Gonna be a tough year without this guy.

First, the doomsday schedule was released. Then Jonathan Baldwin injured his hand while pretending like the Chiefs’ locker room was the UFC’s Octagon. Even Alec Baldwin isn’t so dramatic. Next there was the Chiefs’ offense serving as a one-team blooper reel during the preseason. At times the offensive outfit looked like they couldn’t advance the ball against a Pop Warner team. Now comes the report that Tony Moeaki has been placed on injured reserve. SI’s Will Carrol is reporting that he tore his ACL.

At some point you almost just want to toss your hands up and say this isn’t going to be our year. Fellow pessimists, we’ve reached that point. The optimists will likely need a little more catastrophe in order to join us.

Hopefully, the Chiefs can make a trade and bring in a replacement. My suggestion would be Jacob Tamme, the Colts tight end who did a helluva job impersonating an injured Dallas Clark down the stretch in 2010. Stay tuned.

A shot from the game where it all began. Let's hope the Chiefs have a little bit of magic left.

The Kansas City Chiefs take the field against the Baltimore Ravens today looking for their first playoff win in 17 years. The staff here at Arrowhead Addict has their picks in. They were originally posted yesterday as part of our post-season picks contest but we’ll throw just the Chiefs predictions up here again for you.

Patrick: Chiefs 17, Ravens 16

Hang on to your hats. This one is going to be close. I think this one will be a bit of a defensive battle with the Chiefs squeaking out a win. Go Chiefs!

Adam Best: Chiefs 27, Ravens 24

The Chiefs didn’t lose at Arrowhead this season, because I don’t count that meaningless Raiders game. The Red and Gold will handle their biz on D, and Bowe and Charles will do the heavy lifting against an overrated and aging Ravens defense. Cassel just need to manage the game, and he will.

More after the jump.

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The last time I checked in here at the Addict was prior to the season, when I predicted an 8-8 Chiefs record with major upside. Turns out I was right, just not right enough. It also looks like my proposed Weiss-Vick possibility has absolutely no chance of happening now that Sidney Greenstreet’s found a new Humphrey Bogart and Michael Vick looks to be as permanent of a fixture in Philly as cheesesteaks. As far as the Chiefs exceeding expectations, here’s that story.

The Chiefs schedule was easier than we anticipated.

The Chiefs top-end talent — Brandon Flowers, Derrick Johnson, Dwayne Bowe, Jamaal Charles, Matt Cassel and Tamba Hali — was better than advertised.

The caliber of a team’s coordinators obviously makes a world of difference in the NFL.

The Arrowhead Advantage makes a huge difference when the Chiefs are worthy of the price of admission.

Also, while I do think some of the Chiefs’ success was in spite of Todd Haley (he made terrible, indefensible decisions all season long), I can’t chalk it all up to luck or even schedule. In fact, if Jacoby Ford drops that hail mary in Oakland and Andre Johnson gets flagged for offensive pass interference, the Chiefs win two more games. Let’s not even talk about Bowe leaving his hands back in Kansas City for the trip to Indianapolis. Bad teams don’t win 10 games regardless of division — just look at the NFC West.

Since the Chiefs won 10 games this year and Ten is my favorite album by one of my favorite bands, these are my Pearl Jam-inspired thoughts on the Chiefs moving forward…

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This story was originally posted on AA way back in September of 2008, long before I was working here. Back then, Adam and Zach Best (our blogfathers) were running the show here at Addict. I wanted to re-post this for a couple of different reasons.

First, I wanted to show you all that Arrowhead Addict has always been and always will be, about writers providing strong opinions whether they are popular or not. We go on the record here, even if we are seen as foolish. The Fansided Network is a place for the fans.

Lastly, we don’t forget here at AA and we wanted to give a big, fat I TOLD YOU SO to the folks at NFL Network. Adam doesn’t sound so crazy now, does he? Could you imagine how good the Eagles might be with Cowher as their coach as opposed the the always bumbling, one more doughnut away from his heart exploding, Andy Reid? Enjoy.

As you may have read, Arrowhead Addict was mentioned in some detail on the NFL Network‘s NFL GameDay Morning this morning. Before mentioning the Addict–along with the website GetBradyNow.com–Alex Flanagan called Chiefs fans desperate and delusional. Um, did you expect us to be comfortable and content right about now? Then she went on to discuss the Brady Quinn rumors before moving on to the following discussion…

AF: “This one even better now…another fan there is campaigning for (Bill) Cowher and Michael Vick in 2009. They want him in Kansas City. That on ArrowheadAddict.com. Michael Vick, of course, expected to get out of prison sometime in 2009, maybe between May and October. So, he could be ready.”

Marshall Faulk: “I’m happy to see that somebody wants Michael Vick. That’s good to know. Even if it’s Kansas City right now, knowing they can’t get him.”

Warren Sapp: “Does this person who wrote, does he now got a team or something, cause blah blah blah…”

(Sorry, 99, I honestly couldn’t understand that gibberish you mumbled at the end there.)

AF: “Cowher and Vick could be quite an interesting match-up, right?”

WS: “Cowher and Vick–oh yeah.”

Spero Dedes: “Is that how bad, though, it’s gotten in K.C.? I mean, they’re waiting for Mike Vick in 2009?”

MF: “It’s not good. It’s not good.”

WS: “It can’t be good.”

