Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 10/1

10 Takeaways from Kansas City Chiefs Media Availability Wednesday from The Mothership

Head coach Andy Reid addressed where he's placing his attention after the loss on Monday night.

"You go back and you have your focus on fundamentals," he said. "As coaches you go back and focus in on making sure you're putting guys in good positions."

Reid highlighted the fact that the Chiefs never gave up as one of the primary positives he took away from Monday night against the Packers.

"I thought one of the primary positives from that game was that the players battled all the way through," he said. "They easily could've shut it down, I didn't feel that they did that at all. It's a tribute to their character. I could work with that, and that's where I tell you that I've got to do a better job. I've got guys with big hearts and I've got to make sure I'm putting them into the right position to make plays."

Chiefs Opponent Preview: Get to Know the Cincinnati Bengals from The Mothership

It will be the third straight game the Chiefs have played against a team without a loss yet this season, and the Bengals will surely be another tough challenge this week.

The Bengals are one of the most talented and balanced teams in the NFL with plenty of playmakers on both sides of the ball.

"We look forward to the challenge of playing the Bengals," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the walkthrough on Wednesday. "We know they're a good football team. We know Cincinnati has been a tough place to play traditionally.

"Our guys are going to prepare themselves and get ready to play against a good football team."

Chiefs vs. Bengals: 10 Stats You Need to Know from The Mothership

The Chiefs currently rank last in the NFL converting third downs at just 16 percent.

But part of that number improving is getting into more manageable situations with success on early downs. The Chiefs are averaging just 4.71 yards per play on first down, which ranks 28th in the NFL.

Of the 21 passes Alex Smith has thrown on third down, more than half of those (11) have been in a situation where it was third-and-11-plus to go.

It's hard to convert third downs when you're consistently facing third-and-longs.

As they face one of the better defensive fronts in the NFL this Sunday in the Cincinnati Bengals, who rank 11th in the NFL allowing just 36 percent of third downs to be converted, it's definitely one of the stats that need to improve for the Chiefs to be efficient and find the kind of success they're looking for on offense.

Prince Harry Joined "Walk of Britain" Wednesday; Walk Set to End at Chiefs-Lions in November from The Mothership

As we wrote last week, the "Walk of Britain," in association with "Walking With the Wounded," is on its way to Wembley Stadium for pregame ceremonies of the International Series game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions.

Wednesday morning, @KensingtonRoyal, the official Twitter page of Britain's royal family, tweeted a photo of Prince Harry with Alec Robotham, the former member of the British Royal Marines who has been wearing a Chiefs hat in pictures of the journey.

Local Art Students Tour Local Art of Arrowhead from The Mothership

In 1972, Arrowhead Stadium was built, shifting the architectural paradigm and transitioning the home of the Chiefs into a cultural icon of the region. Then in 2010, when most of its stadium counterparts were now regarded as antiques, Arrowhead underwent massive renovations in an effort to not only maintain its architectural prowess and original design, but also to introduce new opportunities for the organization to offer year-round community programs.

Out of those efforts stemmed the Arrowhead Art Collection, a program that celebrates regional art while providing educational opportunities and engaging the community in a way that touches individuals of all ages and walks of life.

"What I appreciate the most about [Arrowhead Art] is that they focused on local and regional artists the most," said Kendall Kerr, art teacher at Kansas City Academy. "I know some of the people that have art in here. That, to me, is what is so cool."

QB Series Chapter 17: Battered but not Beaten from The Mtohership

Joe Montana's mojo was quick to catch on for fans and players alike in 1993, although he struggled through multiple injuries, making David Krieg, now the backup, valuable in an entirely different way.

Learning his third offense in as many years, Krieg suffered through a 30-0 drubbing by Houston early on, but when the Chiefs met the Bears at Arrowhead later that year, Krieg had started five times, the same as Montana.  He had finished three of Montana's starts as well. The Chiefs were leading the AFC West at 7-2 past the halfway point and he could take some credit for that.

The West Coast offense and the team's still great defense made the Chiefs a compelling story around the NFL like never before. Wherever the team went, interest peaked.

Next few games will define Andy Reid's time with Chiefs from ESPN

Most football coaches are creatures of habit, and Andy Reid takes that to an extreme.

The Kansas City Chiefs practice, meet, eat, shave and shower at the same time of day each week regardless of when they play. Reid says the same things publicly after games, win or lose, and his demeanor doesn't vary to the point where it can be tough to tell whether the Chiefs just finished a victory or defeat.

So when Reid goes off course, even slightly, you pay attention. Reid, with the Chiefs coming off one of the worst games of his two-plus seasons in Kansas City, has done that this week.

Chiefs sign Jimmy Staten to practice squad after losing David Irving to Cowboys from Chiefs Digest

The 6-3, 311-pound Staten originally entered the league in 2014 out of Middle Tennessee State as a fifth-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks.

