Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 12/3

Dwayne Bowe Has Special Connection with Chiefs Kingdom from The Mothership

Bowe, the team's first round pick (No. 23 overall) out of LSU back in 2007, is always the last player to leave the field after pregame warmups. While other players head for the tunnel, Bowe can be found with fans signing autographs, taking pictures and ultimately sharing moments with the fabric of Chiefs Kingdom.

"It's something internal I get from them," Bowe explained of the extra time spent with fans before the game. "When I look into their eyes, when I spend time with them and they're chanting my name and you see the sea of red, that blood just gives me a rush. To see their face when I walk up to them to give them a hug, a glove or a football, then to get the letters the next week in my locker saying that it was a life-changing experience, it's amazing.

"I just remember when I was a kid, my life changed after meeting Jerry Rice. It makes me want to be that guy so when I'm done playing. I can be that guy someone talks about or had a life-changing experience about."

Olathe Public School District Receives Grant from Chiefs and Midwest Diary Council from The Mothership

Led by P Dustin Colquitt, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Midwest Dairy Council recently visited Madison Place Elementary School in Olathe, Kansas for a special surprise. Flanked by the Olathe Public School District's Executive Director of General Administration and Elementary School Programs, Brent Yeager, and its Physical Education/Health Coordinator, Brad Bingesser, Colquitt presented the district with the $10,000 Fuel Up to Play 60 - Chiefs Hometown Grant.

KCChiefs.com Podcast: Chiefs Download 12/3

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Chiefs Kingdom Supports Eric Berry

KCChiefs.com Video: Arrowhead Update 12/2: Chiefs in the Community

KMBC Video: Chiefs star joins kids on holiday shopping trip

CSNNE Video: Gasper: Wild Card contenders & pretenders?

On "Giving Tuesday" Chiefs shop and share time with kids in the community from FOX4KC

Kelce was asked at the last minute to stand in for Berry at a "Giving Tuesday" event, and he didn't hesitate.

"I would step up the plate every single time for that guy because I know he would do the same," said Kelce.

Kelce shopped with kids from the Boys & Girls Club at a JCPenney. He helped pick out gifts and wrapped a few presents.

Chiefs defensive backs play against military in online gaming event from KCTV5

The Kansas City Chiefs defensive backs teamed up with the USO and "Pro vs. GI Joe" to host a special online gaming event for members of the military.

Tuesday the defensive backs played Modern Warfare in real-time with Marines based in Germany.

The event was held to raise money and awareness for Toys for Tots in the Kansas City area. Last year nearly 65,000 Kansas City kids got toys for Christmas. This year they estimate the need is for nearly 95,000 toys.

Away from the field, Chiefs players square off against a different kind of competition from FOX4KC

While the players may be at the top of their football game, the video game is a whole new ballgame.

"I've never played this before, but I've got the shoot, run, and duck buttons, so it's not helping too much because they have strategy and know how to hide," said defensive back Kurt Coleman.

Chiefs sign TE Richard Gordon, waive TE Phillip Supernaw from Chiefs Digest

The 6-4, 265-pound Gordon originally joined the Chiefs on Dec. 18, 2013 and appeared in two games, totaling one catch for 3 yards.

The Chiefs then signed Gordon to a one-year contract on Feb. 14, 2014. He spent the offseason, training camp and preseason with the Chiefs before being waived on Aug. 31.

Gordon recently spent time with the Tennessee Titans after signing with the team on Oct. 22. He appeared in three games with two starts prior to the Titans waiving him on Nov. 26.

Here is how Chiefs fit into playoff picture from ESPN

If the season ended today: The Chiefs would not make the playoffs. The 8-4 San Diego Chargers would be the first AFC wild card team and the 7-5 Miami Dolphins would be the second. The Chiefs beat the Dolphins earlier in the season, but that wouldn't be the tiebreaking factor here because a third team, the 7-5 Baltimore Ravens, are also in the mix.

Broncos crank up the heat on defense, with impressive results from The Denver Post

Early in the first quarter, on a frostbite evening at Arrowhead Stadium, Broncos strong safety T.J. Ward squelched the speculation. Are the Broncos attacking the quarterback differently?