First off, it’s pretty to cool to have our site mentioned on the NFLN. Second, Flanny’s gotta be the hottest chick who’s ever read one of my pieces. Third, it’s not every day two Hall of Famers crack up over your post. Fourth, I wanted to get the fans and media (preferably mainstream) talking about how bad things are in K.C., and that we’re already ready to move on to a new coach and quarterback. Mission accomplished.

Thanks to our readers for helping us get noticed! If anyone can find this online or has it taped, shoot us an e-mail and you’ll instantly become our personal hero.

Given the size of AA’s reader base and its location, we figured this would be the perfect place to recruit writers for our upcoming Big 12 sites — chiefly our Iowa State, KU, K-State and MU ones. They’d look and operate similar to AA. Check out our Nebraska site for another good example. It’s a great opportunity to be a part of an up-and-coming sports empire, the FanSided Network (millions of readers every month, approximately 160 sites). Contact Adam at fansidedadam@gmail.com if interested for instructions on how to apply.

Now that he is going through the waiver process, the Chiefs should make a claim for Moss. He won’t go back to Oakland. We know the Chargers are too cheap to ante up. Hopefully, he doesn’t reunite with Josh McDaniels and the Donkeys either. Regardless, I don’t think even Moss and Tim Tebow’s power of prayer can save the Broncos at this point. That being said, the Chiefs also don’t want to see Moss end up back in New England or with another AFC contender. The Chiefs are locks for the playoffs, and they don’t want to see a rejuvenated Randy Moss in the postseason. Still, my recommendation for Moss joining the Chiefs is more than just a cockblock suggestion.

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Cons:

• The handling of Jamaal Charles. 100 yards on 12 touches. Get him the rock and Charles will be in Charge. He proved to me tonight that he is Chris Johnson Midwest.
• Dwayne Bowe and the receivers. All D-Bowe pretty much did, save one reception, was drop balls. Nobody else even bothered to show.
• Eric Berry. We need more out of our star rookie safety. Blown-coverage TDs were not what we were expecting.
• Matt Cassel. Anytime you throw for less than 100 yards — no matter the weather or playcalling — you end up on this list.
• Charlie Weiss. Run, run, pass isn’t going to cut it. A drunken, drugged-up, hooker-occupied Charlie Sheen could have called that offensive gameplan. Play to win, not not to lose.

Pros:

• Javier Arenas and Dexter McCluster. That’s what I call getting some “return” on your investment.
• Tony Meoki looks like our new TE. Now, stay healthy.
• Glenn Dorsey lets out his inner animal. Where has this guy been the last couple years?
• Derrick Johnson. Where has this guy been since we drafted him? D.J. looked like the D.J. that took it to the house twice  against Denver to close out last season. Keep it up.
• Jamaal Charles. 20 touches a game minimum. Feed that man. Only two other players could have made that run — CJ2K and MJD.

What are your positives and negatives from week one, Addicts?

If the Titans played the Raiders every week, Chris Johnson would have 4,000 total yards and the former Oilers would cruise to a perfect 16-0 record.

Meanwhile, out in the lots of surf and a little turf (when the team is winning) land of San Diego, the Chargers aren’t the team they used to be. LT Marcus McNeil and superstar WR Vincent Jackson are currently holding out. Antonio Cromartie and LaDainian Tomlinson, formerly the Bolts’ best players on D and O, respectively, are playing for the Jets in tonight’s opener. Norv Turner is still the league’s most overrated coach not named Wade Phillips. The team has one of the worst homefield advantages in the league. The Chiefs even won out there recently. Most of all, I’m not sure their pass rush is any better than ours now that Shawne Merriman is about as dependable as Lindsay Lohan.

Chiefs pessimists, am I missing something? Why do people think the Chargers are so unbeatable — Jedi mind tricks? As for the Broncos, Marshall, Jay Cutler and Tony Scheffler have great foresight, because they bailed at the right times. I was dead wrong about Josh McDaniels; the guy is an O.C. at this point, nothing more. Lastly, the Raiders. Anyone who picked them as their sleeper — and a lot of pundits did — needs to wake up themselves. A Campbell’s can of soup would have been as effective as Jason Campbell was under center yesterday. Hey, neither are nearly as good as you thought they’d be when you were shopping and both are super easy to sack.

The Chiefs have added Thomas Jones, Ryan Lilja, Eric Berry, Dexter McCluster, Casey Wiegmann, Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel. Sure, the offense needs a downfield homerun threat and a legitimate RT, but I think one of the top 10 offensive coordinators in NFL history can mask those problems. Sure, our front seven is weak, but our young secondary is strong and if anyone can make tasty lemonade out of rotten lemons it’s Romeo, O Romeo. Meanwhile, Eric Berry should help limit big plays surrendered defensively. Also, a woken-up D-Bowe along with the additions of Mr. Jones and General McCluster will help Matt Cassel move the ball. Remember, his receivers dropped more balls than any other corps in the L a season ago.

The Chiefs have more talent, better coaching and the entire team has had more time to gel. They have to be significantly better. Gotta be.

Now, let’s look at the schedule.

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Seriously, though, what if Berry is that good? What if Berry is a hall of famer? The best safety ever to step on a football field? Then a safety is the best player on our team. Can you think of a Super Bowl-winning team where a safety was far and away the best player? Even Ed Reed, Paul Krause and Ronnie Lott weren’t the best players on their Championship teams.

