefit the most of any Chiefs' reserve player if he gets significant playing time in Sunday's final regular-season game against the Chargers in San Diego. If he can get at least a half of playing time, that would be the most extended one-game experience of his career, at least in the regular season.

Chiefs Sign Former Navy Fullback To Practice Squad from The Capital Gazette

Brown said Kettani passed his physical and practiced with the Chiefs for the first time on Tuesday. Kansas City lost a fullback off its practice squad when the Houston Texans signed Toben Oporum, an undrafted free agent out of Kansas.

"Kansas City needed a practice squad fullback and liked what they saw of Eric on film," Brown said. "They called me Monday afternoon and told me they needed Eric to get to K.C. as fast as possible."

Teenager Battling Cancer Get Christmas Surprise from FOX4KC

A teenage Chiefs fan who has been battling difficult times received a very special surprise this Christmas.

"When we did go to the games, we tailgated and I love that so much," said 15-year-old Faith Schneider, as she recalled some memorable moments before she was diagnosed with stage four Carcinoid cancer, which is a very rare small cell cancer typically found in adults, this past July...

"...It was a pro-bowl helmet and a Chiefs' football, and it was signed by Alex Smith and Dexter McCluster and my helmet is signed by all the pro bowl players last year," Schneider said.

Along with her presents, Chiefs players left her personal messages, which she could not believe.

Chiefs Go Away From Charles In Crunch Time from The Associated Press via The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier

"We were still in it the second half, but we were put in a position where we had to throw the ball a little bit," Reid said. "We had a couple routes that were set up for him and the coverage didn't present itself where we could use him in those, and a few options where the quarterback could keep it, and the front presented itself where he didn't get the touch."

It's true, and that may explain why Charles got so few opportunities against a Colts defense he was gashing. Yet in a pair of losses to Denver and a second-half collapse against San Diego, the Chiefs' opponent this Sunday, the same story seemed to play out.

Tony Gonzalez Looks Back On His First Game from ESPN

Gonzalez, 37, has played for 17 NFL seasons despite a humbling start to his illustrious career. The guy who drew motivation from being labeled a near-bust after a 17-drop second year will witness it all come to an end against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Gonzalez has reiterated his intention to retire despite not winning a Super Bowl ring.

As he approached his 270th and final game, Gonzalez took a few moments to digest the particulars of his very first NFL outing -- a 19-3 loss to the Broncos on the same day Princess Diana died in a car accident.

Sports Reporter Santa Spreads Some Holiday Cheer To Area's Sports Set from The Capital Gazette

To Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey: The NFL Executive of the Year Award.

Dorsey deserves kudos for completely turning around the Chiefs, who have compiled an 11-4 record and secured a playoff berth one year after finishing 2-14. If Kansas City beats San Diego on Sunday, it will become the first franchise in NFL history to win 12 games after winning two or less the previous season.

Dorsey, a 1979 St. Mary's High graduate, oversaw a massive personnel overhaul as Kansas City opened the 2013 campaign with 30 new players. One of the shrewdest moves that Dorsey made was acquiring quarterback Alex Smith in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers.

It Needs To Be 'Show' Time At Q On Sunday from The San Diego Union-Tribune

So with the Chiefs up next in the regular-season finale - a finale that could determine the Chargers' playoff future - Sholan offered some suggestions on how Bolts fans can give Kansas City a not-so-sunny welcome.

"We'd definitely get on (Chiefs coach) Andy Reid for his resemblance to a walrus," Sholan said by email, linking a pic displaying Reid as that very mammal.