Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 9/6

9/5 Practice Recap: Could be "Next Man Up" at Punt Returner from The Mothership

Ever since Chiefs rookie running back De'Anthony Thomas ran 80 yards for a touchdown in the preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, anticipation has been building to see what he could do in regular season play.

Unfortunately, that may not happen this week against the Tennessee Titans.

Thomas slightly injured his hamstring earlier this week in practice, and though he was said to be making progress on Friday, head coach Andy Reid still is unsure if he will play.

Andy Reid Press Conference from The Mothership

Q: A year ago, if my memory is as good as I hope it is, you were talking before Jacksonville about how you were happy with the effort and intensity that they played with, but you weren't real sure about what you were going to see. Are you sure this time with what you will see?

REID: "I know I'll see great effort. This crew here, they play hard and they are tough kids. Like every team they've got to come together through games. And that's the only way they've done that through training camp. There's a certain unity that you feel and that has to happen through games, where you have good times and bad times in a game. You have to stay consistent through the good and work through the bad ones. I look forward to seeing that."

Ronan Tynan: Inspirational Irish Tenor from The Mothership

He has 18 gold medals from the Paralympics, became the first disabled person to ever be admitted to the National College of Physical Education, performed at the funeral of President Ronald Reagan in 2004 and is a world-renowned singer.

Meet Ronan Tynan.

On Sunday, Chiefs fans will have the wonderful opportunity to witness the incredibly talented Irishman, as he will be performing the National Anthem at Arrowhead Stadium.

Game Day Info: Chiefs vs. Titans from The Mothership

11:00a.m. - First pregame signal will sound indicating one hour until kickoff and a new tradition will being with a pregame parade. This parade featuring Chiefs Cheerleaders, Warpaint, Rumble and the Red Coaters will begin at the Hy-Vee Gate and will travel on Lancer Lane to Gate F, through the Hall of Honor presented by Time Warner Cable and will then end at Gate D.

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Union Station Red Friday Celebration

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Red Friday Around Town

KCChiefs.com Video: Chiefs Practice Report: 9/5

KCChiefs.com Video: Preview: Titans vs. Chiefs

KCChiefs.com Video: Chiefs Live!

KCChiefs.com Video: Under The Helmet: Alex Smith

KCChiefs.com Video: Press Conference 9/5: Andy Reid

KCChiefs.com Video: Red Friday Pep Rally: Clark Hunt

KCChiefs.com Video: Red Friday Pep Rally: John Dorsey

KCChiefs.com Video: Red Friday Pep Rally: Offense

KCChiefs.com Video: Red Friday Pep Rally: Defense

KCChiefs.com Video: David Koechner: Part 2

KCChiefs.com Video: David Koechner: Part 3

NFL.com Video: 'Playbook': Titans vs. Chiefs

Sports Illustrated Video: Kansas City Chiefs 2014 season preview

KSHB Video: Smoke writer planes Paint the Sky Red for Red Friday

KMBC Video: Bobby Bell, Chiefs GM John Dorsey help kick off Red Friday

KSHB Video: #RedFriday: Chiefs Kingdom unites

Week 1 Preview: Titans @ Chiefs from Chiefs Spin

The finality of an NFL playoff loss lingers like an unwanted companion unwilling to let failures be forgotten.

There is little refuge from the mental barrage of what-ifs. Neither is there a "next week" to which one can cling like driftwood on a raging river of regret.

All one can do is look toward the uncertainties of another offseason and the grueling grind of training camp.

Only with the start of a new season can the road to redemption truly begin.

And so the Chiefs head into their Week 1 confrontation with the Tennessee Titans seeking to vanquish the ghosts of Jan. 4, 2014.

Can an opener be deemed a must-win? For these Chiefs, hell yes, it can from FS Kansas City

From 1970 through 2011, 183 NFL teams opened a season with a record of 0-4.

Only one -- the 1992 San Diego Chargers -- wound up reaching the playoffs.

So, yeah. Big game. Big, big, big, big, big.

In the span of six weeks, one of the more presumably blase Week 1 tilts on the NFL slate -- a meeting of two old AFL pals, the Tennessee Titans visiting the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday -- has now become one of the opening weekend's more intriguing matchups.

What was once a put-it-in-pen-and-let's-get-ready-for-Peyton victory on everybody's refrigerator schedule is now an honest-to-gracious coin toss, even with Arrowhead's Red Sea trying to raise the collective tide for the hosts.

Titans vs. Chiefs Preview from ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans open the regular season on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs are coming off an 11-5 season and a 45-44 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the wild-card round of the playoffs. The Titans finished last season at 7-9.

