Arrowhead Pride - Updates on Alex Smith's lacerated spleen injuryKansas City Chiefs news, rumors, roster updates and more.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46893/arrowheadpride_f.png2015-02-14T06:32:07-06:00http://www.arrowheadpride.com/rss/stream/72158662015-02-14T06:32:07-06:002015-02-14T06:32:07-06:00Alex is doing well, Chase says
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<p>It was late December when <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a> QB <span>Alex Smith</span> suffered a lacerated spleen, forcing him out of the team's final game of the season. That spleen injury was expected to cost Smith about six weeks of recovery time. Now that it's been more than six weeks, Alex is fully healed. This according to another Chiefs quarterback, <span>Chase Daniel</span>.</p>
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<p>At the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mizzou?src=hash">#Mizzou</a> Hall of Fame induction, Chase Daniel said <span>Alex Smith</span> is fully healed and doing well after suffering lacerated spleen last yr.</p>
— Tod Palmer (@todpalmer) <a href="https://twitter.com/todpalmer/status/566401544812101632">February 14, 2015</a>
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Honestly I hadn't thought much about Alex's situation since the season was over. (I bet Alex has been thinking about his situation, because it's tough not to think about your lacerated spleen.) The Chiefs offseason program doesn't start until April so there's no question Alex will be ready to rock n' roll when that time comes.</p>
<p>Daniel was in Columbia on Friday <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article10165715.html">to be inducted into the Mizzou Hall of Fame</a>.</p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2015/2/14/8038217/alex-smith-doing-well-lacerated-spleen-kansas-city-chiefs-qb-saysJoel Thorman2014-12-27T07:17:55-06:002014-12-27T07:17:55-06:00What they're saying about Chase
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<p>What they're saying about Chase Daniel starting for the Chiefs. </p> <p><span>I rounded up some of the reactions to <span>Chase Daniel</span> starting for the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kansas City Chiefs</a> against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers" class="sbn-auto-link">San Diego Chargers</a> this weekend. Two things:</span></p>
<p>1. It's Chase Daniel, not Daniels. That's a common mistake.</p>
<p>2. There's no question Chase Daniel is going to throw a touchdown pass to a receiver, right? The Chiefs still don't have one yet.</p>
<p>Your reactions to Chase Daniel...</p>
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<p>Hey talking heads... It's Chase Daniel. Not Daniels. You have until Sunday to practice.</p>
— Eric Blumberg (@BlumbergOTB) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlumbergOTB/status/548662118455574529">December 27, 2014</a>
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<p>Chase Daniel has a very particular set of skills. He only starts Week 17 games against the Chargers.</p>
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewSiciliano/status/548538202680614913">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p>Lack of <span>Alex Smith</span> makes Arrowhead a little less daunting for San Diego. KC paid Chase Daniel $3.3M per for the kind of work he gets Sunday.</p>
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/548539317618884608">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p>Wait, you mean to tell me Chargers get a Week 17 do-or-die game against Chase Daniel for the 2nd year in a row?</p>
— Scott Kacsmar (@FO_ScottKacsmar) <a href="https://twitter.com/FO_ScottKacsmar/status/548540989028450305">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash">#Chiefs</a> QB <a href="https://twitter.com/ChaseDaniel">@ChaseDaniel</a> says he's not nervous for his second career start on Sunday. "I'm ecstatic," he says. <a href="http://t.co/jStPy1J4F7">pic.twitter.com/jStPy1J4F7</a></p>
— BJ Kissel (@ChiefsReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChiefsReporter/status/548573966169034752">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash">#Chiefs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChaseDaniel">@ChaseDaniel</a> describes his Christmas Day phone call from Head Coach Andy Reid. READ: <a href="http://t.co/7sUH44AD73">http://t.co/7sUH44AD73</a> <a href="http://t.co/u0mBR1vEty">pic.twitter.com/u0mBR1vEty</a></p>
— Kansas City Chiefs (@KCChiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCChiefs/status/548638659197403138">December 27, 2014</a>
