Arrowheadlines: Chiefs open as 3.5 point favorites against the Cardinals

The latest

NFL Week 1 odds and lines: Money line, spread and Over/Under for all games | Sportsbook Wire

Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET

Money line: Chiefs -190 (bet $190 to win $100) | Cardinals +155 (bet $100 to win $155) Against the spread (ATS): Chiefs -3.5 (-110) | Cardinals +3.5 (-110) Over/Under (O/U): 53.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)

Memorial services for Hall of Fame Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson will be next month | Kansas City Star

A public obituary, which appeared in The Kansas City Star, says services will be held at 11 a.m. Sept. 16 at the Country Club Christian Church, 6101 Ward Parkway.

That’s the day after the Chiefs’ home opener on “Thursday Night Football.”

Dawson, who was a starter for the Chiefs for 14 seasons and led Kansas City to the Super Bowl IV title, is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player and a broadcaster. He was an NFL game analyst for NBC Sports for six years, co-hosted HBO’s “Inside the NFL” for 24 years; and was part of the Chiefs’ radio team for more than three decades.

Dawson, who died at age 87, had been in hospice for nearly two weeks before he passed away.

NFL Players Teams Should Be Trying to Trade Before Roster Cuts | Bleacher Report

Ronald Jones, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Best fits: Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Houston Texans

On paper, the Kansas City Chiefs’ signing of Ronald Jones made sense as the team wanted depth behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire. The Chiefs may have viewed Jones as a quality insurance policy for Edwards-Helaire after he missed seven games last season. After all, the two have an overlapping skill set as skilled inside-zone runners.

However, the Chiefs weren’t done adding backs. They re-signed Jerick McKinnon after he looked like the best ball-carrier on the roster in 2021. Kansas City also unearthed Isiah Pacheco as a seventh-rounder from Rutgers who was clearly overlooked as a prospect.

After Pacheco dominated headlines this preseason for his impact as a receiver, Jones is on the outs. He’s not an explosive athlete or great on passing downs, making his fit on this team almost impossible after others have proved more valuable. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be a solid option elsewhere.

Still only 25 and on a one-year, $1.5 million deal, Jones is a nice early-down back who takes what he is given by defenses. He has value as a primary backup for teams needing consistency.

NFL Futures bets and odds: The Athletic’s model makes its best bets for the 2022 NFL season | The Athletic

Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs -225 (to win 0.5 units)

I’m laying the juice here as I think the rest of the division improving has allowed the Chiefs to come into the season a little undervalued. Patrick Mahomes is still the quarterback, and despite losing Tyreek Hill, they have plenty of weapons for him to throw the ball to. The defense will likely be the downfall, just like years past, but if they can get any sort of contribution from George Karlaftis, that would do wonders. Yes, the Chargers have addressed their defense, the Broncos added Russell Wilson, and the Raiders are fresh off a trip to the playoffs last season, but this is a Patrick Mahomes-led offense here. I’ll lay the juice.

No shock, but Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is also a pretty good soccer player | Kansas City Star

As the son of the former Major League Baseball pitcher, Mahomes thought he’d play that sport as a kid. Table tennis is another activity in which Mahomes has dominated.

And now you can add soccer to the list of things he does well.

Mahomes was at the Kansas City Current practice on Friday and he showed off those other football skills.

Fox 4 sports anchor Harold Kuntz shared video of Mahomes playing around with receiver Mecole Hardman and safety Justin Reid.

Around the NFL

Panthers acquire WR Laviska Shenault from Jaguars in trade | NFL.com

The Jaguars traded Shenault to the Carolina Panthers on Monday in exchange for a 2023 seventh-round draft pick and a 2024 sixth-round selection, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported.

The Panthers announced they sent undisclosed draft compensation to Jacksonville in the deal.

Shenault, 23, has posted two NFL seasons above the 600-yard threshold, but he struggled in 2021, scoring zero touchdowns after reaching the end zone five times as a rookie.

49ers rework Jimmy Garoppolo’s deal to stay in San Francisco; contract includes no-trade clause | CBS Sports

Garoppolo’s no-trade clause does not mean there is no possibility he will be traded, according to ESPN. It simply means that Garoppolo would have to be included in talks, and that he would have to consent to the trade.

According to NFL Media, Garoppolo’s new deal is worth $6.5 million that is fully guaranteed, and includes incentives that can push his money close to $16 million. With the 53-man roster deadline Tuesday, the 49ers had to make a decision on Jimmy G, and he will now return to the fold as Trey Lance’s backup.

Scott V. Spina Jr. sentenced to three years in prison for Tom Brady Super Bowl ring fraud | ESPN

A New Jersey man who posed as a former New England Patriots player in order to buy and sell Super Bowl rings that he claimed were gifts to Tom Brady’s family was sentenced Monday to three years in federal prison.

Scott V. Spina Jr., 25, of Roseland was sentenced by a judge in Southern California’s Orange County.

In 2017, Spina bought a Patriots 2016 Super Bowl championship ring from a New England player who then left the team. Prosecutors said Spina paid the player — identified only as T.J. — with at least one bad check and sold the ring for $63,000 to an Orange County broker of championship rings.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Unfazed by rankings and expectations, Creed Humphrey is focused on being the best

“I think Coach Reid does a good job — throughout practice — of getting us a ton of reps in the running game,” he said. “We’ve gotten a ton of looks — a ton of reps — so it’s been really good for us.”

Humphrey acknowledged that he and his teammates in the offensive trenches are geared toward making the team’s running game work.

“It’s just a mindset for us,” he said. “We definitely have the guys up front to be physical and maul guys. That’s kind of our motto — our mission this year — to do that.”

But he also said they realize that it’s going to take more than just talk.

“Being able to get on the field and actually do it?” he asked. “That’s the biggest thing.”

And despite observations during the preseason that there is a big drop-off in talent from the team’s starting offensive line to its reserves, Humphrey remains unconcerned.

“Our room has a ton of depth; we’ve got a ton of talented players,” he insisted. “Everybody’s working really hard — working their tails off — this week. It promotes competition throughout the room — [and] that’s what makes people better. It’s really great having all these guys back and still having the depth that we have.”

A tweet to make you think

Follow Arrowhead Pride on Social Media

• Facebook Page: Click here to like our page
• AP Instagram: Follow @ArrowheadPride
• AP Twitter: Follow @ArrowheadPride
• AP Staff on Twitter: see complete list
• 610 Sports Twitter: Follow @610SportsKC