Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 9/18

Chiefs vs. Texans: Game Preview from Chiefs.com

To handle Osweiler, Hopkins, Fuller and company, the Chiefs defense will look to jump out to a faster start than they did last week against the San Diego Chargers. In the first half of last week's game, the Chiefs defense gave up 21 points and 219 total net yards. The Chargers were 6 of 7 on third down in the half as well.

"I think what really prevented us from going forward in the first half was execution of basic defenses and technique," Sutton said. "We didn't execute our core stuff as well as we needed to. There are a couple plays that were obvious, and there were others that bled the down and distance and prevented us from playing the way we wanted to. Our tackling struggled—I don't think we tackled as well as we should have. There were times when a ball carrier was moving the chains forward after contact had been made. There were missed tackles as well. All those things added up to make it difficult for us to play well."

Chiefs vs. Texans: 10 Stats to Know from Chiefs.com

Here are some stats so you can look smarter to your friends

The Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) travel to take on the Houston Texans (1-0) on Sunday for the third time in the past year, and the Chiefs will be looking for their third straight win. They met in Week 1 of last season and also in the AFC Wild Card round last January.

Last week, the Texans defeated the Chicago Bears by a score of 23-14 to kick off their 2016 season, and we all know by now the impressive comeback victory the Chiefs had over the San Diego Chargers, overcoming a 21-point deficit in the second half to win 33-27 in overtime.

Chiefs Kingdom Bar Watch Parties will Continue for Second Year from Chiefs.com

Each away game week throughout the season will have a different bar designated as the official Chiefs Kingdom Bar. Each Chiefs Kingdom Bar is designed to give Chiefs fans a way to experience the game while their favorite team is on the road.

At every location, the Bud Light activation team and Chiefs Cheerleader alumna, Jillian Carroll, will be on-site to host the party, interact with Chiefs fans and raffle off special prizes available for Chiefs Kingdom Rewards members.

A few glitches aside, Chiefs GM John Dorsey has earned benefit of the doubt for draft work from The Kansas City Star

In his third year, linebacker Dee Ford, the Chiefs' top pick in the 2014 draft, flashed earmarks of a breakthrough in the season opener against San Diego ... but has much to prove before he demonstrates he was worth the lofty selection.

Ford's draft classmate, De'Anthony Thomas, the fourth-round pick that year, remains stranded between mystery and disappointment. In his inactive Week One, he was boxed out by the faster, stronger Tyreek Hill — a fifth-round pick in the 2016 draft whose selection was marked by the Chiefs' tin-eared rationalization of the fact that he had pleaded guilty to beating and strangling his pregnant girlfriend in 2015.

Hill scoring the Chiefs' first touchdown of the season doesn't magically erase that from his ledger, and only time will tell if he will prove rehabilitated and justify the Chiefs' stated faith in helping him.

So, yes, the John Dorsey-Andy Reid regime has had some whiffs and to-be-determineds and curiosities in their four drafts.

But that's not the signature of their body of work as the Chiefs prepare to play at Houston at noon on Sunday.

Prediction: Texans 27, Chiefs 20 from ESPN

The Chiefs were good enough offensively to outscore the Chargers last week. But they shouldn't count on being able to score 33 again, not against a better defensive opponent and not on the road.

This is a game the Chiefs could win. Maybe if it happened later in the season, they would. I just don't sense the time is right.

Prediction: Texans 27, Chiefs 20.

Chiefs release Rakeem Nunez-Roches, add Jordan Devey from practice squad from The Kansas City Star

Prior to the move, only swing tackle Bryan Witzmann would have been available off the bench along the offensive line in the event of an injury Sunday. Devey, 28, is listed at 6 feet 7 inches and 317 pounds. He also played plenty of guard throughout the preseason.

Chiefs to sit Jamaal Charles as precaution from ESPN

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles is expected to make his season debut in Week 3 against the New York Jets, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Charles is ready to play, but the Chiefs are being cautious, wanting him to be fully healthy before he returns, the source said.

Game Day Forecast from The National Weather Service

Today A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 105. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.

What Texans achieve against Chiefs will speak volumes about season from The Houston Chronicle

It has been 371 days since Bill O'Brien first lost to Kansas City.

If the Texans fall to the Andy Reid-Alex Smith Chiefs on Sunday, it will be the third time in a little more than a year.

That can't happen.

O'Brien must be better than that. The same for his Texans, who showed off the same split personality in Week 1 that has hindered this team since Gary Kubiak gave way to O'Brien.

Good enough to beat the bad Bears but never close to dominant.