Here, ESPN NFL Nation Chiefs reporter Adam Teicher and Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky discuss Sunday's game.

Prediction: Chiefs will beat Titans from ESPN

This is similar to what the Chiefs looked like at this time of year in the bad old days when they were coached by Herm Edwards, Todd Haley or Romeo Crennel. But the Chiefs are now coached by Andy Reid.

Prediction: Titans will lose to Chiefs from ESPN

The Tennessee Titans look to be good on offense and bad on defense as they head into the regular season. Game plans and scheme unveiling will tell us a lot more about who they are.

If Sunday's season opener was in Nashville, I would be leaning to the Titans.

At Arrowhead Stadium, I've having trouble going with Tennessee

Critical Matchups: Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs from Music City Miracles

Justin Houston (OLB) vs Michael Oher (RT)

This match-up duly concerns me. Houston is a budding star as a pass rushing outside linebacker, and he'll be matched up with free-agent acquisition Michael Oher, who was little more than average in Baltimore, certainly performing below expectations. The Titans added Oher to replace declining veteran David Stewart, but also drafted Taylor Lewan in the first round to back him up.

Justin Houston will use his speed and power to attack the edge, and Oher will need to at least slow him down to allow Jake Locker to operate the offense effectively.

Titans Open 2014 Season Sunday at Kansas City from Nashville News

Titans quarterback Jake Locker was held out of the Minnesota game, along with the rest of the starters on both sides of the ball.  In three preseason starts, Locker completed 21 of 30 passes for 268 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.  The fourth-year signal caller produced a preseason passer rating of 119.9, ranking second in the AFC and fourth in the NFL.

Locker helped the Titans offense as a whole rank highly in several categories during the preseason.

Chiefs' Jeff Allen ready to roll at right tackle from Chiefs Spin

Allen, who started 27 games at left guard since the 2012 season, said Friday he's ready to play his new position against the Tennessee Titans.

"It will be good to get back out there and get some good work against some good defensive ends," Allen said.

The third-year pro takes the place of Donald Stephenson, who currently serves a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performing enhancing substances.

Chiefs' success tied to that of their TEs from ESPN

I'm going to make a statistical prediction here, one that I believe will go a long way toward determining whether the Kansas City Chiefs make the playoffs or not this season.

Here goes: If their tight ends catch 80 or more passes this season, the Chiefs will be in the playoffs. Anything less and it's going to be difficult for the Chiefs to reach the postseason again.

The importance of the tight end to the Chiefs' success can't be understated.

Chiefs G Zach Fulton set for team milestone from Chiefs Spin

Chiefs rookie guard Zach Fulton has an opportunity to accomplish something that hasn't been done in quite some time.

When Fulton takes the field Sunday with the starting offense, as expected, against the Tennessee Titans, he'll become the first Chiefs sixth- or seventh-round pick to start the season opener in 30 years.

Rookie Thomas likely won't play vs. Titans from ESPN

But the Chiefs also will miss Thomas on offense, where he was lining up as both a receiver and running back. His absence could mean more plays on offense for Junior Hemingway, Albert Wilson, A.J. Jenkins and Knile Davis.

Junior Hemingway probable for Sunday, set for fantasy start from SB Nation

Hemingway is in the mix to start the game at receiver alongside Donnie Avery. Dwayne Bowe will begin the season serving a suspension, which makes Hemingway a potential Week 1 surprise in deeper leagues.

However, the Titans gave up the second-fewest number of fantasy points to wide receivers last year, and the Chiefs are a run first team with Jamaal Charles carrying the backfield.

NFL Week 1 preview: Ranking the games from The Boston Globe

14. Tennessee at Kansas City, 1 p.m. (CBS): The Chiefs' first-team offense is another unit that looked really bad in the preseason. And to make matters worse, they won't have Dwayne Bowe available, as he's serving a one-game NFL suspension. The Chiefs ended last year by losing five of seven, and the pressure will be on them not to allow the skid to drift into the new season. The Titans are yet another team unveiling a new coach in Ken Whisenhunt. Expect him to inject life into what had been a disappointing offense. He'll try to turn former Chiefs running back Dexter McCluster into a do-it-all back like he did with Danny Woodhead last season in San Diego.

All-Purpose Playbook: NFL Week 1 Betting Buffet from FOX Sports

UNDERDOG PICK OF THE WEEK

Just what it sounds like: Here I'm going to pick an underdog who I think will cover the spread. This week it's the Tennessee Titans (+3) visiting the Kansas City Chiefs. Figure the Chiefs are getting a field goal for home-field advantage, so it's got the look and feel of a pretty even matchup.