I have warmed up to Berry a ton in the past 48 hours (partially due to Lombardi, among others), but I have also been reminded of how far away we are from the Super Bowl. Given just how horrid the AFC West is, and it is effing awful, we will not be seeing a top-five pick again any time soon. We could really use another one given the current trajectory of our other recent top-fivers — Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson.

Jamaal Charles is going to have to become a superstar for us, and I think he can be one. But we will need more than that. I don’t know, maybe Berry and Ryan Lilja will be two of the ingredients that start this New England-like transformation where the entire team looks better because of improved character, chemistry, depth and overall talent. Not sure. I just know that safeties aren’t usually picked that high, and that I have yet to see one carry a team to a Super Bowl.

Then again, Darren Sharper definitely put the Saints over the hump. Can Matt Cassell play Drew Brees? Even a poor homeless man’s Drew Brees? Then again, Reggie Bush might be a homeless man’s Jamaal Charles. What about Todd Haley, how does he stack up to fellow Parcells apprentice Sean Payton? Dwayne Bowe to Marques Colston?

I think too much, but it’s NFL Draft weekend and I wanted to share my thoughts on Berry. Besides, I’m the kinda control freak who’s never gonna be happy. At least Chiefs fans got their consensus first-round pick and Tim Tebow got to be closer to god in Denver. Speaking of closer to god, anybody seen Al Davis? Oakland’s draft strategy has seemed strangely off, or should I say on, so far.

1. OLB Sergio Kindle, Texas

It is a joke that this guy is still on the board. He’d rack up double-digit sacks for us next year guaranteed.I think he’s the best player available, and I hope that the rush to get Clausen and McCoy allows him to slip. I would trade up three picks to get him if we had to. He’s that talented.

2. WR Golden Tate, Notre Dame

The next DeSean Jackson? Maybe. With the Weiss connection and the obvious fit in the slot he’s a no-brainer. We need a field-stretcher, and he’s a perfect fit.

3. NT Terrence Cody, Alabama

There are some folks who think Cody, not Dan Williams, is the best NT in this draft. He could really make the 3-4 click for us as our anchor in the middle.

We get these three guys, hell, maybe even two of the three, and I think we are the favorites to win the AFC West. After a night of reflection, I think our O-line isn’t too bad. Ryan Lilja solidifies a line that gelled during the season’s second half, and Thomas Jones is an excellent blocker as well. Keep an eye on these three players.

Pat Bowlen playing Freddy again? (Source: New Line Cinema)

I got a text this morning that woke me up: “Brandon Marshall is now a Dolphin.” “Halle-effing-lujah!” I rejoiced. Then I tried to go back to sleep…and started thinking. Never a good thing when I start thinking too much.

The Seahawks just traded for Charlie “Don’t Call Me Jesus” Whitehurst. Art Modell will be given a parade in Cleveland before the Browns are going to take another Notre Dame QB. The Raiders are stuck on Fatmarcus. The Jags want to win now. If our old friend Chan Gailey’s Buffalo Bills don’t like Jimmy Clausen, he could easily slip to the Broncos at 11.

Meanwhile, Dez Bryant is slipping as well. Newly equipped with an extra second-round pick, the Broncos could easily trade up (packaging a second and maybe a third) into the mid-to-late first and snag him. They can do so and still have a second-round pick to burn on, say, a linebacker.

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I’m a big fan of Thomas Jones. But for as good as a player as Thomas Jones has been on the field for the Jets, he’s been better as a veteran leader for the Jets away from it. During the course of the 2009 season with a rookie QB, Jones was the driving voice on gameday in the locker room, though rarely to the press.

The problem with Jones was that for the Jets he played as well as his line allowed him and we saw that diminish greatly at the end of the 2009 season. In 2007, his first year with the team when the offensive line was a shambles, Jones rarely got into the end zone, once the team added LG Alan Faneca, RT Damien Woody and former Chief FB Tony Richardson, those numbers jumped, but over the course of the 2009 season, I was troubled by his inability to create a spark for the running game down the stretch. While the coaching staff let him still start, it was clear that Shonn Greene made the running game tick as the Jets went on their postseason run. Jones benefited from some fairly soft running defenses in the second half of the season.

In a lesser role, I think that Jones can still contribute, but if I were a Chiefs fan, I wouldn’t expect him to be putting up another 1400 yard / 14 TD season for the Arrowhead faithful.

Both some good and some bad in there for all of us with the rose-colored glasses on. Big thanks to Brian again.

Addicts, what are your thoughts on The Jets Blog’s take on T.J.?

Addicts, is Dez Bryant worth the gamble of trading up to get him if he slips into the 20s?

It’s also possible Denver could agree to receive less compensation for allowing Seattle to acquire Marshall.

Also, a source over at Yahoo! Sports says there is a soft market for Marshall. They do not want him coming back, and they know that with some of the character issues Marshall has that it might be hard to find a taker for him giving the compensation required. If the Ravens just got Boldin for a third and a fourth, I bet the Chiefs could get Marshall for their higher second and a fourth.

Don’t be so fast to think the Broncos and Chiefs won’t deal with each other either — Josh McDaniels and Scott Pioli have a good relationship. Remember when the Patriots and Dolphins did that big Wes Welker deal within the same division? Stranger things have happened.

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I have defended them for over a year, stating over and over that they would evaluate last year and spend this year. Seems that the Chiefs are just the Cheaps after all. Even the effing Lions are making moves! Oh well. We, the fans, will still be here when Pioli and Haley are regretting not trading for the toughest pass-catching playmaker in the NFL. Matt “$65 Million” Cassel is really going to thrive throwing to Dwayne “Butterfingers” Bowe and the rest of that crew.

