Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 9/9

New-Look Chiefs Blast Jaguars 28-2 In Season Opener from KC Star

"Were we perfect out there?" asked Smith, who completed 21 of 34 passes for 173 yards with no interceptions. "Heck no. But finding a way to win is the most important thing. The best stat for us was efficiency in the red zone. When you get your opportunities down there, if you can take advantage of those and get sevens, those are game changers.

"We left some out there in the second half, but because we were efficient in the first half, it allowed us to jump out to a lead, and our defense played lights out."

Andy Reid Era Begins Victoriously from The Mothership

"I don't even want to take these pads off," Chiefs T Branden Albert said. "I just want to go around the whole locker room and say 'good job' to everybody and I mean coaches, players, personnel; this is a long time coming, but we're not finished yet. We have a long road ahead of us, a lot of things to improve on, but getting this win, it's been a long time for me. I feel happy. I feel good."

Chiefs Take First Step In Exorcising Old Demons Of The Past from KC Star

So Hali starts going through the reasons. Some players who are no longer here. Some who are new and can't remember a 2012 season so dreadful that a 2-14 record doesn't do the misery justice. Virtually every major decision made within the organization over the last nine months has been an effort to put as much space as possible between last year's shame and this year's potential.

"Especially the head coach," Hali says. "His staff, they're tremendous. It's just, that feeling, the losing, I don't want to feel it anymore. Especially for me. I've been here too long. That same old, ‘We lost, man, we just couldn't win.' Uh-huh. No more."

The Chiefs did more than start their new existence with a win. Their quarterback was efficient and mistake free. Their trend of dangerous punt returns continued from the preseason. And their defense was so dominant they should roll over and smoke a cigarette.

Game Recap: Chiefs vs Jaguars from The Mothership

The fourth quarter began with more Chiefs pressure on defense, highlighted by Pro Bowl LB Tamba Hali's pick-six, after intercepting Blaine Gabbert's pass, returning it 10 yards for the score. The Chiefs halted the Jaguars final drive, preserving the 26-point win, KC 28 JAX 2.

Chiefs' Defense Never Let Up On Jaguars from KC Star

The tell on the truth of that came only after he rumbled 10 yards into the end zone for the first touchdown of his NFL career and first, in fact, he ever remembered scoring.

Now what?

"I think he had to think about it a little bit," joked counterpart Justin Houston.

Then he unfurled his version of a samba.

Or the "Tamba Samba," as one observer mentioned, much to Hali's amusement on a day where the Chiefs could do no real wrong.

From A To Z, A Nearly Letter-Perfect Season Opener For The Chiefs from KC Star

A is for Arrowhead Stadium, which linebacker Derrick Johnson said "will be rocking" for the Cowboys game on Sunday after the Chiefs opened their season with a victory for just the second time since 2005.

B is for Branden Albert, the left tackle who was disenchanted in the offseason amid a contract dispute but has embraced the new coaching staff as much as anyone on the team. His attitude was evident Sunday in his shrugging off of an early ankle injury and perhaps overzealous defense of Jamaal Charles after what he deemed some unnecessary roughness in bringing Charles down.

Chiefs Blitz: A Look At The Chiefs' Win Sunday Over The Jaguars from KC Star

Is Dontari Poe for real?

He sure looked like it Sunday. He was dominant at the point of attack, racking up six tackles and 1 1/2 sacks from the nose tackle position. However, the Jaguars' offensive line leaves a lot to be desired, so he needs to follow it up with a similar performance against Dallas next Sunday.

Chiefs Get Running Back Jamaal Charles More Involved In Passing Game from KC Star

It was the first quarter of the Chiefs' convincing 28-2 win over Jacksonville, and with the Chiefs facing a second-and-six at the Jaguars' 20-yard line, star running back Jamaal Charles started in the backfield, then flexed out wide like a receiver.

With a linebacker matched up across from him, there was little doubt what was about to happen, at least to Bowe.

"The slant," Bowe said with a laugh. "Man, he was so excited, he thought he was going to score on that. That's the play he's been working on all week."

So much so that Bowe - who was located on the other side of the field - knew the ball was going Charles' way. He was happy with the result, though, a 15-yard gain in which Charles, who carried the ball 285 times last season, set up an early go-ahead touchdown and looked every bit the receiver coach Andy Reid prefers his running backs to be.

Chiefs' Dontari Poe Turns In Dominate Performance from KC Star

Poe began the day by batting a pass down in the first quarter - he only had four all of last season - and also racked up a couple tackles while clogging up the middle on run plays. He netted his first career sack in the second quarter, and picked up another half sack in the second half.

