Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 9/18

Chiefs Look To Two Former Eagles For An Edge In Philadelphia Game from KC Star

Jordan and Demps appeared to be place-holders when the Chiefs signed them as street free agents last spring. The club was looking to plug the vacancy at inside linebacker left by the death of Jovan Belcher, and it needed insurance at free safety because Kendrick Lewis was coming off a season filled with shoulder injuries.

The common denominator in their decisions to sign with the Chiefs was Reid, who brought them into the league at Philadelphia.

"Andy is a phenomenal coach," Jordan said. "He's the same guy as he was in Philly. He's going to work you hard; you're going to play hard for him. He's a good guy - he's not one of those guys you can't go talk to. He's a coach who looks out for the players. He's a players' coach."

Andy Reid Press Conference Transcript from The Mothership

Jamaal Charles said that he wants to win this week for his coach; do you feel that sentiment from the players?

"I've said this from the time I've got here; this crew right here, this team, there's a special spirit about this group. They have worked their tails off and as a coach how much more can you really ask for than that, the dedication and their want to. So, I appreciate everything that they've done; with time here, we've grown close as a team and that will continue on. There are some great personalities on this team that I appreciate being around and that I enjoy being around."

Will Andy Reid Have An Advantage Against His Former Team? Eagles Coach Chip Kelly Weighs In from KC Star

"I would think anybody that understands personnel ... Andy was here for a long time with those guys," Kelly said Tuesday. "So if you know what they're good at. But he doesn't know our scheme and how we deploy those guys. So he may have little ins and outs. There is a familiarity. He's familiar with (linebacker) Trent Cole. He's familiar with (linebacker) DeMeco (Ryans) and familiar with those guys.

"But the scheme defensively has changed. The scheme offensively has changed. The scheme (on) special teams has changed. So maybe from how fast a guy is to some of those things from a physical standpoint, I know he's probably got an intimate knowledge from the guys on the team."

Overheard: Thursday Night Football from The Mothership

S Eric Berry on studying and getting ready during this short week:

"It's very important. The mental part of the game is going to be very important this week, we're not going to have that many reps. it's critical that we get into our playbooks and make sure that we know what's going on. (We have to) watch some extra film and make sure we're on the same page. I think Coach has us in position to where we can do that and be on top of that, so we need to take advantage of that."

Eagles QB Michael Vick On Chiefs Coach Andy Reid: 'It's Just Tough Seeing Him In Red' from KC Star

On Tuesday, Vick was asked where he'd be if it weren't for Reid.

"Who knows?" Vick said. "Who knows ... and i say that as a person, as a human being, as a player. Coach was able to change the way I thought about a lot of things, the way I looked at life. ... Even when I still made irrational decisions when I was playing there at a high level for him, he still was able to pull me back to say, ‘Listen, you're doing wrong, you're not doing this right.'

"So many times I walked out of his office upset, but you're learning valuable lessons, and those are things every man doesn't get in his life sometimes. I'm just thankful God put him in my life for the period of time we had to spend together."

Twitter Tuesday: Yost, Reid, Chiefs, Royals, Weis And The 21st Century Equivalent Of A Vacation Slideshow from KC Star

Bold prediction: the Chiefs will turn the ball over at some point this season.

But this is part of the plan, obviously. Andy Reid sees this team's strength in its defense, and offensively is trying to maximize Alex Smith's ability to make good decisions and stay out of trouble.

Can't argue with the results so far, obviously, but at some point the Chiefs are going to need the offense to keep up. They're going to need Alex Smith throwing downfield, picking up yards in chunks, and they're going to need to let Jamaal Charles be more than a closer.

Chiefs To Hold Special Screening Of 'Derrick Thomas: A Football Life' from KC Star

Former Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson, former Thomas teammates Neil Smith, Christian Okoye and others are scheduled to attend and there will be a question-and-answer session with the audience after the screening, which starts at 7:30 p.m. A reception starts at 6:30 p.m.