If you are pissed, I don’t blame you one bit. I am, too. The Chiefs have about one week to make it up to us. Just gets old watching the likes of the Bears, Dolphins, Jets and Ravens — teams that truly want to win no matter the financial cost — bring in studs. It’s like your mom cooking a filet mignon for your brother, and then handing you a Kraft macaroni box every year. They better get Antonio Bryant on a plane. Hell, Clark, I’ll buy his ticket if you are that worried about money. It hurts. It hurts. I haven’t been this upset with the Chiefs since we got rid of Bernard Pollard.

"Please sign me, Chiefs!" (Boston Herald)

After scouring the Net, here’s what I’ve come up with. It’s not as star heavy as last year, as we now know what to expect from the new regime  during free agency (I think).

The 2010 FA Blueprint

1A. Tully Banta-Cain, OLB, New England Patriots

Given Julius Peppers’ up-and-down nature, Banta-Cain might be a better fit at OLB. Given Scott Pioli’s history with Banta-Cain and our need at linebacker, it seems like an obvious fit. Peppers might have posted 10.5 sacks last season, but Tully the Bully had 10 (despite only 10 starts). That extra sack would cost us, oh, about $30-40 million. Banta-Cain likely wants to be a fulltime starter after a second tour of duty with the Pats, and he would definitely be one for our Chiefs.

1B. Anquan Boldin, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Maybe the toughest Pro Bowl WR ever to step onto a field, and the Cards just want a third-round pick for him? Given that we have an extra early round pick, that’s almost unfair for them. Make the deal, Pioli Trinity. He can come in and show Dwayne Bowe what it takes to be the man. He’s 30, but he’s never been a speed receiver, so he should age well as long as he can stay on the field.

2. Bobbie Williams, G, Cincinnati Bengals

He played at Arkansas, he has family in Missouri (according to sources) — this would be like a homecoming for Williams. He’s 33, but has started all but three games (all in 2006) for the Bengals over the past six seasons. We know the Bengals can be cheap, so here’s the perfect chance for us to bring in Brian Waters lite.

3. Bryan Robinson, DT, Arizona Cardinals

He may not be Ryan Pickett, but he could be a key factor in a NT rotation and also has that Arizona connection I am sure we will exploit somewhere.

4. Kevin Faulk, RB, New England Patriots

As much as I like both L.T. and Thomas Jones, this makes more sense. I’m sure Pioli could lure him away — especially if the Pats make a run at someone like Chestor Taylor — and he’d be the perfect compliment to Jamaal Charles. He’d also serve as a great mentor to the young Longhorn product.

5. Kassim Osgood, WR, San Diego Chargers

He’s not much of a receiver. Who cares? Osgood is as good as any special teams gunner in NFL history. Special teams made a big difference for the Chargers while he was there, and it seems they finally might have to let him go. Would love to see him screaming down the field on kickoffs donning the red and gold.

Jones is a physical specimen who defies the 30-year/300-carry RB rules.

Yes, he is 31. Yes, he has been running behind a fantastic offensive line. But Thomas Jones — who will be released by the Jets very soon — is a special breed of workhorse. Just look at his stats over the past five seasons (year, team, games played, carries, yards, YPC):

• 2005 CHI 15 314 1335 4.3
• 2006 CHI 16 296 1210 4.1
• 2007 NYJ 16 310 1119 3.6
• 2008 NYJ 16 290 1312 4.5
• 2009 NYJ 16 331 1402 4.2

He’s carried the ball at least 290 times a game for each season the past five years for two different teams, yet has only missed one game and only averaged under four yards per carry once. Unlike Larry Johnson, dude has an unparalleled work ethic. He’s a workout warrior whose weightlifting actually translates to on-field success. Obviously the oversold 300-carry rule doesn’t apply to Thomas Jones.

Jones has good hands and is an excellent pass blocker. He also isn’t a primadonna and has fit in well with other backs when sharing the workload. Personally, I feel he’s a much better compliment to Charles in Charge than Darren Sproles. Hey, I love Sproles — I freakin’ went to K-State. But Charles needs a punishing, physical inside runner who can also excel picking up blitzes to spell him. Sproles would be a pretty redundant addition — he and Charles do all the same things well.

I even like Jones better than LaDainian Tomlinson. He’s a late blooomer who genuinely seems to enjoy contact and the overall brutality of the NFL. I think he’s still got a lot more to prove than L.T. does as well. If he could help an up-and-coming team get to the Super Bowl (like he did the Bears and nearly did with the Jets), he would cement his status as an exceptional running back and not just another pretty good workhorse.

Couldn’t we get a couple more years out of Jones doing some tough running and blocking behind Jammal Charles while we groom a physical inside runner to be his successor? He’d only be taking on roughly half of his normal workload. I think he’s got it in him after watching him run this year.

Flash forward to 2010. A great Charger running back is about to be discarded by his team. He has definitely lost some gallop, but he is unquestionably one of the best players in league history at getting inside the endzone. He was also so good so recently, it’s hard to say he’s done considering the way his team has abandoned the run. You also know he will be hellbent on proving to his old team that he can still play. That player is LaDainian Tomlinson.