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<p>I wouldnt be so sure that Chase Daniels starting guarantees the Charger will win. In fact, I kinda think the opposite right now...</p>
— Stephen White (@sgw94) <a href="https://twitter.com/sgw94/status/548529847702917123">December 26, 2014</a>
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https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2014/12/27/7451901/chase-daniel-kansas-city-chiefs-wide-receiver-touchdownsJoel Thorman2014-12-26T17:43:09-06:002014-12-26T17:43:09-06:00Andy called Chase on Christmas<blockquote>
<p><p>"We were at Christmas dinner when I got the call from coach Reid," Daniel explained. "My family is in there and I'm in the other room just talking, calling Alex, calling (quarterbacks coach) Matt Nagy, calling coach Reid, going over the situation there, just trying to keep me abreast on what's going on."</p></p>
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<div class="source"><p><a href="http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/article-2/Chiefs-QB-Chase-Daniel-Talks-Christmas-Day-Phone-Call-from-Andy-Reid-/32ba570d-542e-488c-b2d5-36ddea4999c2">Chiefs QB Chase Daniel Talks Christmas Day Phone Call from Andy Reid</a></p></div>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2014/12/26/7451953/andy-called-chase-on-christmasJoel Thorman2014-12-26T16:41:57-06:002014-12-26T16:41:57-06:00How Alex responded to his lacerated spleen
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<p>This is what Alex Smith had to say to the media after the Kansas City Chiefs announced he would be out this Sunday with a lacerated spleen. Thanks to the Chiefs for the transcript.</p> <p><b>Q: Take us through the timeline.</b></p>
<p>SMITH: "Yeah, [<a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chiefs</a> trainer] Rick [Burkholder] was pretty spot on. I didn’t notice anything. I walked Rick through the game, I’m kind of guessing as far as a hit, I’m thinking it was that one. It wasn’t until after I showered up and even dressed and the adrenaline got out of me that I kind of noticed that I had some discomfort for sure in my stomach area, and pressure with cramping. I thought it was something I ate, I didn’t even necessarily relate it to a hit, but there was definite discomfort down there. I went and saw doc and he examined me, told me some things to keep an eye out for. I literally kind of took some antacid stuff there; I didn’t know what to make of it. It just didn’t go away, it was the same day, next day same thing, day after that same thing. I practiced on Tuesday. I worked out on Monday, I ran. It certainly wasn’t something that was prohibiting me athletically. I didn’t feel like it was muscular, I just kind of had this discomfort. Nausea coming and going and I knew a bug was going around. I thought maybe it was that. Like I said, practiced both days, I felt great athletically running around throwing but just had this constant deal going on and thankfully Doc urged me to go get the test. I was pretty reluctant yesterday, Christmas Day, I was kind of telling him I’m fine, I’ll be alright and he really kind of pushed me to go get it checked out and make sure everything was okay. Then I obviously got the call, and he told me that I had a laceration on there and that it was enlarged. So obviously just learning this all last night."</p>
<h3>Q: Since practice is non-contact, are you putting yourself at any risk?</h3>
<p>SMITH: "Not really with the jersey on. We practice well and they have to stay away from us as QBs. That’s the strange thing, I was running around and practicing – I felt like I had two really good days of practice and I felt good about them, I felt really good about them. It’s strange to get this; like I said, I don’t feel like it’s anything that is hindering me athletically. Obviously he (Burkholder) is talking about taking hits on it and what can happen. It’s just obviously a very strange thing to be dealing with."</p>
<h3>Q: What could have happened if you guys didn’t catch it?</h3>
<p>SMITH: "They’re talking about it rupturing, so you’re talking about emergency surgery or it bleeding out – obviously pretty scary endings. You’re dealing with that and it’s a different deal when you’re getting told those types of things. You remember the past, I know <span>Chris Simms</span> kind of had to deal with his spleen – kind of an emergency situation, going to the hospital. Potentially getting on an airplane, you could potentially be dealing with some dangerous stuff."</p>