Ward answered with a ferocious body slam of the Kansas City Chiefs' Alex Smith. Ward's ensuring celebration with teammates provided an indelible image of the defensive shift over the past two weeks.

"We are blitzing more," said weakside linebacker Brandon Marshall, who relays the signals on the field to the defense. "It was something we wanted to emphasize, and we've been successful at it."

QB snapshot: Alex Smith from ESPN

To judge from the passer ratings of the quarterbacks in the game, it would be easy to conclude that Smith outplayed Denver's Peyton Manning. Smith had a passer rating of 95.0, Manning 85.3.

This is a case of stats being misleading. Smith was outplayed by his counterpart.

Denver Broncos Rewind: Offense from ESPN

While there are many things about Manning that frustrate opposing defensive players, a look at his instinct and feel in the pocket was on display on a third-and-5 play from the Chiefs' 46-yard line early in the second quarter. Hali beat left tackle Ryan Clady around the corner and quickly chased Manning from the pocket. But Manning, never letting his eyes drop from what was going on downfield, moved past the first option on the play -- Thomas -- and kept moving right until he saw Sanders come across the formation. Manning let the ball go just before Hali got to him for what was a 15-yard gain and a first down.

Upon Further Review: Broncos-Chiefs from DenverBroncos.com

You need the right combination of elements: a favorable formation from the opposing punt rush/return team, proper field position with a reasonable amount needed for the line to gain, momentum that was only doused a bit by the third-down stop moments earlier, and, finally, by a penalty on the previous punt play that forced a do-over of the fourth down, which exhausted the Chiefs a bit.

"It's just been a thing a lot of teams practice, and that we have practiced for a while, and no better time than on Sunday Night Football against a division rival and you get the right look for that situation," said Bruton.

"I just knew that they were going to give us a look so I made the audible myself to make the play."

Behind Enemy Lines Week 14: Kansas City Chiefs from Arizona Sports

The loss leaves Arizona with a 9-3 record and a one-game lead over the Seattle Seahawks for the division, with both teams now controlling their own destiny for first place.

Fortunately for Arizona, they match up this week against a Kansas City Chiefs team that is also reeling after a couple of untimely defeats.

The Chiefs entered this week looking to bounce back after a loss to the previously winless Oakland Raiders, only to be soundly beaten 29-16 by the division rival Denver Broncos.

Cardinals better equipped for losing Tyrann Mathieu short term from ESPN

Mathieu is scheduled to undergo surgery Wednesday to repair his fractured left thumb, the Cardinals confirmed. He's "not necessarily" out three weeks, the team said, which means he could return in time for Seattle's visit to University of Phoenix Stadium.

If there are two games the Cardinals can afford to lose Mathieu for, it's Sunday against Kansas City and next weekend at St. Louis. The Chiefs are ranked 31st in passing offense, while the Rams are currently 26th. But the Cardinals have the personnel to make up for Mathieu's loss this season.

Alex Smith on the Arizona Cardinals? Bruce Arians said they tried to make it happen from Revenge of the Birds

According to Arizona head coach Bruce Arians, if he had had his way, Cardinals fans might have been even more familiar with Smith than they already are.

As a guest on SiriusXM NFL Radio's "Late Hits" with Alex Marvez, as he is every Tuesday, Arians said he has "always been a fan of'" Smith he "would have loved to have had him" as his starting quarterback and that the Cardinals actually tried to acquire him.

"We actually tried (to trade for him)," Arians said. "They said no quickly quickly."

Fantasy owners saw their stat sheets stuffed in Week 13 from USA Today

Despite an NFC-best 9-3 record, downgrade Arizona Cardinals players and weigh their fantasy starts carefully. The Cardinals already were shaky without quarterback Carson Palmer, and now Larry Fitzgerald has a knee sprain. This past week, they lost running back Andre Ellington to a hip pointer in Atlanta, where the Falcons sport one of the NFL's worst defenses. But Cardinals running backs could only gain 28 yards on 10 carries. While Drew Stanton threw for 294 yards and one score, he also tossed two interceptions. After an upset loss, Arizona faces the Kansas City Chiefs, Rams and Seattle Seahawks - all with far better defenses than that of the Falcons. The injuries are significant, and the Cards appear to have peaked a while back.