When the Bolts cut L.T. to save roughly $6 million (he’s only guaranteed 1$ million this upcoming year), he will be an unrestricted free agent. I suggest that the Chiefs give him a long look. Fantasy owners won’t like this, but he would be a great second option and goalline back for the Chiefs. He had 12 TDs despite missing two games to injury as part of a pass-happy attack last season. Charles had seven. L.T. is still arguably the best in the business at finding the endzone. He’s also a great receiver and savvy pass blocker — think of him as potentially being Charlie Weiss’ Kevin Faulk Deluxe.

It’s just an idea. I think Charles can be a Pro Bowl performer, but I do not think he can handle 20-plus carries a game nor should he be asked to. Besides, L.T. could come in here and help him become better, add something himself and provide valuable information about the Chargers offense. Again, just an idea, but possibly one worth exploring. After all, the Chargers have been better than us for most of No. 21′s career.

Over the last few weeks I have noticed a variety of opinions on the state of the Chiefs, specifically their weaknesses and strengths. While everyone will admit to the porous offensive line, few would want to attach particular attention to this area in the upcoming draft. WRONG. Let us examine several of the teams in the conference finals as examples of a different philosophy.

The Jets by and large have the highest regarded o-line in the NFL. How did this come about?

In 2006 they spent two number ones on LT D. Ferguson (4th pick in the draft) and on C Nick Mangold (29th pick of the first round). LG A. Faneca was a free agent signing, but had previously been a first-round pick in 1998. Likewise, their RT Damien Woody was a free agent signing after being a first-round pick of the Patriots in 1999. Their only undrafted starter is their left guard, an undrafted free agent out of Illinois who developed in the Europe.

The Saints have also built their O-line via the draft:

• LT Jermon Bushrod – 4th round (2007)
• LG Carl Nicks – 5th round (2008)
• C Jonathan Goodwin – 5th rounder from New York Jets (FA)
• RG Jahri Evans – 4th round (2003)
• RT Jon Stinchcomb – 2nd round (2003)

The other two remaining teams also have good lines including players like Bryant McKinnie, Jeff Saturday, Steve Hutchinson and Tony Ugoh. Sure, Saturday is undrafted, but most of these players were drafted. Good offensive lineman that can help a long-term unit gel typically don’t fall in your lap.

In pro football, if you can’t protect the QB or run the football you are doomed in the playoffs (see Dallas Cowboys vs.
Minnesota Vikings last week).The Saints, Vikings and Colts are, I believe, statistically the best passing teams in the NFL. The Jets have been running over people throughout the AFC playoffs. Hell, Thomas “Old Bones” Jones was one of the top 10 running backs in the league behind the Jets’ dominating unit. Regardless of whether you air it out or pound the rock, you have to have great protection to win in today’s game.

It is imperative that the Chiefs shore up their O-line via the draft and free agents acquisitions. After watching a converted guard struggle at left tackle this year (Branden Albert), and watching the dominating and devasting effects of Joe Thomas on our defense (Cleveland), I feel it is imperative to upgrade this position.

Today’s NFL is too physical for the Larry Johnson or Brandon Jacobs battering-ram backs. All the players are bigger and faster than they have ever been, so much so that the NFL is continuing to take safety precautions that wouldn’t have even been considered 10 years ago. Because of that, smaller, shifty, elusive backs with good hands and enough power to get the job done inside from time to time are the new feature backs. Chris Johnson. MJD. Ray Rice.

First off, their versatility makes them more useful in today’s pass-happy NFL. Second, their elusive style and diminutive size, by NFL standards at least, makes them harder to hit cleanly and keeps them on the field. If you look at the top six rushers, three off them — Johnson (1), Jones-Drew (4) and Rice (6) — are small backs. Steven Jackson (2) gets hurt every season, and it’s only a matter of time before he breaks down completely a la L.J. Thomas Jones (3) ran behind the best line in football. Adrian Peterson (5)? He’s the rare big man who has the shiftiness and speed of a scatback. We’ve seen about, oh, four guys like that (Jim Brown, Earl Campbell, Bo Jackson and him).

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I do think the Chiefs could also use a bruising inside runner, but this kid is a feature back. Call him Chris Johnson Lite, which by no means is an insult.

Here’s what I’m thinking:

1. Todd Haley, somewhat of an offensive mastermind himself, has too big of an ego to hand over the keys of the offense to just anybody (By the way, ego is a necessity for head coaches in the NFL.). But even he suggests that an ideal situation would allow him to focus on his head coaching duties.

2. College football offenses have been more inventive than pro ones for years now. Even the Wildcat was born in the college ranks, and the Dolphins only deployed it because they had two stud running backs, a quarterback with a pea-shooter arm and no receivers.

3. Offensive geniuses — like Bill Walsh, Don Coryell and Emory Bellard — only come around so often. Even Bellard himself calls Mike Leach an offensive genius.

4. The NFL is a passing league now. The workhorse back is a dying breed. Just look at the Vikings. In the first half on Monday they fed Adrian Peterson to a fault and got way behind. In the second half they basically went to a spread-type offense and damn near pulled off an amazing comeback.

5. Timing. Offensive coordinators like Mike Leach only come around so often. With a lot of the attention turned to unemployed established offensive masterminds like Charlie Weis and Mike Shanahan , a Leach signing could fly under the radar. Plus, since he was just fired and our season ends Sunday, we could beat a lot of teams to the punch.

6. Personnel. Jamaal Charles is a Texas Tech-like player. He’s got good hands, is good in space, and the quicker the play hits the better it is for him. Matt Cassel’s biggest weakness is the long ball. Even Dwayne Bowe excels on screens and racking up YAC (when he catches the ball). Speaking of Bowe’s hands, couldn’t the guy who coached Wes Welker to become the player he is today help D-Bowe remedy that severe case of the dropsies?