<h3>Q: What was your initial reaction when you got that call?</h3>
<p>SMITH: "I didn’t know what to make of it when they’re telling you. You don’t know all the medical stuff that comes with the spleen, so you’re kind of learning it as they tell you. Once you start hearing how serious it is, you start knowing the implications that could come with this as far as playing – and that’s the last thing you want to hear. At the same time, you’re not crazy, I had this deal going on and it wasn’t going away. I’m really happy the doc urged me to go get it done, get the test done. Like I said, I was very close to bailing on him yesterday and just hanging with my family."</p>
<h3>Q: What made you decided to get the scan?</h3>
<p>SMITH: "I think that it hadn’t gone away, it was just still there. It was a quick trip, he had set it up, and kind of him urging me, ‘Let’s go get it, let’s take a look and make sure and see what is going on down there.’"</p>
<h3>Q: With regard to Sunday now, what’s your role?</h3>
<p>SMITH: "Yeah, it quickly changes. It’s tough, I talked to Chase (Daniel) last night, I really feel like I ate up two practices days of his. They would have been important, had we known this earlier. It’s tough, it’s really kind of on me, I feel like. Anyway I can help us now, whatever it is. Helping him prepare, passing on anything I had been thinking, this whole week, what we had been getting ready for. Doing anything I can to help us, getting ready to go win a game."</p>
<h3>Q: It was the third quarter hit?</h3>
<p>SMITH: "Yeah, we’re thinking. It literally wasn’t until I was getting dressed that I started to feel what was going on. It’s still strange for me to describe – the cramping, pressure. It’s enough that I was aware of it and it was uncomfortable that I had to go see doc. And it just never went away, for three, four days. It’s still there. It was enough that it kind of kept hanging and I didn’t know what to make of it, so he kind of pushed me to get the test."</p>
<h3>Q: Will you be on the sideline on Sunday?</h3>
<p>SMITH: "Planning on it, I’m planning on being there. The big thing is just no contact. Other than that, I think its normal activities that I think I’m okay with – which is strange in itself to kind of digest. I practiced, I feel okay, but you get hit right or you get hit there, you know."</p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2014/12/26/7451851/alex-smith-responded-lacerated-spleen-kansas-city-chiefsJoel Thorman2014-12-26T16:24:21-06:002014-12-26T16:24:21-06:00Chiefs explain how they discovered Alex's injury
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<p>Here is the full statement and Q&A from Kansas City Chiefs head trainer Rick Burkholder on the lacerated spleen suffered by Alex Smith on this hit in the Steelers game. This transcript comes courtesy of the Chiefs.
</p> <p><span>BURKHOLDER: "I just want to give you guys an update. Since I’ve been here for two years, since Coach (Reid) has been here and Alex (Smith) has been here, and John (Dorsey) has been here, we’ve been very transparent about what goes on injury-wise so we are at another situation with the Chiefs where we have to tell you guys about an injury.</span></p>
<p>So in the Pittsburgh game early in the third quarter, Alex took a shot to his abdomen and he subsequently has a lacerated spleen. <span>And so he will not play this week. It’s a non-surgical case. It will heal on its own, but he is going to have to have some time down from contacts and collisions. So with that in mind, let me walk you through where we went from Sunday to last night when we had a final diagnosis. So Sunday early in the third quarter, he threw a ball down the field to <span>Albert Wilson</span> and was hit in the abdomen. When I reviewed it on tape with Alex, it looks like as normal as can be, a fairly normal hit that he takes. I didn’t even notice it during the game. In fact, the only questions I asked him during the game and after the ballgame were whether his knee was alright because he took the shot below the knee. And he said he was alright. </span></p>