Poe, who finished with six tackles - only one off the team high - and two quarterback hits also came one replay away from adding a forced fumble to his resume.

After a 2012 season in which he finished with 38 tackles but could have made more plays, it was exactly the kind of statement he wanted to make.

Chiefs' Eric Fisher Wins First Battle Of The Tackles from KC Star

Fisher, the first overall pick in the 2013 draft, wasn't perfect in his first NFL regular-season start on Sunday, but the Chiefs had a productive game running the football and protecting quarterback Alex Smith in their 28-2 season-opening win over Jacksonville.

The Chiefs averaged a respectable 4.3 yards rushing, and Smith was hurried four times but sacked just once, for a two-yard loss by Jacksonville's Jason Babin in the fourth quarter when the game was already in hand.

Meanwhile, Jacksonville right tackle Luke Joeckel, the second overall pick in the draft, took his lumps.

Chiefs' Albert Stands Up For Charles from KC Star

"I felt like, `That's my man.' I'd come to the defense of any one of my teammates; I just thought it was a little dirty. That's what it was," Albert said after the Chiefs stomped Jacksonville 28-2. "It probably was kind of borderline what I did, but, you know, I'm not going to let anybody do that to my teammates.

"Sometimes you've got to do that, you know, to let people know you can't do that to your teammates."

Chiefs Report Card from KC Star

Coaching: Andy Reid had his team prepared, and the Chiefs on the road, and in the heat, looked like a legitimate NFL team, not the laughingstock of the past two years.

Grade: B

KCChiefs.com Video: Alex Smith: 'It Starts With Coach'

KCChiefs.com Video: Inside The Locker Room: Jacksonville

KCChiefs.com Video: Andy Reid Reacts To His Team's 28-2 Win

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Week 1: Chiefs vs Jaguars Photo Gallery

NFL.com Video: Week 1: Kansas City Chiefs vs Jacksonville Jaguars Highlights

Alex Smith Guides Kansas City Chiefs Past Hapless Jags from NFL.com

Smith was Smith: Never a threat to scorch defenses with his arm but making one smart play after the next. He victimized Jacksonville's defense using his legs and his arm. Spreading the ball to nine different receivers, Smith's debut in Kansas City often recalled his 25 starts under Jim Harbaugh over the past two seasons.

It helps to have Jamaal Charles in the backfield. A flurry of offseason reports hinting Charles would play a key role both on the ground and through the air proved true.

Chiefs Kick Off Andy Reid Era With Rout Of Jacksonville from The Associated Press via ESPN

Charles made it 21-2 with his 2-yard scamper in the second period. He left the game in the third -- after getting sandwiched by linebackers Geno Hayes and Paul Posluszny -- but returned for two carries before calling it a day in the fourth.

"He did go back in for a play after he got stepped on, then we pulled him out," Reid said. "It was a quad and you don't mess with those. I think he's going to be OK. He did a nice job. He gives us great versatility there. He ran the ball hard. I thought he played good football."

The defense was even better.

Could The Kansas City Chiefs Be The Latest Worst-To-First Team? from The Los Angeles Times

Yes, the Jaguars aren't a great team. Yes, everyone expected Kansas City to win. But the Chiefs are looking like a good worst-to-first pick.

Oh, wait, they're in the AFC West with Denver. Won't be so easy after all.

Chiefs' Defense Looks To Have Staying Power from ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs played one of their better defensive games in recent memory, a performance even their head coach called dominant. They suffocated the Jacksonville Jaguars from start to finish in a 28-2 victory that was highlighted by six sacks, two interceptions and a defensive touchdown.

Maybe the most impressive thing about it was their attitude afterward. Nobody raised an eye; nobody acted surprised. The Chiefs acted like they play like this every week.

"We were prepared," linebacker Derrick Johnson said. "It's not like we didn't expect to do this."

Smith Was His Usual Efficient Self For Kansas City Chiefs from ESPN

In trading for Alex Smith, the Chiefs didn't expect to be getting someone like Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady, a quarterback capable of carrying his team by himself.

But in his Kansas City debut Sunday, Smith was every bit the quarterback the Chiefs thought they were getting. Smith got the Chiefs out of some potentially bad outcomes by changing several plays at the line of scrimmage.

Rapid Reaction: Chiefs 28, Jaguars 2 from ESPN

The Chiefs thought themselves to be playoff contenders. And while the Jaguars may be the worst team in the league, the Chiefs did to them what the better teams do. They dominated Jacksonville. That speaks well for their drive toward a playoff berth.