7. Attitude. His no-nonsense attitude might be a little overboard for the college game, but it would be a great fit for the Pioli Trinity and their effort to move away from the Vermeil/Herm “Adventures in Babysitting” years. I’ve also played the college game, and I can tell you from first-hand experience that coaches do things like this all the time.

Maybe I’m crazy, Addicts, but I think this could be the thing to really help this franchise take its next step. Thoughts?

We had a ton of other good submissions, and I will be reaching out to many of you to see if we can find a role for you here at A.A. As previously mentioned, I’m sticking around in a columnist role, so I’ll still be posting occasionally, and the rest of the staff will continue to kick ass like always.

Recently, I’ve seen some comments about my whereabouts. Well, as you’ve probably noticed, I’ve informally stepped away from A.A as its lead blogger. Today, my stepping down from my post here at A.A. becomes official.

For the first two-plus years of the site’s existence, I had the time and situation to crank out 20 posts a week, often more. As the FanSided Sports Network has advanced — this site’s parent network and a company that my brother Zach and I co-founded — it became clear that I would be needed elsewhere seven days a week in order for the network to succeed. Because I love both my Chiefs and A.A. way too much to half-ass or quarter-ass the lead blogger role, I’ve been looking for my replacement for some time.

Now, before I get to that I want to commend Jeremy, Merlin, Double D, the Old Chief and Randy for their outstanding efforts. They will remain an integral part of the staff here at A.A. Their efforts have been the lifeblood of A.A. during this transition and I think I can speak for all of us Addicts when I say that their efforts are always entertaining and informative.

That being said, we are looking for someone to fill my lead blogger position and are opening this opportunity up to our readership. We have tried other avenues to find a replacement, but have been unsuccessful thus far. This will be a paid position and is a great opportunity. The exposure will be tremendous as A.A. receives strong traffic and is featured at places like SI.com and Google News. The time commitment will be considerable and we’ll be looking for someone who brings a lot to the table, but whoever fills the position will definitely get a lot out of covering their favorite team. To apply, e-mail me at arrowheadaddict@gmail.com.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you Addicts for roughly three of the most enjoyable years of my life. I am truly flattered that so many of you read my writing and became an active part of this community. I will remain on the staff, as will Zach, in a minor role and am planning on contributing special articles from time to time (i.e. The Blueprint series). I am confident that A.A. will be better than ever when we get the lead blogger position filled, because the rest of the staff is as strong as it has ever been.

Sincerely,

Adam Best

P.S. – I promised our Royals blogger that I’d eventually get him a shot out over here, and he definitely deserves it. Wally Fish over at Kings of Kauffman (formerly Royales with Cheese, a name which we changed when another site took objection), for my money, delivers more great Royals content than anybody else on the Internet. Definitely check out the site!

Check out the video, complete with a few funny speech bubbles compliments of Zach…

Breaking News: The Chiefs have traded DT Tank Tyler to the Carolina Panthers for an undisclosed draft pick in 2010.

This is huge news that shows that the Chiefs are not at all pleased with their nose tackle position, an integral part of the 3-4 system. Also, this is yet another Herm Edwards draft pick that has been jettisoned by the front office.

9. Again, the Chiefs aren’t a speedy defense. Can they contain the Eagles’ explosive speed — Brian Westbrook, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Michael Vick?

8. Road warriors? The Chiefs played great opening weekend in Baltimore, but after two losses will they still be game on the road?

7.  Could our third Bobby wide receiver in recent history, Bobby Wade, be the charm?

6. Is Dwayne Bowe’s hammy good to go?

5. Derrick Johnson is out. Will Demorrio Williams continue the strong play he displayed during the preseason?

4. Will the Chiefs force Kevin Kolb into mistakes and get the rowdy Philly crowd clamoring for Vick?

3. Will the Chiefs keep the game close enough to get Larry Johnson and the running game going?

2. Matt Cassel. Todd Haley. Can the new quarterback and playcaller mesh a little better in their second outing together?

1. How will the Eagles deploy and utilize Vick? Will the Chiefs get Vick-timized by trick plays and formations?

Our tribe lost the battle, but we'll win the war.

Yes, the Raiders unequivocally have more talent than our Chiefs. As Al Gore would say, the debate is over. I didn’t even need to put on 100 pounds, start talking like a gay Forrest Gump or whip out any charts either. When the Raiders can invade Arrowhead and pillage our Chiefs despite the game being our home opener, there’s no contest in the talent department. Right now, the Silver and Black have a decided talent advantage over the Red and Gold. But that only tells half of the story.

Yes, the Raiders have a stud stable of running backs — Huggy Bear, Michael Bush and Run DMC. At tight end they have Zach Miller, who plays like Todd Heap wishes he still did. They have the league’s best corner in Nnamdi Asomugha, who would be a household name if anybody could actually pronounce his damn name. The Raidahs also have Richard Seymour, possibly the NFL’s best and most versatile defensive lineman. I could keep going, too.

Their roster is crowded with talent the way Cali’s penile system is crowded with cons. There’s one problem, however, and it’s that the Raiders’ franchise is flawed in it’s construction. When it comes to the four most important aspects of running a successful pro football franchise — head coach, general manager, quarterback and a dedicated owner that will stay out the hell out of the way — we’ve got the Raiders beat.