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<p><span>But then as we were clearing out the training room in Pittsburgh, he came in and asked Dr. (Mike) Monaco, our team internist, and Dr. Luke Thompson from KU to take a look at his abdomen because he had taken a pretty good shot. As I walk you through this I will try to tell you what we look for for spleen injuries. We had no idea at the time so what you look for is you look for increased tenderness in the four quadrants of his spleen in his upper left quadrant. And he really didn’t have any pain there the day of the game. And you look for tenderness throughout his abdomen and a fullness in his abdomen. With a spleen injury, you also look to see whether he has this urge to have a bowl movement and also late manifestations are left arm pain. All this is because of bleeding so as the spleen bleeds – a very vascular organ, it’s really a big lymph node – it will bleed and then cause all this pain in his abdomen and then into his left arm. </span></p>
<p><span>The reason Alex didn’t have any symptoms Sunday that tipped us off were he didn’t bleed very much. So we went Monday, came in here and worked out, he did fine. Orthopedically, doing Coach (Barry) Rubin’s work out and running, he was fine. On Tuesday, we practiced, if you remember it was a little bit different schedule. He came in right after lunch and said, ‘I just don’t feel quite right’. If you remember back to the last couple weeks, we’ve had a couple guys with a gastrointestinal virus. So we had guys miss all last week. So we weren’t sure if he was getting sick or not. Dr. Thompson was in the building, he took a look at him. We got a urine sample on him to see whether anything was showing up. Nothing was showing up, he wasn’t getting worse, but he wasn’t getting better either. I had him see Dr. Monaco on Wednesday morning and Dr. Monaco walked him through everything, examined him and everything checked out. He encouraged Alex, if things didn’t get better, to go get a scan of his belly just to see what was going on. We weren’t sure whether it was viral or whether it was actually the hit that he took. </span></p>
<p><span>So Wednesday afternoon after practice, which was Christmas Eve, obviously our coaches and Alex and the quarterbacks were still working. He wanted to wait until Christmas Day, which was an off day for the players, somewhat. He was going to do Christmas with his family and then in the afternoon we were going to check with him and see whether he wanted to do the scan over at KU, which Alex will walk you through this part. Initially he didn’t want to do it. Dr. Monaco and him exchanged some interesting text messages and Alex decided to do it at Dr. Monaco’s urging. </span></p>
<p><span>So last night we got the diagnosis through the scan that he had about a three centimeter laceration in his spleen and he didn’t have hardly any bleeding at all. So we referred him to Dr. Michael Moncure at The University of Kansas Hospital who is a trauma surgeon, he reviewed the study, drew blood on him. He determined that his spleen was slightly enlarged and that he has a small laceration. From a long-term standpoint and from a health stand-point for Alex, he’s going to be fine. That’s going to heal up. We will continue to try to decide why his spleen is a little enlarged, it may just be him. It could be from the trauma. But we are doing a little bit more studies just because we cover ourselves that way and we cover him and make sure that we are on point. The problem is that its contra indicated to play with a lacerated spleen, even one that’s probably a little less than three centimeters. You can’t do it and the reason being is if you would take another shot there and the laceration would increase, then you have a medical emergency because that’s a very vascular organ and it can bleed and all that. </span></p>
<p><span>My hat goes off to Alex for his toughness. Also, we live on top of each other here and we all have a close relationship and he kept in constant communication with me and with the doctors. Dr. Moncure said last night, this is a 1-in-100 find for our doctors because he didn’t have any signs of a spleen. But they just have what I call blink, so Dr. Monaco has a blink where he says, ‘something’s not right’. I’ll take you back to the <span>Eric Berry</span> thing where Dr. Barnthouse (said) something’s not right. So you get the study and I won’t go as far as to say that we saved a life but you saved something that could go on Sunday. In this league with our medical staff we are lifeguards and we are supposed to do player safety. I think my group of docs, through KU and through Dr. Barnthouse and Dr. Monaco, do as good a job as anybody in the league protecting these players."</span></p>
<h3>Q: What is the recovery timeline and long-term outlook with this?</h3>