KCChiefs.com Video: Reid: "There's A Special Spirit About This Group"

KCChiefs.com Video: Sneak Peek: Chiefs Kingdom - Big Charlie's Saloon

KCChiefs.com Video: Smith: "You Love Playing On A National Stage"

KCChiefs.com Video: Cheer Chatter: Presented By Sprint

FOX Sports Video: Chiefs/Eagles Thursday Night Football Preview

Preview: Chiefs Tasked With Stopping High-Powered Eagles Offense from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

Vick and his teammates understand that these are not the same Chiefs who went 2-14 in 2012.

"Most of these guys are from last year and the taste we had in our mouths last year, nobody ever wants to feel that again," Kansas City defensive tackle Dontari Poe said. "Everybody's focused. Everybody is working hard and making sure that don't happen."

Andy Reid's Kansas City Chiefs Thriving On Both Sides Of The Ball from NFL.com

Another thing Reid loves about Smith is the veteran QB's superb efficiency in the red zone. Smith was one of the best red-zone performers in the NFL prior to being injured a year ago, and he remains stellar with his decisions inside the 20-yard line. Reviewing the Chiefs' red-zone action so far in this young season, Smith's quick decision making and pinpoint ball placement have been crucial to Kansas City's success. He routinely puts the ball in spots where only his guy can catch it, or he simply throws it away to avoid a negative result. Little things? Sure. But the little things often make all the difference down the stretch.

Jamaal Charles Backs Andy Reid from ESPN

But Charles acknowledged to ESPN NFL Insider Ed Werder that Thursday's game will be personal for Reid.

"It means a lot, so I hope we go out there and play for our coach," Charles told Werder following Sunday's victory over the Dallas Cowboys. "You know what I'm saying? I know he has a lot of love for his Eagles, he worked there a lot of years and he probably wishes he was still coaching there."

Bell: Andy Reid , Eagles Players Share Close Bond from USA Today

The Eagles are Chip Kelly's team now, but so many of the players he inherited can tell you what Reid meant to them on a personal level.

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who lost his father, has called Reid a father figure.

Quarterback Michael Vick, who also has exchanged messages with Reid - but not this week - can never forget how Reid took a chance on him when he came out of prison and most other NFL teams didn't dare touch him.

It goes both ways. Reid was the most successful coach in Eagles history, but his players provided support as he navigated through the personal crisis of dealing with two troubled sons, including Garrett, who died of a drug overdose last year at the Eagles training camp.

Power Rankings: No. 13 Kansas City Chiefs from ESPN

Unlike last week, the Kansas City Chiefs are right about where they should be in this week's ESPN.com Power Rankings. They're 13^th, so they jumped seven spots from last week.

Kansas City Chiefs D/ST: Week 3 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Profile from PennLive

Can the Chiefs keep up this pace? A successful Thursday night trip to Philadelphia would go a long way toward validating a unit that is tied with the Seattle as the most productive unit in fantasy football leagues.

Overview: Underrated, athletic defensive unit that quietly ranks third in the NFL in total defense and tied for first with nine sacks.

Eagles Prepare For 2-0 Chiefs, Andy Reid's Return On Thursday from CBS Philly

The tempo of the offense may have picked up between the Reid era and the new Kelly regime, but Reid spent enough time in Philadelphia to know what he is going up against Thursday night. The question will be whether or not the Chiefs have enough on offense to keep pace with the Eagles. Kansas City has thrived on defense, but the Eagles offense appears to be consistent enough to put the pressure on the Chiefs.

Reid Minimizing Distractions In Kansas City from The Reporter

"Listen, I said this when I was there: That's a great fan base," Reid said. "I am at another place where there is a great fan base. And I am fortunate to have had both of these experiences. So I don't get caught up in that. I don't worry about that. I didn't worry about that when I was there. I never got caught up on that part. I try to get the football team ready. I haven't changed on that."

Kidding, Reid said he has changed in one way.

"I eat barbeque now," he said, "instead of cheesesteaks."