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Consider this an open thread for the game, Addicts…

While watching last week’s Chiefs-Ravens game, I had an epiphany. I saw Maurice Leggett get burned for probably 300 of the 500 yards the Chiefs surrendered filling in for Brandon Flowers. He got beat like Pee Wee Herman’s meat in a movie theater. Like Chris Brown’s next girlfriend. I saw the right side of our offensive get demolished. I saw Mark Bradley underrun pivotal third down routes. I saw Glenn Dorsey look like Glenn Close.

But it was what I didn’t see that explained the final score in yet another loss — Herm Edwards’ draft picks.

The Expendables is an upcoming Sly Stallone action flick that features tough guys like Ah-nold, Couture, Jet Li, Lundgren, Statham, Stone Cold, Rourke and Willis. I’m really looking forward to the flick. At the same time, it reminds me of the Chiefs 2006-08 draft selections — another set of expendables.

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Ray-Ray Lewis and the Ravens will snap Brodie in two, and then Thiggy Smalls would come in relief comic relief and get more ass-rippings from Todd Haley than completions. I seriously don’t know if I will be able to stomach it. Croyle missed Dwayne Bowe, one of the biggest WRs in the NFL, at least six times the other night in a half. Meanwhile, Thigpen threw two picks against back-ups on possibly the worst defense in the NFL. Watching those two quarterbacks in the same game is akin to watching Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton co-star in the same movie. I would rather have my inner thighs waxed by Brock Lesnar.

Seriously, I have not been waiting for a young franchise quarterback since Todd Blackledge flopped when I was five years old only to land him and see him sit out the first game of the season. That’s kinda like wandering through the desert and seeing a big puddle of water only to have your camel piss in it before you can take a drink.  Excuse my French here, but if I have to endure Croyle/Thigpen again the taste won’t be much different than piss water. Last year, they were at the heart of Harmageddon, the single worst football experience of my life. Yes, even worse than three-a-days at Emporia State in 100 degree weather with scents from a nearby bakery and slaughterhouse converging to gag me underneath my facemask. This is how frustrated I am with these two “quarterbacks,” two players that only a complete idiot like Herm Edwards would consider starting options.

Cassel, Haley, if you guys can pull it off — and I don’t care how as long as we don’t jeopardize M.C.’s future, which might even be worth it — please get No. 7 out there Sunday. It will eat me alive to see Terrell Suggs complete a Mortal Kombat-style fatality on Croyle (“get over here!”),  with Ed Reed picking off Thigpen six times as an encore. Save us, Matt Cassel, you’re our only hope.

Don’t miss out on the chance to get $80 off the price of CBSSports.com’s Fantasy Football Commissioner. Click here to get started. Time is definitely running out on this unique offer, so act now.

Shawne had a little too much Tequila (NBC San Diego).

What a crazy 24 hours it’s been in the AFC West, huh? First, the Chiefs cut their best defensive player from last season. Second, the Raiders trade for Richard Seymour, possibly the best defensive lineman in the National Football League. Third, Steroid Shawne Merriman is now Shawne “Slap A Ho” Merriman. Why? Because he got arrested early this morning for choking reality chick Tila “Tequila.”

From NBC San Diego:

San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested early Sunday on suspicion of choking and restraining television reality show hostess and model Tila “Tequila” Nguyen, according to deputies.

They got the call at 3:45 a.m. on Sunday from a woman who claimed to have been choked and restrained by a male at a home on Sagecrest Drive in Poway.

“Nguyen told deputies she had been choked and physically restrained by Merriman when she attempted to leave his residence,” San Diego County Sheriff’s spokesperson Jan Caldwell said.

The alleged victim signed a citizen’s arrest at the scene, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment.

I hope the cop did the “lights out” dance after he slapped the cuffs on that roid freak. This just shows that Merriman is the scumbag we thought he was. Tequila is a wannabe Kim Kardashian, a pretend Paris Hilton. Dating her is pathetic enough, but strangling her? Regardless of how classy a dame is, domestic abuse isn’t cool. Just one more reason to hate the big goon, I suppose.

Don’t miss out on the chance to get $80 off the price of CBSSports.com’s Fantasy Football Commissioner. Click here to get started.

Chiefs fans, say goodbye to No. 49.

Can Bernard Pollard be a bit too chippy at times? Sure. Does he miss a tackle going for the knockout punch every once in a while? Yes. Regardless, I think it’s downright foolish to cut the player who was our defensive MVP last season as he enters just his fourth year. Good thing I didn’t buy Bernard Pollard’s jersey like I had planned.

I knew the writing was on the wall for Zach Thomas. He’s an old, crippled man, and Corey Mays makes him expendable.

I knew the writing was on the wall for Ashley Lelie. Sure, he made a few grabs against second- and third-teamers, but nothing to warrant one of 53 roster spots.

But Bernard Pollard? This is the first big mistake of the Pioli Trinity era. Granted, we had five talented safeties, and it was the deepest position on the roster. My problem is, we just cut the most talented one. He fit so well in that young secondray. This is just madness. Madness, I tell you.

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The Chiefs get the first look, er, whack at Vick.

The fallout from the Michael Vick ruling is pretty interesting. For the Chiefs, at least. From Intentional Foul (big thanks for the pic, too):

It’s been revealed that Roger Goodell will be allowing Michael Vick to reenter his National Football League in the third week of the regular season. The Philadelphia Eagles will be hosting the Kansas City Chiefs on Vick’s first game back since his incarceration, giving offensive coordinator-embattled Todd Haley with even more to worry about besides the ghost of Jim Johnson and his legacy of incredible blitzing defenses he kindly left behind.