Keeler: Chiefs Lay Hammer Down On Jags -- And Leave Ghosts Of 2012 Behind Them from FS Kansas City

Granted, dominating the Jacksonville Jaguars is the closest thing the NFL has to no-win venture: Damned if you do; disowned if you don't.

But when you're coming off of 2-14, you don't apologize for putting the truncheon to the other schmo coming off 2-14. No, sir. When they go all Kevin Bacon and ask, "Please sir, can I have another," Animal House-style, you do the gentlemanly thing. You oblige them.

Chiefs Defense Obliterates The Jaguars Offense As KC Rolls 28-2 In Season Opener from Examiner.com

So many confusing things happened in this game for Chiefs fans. There was undoubtedly a lot of arm-pinching going on just to make sure that they weren't dreaming. The new-look offense was steady but completely unspectacular, but the real story of this game was the defensive effort that resurrected images of Derrick Thomas, Dan Saleamua, Neil Smith and Kevin Ross and some of the great defenses of the past.

KC's Hali Scores 1st Career TD After Interception from The Topeka Capital-Journal

"I feel like I struggled," Hali said. "When I don't get a sack, I feel like I've struggled. At least my partner (Justin Houston) got three of them. That's pretty big, too"

His teammates had no trouble picking up the slack. Houston, a linebacker, got to Gabbert three times, while tackle Dontari Poe had 1½ sacks, end Tyson Jackson had one and safety Eric Berry was credited with a half-sack.

Three of the six sacks came with a three-man rush.

Down Went The Pants For Tyson Jackson from KC Star

With the camera locked in on Jackson's backside, CBS viewers got a really good look at Jackson's booty. And then, seemingly just in case some missed the sequence live, the network re-showed the sequence as part of a slow-motion replay a few moments later.

Jaguars Routed In Opener By Kansas City from The St. Augustine Record

The floor opened to them Saturday night during a team meeting, three veterans - Maurice Jones-Drew, Jason Babin and Paul Posluszny - addressed their teammates, 10 of whom would make their regular season debuts Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

"We were using our older guys to help our younger guys," coach Gus Bradley said. "They were saying, ‘It's exciting to play in your first NFL game, but you really have to simplify.'"

Hours later, the Jaguars for sure kept it simple - they were simply dominated and out-classed by the Chiefs.

Chiefs Dominate On Defense In Punishing Win Over Jacksonville from FOX4KC

The Kansas City defense didn't allow Blaine Gabbert and the Jacksonville offense to cross into Chiefs' territory until the fourth quarter as they kept the Jaguars out of the end zone in a 28-2 victory on Sunday.

Open Locker Room: Practice Didn't Translate from Jaguars.com

Yes, Bradley expected a better result.

And he expected more from the offense and defense.

But he said his biggest takeaway after the Chiefs took a 19-point halftime lead and held on through the second half was a lot of the good things the Jaguars had been doing in recent weeks just weren't there Sunday afternoon.

A Great Start With Fantastic Finishes: The NFL 2013 Week 1 Wrapup from The Washington Times

The Walrus Lite Andy Reid era exploded in Kansas City. Alex Smith hit Avery and Junior Hemingway for short touchdowns. Jamal Charles ran it in from 2 yards out as the Chiefs romped. In the fourth quarter, Blaine Gabbert completed a touchdown to Hali, who plays defense for Kansas City. The 10 yard interception return sealed the win for the Chiefs. Kansas City is now officially a real football team. Jacksonville is not. 28-2 Chiefs

NFL Week One: What We Learned from NBC Bay Area

Week One of the 2013 NFL season offered anything but your typical gridiron action. Surprising wins by the Jets and Saints got people talking, but the sheer dominance of the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs got fans talking about the playoffs early.

Here's what else we learned during week one:

Jags' Top Playmakers Unable To Make Plays from The Florida Times-Union

Shorts said he was open a fair share of the time against Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers, but the Jaguars were unable to get him the ball.

"The film doesn't lie. They weren't taking me out,'' Shorts said. " You've to be patient and when the ball comes out, I've got to make the most of it.''

He said Flowers even congratulated him after the game for playing well.

"Me and him battled all day, he won some and I won some,'' Shorts said.

Sorting The Sunday Pile: New Class Of Quarterbacks Surprise, Excite from CBS Sports

There are many people who thought Andy Reid rolling to Kansas City would result in a quick turnaround for the Chiefs in 2013. It's too early to anoit KC a contender after their 28-2 win against Jacksonville because we're only one week into the season

And there's definitely a "it was the Jaguars, man" caveat here, but the Chiefs scored 28 points on Sunday. That's more points than they scored in a game during the entire 2012 season.