Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 1/6

Chiefs Season Review: The Second Quarter from The Mothership

In a Week 5 battle between two 2-2 teams, the Chiefs visited the San Francisco 49ers in quarterback Alex Smith's first game against his old team since the 2013 trade that brought him to Kansas City.

Smith and the Chiefs started at their own 9-yard line on the first drive of the game and quickly moved the ball down the field primarily through the air. Smith was 6 for 8 for 61 yards on the possession and finished it off with a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce to give the Chiefs an early 7-0 lead.

But what initially felt like a game in which the Chiefs would roll (as they did in their previous win against the Patriots) soon turned into a battle. The 49ers fought back and by the end of the first half they led the Chiefs 13-10.

Looking Back at Justin Houston's Historic 2014 season from The Mothership

In what was nothing short of poetic, Houston broke the record on a strip-sack of Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers late in that game. The strip-sack was a staple of Thomas' career in Kansas City (1989-99), and he still sits as the franchise leader in forced fumbles with 45.

For the record to be broken by such a humble player in such a fitting way, the script couldn't have been more perfect from an individual point of view.

"He's well deserving of this by effort and how much time he spends at it," Reid said. "You guys aren't out there after practice but he stays out another half hour after practice just working different moves and the pass game. Him and Tamba (Hali) anytime the offense is up, they are on the sideline working all their hand games."

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: 1st Quarter of 2014 Highlights

KCChiefs.com Video: Justin Houston Record Breaking Season

TVA Sports Video: DAVE GETS LAURENT DUVERNAY-TARDIF

Chiefs' Alex Smith steady in 2014 from Chiefs Digest

Alex Smith continued his steady, if unspectacular, play in 2014. His 3,265 passing yards ranked 20th among starting quarterbacks and his 18 touchdowns ranked 19th. However, his six interceptions were the second-fewest and his 93.4 quarterback rating for the season ranked 13th.

The narrative of Smith as a "risk-averse game manager" seems to bear itself out in his passing statistics.

Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles continues to shine from Chiefs Digest

While not as dynamic as his 2013 season, Jamaal Charles once again was the focal point of the Kansas City offense this year.

Charles accounted for 1,324 yards, good for nearly a quarter of the team's total offense. Charles added 14 total touchdowns, which tied for third-most in the NFL, despite missing Week 3 due to an ankle injury.

Chiefs' wide receiver group lacking punch from Chiefs Digest

"I think Dwayne, his numbers were very similar to the year before. The distributions of touchdowns may have gone to the tight ends a little bit more than they did the receivers," general manager John Dorsey said on Dec. 29, 2014. "I think Dwayne is a really good teammate. He cares about the game. I thought this offseason he came back in the best shape I've seen him in. He's done a nice job.

Still, the entire wide receiver position failed to produce an 800-yard receiver.

Chiefs, Saints execs decline Jets' GM interviews from ESPN

The New York Jets were spurned Monday by two more potential general manager candidates, bringing the total to at least four. Kansas City Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard and New Orleans Saints director of player personnel Ryan Pace declined invitations to interview for the job, it was confirmed. The NFL Network first reported them.

Previously, Baltimore Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta and Minnesota Vikings assistant GM George Paton said no to the Jets. All four are considered among this year's trendy GM candidates.

Report: Eagles request to interview Kansas City Chiefs' Chris Ballard for open general manager job from NJ.com

The Eagles' list of potential candidates for their suddenly open general manager job is growing.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Eagles have requested permission to interview Chris Ballard, the current director of player personnel for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bears on the clock to find new general manager from The Chicago Daily Herald

Aside from the fact that Kansas City Chiefs' director of pro personnel Chris Ballard is scheduled to interview for the Bears' GM job Wednesday, and that he has a familiarity with personnel at Halas Hall, there are other indications that he could be the front-runner for the job.

110 Years Of Football's Empty Culture Changes from Vice Sports

Michael Oriard played offensive line at Notre Dame in the late 1960s and with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1970 to 1973, right as NOCSAE and the Wayne State researchers were applying football's latest fix. What was "manliness" for Roosevelt's day became "the right stuff" by 1983, when Oriard published a New York Times editorial titled "Why Football Injuries Remain A Part Of The Game." Oriard talks of the "particular respect" he and his teammates developed for "those battered warriors who continue through injury." Players weren't out to prove their talent level, according to Oriard-talent was a given. The question was if you had what it took to play in the NFL, if you had "the right stuff." "What we had to prove individually," Oriard writes, "was our willingness to play hurt, our toughness."

Report: Armstrong interviewed; Rooney rule previously complied with from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Falcons special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong, who nearly landed the Kansas City job two years ago, was interviewed for the team's vacancy on Sunday, according to an unsourced report by Alex Marvez of Fox Sports.

2015 Kansas City Chiefs free agents from ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs have 16 free agents as they enter the 2015 offseason. The new league year opens at 4 p.m. ET March 10, when unrestricted free agents can sign with any team.