The Chiefs defense was a force in the first half of 2013 until it came crumbling down, culminating with a nuclear apocalypse in its AFC Wild-Card matchup against the Colts when the team blew a 28-point, third-quarter lead in a 45-44 loss. The demise coincided with injuries to linebackers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali, but the secondary is so-so and the offense may as well be called Jamaal Charles plus some other dudes. Meanwhile Tennessee is a team on the rise with a pair of talented young wide receivers in Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter, plus they even added former Chiefs playmaker Dexter McCluster. Take the points here.

Defenses now thinking safeties first from ESPN

Upset of the Week: Tennessee over Kansas City -- The Titans have the type of defense that could take advantage of the newfound holes along the Chiefs' offensive line.

Mailbag: Brandon Marshall, O-Line changes, AFC West and more from DenverBroncos.com

Kansas City also presents some problems. Its pass rush, when at full strength, forces opponents to keep a tight end in to block, and Jamaal Charles has averaged 106.7 yards per game and 5.66 yards per carry against the Broncos since January 2010.But the short- and long-term results -- along with former Broncos assistant Mike McCoy's insider knowledge of the Broncos' roster and style -- tip the scale toward San Diego. The Chargers also swept the Chiefs last year (although in the second meeting, the Chiefs used backups, having already locked in their playoff position).

Murray: Picking the best player in the history of each NFL franchise from The Reno Gazette-Journal

Kansas City Chiefs, TE Tony Gonzalez: No NFL player reached more Pro Bowls than Gonzalez, who was voted into the game 14 times. He's the best tight end in football history.

Place Your Bets: Week 1 from NBCDFW

1. Tennessee (+3.5) at Kansas City - The Chiefs were one of the surprise teams in the league last year, but showed their true colors of being very mediocre late in the year. They benefited from a soft schedule and will not be ready for what's coming with the Titans. Expect a low-scoring game and one Tennesse probably wins straight up.

KC Chiefs' team owner pays surprise visit to season ticket holders from FOX4KC

Rosehill Gardens is celebrating its 100th year in business, and the landscaping firm has had season tickets to Chiefs games since the team played in Kansas City's old Municipal Stadium.

Hunt made a surprise visit to Rosehill Friday morning to thank the company for its loyal support.

Fantasy football start/sit advice for Week 1: Considering some sleepers from SB Nation

TE Travis Kelce, vs. Titans

Dwayne Bowe is suspended for Week 1, and given the lack of depth or talent the Chiefs have at receiver, Sunday seems like a prime stage for Kelce to show off what he can do.

Recent reports suggest the Chiefs weren't as active in pursuing wide receivers in the offseason due to Kelce's receiving talent. Aside from Jamaal Charles, Alex Smith doesn't have much help for Week 1. I'm banking on Kelce to get a chance to prove himself.

Exclusive: Anheuser-Busch launches special Chiefs brew from Kansas City Business Journal

Kansas City Chiefs fans attending home games this season will have access to a special new beer called Kingdom Red Ale that will only be offered at Arrowhead Stadium and team events.

Kingdom Red Ale is a 5 percent alcohol by volume amber ale made from two-row caramel malt that gives it a beautiful red color, fitting for any Chiefs event. It is one result of a brand new multiyear agreement signed this past offseason between the Chiefs and Anheuser-Busch.

James Franklin, Andy Reid share common ground from CSN Philadelphia

Sam Ficken's kick was true, if barely, and James Franklin, a winner in his first game as Penn State's head coach, reacted by grabbing his nearest assistant, strength and conditioning coach Dwight Galt, and hoisting him off the ground.

That surprised no one who had watched Franklin, the live wire of all live wires, in the months leading up to last Saturday's season-opening victory over Central Florida in Dublin, Ireland.

It surprised Andy Reid least of all.

NFL Preview: Breaking down the 49ers' schedule from The San Jose Mercury News

WEEK 5

Oct. 5 vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Alex Smith returns to face his original team for the first time. He thrived last season, helping the Chiefs reach the playoffs under new coach Andy Reid. (1:25 p.m., CBS)

Saints great Willie Roaf asks $1.25 million for Riverside home from LA Times

Football fans, take note: A gated estate owned by Hall of Fame offensive tackle Willie Roaf has listed for sale in Riverside at $1.25 million.

The two-story Traditional home, built in 2007, offers canyon and city views from its hillside location in Alessandro Heights.