Dolphins in playoff hunt but run defense is now biggest concern from The Miami Herald

Kansas City (7-5): In many ways, the Dolphins need to worry more about the Chiefs than the Chargers, because the Chiefs own a head-to-head tiebreaker with Miami and have an easier schedule than San Diego: at Arizona (whose offense has been struggling without Carson Palmer), Oakland, at Pittsburgh and San Diego, a team the Chiefs already beat once this season.

2014 NFL Power Rankings - Week 14: Packers ascend to No. 1 from The Washington Post

18. Kansas City Chiefs (7-5) | Last Week's Rank: 14

A five-game winning streak has given way to consecutive losses. The Chiefs must regroup immediately if they're going to remain in the AFC wild-card chase. Sunday's game at Arizona is a matchup of two suddenly struggling teams.

Which 7-5 teams will emerge and make the postseason? from Sports Illustrated

Kansas City -- Current position: AFC's 7th seed -- Can a team lose to the calamity known as the 2014 Raiders and still qualify for the playoffs? I checked with the league and am still waiting to hear back on that one. Come to think of it, can a team go without a touchdown pass to a wide receiver all season and still make the playoffs? Taken in tandem, those two "distinctions'' would seem to eliminate Kansas City from any further postseason consideration.

In reality, the Chiefs' fortunes shifted dramatically for the worse in the span of just a few hours in Week 13. At the start of the day, Kansas City was just a home win over struggling Denver away from being 8-4 and tied for first place in the AFC West. By the end of Sunday night, once the Chargers (8-4) had come back dramatically to win 34-33 at Baltimore and the Chiefs lost 29-16 to the Broncos(9-3), Kansas City was all but out of the division race, suddenly looking up at both San Diego and Denver. With tough games at Arizona (9-3) and at Pittsburgh (7-5) still remaining, plus a Week 17 home finale with San Diego, the Chiefs' playoff chances look like they're on life support. The streak of K.C. not making the postseason in consecutive years since 1993-94 is a great bet to continue.

Know your defensive meltdown from SB Nation

DEFENSIVE LIQUEFACTION

A defensive meltdown can present in two forms. In the first, a defense begins the season strongly and then begins to crumble in the later weeks. That appears to be the case with Arizona against the run this year; through Week 10, the Cardinals had the fifth best rushing defense, allowing 3.35 yards per opponent carry. But in Weeks 11 through 13, Arizona only ranks 20th at 4.44 yards per carry allowed, an especially troubling collapse given that they still have two opponents left - the Seahawks and the Chiefs - with top ten rushing attacks.

The other form of meltdown reoccurs more frequently over the course of the year, when a defense disintegrates late in games repeatedly. That describes the Baltimore Ravens, who gave up over 9 yards per play in the fourth quarter against the Chargers. In quarters one through three, the Ravens rank fourth in touchdowns allowed (15) and seventh in yards per play allowed (5.15). In the fourth quarter, however, they are 31st in touchdowns given up (12) and dead last in opponent yards per play (6.96).

Week 13 power rankings from ProFootballTalk

14. Kansas City Chiefs (No. 13; 7-5): To have any chance to get back to Arizona in February, they need to win there on Sunday.

Sarah Herron Wants Andi Dorfman to Set Her Up With an NFL Player from Wet Paint

Bachelor in Paradise star Sarah Herron is over the Bachelor Nation dating pool, and now the single gal is ready to mingle... with a Kansas City Chiefs player!

The 27-year-old was watching football on Sunday when she tweeted, "I know I'm supposed to be against the @KCChiefs but the guys are just too hot. Yo @AndiDorfman hook a sister up!" Andi Dorfman, the Season 10 Bachelorette, is engaged to Josh Murray, brother of Kansas City QB Aaron Murphy, so girlfriend has an in for sure.