Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 12/28

8 Chiefs Players Voted To 2014 NFL Pro Bowl from The Mothership

The National Football League announced on Friday that eight members of the Kansas City Chiefs have been selected to participate in the 2014 NFL Pro Bowl, Presented by McDonald's.

The below players have earned a spot on the NFL's Pro Bowl Roster:

Branden Albert (Tackle) - 1st Nomination - 
Eric Berry (Safety) - 3rd Nomination -
Jamaal Charles (Running Back) - 3rd Nomination
Brandon Flowers (Cornerback) - 1st Nomination
Tamba Hali (Linebacker) - 3rd Nomination - 
Justin Houston (Linebacker) - 2nd Nomination - 
Dexter McCluster (Punt Returner) - 1st Nomination
Dontari Poe (Defensive Tackle) - 1st Nomination

Game Preview: Chiefs vs Chargers from The Mothership

The Kansas City Chiefs opened their 2013 season with a Week 1 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, 28-2, on Sept. 8th and on Sunday, Dec. 29th, Andy Reid's team will close out its regular season, with a Week 17 matchup against the San Diego Chargers.

While the Chiefs playoff position cannot change, the hometown Chargers are in need of a win and some help (losses or ties by both Miami and Baltimore), if they want their season to continue. Coach Reid has said all week that his players will practice and be ready to play, when the ball is kicked off at 3:25 p.m. CT at Qualcomm Stadium.

Chiefs Conclude Practice Week, Set For San Diego from The Mothership

With the absence of Dwayne Bowe on Sunday, the Chiefs WRs will take it upon themselves to be prepared and have done so, all season long, according to Chiefs WR Junior Hemingway.

"Every week, we prepare the same way," Hemingway said. "All week, we've been making sure we're mentally ready, just in case whatever happens, we'll be able to go in and fill that spot, so there won't be any slowdowns or no break in the offense; we're ready."

Andy Reid: 'Chiefs Are Practiced, Ready To Play' from The Mothership

Q: How are you planning on using first team and second team and their snaps?

REID: "I'm going to play them. We're going to play. That's what we're going to do. We're coming to play. Everybody got themselves ready to work. I'll make that decision when we get there. Right now, everybody is practiced and ready to play."

Q: How important is it to get Jamaal Charles to 2,000 scrimmage yards? He's 20 shy right now.

REID: "I didn't know that. But, that's the thing-I don't get caught up in it; he's not caught up in it. So (as far as being) important, it's not that important, I guess."

KCChiefs.com Video: Focus Points fro Week 17

KCChiefs.com Video: Chiefs Brief: Week 17

KCChiefs.com Video: Andy Reid And Chiefs Ready For San Diego

NFL.com Video: 'Playbook': Kansas City Chiefs v. San Diego Chargers

NFL.com Video: Jamaal Charles, 2014 Pro Bowler

NFL.com Video: 'NFL Fantasy Live': Kansas City Chiefs Running Back Wins Player Of The Year

Here Are Chiefs' Playoff Scenarios from ESPN

Their own game, as we know, doesn't matter. The Kansas City Chiefsare locked into the fifth seed in the AFC playoffs regardless of how they fare in Sunday's final regular season game against the San Diego Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium.

But their wild-card playoff opponent will be determined by the results of games involving the 11-4 New England Patriots (at home against Buffalo), 10-5 Cincinnati Bengals (at home against Baltimore) and 10-5 Indianapolis Colts(at home against Jacksonville).

Chiefs Send Eight Players To The Pro Bowl from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

Kansas City and San Francisco will have plenty of clout in Honolulu if they don't make it to New Jersey for the Super Bowl.

The NFL revealed Friday that the Chiefs and 49ers each had eight players voted into the Pro Bowl, including running backs Jamaal Charles of Kansas City and Frank Gore of San Francisco.

Pro Bowl Selections: Kansas City Chiefs from ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs put an impressive eight players into this year's Pro Bowl but one who didn't get selected could be among the year's biggest snubs.

Inside linebacker Derrick Johnson is having perhaps his best NFL season, but isn't among the eight Chiefs going to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl...

...Johnson leads the Chiefs in tackles, an unofficial statistic, with 107. He also tied his career high in sacks with 4.5. 

Statistics don't tell Johnson's complete story. He is a down-to-down presence for the Chiefs and his game hasn't slipped even as that of the defense around him deteriorated over the season's last half.

Playoff Shot Or Not, Week 17 Matchup Still Will Mean More To San Diego Chargers Than Chiefs from FS Kansas City

There also has been some thinking that the Chargers, who have to win and get losses from the Ravens and Dolphins to make the playoffs, might pack it in as well if they are eliminated from the postseason by game time Sunday.

Here's the thing: I don't think the Chargers will pack it in if they are eliminated by game time.

Expect the Chargers to play harder than the Chiefs even if their playoff dreams are dead. They want to carry some momentum into next season. And the Chargers likely also will want the badge of having beat the Chiefs twice this season.

There's a reason the Chargers are 10-point favorites.

Double Coverage: Chiefs At Chargers from ESPN

The Chiefs look worn out defensively. They were relentless in getting after the opposing quarterback over the first half of the season, but their pass rush has largely disappeared other than a big game against Washington. They also have tackled poorly over the past few games. The Chiefs had been scoring points in bunches, muting the effect of their defensive collapse. But even that ended last Sunday when they scored just seven points against the Colts.

Chiefs, 49ers Lead Pro Bowl Selections With 8 Each from USA Today

The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs each had eight players named to the Pro Bowl, the NFL announced Friday night.

