Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 9/26

New England Patriots: A Closer Look from The Mothership

The Patriots come into the Monday Night matchup with the Chiefs with a 2-1 record. They opened up their season by falling to the Miami Dolphins 33-20, and then had back-to-back wins against the Oakland Minnesota Vikings and Oakland Raiders.

Coming into this season, Brady had averaged 254 yards per game, completing 63.4 percent of his passes at 7.46 yards per attempt over the regular season in his career.

Right now, Brady is averaging just 210 yards per game, completing just 58.8 percent of his passes at 5.54 yards per attempt, which ranks 30th in the NFL.

The Patriots offense averages 4.3 yards per play, which ranks last in the NFL.

Andy Reid Press Conference 9/25 from The Mothership

Q: You've gone up against a lot of defensive minds in the last 15 years. Where would you rank Belichick?

REID: "I think his record stands on its own right there. He's a very intelligent man and we're friends, you know, off of the football field. We've had an opportunity to compete against each other and that's always exciting. So, we get another shot at it. We've been doing it a couple of years. We've been hanging around here."

Q: 10 years ago you were preparing for a Super Bowl to face this defense. Now, this week, is there any differences you see?

REID: "Yeah, well, he's changed and that's what a good coach does. You change with the personnel that you have and you move people around, but I think some of his base fundamentals are the same and his philosophy is probably basically the same."

Chiefs Fans Hungry to Reclaim Record from The Mothership

Five fans, who organized this initiative last season, have come together once again to encourage all fans to be loud and to be proud of their Chiefs. The group hopes this initiative will unite fans and restore Arrowhead's reputation as the loudest stadium in the NFL.

"Arrowhead Stadium is near and dear to all of our hearts and we want to reclaim it's reputation," Connie Jo, one of the group members, noted. "Reclaiming the Guinness World Record is very meaningful and gives all of us a strong sense of pride. It's a rare way that we as fans have an opportunity to make franchise history."

9/25 Practice Recap: All Personalities Welcome from The Mothership

On Thursday, Reid mentioned that during his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles, one game he told the now-retired defensive end Hugh Douglas to tone his personality down because he felt it was getting to be too much.

That wound up being one of the many lessons Reid admitted he learned during his 22-year NFL coaching career.

"I told myself I would never do that again because he (Douglas) didn't play very well that day."

It looks like you can expect that same enthusiasm from the Chiefs all season long.

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Practice 9/25

KCChiefs.com Video: Locker Room Sound 9/25

KCChiefs.com Video: Opponent Preview: Week 4

KCChiefs.com Video: Twitter Q&A: Dontari Poe

KCChiefs.com Video: Coach's Corner: Eric Bieniemy

KCChiefs.com Video: The Monday Night Moment

Chiefs QB Alex Smith tying loose ends as regular-season starter from Chiefs Digest

Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, who entered the league in 2005 with the San Francisco 49ers, has faced every NFL team as a regular-season starter with the exception of two.

And Monday night marks the first time in Smith's 10-year career he'll start against the New England Patriots.

Chiefs' Reid is hopeful Charles will be available vs. Pats from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

Chiefs coach Andy Reid could have quite the pleasant problem come Monday night.

Pro Bowl running back Jamaal Charles is expected to return to the field after missing last week's win in Miami with a high ankle sprain. And that means Reid will have to figure out how to distribute touches against New England around a very crowded offensive backfield.

Knile Davis ran for 132 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins. Throw in Joe McKnight's play, which included six catches for 64 yards and two scores, and a few touches for Cyrus Gray and suddenly the Chiefs have an abundance of talented runners just waiting to tote the ball.

Four starters, two others on Chiefs' injury report from ESPN

Running back Jamaal Charles (ankle), linebacker Tamba Hali (knee and ankle) and cornerback Sean Smith (groin) were listed as limited practice participants. Charles also didn't play against the Dolphins.

Also listed as being limited in practice are running backs De'Anthony Thomas (hamstring) andJoe McKnight (Achilles).

Week 4: Thursday injury report from Chiefs Digest

The Patriots list seven players on the initial injury report with six as limited. The notable limited player is two-time All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski (knee).

Slow start or not, Chiefs know Tom Brady's Patriots can put up points from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

New England's struggling offense looks to provide some relief for its defense Monday night when it visits the Kansas City Chiefs, who hope to get Jamaal Charles back.

The Patriots (2-1) have failed to crack 300 yards of offense twice in three games after doing so only four times in 2013. They haven't finished below eighth in total offense since 2006, but are currently 27th in the league at 301.3 yards per game.

"We can do just really pretty much everything better offensively," coach Bill Belichick said. "Everything. Blocking, throwing, catching, running, run reads, routes, distribution, you name it."

How did the Patriots Way go so wrong in KC? Let us count the ways from FS Kansas City

When it comes to the Patriots Way in Kansas City, hindsight isn't 20-20. It's 23-42.

That was the Chiefs' record from 2009-12, when Scott Pioli, fresh off three Super Bowl wins as a personnel guru with New England, cleaned up candy-wrappers around University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex the way the Lone Ranger cleaned up the old West.