<p>BURKHOLDER: "Generally these things, now he’s got a small laceration, generally they take 6 weeks, but everybody is different. He is a young healthy guy that has got a high metabolism so if we are playing three or four weeks from now, we will rescan him and see where he is at and send him back to the general surgeon and confer with Dr. Monaco and any doctors that Alex wants to, to see if he can play. But like I said, generally they take six weeks to heal up, they are very vascular and they do fine."</p>
<h3>Q: So long-term you aren’t expecting any health issues?</h3>
<p>BURKHOLDER: "No, full recovery."</p>
<h3>Q: So he would miss about six games if it were the beginning of the year?</h3>
<p>BURKHOLDER: "Probably." Q: Or whatever goes on beyond that? BURKHOLDER: "Exactly, he’s out right now."</p>
<h3>Q: So the Super Bowl?</h3>
<p>BURKHOLDER: "Well the Super Bowl is six weeks from the time he got hurt. Does he heal up faster? I hope we have that problem."</p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2014/12/26/7451817/kansas-city-chiefs-alex-smith-lacerated-spleenJoel Thorman2014-12-26T16:17:24-06:002014-12-26T16:17:24-06:00Reactions to Alex's spleen injury
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<p>Here are some of the reactions to the news that <span>Alex Smith</span> is OUT this Sunday against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers" class="sbn-auto-link">San Diego Chargers</a> because of a lacerated spleen.</p>
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<p>Keep Alex in your prayers. One of the toughest guys on the team.</p>
— <span>Tyler Bray</span> (@tbrayvol8) <a href="https://twitter.com/tbrayvol8/status/548537162891681793">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p>It took four days for <span>Alex Smith</span> to find out he had a lacerated spleen: <a href="http://t.co/dfgHZogouW">http://t.co/dfgHZogouW</a></p>
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Deadspin/status/548591041113518080">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p>As I just said on <a href="https://twitter.com/610SportsKC">@610SportsKC</a>, <span>Alex Smith</span> is going nowhere. $11M of his '15 base salary was fully GTD at signing ($25.4M in dead $ if cut).</p>
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) <a href="https://twitter.com/corryjoel/status/548566800427151361">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p>With the Alex Smith news, 16 teams - exactly 1/2 of the league - will use multiple starting QB's this season.</p>
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) <a href="https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/548535032370176000">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p>Backup Chase Daniel last <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash">#Chiefs</a> QB to throw regular-season TD to WR, a 2-yard pass to then-KC WR Dexter McCluster vs. SD in Wk 17 of ‘13.</p>
— Herbie Teope (@HerbieTeope) <a href="https://twitter.com/HerbieTeope/status/548545802969546752">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p>So now you’ll get to see what life without Alex is like, at least for one week.</p>
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) <a href="https://twitter.com/TerezPaylor/status/548525847309594624">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p>If the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chiefs</a> win, it'll be on a great game by Charles and the running ability of Daniels.</p>
— Stinson (@WSD_KC) <a href="https://twitter.com/WSD_KC/status/548592312872632320">December 26, 2014</a>
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https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2014/12/26/7451803/reactions-to-alex-smiths-spleen-injuryJoel Thorman2014-12-26T16:10:54-06:002014-12-26T16:10:54-06:00The hit that lacerated Alex Smith's spleen<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/TerezPaylor/status/548525301160890370">The hit that lacerated Alex Smith's&nbsp;spleen</a></h3>
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https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2014/12/26/7451797/the-hit-that-lacerated-alex-smiths-spleenJoel Thorman2014-12-26T13:16:00-06:002014-12-26T13:16:00-06:00Alex Smith injury scenarios
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<p><span>Alex Smith</span> has a lacerated spleen and won't be playing Sunday.</p>
<p>First of all, let's break down that first part. Smith has a LACERATED SPLEEN. One which he apparently suffered on the deep attempt to Albert Wilson (one that people have incorrectly labeled a missed throw, but whatever). He then played another half of competitive professional football in which he was sacked three more times and hit about a half dozen others.</p>
<p>Re-read that paragraph. Seriously, do it, and pretend you knew nothing about Smith beforehand.</p>