Chiefs Making Good Use Of Alex Smith's Legs from ESPN

This isn't merely a case of Smith frequently scrambling out of trouble, though he's doing that well. His 17-yard scramble allowed the Chiefs to convert on third-and-15 and was the key play on Kansas City's first-quarter touchdown drive.

But the Chiefs are actively calling his number and making good use of his running ability. He's been running some option and other called quarterback runs.

K.C. Coach Reid Stays Focused On Game In Return To Philly from The Asbury Park Press

"Anyone who coaches in one spot for 14 years, you look to them and say, ‘Holy smokes,' " Kelly said. "Then you walk down the hallway and look at all the championships that were won here - the division championships, the conference championship - and what he's done.

"He's had a huge impact on this organization. I've got a ton of respect for him . . . It's exciting to get a chance to compete against him."

Kelly said that doesn't mean that Reid has an advantage because he knows so many of the players.

Chiefs Eagles Primer: One For The Skipper from Warpaint Illustrated

Not many people expected the Chiefs to rise to a 2-0 start but they did. Right now they're quickly becoming a team that believes it can win every Sunday. Now defeating the hapless Jaguars on the road and the slightly better than average Dallas Cowboys at home may not be a true test of KC's winning abilities this season.

But those games were played with more X's and O's. This match up on Thursday is going to be played with the heartbeat of Reid's current players. They want to win this game for their new boss as badly as Reid does.

Smith 1 Of Several Free Agents Excelling from The Associated Press via The St. Joseph News-Press

The 49ers worked a trade in February to send him to Kansas City, and now Smith is running the offense for new coach Andy Reid.

He's doing it well, too. Smith has thrown four touchdown passes without an interception in beating Jacksonville and Dallas, matching the Chiefs' entire win total from last season.

"From about mid season last year I was thinking about where my next opportunity was potentially going to come," Smith said, "and when this presented itself, I jumped at it."

Hail To The Chief: Returning Reid Remembered Fondly By Eagles from The Delaware County Daily Times

For Reid, the bad chemistry didn't compare to burying his oldest son Garrett, who died of a drug overdose in a dormitory in which the Eagles bunked for training camp. That took a lot out of Reid, who was working to get contract extensions for the core group of players including McCoy and DeSean Jackson, getting personally involved in negotiations.

"It was hard for Coach Reid because we knew all the stuff that happened, especially with his son," said linebacker Brandon Graham, one of Reid's first-round draft picks. "We wanted to make sure if Coach Reid was going to leave he was going to leave on a good note. Obviously stuff happens. And stuff happens for a reason, I believe. And I think he'll do good up there in Kansas City."

Much On The Line At Eagles-Chiefs Rumble from Chestnut Hill Local

This Thursday, on short rest for both teams, Reid is bringing his new team into his old football home. The odds are that, unlike last year, he's likely to win the game.

The Eagles' defense gave up more yards in Sunday's loss to San Diego - 539 - than in any game last year. In CSN's post-game show "The Guv," Ed Rendell, said that the Eagles defense was the biggest problem for the Eagles offense.

He's right.

Andy Reid's Faceoff With Eagles Headlines NFL's Week 3 from USA Today

Reid has moved on to Kansas City, where his Chiefs are an early front-runner in the AFC wild-card chase after victories over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys. Next up: the Eagles in a Thursday night matchup in Philly, where fans don't exactly have a reputation for their welcoming nature.

Eagles Offense Will Keep NFL Network's Mike Mayock On His Toes from Philly.com

When play-by-play man Brad Nessler and analyst Mike Mayock call Thursday night's game between the Eagles and visiting Kansas City Chiefs for the NFL Network, the announcers, like Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and the rest of the offense, will be in hurry-up mode. "The pace of the offense dictates the pace of a broadcast," Mayock said in a phone interview. "From an analyst perception, it means probably a lot less replays than we normally get in, and that is fine."

NFL's Week 2 Award Winners To Be announced On 'NFL AM' from NFL.com

The NFL will announce the AFC and NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week during Wednesday's "NFL AM" on NFL Network. "NFL AM" airs at 6 a.m. ET and re-airs at 10 a.m. ET.