Staten spent time on Seattle's practice squad in 2014, and then signed a reserve/future contract in January 2015. The Seahawks waived him on Aug. 17, leading to the New York Giants to claim Staten off waivers from Seattle.

He bounced from the Giants to the New England Patriots before joining the Chiefs.

Chiefs get Sean Smith back but lose Phillip Gaines to torn ACL from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

Sean Smith's return from a suspension came at a good time for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Their top cornerback returned to the practice field Wednesday after serving his three-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, the same day the Chiefs announced that Phillip Gaines would miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.

Gaines had been starting along with rookie Marcus Peters while Smith was out.

"Been three long weeks," Smith said. "Can't wait to get out there with the guys."

Chiefs CB Phillip Gaines suffers season-ending ACL tear from Chiefs Digest

"He will have surgery on that," Reid said. "We'll make the move here today to put him on injured reserve."

The 6-0, 193-pound Gaines suffered the injury late in the first quarter of Week 3's game against the Green Bay Packers.

Gaines, a second-year pro, started the first three games alongside rookie Marcus Peters in the base defense, and moved to the nickel cornerback position in the nickel package.

Chiefs lose CB Phillip Gaines for rest of season with torn ACL from ESPN

Before Gaines' injury, the Chiefs were anticipating having Smith, Peters and Gaines as their top three cornerbacks. Without Gaines, the Chiefs will go with either Jamell Fleming or Marcus Cooper as their third cornerback against the Bengals.

Suspension was no fun for Sean Smith, either from ESPN

"You always want to be out there with your guys. There was a lot of hard work during [offseason practice] and camp and to not be able to start the season with them was frustrating to say the least."

The Chiefs plan to start Smith in Sunday's game against the Bengals in Cincinnati. They lost Phillip Gaines, who started the first three games, for the season with a torn ACL in Monday night's loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Smith was allowed to be at the Chiefs' practice facility during his suspension. He was permitted to work out, attend meetings and do most everything as usual except practice or play. He returned to the practice field Wednesday for the first time since the end of the preseason.

Chiefs' Sean Smith on return from suspension: ‘It's been three long weeks' from Chiefs Digest

Count strong safety Ron Parker among those in the locker room happy to see Smith return to the lineup.

"It helps us a lot on the back end to have Sean Smith back," Parker said. "He's a great leader to the group. He knows a lot of football. He's been in the league for a good number of years, so he has seen a lot. With having him back, it's a big help in our secondary."

During his three-game suspension, Smith was allowed to attend team meetings and train at the team's training facility. He was not allowed to practice, however.

Smith said he used the time away from working out on the field with teammates to stay busy and in shape.

Albert Wilson injury could change Chiefs' wide receiver dynamic from ESPN

The Chiefs gave some of Wilson's playing time in Monday night's game at Green Bay to rookie Chris Conley. Conley played 35 snaps, or more than any other wide receiver except Jeremy Maclin (69). Wilson played 34 snaps.

If the Chiefs' passing game is going to be consistently productive, they're going to need more help from wide receivers other than Maclin. Through three games, the Chiefs have received little from Wilson (three catches), De'Anthony Thomas(five), Jason Avant (two) and Conley (one).

Chiefs and Bengals at opposite ends of momentum spectrum from FS Kansas City

While the Bengals have risen to the top of the North as one of the AFC's three unbeaten teams, the Chiefs have drifted to the bottom of the West heading into what's looking like a critical Week 4 contest for Kansas City on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.

"The way we're clicking right now, it would be naive not to think that this is really a great opportunity for us to escalate in our division and within the AFC," Bengals receiver Marvin Jones said. "It's important to note that, keeping a mindset we're in this play-by-play, game-by-game. But you obviously see the big picture and right now, it's in our favor."

Cincinnati joins New England and Denver atop the AFC with 3-0 records, a mark that has yielded a 75 percent chance to reach the postseason since 1990. The Bengals are trying to go 4-0 for the first time since 2005.

Bengals take inspiration in Eric Berry's return from cancer from ESPN

Although he has spent the past four seasons playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, Gilberry continues to be amazed -- but not surprised -- by Berry from afar. The Chiefs safety demonstrated his warrior spirit for much of the past 11 months in a fight with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Gilberry knew without a doubt he would see his former teammate in an NFL uniform again.

When the Chiefs visit the Bengals on Sunday, Gilberry will see that in person.

Alex Smith acknowledges hearing criticism during rough stretch from ESPN

But after the Chiefs' loss to Denver the week before, in which Smith threw two costly interceptions, it hasn't been an easy go for Smith. Fair or not, he is the target for fans and others as the promising start to the Chiefs' season has faded to memory.

Smith was targeted on Twitter during the Green Bay game by, of all people, Lawrence Tynes, a former Chiefs kicker. Tynes, who played for the Chiefs before Smith arrived, referred to him as the "check down master."

That sort of criticism is typical of what Smith is getting on social media and elsewhere.