Five teams, including the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets, did not have a player named to the annual All-Star game that will be played the week before the Super Bowl in Honolulu.

How Will Reid Treat Chargers Game? from The San Diego Union-Tribune

"Even though you're in the playoffs, you've still got to fine tune certain stuff," Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said. "You can't sit back and relax."

Johnson has played in all 63 games the last four seasons. He went to his first Pro Bowl two years ago and returned last year.

But he's not been part of a playoff victory. Asked if rest Sunday would benefit him in the playoffs, he said there is a lot to consider.

Chiefs' Daniel, Other Backups Ready For Chance from The Associated Press via The Topeka Capital-Journal

The Chiefs are paying Chase Daniel more than $4 million in salary and bonuses this season, yet the backup quarterback has not taking a meaningful snap in a game.

There's an argument to be made that fact won't change Sunday, when the Chiefs head to San Diego to play a game that can't affect their playoff situation...

...But there's also an argument to be made that every snap Daniel takes - and it stands to reason there will be many - is very important.

Tough Week 17 Decisions from ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs are the only playoff-bound squad that can neither harm nor help its seeding in Week 17. And because the Chiefs will be playing a road game on wild-card weekend, it makes logical sense that they'd rest key members of their team in preparation. No, I'm not proclaiming that we know with certainty what Andy Reid's plans are, nor will I believe anything he says because, as I've reiterated all season: Coaches lie. But this uncertainty makes the Fantasy MVP-elect, Jamaal Charles, well nigh untrustable Sunday versus the San Diego Chargers.

Jamaal Charles, Eddie Lacy Shine In 2013 Fantasy Awards from USA Today

Fantasy MVP

RB Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs: Peyton Manning and LeSean McCoy probably deserve this award just as much, but many drafters went out on a limb to select Charles in the top five. Not even those who were convinced he was fully recovered from his 2012 knee surgery expected Charles to be so productive, especially with a new head coach and a team that won only two games last season.

Week 17 N.F.L. Matchups: Big Games In Underwhelming Divisions from The New York Times

San Diego has a shot at saving its inconsistent season but needs a great deal of help.

The least of the Chargers' concerns is the Kansas City lineup. The Chiefs, locked into the A.F.C.'s No. 5 seed, might sit a number of starters, but that will mean nothing to the Chargers if Miami or Baltimore, playing 1 p.m. games, wins.

Both teams are saying the right things, that this will be a tough contest either way, but it could be painful to watch an unmotivated Chargers squad against the Chiefs' bench.

Pick: Chargers

When The Chargers Are On Defense from The San Diego Union-Tribune

When the Chargers and Chiefs meet Sunday in a rematch, Pagano won't need to be as creative as earlier this year. Several defenders have grown into their roles, making his job easier, if not easy. The Chargers have allowed 10, 14, 20 and 13 points in the last four games, winning three. In the 27-20 victory at Denver, Pagano's unit dealt the NFL's top-scoring offense its lowest points and yardage totals of the year.

Along with Pagano's defense being more capable, Reid's offense may be less capable than in Game 11, when it scored five touchdowns in San Diego's 41-38 victory.

Peter King On M&M: 'Every AFC Team Is Flawed, And Every AFC Team Has A Decent Shot' from WEEI

"The problem with the AFC this year is that is that it reminds me exactly of the AFC last year," King said. "The Baltimore Ravens could be the 6 seed; I think last year they were 5 [actually 4]. They could be a road wild card team, and I wouldn't be shocked to see the Ravens make noise in the playoffs. Or I wouldn't be shocked to see the Kansas City Chiefs get to the Super Bowl.

"I think every AFC team is flawed, and I think every AFC team has a decent shot. I don't love a single team in the AFC. How can you? Every one of them has shown in the past month that they can be vulnerable."

A Crowded Field Of Candidates from ESPN

As good as the battles for playoff sports are, there might be an even more intriguing battle for the NFL's coach of the year.

Think about it. There are six worthy candidates at minimum -- Arizona's Bruce Arians, New England's Bill Belichick, Philadelphia's Chip Kelly, Indianapolis' Chuck Pagano, Kansas City's Andy Reid and Carolina's Ron Rivera -- with one coach's credentials just as impressive as the next.

Sunday Slate: Analyzing Week 17 Matchups from MMQB

The Chargers have run the ball well during their three-game winning streak. Ryan Mathews has had at least 25 carries, 99 yards and one touchdown in each of those wins. Typically a quick-spread passing offense, San Diego doesn't have an imposing road-grading front five (even with brutish rookie right tackle D.J. Fluker). Given the formidability of Kansas City's defensive front, it wouldn't be surprising to see Mathews get carries out of three-receiver sets, so he can perhaps go up against Kansas City's much lighter dime unit.

Cheering For Themselves: Why Sports Fans Attempt To Set Noise Records from The Atlantic

Sports franchises are billed as civic attractions, but anyone outside of Green Bay, Wisconsin, with its publicly owned Packers, knows that portrayal is a half-truth. Fans have no control over, or connection to, the rosters that dictate success. Based on information offered by the Kansas City Chiefs' website, only two of 53 players have a hometown or college connection to Kansas or Missouri. Logos change, coaches come and go, and the stadium is named for a ketchup maker one moment and a subprime mortgage supplier the next. If fans can't obtain the immortality they want from Robertson and Guinness, at least they'll find reliability in themselves, the only constant, available each season to pursue victory over other fans and their own past performances.