Trouble is, he could never quite get the big things right in the meantime. Such as, say, coach. Or, oh, quarterback.

But hey, why nitpick?

Chiefs move DE Mike Catapano to injured reserve from Chiefs Digest

Catapano, a second-year pro out of Princeton, battled an illness for most of training camp and the preseason.

He was observed Thursday in the lobby of the Chiefs training facility.

"Mike is back around here and he's just trying to get his strength back," coach Andy Reid said after Thursday morning's walkthrough practice. "I think he's starting to feel better. I had a chance to visit with him and he's in good spirits. That's a positive. Now it's just a matter of building back up and getting himself back where he gets his strength back."

Chiefs doing a better job when they blitz from ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs haven't started the season with a dominating defense, as they did last season. But the Chiefs are improving and they've allowed fewer points than the Seattle Seahawks, which means they're probably doing something right.

One of those things is blitzing efficiently. The Chiefs aren't sending five or more players to the quarterback with any great frequency. They've blitzed 26 times, or about nine times a game. That's tied for 22nd in the league in terms of frequency.

But the Chiefs are getting the job done when they do send extra players after the opposing quarterback.

Week 4 NFL picks: Giants, Bears and Chiefs among best bets from The Washington Post

New England Patriots (-3.5) @ Kansas City Chiefs

New England quarterback Tom Brady has looked awful because his offensive line is awful. The Patriots have allowed Brady to be pressured a league-high 44 times (six sacks, 10 hits and 28 hurries) while the running game has yielded just 3.5 yards per carry. Kansas City, on the other hand, has the third-best pass rush in the game.

Pick: Chiefs +3.5

Win probability: Chiefs 51.7 percent

New England's own Anthony Sherman is a hit in Kansas City from The Providence Journal

The fullback from North Attleboro, Mass., also attended college in New England, playing for the University of Connecticut.

Last season, Sherman shined as Jamaal Charles' lead blocker and caught a career-high 18 passes for 115 receiving yards. On Thursday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid was asked about the Massachusetts native.

"He's got some of that Cape Cod toughness, so he brings it every play," Reid said.

What kind of toughness? from The Attleboro Sun Chronicle

"Cape Cod toughness?" Last I looked, the Bourne Bridge was 41.5 miles to the east of North Attleboro as the crow flies.

Well, I guess after 14 seasons in Philadelphia and now two in Kansas City, Reid's knowledge of geography east of the New Jersey Turnpike might be suspect.

Patriots - Chiefs, Who Has the Razor's Edge? from PatsFans.com

Playing at Arrowhead can be difficult for opponents as it is one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL. In fact the Chiefs' front office is on-record as saying that they're hoping to break the record for the loudest stadium in NFL history on Monday night.

The easiest way to do that is to consistently move the chains and put up points...

...This one will be close and probably low-scoring as both defenses to look to disrupt the other's offense with pressure on the QB.

Turnovers may ultimately decide this one, something the Patriots have been good at this season at plus-six. The Chiefs are still looking for their first turnover of the 2014 season. This one won't get style points by either team, but the experience of Brady and Belichick in close games gets the nod. Patriots eke out a close 17-16 win on the road.

Wilfork: Chiefs RBs tough to stop from ESPN

"A big, strong, powerful running back that can hit you anywhere on the field. He's a bigger guy but he is fast," Wilfork said about Davis.

And if Charles plays, the Patriots have to deal with the combination of Charles and Davis, who Wilfork says are used in similar ways because both backs can do it all.

"They both run downhill. They both test the edges. They both catch the ball out of the backfield. They both block," Wilfork said. "So they are built differently but at the same time they run hard like a big back. The big guy has speed and the small guy has toughness.

"They are kind of similar when you look at them like that, but Charles, there are not too many guys faster than him. We have to do a real good job up front of playing well in the run game and pass game because they use him so much everywhere on the field."

DeOssie, Smerlas: Keys to stopping Chiefs offense from CSNNE

...[D]o the Patriots need to keep an eye on with Alex Smith?

"He doesn't lose the game for you," said Fred Smerlas. "Can he pull one out of the fire? I don't think so... He's a smart player, but he's not a great quarterback. Put the pressure on to win the game or score points and we'll see."

Darrelle Revis, Patriots Preparing For Loud Arrowhead Stadium (Video) from NESN

Call it Seattle Midwest.

The New England Patriots will travel to Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Arrowhead has long been recognized as one of the loudest stadiums in professional sports; in fact, last October Chiefs fans broke the world noise record for an outdoor sports stadium - previously set by Seattle Seahawks fans at CenturyLink Field - by reaching 137.5 decibels during a game against the Oakland Raiders.

Chiefs Training Camp Study Shows Growth from St Joe Channel

A new study on the impact of the Kansas City Chiefs training camp shows it's bringing in more people and more money to St. Joseph.

The St. Joseph Visitors Bureau revealed the results of its Visitor Profile Study.

It shows that around 40,000 people attended camp at Missouri Western this year compared to 35,000 in 2013.

