Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 8/26

Chiefs Practice Recap 8/25: What You Need to Know from The Mothership

Top Plays You Should Know About From Tuesday's Practice

It's becoming a regular occurrence, but rookie first-round pick Marcus Peters made two interceptions during an 11-on-11 team period on Tuesday, one of which Eric Berry deflected into the air and was caught by Peters. Peters broke up several other passes as well. He was known as a playmaker when he was drafted, and that's exactly what he's shown so far on the field for the Chiefs.

Early in practice, cornerback Phillip Gaines got into the takeaway mix by stepping in front of Chase Daniel's pass to the outside for an interception. Later in practice, Gaines stepped in front of another Daniel pass for an interception.

What We Learned from Tuesday's Media Availability from The Mothership

Toub spoke about the evaluation process for guys playing special teams, having to coordinate with both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball in terms of roster spots.

"We evaluate players nightly. After every practice, we go in and talk about players. What you'd have to do as special teams coach is see where those guys are slotting in. We know the fourth and fifth or sixth receiver is going to be a special team's guy, and you can hear the way coaches evaluate these guys and where they fit in. We rank players every night. So you kind of get a heads up of where or who you're going to be playing with on Sundays. Now, in some occasions, if a guy is a real good special team's player—that will enhance the guy's ability to make the football team."

NFL Madden '16 Release: De'Anthony Thomas Prefers to Play Online from The Mothership

In this year's game, fans are buzzing about features such as better graphics, player spotlights and brand new quarterback mechanics.

But Madden season isn't solely for fans of the NFL.

Chiefs running back De'Anthony Thomas is among those Kansas City Chiefs looking forward to getting his hands on the much sought after game.

"It's a great day," Thomas said. "Madden gets everybody excited. The last Madden started to get old. Everybody is looking for something new now."

When asked about whether he preferred to play online or offline, Thomas quickly said online, as he likes being able to get his personal ranking up.

Gridiron Glory at Union Station: "Roots" from The Mothership

Events pass into oblivion, names fade, memories all but disappear. What do people really remember about Hank Stram except he was a flashy dresser and once let himself be wired for sound for the Super Bowl?  I recall having a conversation not too long ago with some present-day Chiefs players who couldn't believe Len Dawson ever played pro football and was the MVP of a Super Bowl. It happens, people forget, some never knew in the first place.

Pro football's beginnings now seem as old-world distant and faraway as Stram's 16 mm film projector. But the game has deeper roots than Stram's or Dawson's time and they can be explored in just the right amount of detail if you care to stop by the Gridiron Glory exhibit currently on display at Kansas City's Union Station.

A pervasive historical myth exists that professional football always operated with the overwhelming support of the American public - crowds filling large metropolitan stadiums, colorful pageantry, beloved stars, images captured down through the years by NFL Films.

Notebook: Chiefs' Bob Sutton pleased with direction of young cornerbacks from Chiefs Digest

"I think we're moving in the right direction," defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said Tuesday. "Again, we've rolled a lot of guys through there and looked at different combinations of guys. I think all of them have performed pretty good and I think we feel pretty good about where we're at, at corner."

To help prepare for Smith's suspension, the Chiefs began shifting Gaines in at right cornerback and Peters at left cornerback midway through training camp. Gaines moves inside with Jamell Fleming in Gaines' spot in the nickel package, while Peters says on the left side of the formation.

Peters, in particular, has Sutton's attention.

Chiefs dealing with mounting number of nagging injuries from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

From sprained ankles to minor knee injuries, the sum total of the injuries has resulted in hundreds of missed reps at a crucial time: Just as the Chiefs are trying to get up to speed for the start of the regular season.

"There are just some things as you go through camp," Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson said. "Once you get closer to the regular season, those things become sort of ironed out and now those guys can work on becoming a cohesive group going into the first week."

Nowhere is that more evident than on the offensive line.

Dontari Poe attends Chiefs practice for the first time since July from ESPN

More progress Tuesday from Kansas City Chiefs nose tackle Dontari Poe. He didn't practice, but he was at the session for the first time since having surgery to remove a herniated disk from his back in July.

This comes one day after coach Andy Reid opened the possibility Poe could return for the start of the regular season.

Preseason injuries once again raise questions on NFL's current format from Chiefs Digest

There are sides to both arguments as to the importance of preseason, of course, and the Chiefs haven't been immune to injury in recent weeks.

Projected starting right guard Jeff Allen suffered a knee injury in the preseason opener and hasn't practiced since, while starting left tackle Eric Fisher didn't play in the second preseason contest after sustaining a high-ankle sprain in the waning days of training camp.

Injuries dominate the dispute against the format of four exhibition contests and length of training camp.

And certified athletic trainer Jeff Stotts of the St. Vincent Health Systems in Little Rock, Ark., said in a telephone interview he believes limiting exposure during the preseason could curb some of the major injuries.

Chiefs' defensive issues look like they're resolving themselves from ESPN

The absence of Poe and Smith could certainly become problems for the Chiefs. But they haven't been so far.

The Chiefs have split Poe's duties between Jaye Howard and Mike Catapano. Howard plays on running downs and Catapano comes in to rush the quarterback.

Howard in particular has been effective in training camp and the first two preseason games.

Chiefs work on improving run defense from Chiefs Digest

Sutton likes what he's seen.

"One of the challenges of preseason football is you don't spend as much time game planning," he said Tuesday. "A lot of situations out there have a DNA to them - third-and-this, second-and-this, backed up. That's really what you want your players to be able to internalize.

"I always tell them, when those situations occur on game day, we can't get out there to you. The smarter you become as a player and as a unit, the better chance you can function and have an opportunity for success ... those are really the things that we're kind of looking for in preseason and trying to get better at."