In The Know: Kansas City Chiefs from HoustonTexans.com

What were some of the issues that plagued the Chiefs in the first half? Was there a moment or play that things started turning around for Kansas City?Carpenter:

Well, number one: I think the offensive line was certainly an issue. It's a new offensive line. They've had a couple of turnovers, bringing in (RT) Mitchell Schwartz and (LG) Parker Ehinger, who's a rookie coming in from Cincinnati. I think both of those additions, it took some getting used to. It took some changes, some adjustments on the offensive line but I think when push comes to shove, that offensive line is going to be very good for this year as a whole.

First Glance: Texans vs. Chiefs from HoustonTexans.com

2. Run it again- In the Week 1 victory over the Bears, the Texans controlled the clock, as they held

onto the ball for more than 36 minutes. A big reason why? They gave it to Lamar Miller 28 times on the ground, and he was able to gain 106 yards. Whether he gets it that much again, though, remains to be seen.

"I knew that when he got here that he was going to probably have a chance to carry the ball a lot and he did a lot in the first game," head coach Bill O'Brien said. "I don't know if he'll carry it like that in every game."

Jadeveon Clowney's talent, strength give Texans options on defense from The Houston Chronicle

Crennel and coach Bill O'Brien were secretive about their plans for Clowney against Kansas City at NRG Stadium on Sunday, but considering the results he produced, it would be surprising if he returns to outside linebacker against the Chiefs.

"We'll do a few different things with him," O'Brien said. "He likes to play different spots. He really understands blocking schemes. He's the type of player you can move around and ask him to do different things because he understands football."

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans prediction: Who will win and why from The Sports Xchange via UPI

FAST FACTS: The Chiefs scored 21 points in the final 21 minutes to tie the San Diego Chargers last Sunday in the season opener. They completed the biggest comeback in franchise history with a 33-27 overtime victory. ... Kansas City RB Spencer Ware has seven rushing TDs in his past 10 games. He scored a TD among his 129 rushing yards last week and also had a career-high seven catches. ... Houston WR DeAndre Hopkins caught six passes for 98 yards and 2 TDs in last year's Week 1 meeting. He also scored last week.

PREDICTION: With Osweiler, Miller and Fuller, the Houston offense is much better than it was last time these teams met. And Watt is only going to get better.

OUR PICK: Texans, 23-20.

Revancha vs KC in the minds of Texans from HoustonTexans.com [translated from the original Spanish]

Kansas City certainly return to NRG Stadium as one of the best teams in the AFC and NFL. Little has changed in regard to their offensive attack. His QB Alex Smith, though not spectacular, it is necessary, efficient and all danger running with the ball. His TD in overtime last week to win the game on San Diego confirms this. His backfield presents a great balance does not participate even if the star running back Jamaal Charles the party who last week lost by not fully recovered from his second anterior cruciate ligament injury of his career. In his absence Spencer Ware debuted in 2016 with 70 yards rushing on 11 carries and added 129 yards on seven receptions, the maximum amount of the 5th yards passing for a runner in Chiefs history. Tight end Travis Kelce meanwhile began the season as ended in NRG to achieve 74 yards on six receptions. At the end of this season, Kelce must have just the great Tony Gonzalez in front of him on the list of receptions by tight end in the history of Kansas City.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans Preview and Prediction from Athlon Sports

Final Analysis

Last week, the Charges (a lesser team) exposed some early flaws in the Chiefs on both sides of the ball. The Texans (an improved team) already own a stout defense and what feels like a new-look and an upgraded offense with Brock Osweiler under center and Lamar Miller in the backfield. Kansas City's offense will have to play a much more efficient brand of football for all four quarters to ward off Houston's top-notch D — a task that may be too tall against such an aggressive and talented defense. Plus, it's hard enough beating a team twice in a row on its own turf. Doing it a third time in the span of a year, is practically unheard of.

Prediction: Texans 23, Chiefs 20

Chiefs Vs. Texans: Betting Line, Predictions For NFL Week 2 Game from NESN

Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) at (-2.5) Houston Texans (1-0), 1 p.m.

Mike: Texans. I love the revenge angle here. KC whooped on Houston in the playoffs last season, but the Texans had Brian Hoyer under center (four interceptions) and J.J. Watt played only one snap. The Chiefs' O-line is better, but they'll still struggle with this Texans pass rush.

Ricky: Chiefs. Brian Cushing's injury could hurt Houston, particularly with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce posting big numbers in his previous two games against the Texans. The Chiefs started slow last week, but several starters appeared to be shaking off the rust after playing very little in the preseason. We'll go out on a limb here and say Kansas City's true identity is closer to the team that thrived in the second half last week against San Diego.

What to watch from Chiefs, Jets' Week 3 opponent, on Sunday at Texans from NJ.com

The biggest Chiefs takeaway from Week 1 was the connection between quarterback Alex Smith and running back Spencer Ware. While Smith threw for 363 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, Ware caught seven passes for 129 yards and ran 11 times for 70 yards and a touchdown...

...Can Ware repeat that production at the Texans, as the Chiefs try to enter their home game against the Jets with a 2-0 record?

