Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 12/20

Chiefs vs. Ravens: Game Preview from The Mothership

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said he would "lean" to go with Schaub if he is healthy, but if he cannot go, Jimmy Clausen would be in line for his second start of the season.

Rookie fourth-round pick Javorius Allen has taken over for Forsett at running back, while WR Kamar Aiken has become Baltimore's No. 1 threat through the air.

Aiken leads the Ravens with 54 receptions for 674 yards receiving and 4 touchdowns. Tight end Crockett Gillmore (back), who also has 4 touchdowns on the season, won't play Sunday. Backup RB Terrence West (calf) is questionable and WR Marlon Brown is doubtful.

As the Chiefs try to defend against a depleted Ravens offense, they will once again be without safety Husain Abdullah (concussion) and linebacker Justin Houston (knee).

Chiefs vs. Ravens: How to Watch and Listen from The Mothership

TV Coverage

CBS

KCTV5 Local

Play-by-Play: Kevin Harlan

Color Analyst: Rich Gannon

Sideline: Chris Fischer

Chiefs Download Podcast presented by Draft Kings: Kevin Harlan and What to Watch For

Game Day Forecast from The National Weather Service

Today Sunny, with a high near 47. West wind around 7 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

How Alex Smith's running ability has lifted the Chiefs' offense from The Kansas City Star

With pass rushers closing in, Smith spotted a running lane to his left and sprinted 18 yards before ducking out of bounds at the 22-yard line with 7 seconds left. Kicker Cairo Santos' ensuing field goal gave the Chiefs a 10-point halftime lead and a crucial cushion down the stretch of a 10-3 victory.

"That scramble right before the half won us the game," backup quarterback Chase Daniel said. "It was awesome for him. I know he enjoys running, getting a little dirty every once in a while."

Indeed. The play was, in many ways, an example of the way Smith has lifted the Chiefs during their seven-game winning streak, both with his mind and his legs, as he ranks fourth among quarterbacks in rushing with 366 yards, while his long of 49 yards ranks second.

Chiefs' Andy Reid, Ravens' John Harbaugh renew acquaintances with history on line from Chiefs Digest

The Chiefs are blossoming after starting the season at 1-5, but the Ravens have gone the opposite direction as the team deals with a plethora of season-ending injuries, which resulted in an eye-popping 17 players currently on injured reserve.

Harbaugh, however, has done his best to keep Baltimore competitive since losing the likes of quarterback Joe Flacco, running back Justin Forsett and wide receiver Steve Smith, among others.

After starting the season at 1-6, the Ravens are 3-3 in the past six games. And that accomplishment has Reid impressed.

"He is still coaching his tail off and he has still got young players there that he's developing right now," Reid said. "So, I think he's doing a heck of a job. Sometimes you're dealt a hand where you get injured at key positions, and that has happened. The things that he has done with those guys that he has got there, I think is something special."

Chiefs, Ravens Went In Different Directions After Week 6 from CBS Baltimore

In the middle of October, the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens were both 1-5 and seemingly doomed to a losing season.

The Chiefs have since peeled off seven straight victories, rallying behind a stout defense and the unerring play of quarterback Alex Smith to move into playoff contention.

It's an accomplishment the Ravens can truly envy, because they never recovered from their dismal start.

With injury to Flacco, Ravens join teams with revolving door at quarterback from The Baltimore Sun

When Flacco suffered a season-ending left knee injury Nov. 22, the Ravens joined the league-wide trend. Heading into Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium, the Ravens have started two quarterbacks, Matt Schaub and Jimmy Clausen, in the past three weeks, and a third, Ryan Mallett, could get an opportunity before season's end.

Their quest to find a reliable backup prompted the Ravens to claim Clausen, who is 1-12 as a starter, on waivers, promote undrafted rookie Bryn Renner from the practice squad and sign Mallett, a player who was cut by the Houston Texans in October for a pattern of unprofessionalism. All of those moves, and Renner's eventual release, happened within the last four weeks.

Win over surging Chiefs stands out as Vikings' signature victory from The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Sixty-three days ago, the Kansas City Chiefs limped out of TCF Bank Stadium with a five-game losing streak, a 1-5 record and 10 more games to play without their heart and soul, Jamaal Charles.

Today, they are the signature victory (16-10) of the Vikings' 2015 season to this point.

If the Chiefs (8-5) win as a 7 ½-point favorite at Baltimore on Sunday, they will become the first team in NFL history to win eight straight games immediately after losing at least five straight. They're currently tied with the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals, who won seven straight after losing six in a row.

So what happened in K.C.?

The Collected Wisdom of Herm Edwards from The Oklahoman

Herman Edwards is a former NFL defensive back and head coach of the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. Since 2009 he's been a NFL analyst for ESPN. On a recent trip to Oklahoma City in support of Fields and Futures, a grassroots organization to serve local public schools by building athletic fields to benefit kids and strengthen neighborhoods, Edwards sat down with The Oklahoman to share his collected wisdom.

Sunday NFL preview: Who to start, sit in Week 15 from ESPN

This looks like a great week for the Chiefs defense. Whether it's Matt Schaub or Jimmy Clausen, the Ravens will use a backup quarterback, and they have been prone to throwing interceptions. Baltimore throws a pick on 3.2 percent of its passes, one of the highest rates in the league. The Chiefs, led by rookie cornerback Marcus Peters, are second in the league in interceptions with 18. -- Adam Teicher

Mounting injuries across the league prove how important depth is in NFL from The Associated Press via The Concord Monitor

Of the nearly 50 linebackers out, replacing the likes of Terrell Suggs, DeAndre Levy, Alex Ogletree and Jon Beason is a difficult chore.

So when coaches, personnel directors, owners - even players - speak about depth, listen deeply. It's become critical.

"The guys come in and they go," Chiefs Coach Andy Reid says. "If you practice, you practice. If you can't, you can't, and we roll. That's the approach we've taken and the guys are good with it.

"They battle like crazy to get themselves back and if they can't make it, they have trust in the guys around them that they'll step in and do a good job. We've kind of just left it at that."