<p>I have issues with Smith as a quarterback, but the man's toughness and desire to win is not one of them.</p>
<p>First and foremost, get well Alex. Injuries are the worst, and I hope you heal perfectly.</p>
<p>But in the meantime... ARE YOU KIDDING ME????????????</p>
<p>After I heard the news, I sat down and charted out the multiple possibilities for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a> and <span>Chase Daniel</span> on Sunday. Yes, charted. As in I sat down and made a chart on a legal notepad (money well spent by my boss. I hope he doesn't read this column. Sorry, Matt!) trying to incorporate the possibilities. I have a serious, serious problem.</p>
<p>The thing that makes this news CRAZY isn't just the on-the-field implications. For the last year, a war has waged between Chiefs fans regarding <span>Alex Smith</span>. Brother against brother, father against son... it's been freaking Biblical in the comment section this season. And now, after all this animosity, both sides are going to have a shot to see themselves completely and totally vindicated (even though they really don't, because no one is ever going to win this in a way that will satisfy them).</p>
<p>On the line isn't just a potential playoff berth, it's the ego of THOUSANDS of fans who have spent years worth of time arguing about <span>Alex Smith</span> this year. And no matter what happens, both sides are going to tear into each other like a starved fat guy at Oklahoma Joe's.</p>
<p>Since my brain is exploding right now, I need to get some of these possibilities typed out. Because if I don't there's a good chance I'll stroke out right in front of my keyboard. These are presented randomly, not the order of how possible I believe they are. Also, for the sake of brevity (I'll wait for some of you to stop laughing at the idea of me caring about brevity. Go ahead. I have time), I'm not including EVERY charted possibility here.</p>
<h4>Possibility #1: Chase plays well, Chiefs win blowout</h4>
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<p>This is maybe the one scenario in which true debate will cease to exist for a time, as those who like Alex Smith will be forced to basically sit there and absorb abuse.</p>
<p>Oh, wait...</p>
<p>"It was a totally different gameplan with Chase in. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers">Chargers</a> had no real film on him, and Reid called a way better game."</p>
<p>Never mind. There will never be peace, even in this scenario.</p>
<p>I really, really, really doubt this happens. But I have to say, I'd LOVE it. Mostly because I get bored in the offseason and seeing people argue extensively for Chase to be our starter would really help pass the time.</p>
<h4>Possibility #2: Chase plays poorly, Chiefs win blowout</h4>
<p>This scenario would mean the arguments between fans would reach almost peak capacity. Pro-Smith fans would point out how a respected backup was way worse than Smith, proving Smith is a decent starter or better. Anti-Smith fans would hammer in the point that the Chiefs won a blowout game without Smith.</p>
<p>The fun part here would be the hot take comments. Something like this</p>
<p>"What happened with Smith out? Oh yeah, the Chiefs won big against a team they barely beat with Alex at QB."</p>
<p>Please, Lord, let this happen.</p>
<h4>Possibility #3: Chase plays mediocre, Chiefs win blowout</h4>
<p>Basically the same as above, except the arguments would burn even hotter. Let's face it, Smith has had some mediocre games this year. What if Chase looks, you know, a lot like Smith? Wouldn't that tell us something about Smith?</p>
<p>What I'd really enjoy about this scenario is both sides fudging the facts to back up their own preconceived opinion. If Chase plays mediocre, people who like Smith will INSIST he was terrible, while people who do not will INSIST he was decent.</p>
<p>Stats will be cited. Screenshots will be taken. Bad / good plays will be tossed out as blanket examples of Chase's terrible / solid play in the entire game.</p>
<p>Of all the possibilities, a Chiefs win with a mediocre performance by Chase Daniel is absolutely the one that would lead to the most venom between the two "factions."</p>
<p>Or, IS it?</p>
<h4>Possibility #4: Chase plays poorly, Chiefs lose blowout</h4>
<p>At least in #3, people are happy after watching a blowout win. If Chase has a terrible game and the Chiefs lose? Anarchy. People will be angry, and Alex Smith supporters will take their anger out on the other "side" by saying something resembling, "see? See? We've been telling you this ALL year. Got what you wanted? Happy now?"</p>