Teams submit their own nominees for weekly honors. Here are Week 2's nominees:

Jones Hopes To Avoid 'Poes' As Cowboys Offense Evolves from CBS DFW

Poe, who was largely matched up against rookie center Travis Frederick, collected four tackles and two sacks on the day and was constantly in the Cowboys' backfield.

"He's a handful and he did give us fits inside there. Hopefully there won't be many Poes around the corner," said Jones.

DeSean Jackson: Offense Suits Me Well from PhiladelphiaEagles.com

"They've done a great job early on this season," Jackson said of the Chiefs defense. "They're flying around, single-man safety, high coverage, trying to give their guys opportunities to make plays. So far, we've watched film on them and things like that. We feel good about our game plan going in and it's going to be great to come back and play at (Lincoln Financial Field) after losing our first home game just to go out there and give our fans something to cheer about. Hopefully we can come back and get a big win. This is a big game for us with Coach Reid coming to town, so a lot weighs on this game."

NFL Week 3 Picks: Steelers Will Avoid 0-3, Buccaneers Will Upset Patriots from CBS Sports

My favorite story of the entire NFL offseason was Andy Reid's yard sale. Of course the only reason Andy Reid had a yard sale is because he was fired by the Eagles and banned from the city of Philadelphia for the rest of time. Apparently, he's allowed back on Thursday though. This feels like a revenge game for Reid, plus I really like Kansas City, plus I really like the Eagle boots below that Reid sold at his yard sale. Chiefs 30-27 over the Eagles.

Reid And His Former Players Gear Up For His Return from Philly.com

"Seeing him in red, it just doesn't look right," wide receiver Jason Avant joked. "It will definitely be a weird thing at the beginning of the game. But once the game goes on, you've got to understand the mind-set of football players." They worry about football, Avant insisted. And this is what Reid said, too, even though it will be his first time on the opponent's side at Lincoln Financial Field.

Free-Agent Finds For Week 3 from ESPN

Alex Smith, QB, Kansas City Chiefs (17.5 percent). Smith is a longtime nemesis of mine; I just don't consider his milquetoast, play-not-to-lose act particularly enticing. But I can't pretend he hasn't scored 16 and 21 fantasy points in his first two games in K.C. He shapes up as a non-terrible bye-week option in deep leagues.

Reassessing Eagles After Two Wild Games from ESPN

That makes this Thursday night game against Andy Reid's Kansas City Chiefs an early-season must-win. After whiffing on an excellent chance to start off 2-0, the Eagles can ill afford to lose a second home game in five nights. With a very difficult game in Denver on Sept. 29, they would then be eyeball-to-eyeball with a 1-3 start, a three-game losing streak and a definite loss of confidence.

For Reid And Philly, A Complex Relationship from ESPN

Eagles fans immediately packed the Reid era into a box and stored it in their mental attic. They moved on as if Reid had been any four-years-and-gone coaching transient: Rich Kotite or Ray Rhodes or what's-his-name, the guy after Dick Vermeil.

In that sense, Reid had come full circle. When he was hired in 1999, he had never even been a coordinator in the NFL. Fan reaction was summed up by two words: Andy Who? Now, in fans' rush to embrace change, Reid had become Andy Who? all over again.

Until Thursday night. "Big Red" is coming back, and in his Kansas City Chiefs garb, he looks even Bigger and certainly Redder. Just to spice things up, his team is 2-0. The only time Reid ever started a season 3-0 here was 2004, the year the Eagles went to the Super Bowl.

Eagle Eye In The Sky: Who Do You Cover? from PhiladephiaEagles.com

The Chiefs come out in 20 personnel, with two running backs, no tight ends and three receivers on the field. It's first-and-10, a down we in Philadelphia know is almost always a time to pass for an Andy Reid offense. At first look, it looks as if the two receivers at the top of the screen will be running a vertical route and Alex Smith will be sprinting to his right, something we have seen from this offense throughout the first two weeks as well as the preseason.