Andy Reid Thinks Jamaal Charles Will Play Against the Patriots from Boston.com

Sometimes, defending the run can simply be a numbers game. If there are more defenders than there are blockers, the defense stands a much better chance of stopping the run, but Charles' speed can make it difficult for defenders to get an angle on him.

If he plays, the test will be less like simple math and more like complex geometry.

Road trip travel guide: Kansas City from Patriots.com

Kansas City is known for serving up some seriously good barbecue and there's no better place to get a taste of the tradition than Arthur Bryant's (1727 Brooklyn Ave.; 816-231-1123; www.arthurbryantsbbq.com). Widely considered one of the best barbecue joints in the country, it has welcomed many famous visitors over the years, including Jack Nicholson, Steven Spielberg and even a few Presidents. Another stop on your food tour should be Oklahoma Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que(3002 W. 47th Ave., Kansas City, Kan.; 913-722-3366;www.oklahomajoesbbq.com), a gas-station-turned-restaurant that's famous for its ribs. If upscale dining is more your style, don't fret; Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue (101 W 22nd St.; 816-531-7427;www.jackstackbbq.com) has you covered. At each of the restaurant's four outposts, you can indulge in ribs, wings and all kinds of smoked meats in a formal atmosphere.

New England defense feasts on turnovers from The Worcester Telegram & Gazette

New England's Monday night opponent, the Chiefs, have yet to force a turnover this season and rank last in the league with a minus-5 turnover ratio...

...Last year, Reid's first in Kansas City, the Chiefs made a remarkable turnaround in turnover differential from the previous season, going from minus-24 in 2012 to plus-18 in 2013 to rank second in the league.

This season, the Patriots have turned the ball over twice, both Tom Brady lost fumbles in the Miami game.

Since 1994, the Patriots lead the league with a plus-163 turnover differential. Kansas City is next at plus-91.

New England Patriots defense looking more like what was expected as quarter mark of season approaches vs. Kansas City from MassLive

Part of the cohesion on the defensive side this season has been the return of linebacker and defensive captain Jerod Mayo.

"Very helpful. He's the captain, he's the voice," Revis said, comparing Mayo to Jets' linebacker David Harris and former Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis . "He's been doing it for so long. The guy is a pro bowl linebacker and we look to him sometimes to lift us up.

Kansas City is 26th in the league in passing yards, but 13th in rushing so the matchup would seem in the Patriots' favor.

Loving and hating the SC draft picks from ESPN

Tom Brady, New England: On pace to set career lows in all major categories through three weeks, he's averaging only 210.7 yards and one touchdown per game. I'll save you the math. That's not good. In simplest terms, if he couldn't get it done at home against Oakland, when are you ever going to feel good about starting him? He might have a big game on the road at Kansas City (although in his past three games against the Chiefs, he's averaged just 186 yards and one touchdown per game), but even still ... will you be able to enjoy it? Will you feel good about starting him the week after? Thirteen fantasy points or fewer in 10 of his past 15 games. That offensive line isn't getting any better. I'm not just down on him this week, I'm down on him for the year. Really thought we'd see a big bounce back this year. I was wrong.

Penalty watch: Better on special teams from ESPN

The Patriots are still among the league leaders in penalties (36 total; 30 accepted), while this week's opponent -- the Kansas City Chiefs -- have just 14 accepted penalties through three games.

QB Index: Tom Brady under attack from NFL.com

Brady's struggles got me thinking about other quarterbacks facing uphill battles thus far this season:

1. Alex Smith: The Chiefs and Patriots are the worst two teams in pass protection, according to Pro Football Focus. Kansas City's problems are more about personnel. No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher has consistently struggled at left tackle. Ryan Harris has been just as poor at right tackle. Smith is the game's preeminent dink-and-dunker, but the Chiefs are taking it to extremes this season. Smith didn't attempt a single pass that traveled more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage last week against Miami. I didn't chart him for a single bad pass until the middle of the fourth quarter. They scored 34 points.

Alex Smith a threat with his legs from CSNNE

Stopping the Chiefs running game begins with Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis. But the Patriots can't leave out Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith when prepping for dangerous feet. He can scurry.

"It's something I still take a lot of pride in," Smith said Wenesday when asked about his scrambling prowess. "I think as you get older you get better at not forcing it. I think in my younger years, sometimes you rely on it too much. As you get older, there are games when it comes to you and you find yourself having a lot more rushing attempts than other games. It's one of those things that is dependent on how they're playing you, but certainly when those opportunities present themselves, that is something that is kind of hidden yardage."

So far this season, Smith has run for 95 yards on 13 carries. He ran for 431 last season.

Chiefs' Fans Look To Scream Their Way To A World Record Monday Night from Opposing Views

We better hope the Chiefs try to set this record early on during Monday's game. With Brady and co. coming to town, there's a good chance this Arrowhead crowd won't have much to yell about by the end of the night.

By the way, just how loud is 137 decibels? Pretty loud. According to Hearnet.com, a jet engine flying 100 feet overhead produces 140 decibels.