<p>Of course, those who don't like Smith at QB aren't going to take it sitting down. Again, anarchy. Absolute anarchy. I'm picturing something like the riot in the first season of "Prison Break." Mods will have to lock themselves in a safe location and just let it play itself out.</p>
<p>But nothing compares to the hate-fest that will reign if...</p>
<h4>Possibility #5: Chase plays poorly, Chiefs win close game WITH comeback</h4>
<p>This escalates from riot level to "what the Great Panic of World War Z (the book) looks like in your mind when you read that section."</p>
<p>It's a clumsy name, yes. But it's the only thing that fully captures the desolate wasteland that will be Chiefs Twitter and the comment section of EVERY Chiefs website. Side note, has there ever been a movie that had less to do with a book than Brad Pitt's "World War Z?" I mean seriously, what was that about?</p>
<p>The reason this one would be so controversial is that everyone would have a narrative to grab. Smith is a good QB because look how bad Chase played. Smith is a bad QB because the Chiefs won. Smith is a good QB because offense had more (insert whatever here). Smith is a bad QB because Chase was "clutch" where Smith would have faltered.</p>
<p>That's four. There are a hundred more.</p>
<h4>Possibility #6 and #7: Chase plays mediocre, Chiefs lose OR win a close game</h4>
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<p>Probably the most likely scenario, right?</p>
<p>Chase Daniel isn't a terrible QB. He has accuracy issues and happy feet, but he's not a terrible backup. Additionally, the Chargers defense is pretty nicked up AND the Chiefs passing game has found some (relative) traction lately with <span>Albert Wilson's</span> emergence.</p>
<p>Combine all that and a total meltdown by Chase seems relatively unlikely. Additionally, it seems like Andy Reid would be more likely to call a run-oriented gameplan with Chase behind center. Which, you know, is exactly what most fans have been screaming for all year and how our offense has been called in our best games. I just don't see a total disaster from Chase.</p>
<p>I also don't see a genuinely good performance because, well, yeah. I've seen our OL, I've seen Chase play. I don't see it barring 20 targets to Albert Wilson. Then all bets are off, amirite (get on board the Wilson hype train. Plenty of room for now)?</p>
<p>I don't think the Chargers have a good enough offense to blow the Chiefs out. And I also don't think the Chiefs have a good enough offense (even if run the way we've all thought it should be) to blow the Chargers out. So a close game is the most likely.</p>
<p>Note that these scenarios are slightly different than #5 because they don't involve the added narrative of a comeback by Daniel. Because of that, I think there would be just a touch fewer narratives for people to grab on to.</p>
<h4>Possibility # 8: Chase plays well, Chiefs lose blowout</h4>
<p>This is John Dorsey's nightmare. If the Chiefs have their backup QB come in and play well but still get run out of Arrowhead by the Chargers, the fanbase will (fair or not) start to ask questions like...</p>
<p>1) How is it that 2 years into the rebuild we're getting killed by a decent-but-not-good Chargers team at home?</p>
<p>2) How is it that Dorsey and Reid's guy Smith is getting outplayed by a backup?</p>
<p>Those questions aren't entirely fair in this scenario. But neither is life, John. For sheer entertainment's sake, this could be the most fun (you know, after getting past the awful feeling of watching a blowout). Because then we'd have not only a Pro-Smith and Anti-Smith war to be waged, but a Pro-Dorsey and Anti-Dorsey war, along with a Pro-Reid and Anti-Reid war. Various factions would align. It'd be the Battle Of The Five (or, you know, six) Armies.</p>
<p>I have no idea what's going to happen Sunday. But I seriously cannot wait to find out. Additionally, there's one really, really, really remote possibility that was raised to me on Twitter.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/RealMNchiefsfan">@RealMNchiefsfan</a> there IS the possibility that Chase carries us to the Super Bowl, which is when Alex could return. please discuss.</p>
— Adrian Waller (@awaller1990) <a href="https://twitter.com/awaller1990/status/548537399215943680">December 26, 2014</a>
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<p>(passes out)</p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2014/12/26/7451289/alex-smith-injury-scenarios-chase-daniel-eraMNchiefsfan