Arrowheadlines: So the Madden curse is real

The latest

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes became the latest victim of the Madden Curse against the Denver Broncos | Give Me Sport

Players on the front cover of the game have gone on to suffer various fates over the years, from injury to suspension to poor performance.

Mahomes earned a spot on the cover of Madden 20 after his spectacular 2018 season, in which he threw 50 touchdowns and 5,097 passing yards.

The evidence supporting the case is quite extensive.

Madden 08: Vince Young

2007 season: With 2,546 passing yards, 9 interceptions17 interceptions, Young endured a miserable campaign.

Madden 09: Brett Favre

2008 season: Favre threw a whopping 22 interceptions in 2008

Madden 10: Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu

2009 season: Injuries limited Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu to five appearances.

Madden 11: Drew Brees

2010 season: Brees’ interceptions increased from 11 to 22, which remains a career-high.

Matt Moore scouted for Dolphins until Chiefs signed him | NFL.com

Seven months ago, Matt Moore appeared ready to return to the Dolphins.

Just not as a quarterback.

Scan the background of Kyler Murray’s Pro Day and you’ll find the Chiefs’ new starter, as he joined up with Miami’s scouting department last spring and looked ready to start his post-playing career.

Moore had also just started as an assistant high school coach, according to ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe.

Chiefs Receive “Best-Case Scenario” on Patrick Mahomes’s Knee Injury | The Ringer

While Mahomes’s knee injury does not appear to be as severe as initially feared, every NFL fan can agree: This sucks. Mahomes is one of the most fun players in the league, in addition to being the superpowered engine that drives an electric Chiefs offense. Without him, Kansas City is in trouble, as the team went 0-2 with him hobbled and didn’t look like themselves. Backup Matt Moore looked good filling in for Mahomes against the Broncos, completing 10 of 19 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown. But the 35-year-old journeyman will have a tough time leading the Chiefs through a brutal stretch. After Thursday, the Chiefs’ next three games are against the Packers, Vikings, and Titans.

Should the Chiefs trade for Marcus Mariota? | Pro Football Talk

Of course, coach Andy Reid can whisper any quarterback into the best version of himself, and perhaps Moore (who was out of football last year due in part to the fact that, as one source explained it to PFT, Moore’s arm was “shot”) can hold it together in Mahomes’ absence. Then again, Reid also could make Mariota into the guy he was supposed to be when drafted in 2015, but never has become.

Phillip Lindsay: Broncos surprised by Chiefs’ defensive wrinkles | Journal-Advocate

Giving up nine sacks will do that. And a game plan that Lindsay admitted had no recourse for the wrinkles the Chiefs’ defense chucked at them will do that, too.

“Somewhere down the line, they brought a couple of things we didn’t think they would bring,” Lindsay said. “And we have to adjust. I mean, they brought more than we could handle. Every time, there’s one (rusher) free (that) we weren’t expecting.”

A look at the NFL in the 1960s | Yahoo Sports

The best AFL team might have been the Kansas City Chiefs in 1969. Overshadowed by the Jets, who won the Super Bowl the previous year, Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram’s squad might have been even more dominant. The Chiefs featured eight Hall of Fame players on that team led by defensive standouts Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier, Bobby Bell, Emmitt Thomas, Johnny Robinson and Curley Culp. Kansas City had the No. 1 defense in the AFL in terms of scoring, running and passing and allowed just 20 points in three playoff games. Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson led the offense and kicker Jan Stenerud also made it to Canton.

Around the league

Jalen Ramsey practices with Rams, projected to play vs. Falcons | ESPN

Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said Friday that he anticipates cornerback Jalen Ramsey and running back Todd Gurley to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Both were full participants in Friday’s practice.

“Jalen did a nice job,” McVay said after Ramsey’s second practice. “We’re anticipating him playing.”

Saints RB Alvin Kamara (knee/ankle) out vs. Bears | NFL.com

The New Orleans Saints will be without their top offensive weapon versus the Bears.

Running back Alvin Kamara, who’s been battling knee and ankle injuries the past two weeks, has been ruled out for Sunday’s game in Chicago. The third-year dynamo didn’t practice all week and will miss just the second game of his career.

He initially aggravated his ankle during practice last week but played versus the Jaguars. His 11 carries and 31 rushing yards were both season lows, though he did catch seven passes for 35 yards. He’s averaging 4.3 yards a carry and 108.1 yards from scrimmage per game this season but has scored just two touchdowns.

Ravens CB Marcus Peters surprised by trade from Rams | ESPN

“Right before I left, I just went up there and just told you everybody, ‘Hey, thank you.’ You feel me?,” Peters said after Friday’s practice. “I know there were some things that were questionable when I first got left from KC to get there. And I just told them, ‘Thank you for just believing and trusting in me in the locker room to just be myself.’”

In case you missed it at Arrowhead Pride

Seven reasons for optimism following Patrick Mahomes report

3) The bye week may be perfectly timed

The Chiefs are for sure going to be without Mahomes for back-to-back home games against Green Bay and Minnesota, followed by a road game against the lowly Tennessee Titans. Then comes their game against the Chargers in Mexico City.

Depending on how the first three weeks go and the outlook of the Chargers, the Chiefs could elect to sit Mahomes out for a fourth game and then get a bye week. Mahomes could sit out until December while still missing only four games.

If the Chiefs can upset Green Bay or Minnesota and then beat Tennessee on the road, I’d think long and hard about a patient approach. They can play this week to week.

4) A bye is still in play

Believe it or not, if this team can manage the next four weeks, they could still get a first-round bye in the playoffs. The No. 1 overall seed might be out of reach, but the only one-loss team in the AFC is in the same division as the undefeated New England Patriots. They can’t get a bye. The Chiefs can. Root for the Texans and Colts to lose more games and the Chiefs merely would need to have the same record as the Ravens for an extra week off in the playoffs.

Follow Arrowhead Pride on Social Media

Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

AP Instagram: Follow @ArrowheadPride

AP Twitter: Follow @ArrowheadPride

AP Editor-in-Chief: Pete Sweeney: Follow @pgsween

610 Sports Twitter: Follow @610SportsKC