Sutton and staff have also used the last month to concentrate on putting together a better run defense.

Expect a big dose of WR Chris Conley for Chiefs on Friday night from ESPN

The Chiefs are still looking for the emergence of a wide receiving option to Jeremy Maclin. The other starter, Albert Wilson, has been mostly quiet in training camp and the preseason. The same goes for one slot receiver, Jason Avant. The other, De'Anthony Thomas, has played little in the preseason because of an injured calf muscle.

There's an opportunity for Conley. If he takes it against the Titans, he could force the Chiefs to give him more playing time in the regular season.

The knee injury was a setback, and Conley is scrambling to make up for the time he lost.

Chiefs DE Mike DeVito hopes to generate sacks in upcoming season from Chiefs Digest

Opposing signal callers could have another defensive player to account for at the line of scrimmage.

"I tell you, Mike DeVito is probably the most improved pass rusher on the team," Chiefs defensive line coach Tommy Brasher said of the ninth-year defensive end.

Wait. Hold one second.

Does the position coach really believe his declaration on the 31-year-old DeVito, who has 2 ½ sacks on his regular-season career and is known mostly for his ability to stuff the run? What about DeVito returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon?

"Absolutely," Brasher said. "It is very impressive."

Connor Halliday giving football another go from The Spokesman-Review

Halliday boarded a flight home from Kansas City on Tuesday after a tryout with the Chiefs. He worked out for the team on Tuesday morning before meeting with coach Andy Reid and his staff. The team cannot sign Halliday until after the preseason is over in two weeks, at which point Halliday hopes the team will sign him to its practice squad.

"I think it would be good for me to get my feet wet and learn the system under coach Reid," Halliday said.

Local band's song in running to be Chiefs new touchdown song from FOX4KC

"This city is just exploding with this enthusiasm of Kansas City and that was part of the reason why I wrote the song," said David George, the lead vocalist for the band David George and A Crooked Mile.

George wrote "Hey, Kansas City" about a year ago for the Royals during the World Series.

"In the middle of the night I woke up and this chant came to me," added George. "And I was like, alright."

He wrote the song and the band recorded it, but another Kansas City sports team might ending up using it.

NFL Teams Doing Homework on Reggie Ragland from WHNT

Image is everything these days in the NFL and teams are working harder than ever to protect the value of their draft picks. Alabama senior Reggie Ragland could be one of the top linebackers in this upcoming draft, but teams want to know what type of person they would be getting.

"I got one from the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs today," Bob Jones head Coach Kevin Rose told WHNT News 19's Chase Horn about letters he has been receiving in regards to Ragland's background.

Raiders, Chargers leave AFC West? Don't do it, say old rivals from Sporting News

Tony Gonzalez's most vivid memory of playing in the Oakland Coliseum with the Raiders' archrival of nearly six decades, the Kansas City Chiefs, was the time the team bus rolled into the parking lot and was greeted by the usual mob of cursing, taunting, egg-throwing silver-and-black-clad fans — including one very elderly woman.

"She must have been 90 years old. She could barely lift her head up,'' Gonzalez, the future Hall of Fame tight end, said Tuesday. "And I remember us driving by, with everybody flipping us off, and I look at this old lady, and you see the finger go up like that ..." and Gonzalez slowly and shakily raised his hand to mimic it.

"I was like, ‘This is the best.'"

Taylor Lewan wants to see Titans continue their 'chippiness' from FOX Sports

According to the team's website, head coach Ken Whisenhunt has indicated the same group is likely to start Friday against the Chiefs.  Based on their performance agains the Rams, Bells sees good things ahead.

"We were moving guys off the line," Bell said. "We're only going to get better from here. We had some explosive plays."

Wednesday NFL preview: Broncos significantly change RB depth chart from ESPN

Ken Whisenhunt said he expects the Chiefs to be a big challenge Friday night, as Kansas City will likely play the game more like a regular-season run through than the Titans will. At least Tennessee saw the Chiefs last year at Arrowhead Stadium, one of two Ws on the year. The Chiefs also run a 3-4 defense, and the Titans work against their own version of that every day. -- Paul Kuharsky

Fantasy Football 'Do Not Draft' list: 20 players to avoid in 2015 from SportingNews

10. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Chiefs (standard ADP: 60). Maclin is coming off an exceptional season in Philadelphia, so it's unfortunate he left that offense to reunite with Andy Reid in Kansas City. You know, the place where Alex Smith can't be relied upon to throw downfield enough and wide receivers go to not score TDs. This still looks like a run-heavy, dink-and-dink offense, where Maclin will be more a co-No. 1 target with tight end Travis Kelce. Silly to think with his speed and big-play ability, but he has a built-in ceiling with the Chiefs.

Check Out These Stoner NFL Logos...Or Don't, Whatever (Gallery) from Total Pro Sports

Have you ever found yourself watching a football game and wondered what all the logos would look like if they were designed by a stoner? If so, you probably are a stoner. In which case you probably lack the motivation to actually redesign all 32 NFL logos.

However, there is at least one stoner out there with enough motivation and design skillz to take on such a project. And that stoner works for Kissing Suzy Kolber.

Everything indicates that Duvernay-Tardif will have another chance to shine from RDS [translated from the original French]

According to Adam Teicher ESPN, the Chiefs intend to use the same numbers on the offensive line that during last Friday's game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Faced with the Seahawks, Duvernay-Tardif had moved to the right guard position during the first half as a whole.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Peterson also had good words about the performance of the offensive line in the last game.

"We must take into account the many casualties that we have on the offensive line. For those who played last week against the Seahawks, yes, they were beaten on occasion, but they responded well against a good defensive front. We should have good results this week as they took part in all the rehearsals, "he says.