The Origin of the Home of the Jets Chant from Gang Green Nation

First, let us go back in time with Huey Lewis. He is workin' for a livin' as a musician, but he happens to like sports. He was born in New York, which is everything and there is no place he would rather be, but apparently, L.A., Hollywood and the Sunset Strip is something that everyone should see. So he ended up in California and eventually became friends with San Francisco 49ers QB Joe Montana. In 1993, Joe Cool was traded to the Chiefs, who hosted the Denver Broncos on Monday night in September 20, 1993. The Kansas City Star reports that Huey Lewis sang the "Star Spangled Banner" before the game and substituted the word in the end to exclaim, "and the home of the Chiefs!" The home fans obviously liked that, and thus, a tradition was born.

National view: At the big game, remember your earplugs from The Duluth News Tribune

Team jersey? Check. Bratwurst and buns? Check. Folding chair with helmet logo? Check. The list goes on and on as fans begin the autumnal ritual of preparing for football season. But among the items missing from the checklist of many fans is the one that can prevent significant, long-term injury to their health and well-being: earplugs.

The volume level in a National Football League stadium is nothing to be trifled with. The Guinness Book of World Records credits Kansas City Chiefs fans with the loudest crowd roar, measuring 142.2 decibels. That's slightly louder than a jet engine at takeoff.

The UW's top dawg: How head coach Chris Petersen turned the program around from The Daily

In November 2014, when defensive back Marcus Peters became the eighth player to be dismissed from the team under Petersen following repetitive arguments with assistant coaches, many people were quick to critique Petersen's decision to boot one of his star players, especially given the Huskies' outside shot at a bowl game.

Off the field, Peters' scholarship was upheld, and when the UW's pro-day came around in April 2015, Petersen honored the team-first mentality and allowed Peters to show off his talent in front of NFL scouts. On draft night, Peters was selected as the 18th pick overall by the Kansas City Chiefs.

While Petersen may not have approved of the antics Peters displayed while on his team, he elected to do what was best for his former player. Petersen displayed a high level of professionalism, which is exactly what he expects from his players.

Sunday NFL Notes: Bizarre move by Chiefs; Bucs go for history from The Florida Times-Union

The last time we saw Kansas City play at Houston, the Texans were booed off their home field in the playoffs, the Chiefs a 30-0 winner. This time, the Texans have Brock Osweiler at quarterback and Lamar Miller at running back. Miller led the NFL last week with 28 carries and was second with 106 yards. The Chiefs set a franchise record last week with a 21-point come-from-behind win over San Diego. With the Jaguars, Titans and Colts 0-1 and road underdogs, the Texans could end Sunday with a two-game AFC South cushion.

NFL history lesson: How the Saints allowed the AFL-NFL merger to happen from Big Blue View

In 1961, the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) were about to be sold and moved to New Orleans until the mayor of Oakland stepped in and stopped the proceedings. After the 1962 AFL season, the owner of the Dallas Texans sought out the possibility of moving his franchise to the Crescent City. When he found out that Tulane Stadium (the only facility large enough) was still segregated, he passed and relocated to Kansas City to which the Chiefs were born. As early as 1965, the National Football League (NFL) had eyes on putting a team in Louisiana.

Finally in 1967, the NFL granted New Orleans an expansion team and called their team the Saints. But the manner in which this club became an actual pro football team has a story on its own. They were a direct result of the AFL-NFL merger.

Five matchups that will define NFL Week 2: Can Bengals bottle up Steelers? from USA Today via The Asbury Park Press

Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins vs. Chiefs CB Marcus Peters

Peters and the Chiefs are well aware of Hopkins' game-breaking ability. The Pro Bowl receiver's two-touchdown performance in Week 1 of last season served as a rude welcome to the NFL for the defensive rookie of the year, who did manage to reel in an interception on his first play.

Even in a diversified Texans offense, Hopkins remains the most dangerous threat. His ability to haul in jump balls and contested catches make him a trusted target when the offense stalls.

Peters, however, has shown a propensity for making offenses pay when he picks up on a telegraphed pass.

Fantasy football Week 2 quarterback rankings: Matt Ryan up, Russell Wilson down, Jimmy Garoppolo worth watching from PennLive

THREE DOWN

Alex Smith, KC, at Houston: Smith rides high into his Week 2 road trip to Houston after leading the Chiefs to a Week 1 comeback win over the Chargers with 363 yards and three total touchdowns (one rush). That performance was largely out of character for Smith as Kansas City came back from a 27-10 deficit to force overtime and win. Smith faces a potential crash back to reality in Week 2 with a tougher opponent and a likely return to his role as a game manager. That position yields steady numbers that are good for streaming but don't lend themselves to QB1 performances like the one Smith delivered in Week 1. And that's without even mentioning how good the Texans defense can be.