The good news? The game isn’t Philly’s home opener. The bad news? I think the rowdy Philly crowd might be more psyched for Vick’s first game than the Eagles’ first one. Like that crowd needs to be any rowdier. I’m going to go ahead and hope that this won’t be Matt Cassel’s first game bac. Man, that would be rough. Then again, maybe PETA will buy a bunch of tickets and root for our Chiefs?

As far as stopping Vick goes, that’s an interesting proposition. For starters, we have no clue how they are going to use him in the regular season. OK, so we sorta have a clue, but not much of one. On the other hand, Vick promises to be rusty. It’s hard to say what we’ll see from Vick, and whether or not we’ll be able to keep him in check.

This gives us another thing to watch tonight, because when Vick takes the field against the Jets tonight it will be the last game action he sees until we visit town. So, let’s keep an eye on Vick and go out there and beat the Rams (even though it doesn’t really matter).

The Chiefs should think about trading for Brandon Marshall. (photo: NFL.com)

It seems like disaster has struck Kansas City, but that’s not the case, and here’s why. This season is about two things: 1. Changing the culture. 2. Figuring out what we have and what we need player wise. That’s honestly why I think the Chiefs were such pennypinchers this offseason. Other than going out and getting a quarterback, which we obviously needed, why pay a boatload of cash for an expensive piece that could be redundant or, even worse, isn’t even needed? Especially when you can blame this season on Harm and King Carl and then spend bank during the 2010 uncapped offseason.

As for Gailey, he was given a prolonged audition, but at best he was a lame duck O.C. This is very much Todd Haley’s vehicle, so you knew he was going to ask for the keys back at some point. We just didn’t know it would be this soon, but he was eventually going to call the plays. I say the sooner the better. This way he has a better understanding of what he needs to add in order to be able to move the offense with his playcalling heading into next offseason. Besides, I always thought it was silly that we had a 2-14 O.C. calling the plays instead of a guy who was calling the offensive shots for the Cardinals in the Super Bowl last year.

Maybe the Chiefs just wanted to pick Gailey’s brain? At the very least, he knew the Chiefs’ offensive personnel and the AFC West defenses better than anyone on the coaching staff. Thanks for services rendered, Chan. You’ll get another job — you always do. With all of the league’s egomaniac owners, “yes men” are a valuable commodity in the NFL.

Devard Darling’s injury is a non-issue. Unless Mark Bradley suddenly comes back to life, we know we need another receiver opposite Dwayne Bowe heading into next season. Pioli should look at Brandon Marshall.

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Why is the third preseason game more important than the first, second and fourth. Well, it’s the game where the first-stringers typically see the most minutes. Why? They are often now in game condition, which allows their coaches to play them for longer. Additionally, coaches like to mostly sit their studs during the fourth game to prevent injury just a week out from the real deal. Sure, both this week and next are important for the fringe players vying for roster spots, but most of those guys will have little to no impact on the 2009 season.

So, now that we know our main guys are going to get a lot of burn, what should we expect? Let’s hope for another step forward, as last week was definitely that.

Which players will I specifically be watching?

Corey Mays – I think I’ll walk away from this game either believing hype or hope. He’s looked great so far, but two strong preseason games won’t get you a bust next to Derrick’s and Lenny’s in the Hall.

The Offensive Line - Maybe Mike Goff and Rudy Niswanger will take their panties off and actually play like men this week. On second thought, nah, probably not.

Matt Cassel and Dwayne Bowe – These two are linked now, and for good reason. Let’s hope that they move towards being what the Cutler-Marshall connection was in Denver before things imploded.

Derrick Johnson - I’m gonna start calling him Johnson & Johnson, because there seems to be two of him. Sometimes he looks like a Pro Bowl performer, and other times he should consider himself lucky to be starting — in the UFL.

Page and Pollard and the Brandons – Our young secondary will be put to the test against a talented veteran-led passing attack.

The Defensive Line – Sans Walter Jones, the Seattle Line is merely average. Here’s hoping that Glenn Dorsey, Tank Tyler and Tyson Jackson can continue to make strides. We want to see nasty tonight, Tank, not nice.

Addicts, what will you be watching for tonight?

Vikings Preseason Game Recap:

One of Cassel's many successful scrambles.

Matt Cassel looked fantastic. Sure, he had two bad passes that could have been picked, but he had absolutely no blocking. Besides, the passes weren’t picked. He made things happen with both his arm and his feet and avoided turning the ball over. Get used to seeing him hit Dwayne Bowe while scrambling on broken plays. Their “parking lot pigskin” plays may not look pretty, but they’ll be hard to stop. The Chiefs must be feeling good about Cassel and back-up Brodie Croyle if they are discussing moving Tyler Thigpen to Jacksonville.

Todd Haley, it’s time to insert Dwayne Bowe back into the starting line-up (as it seems you have). The guy has star written all over him. If you’re a fantasy owner, D-Bowe is the Chief you want. Especially if this “demotion” caused him to slide down your league’s draft board.

Corey Mays. He’s this season’s poster child for overexcited Chiefs fans. Do I like him? Yes. The kid flies to the ball, is intelligent and isn’t afraid to wallop somebody upside their head. Should we wait a few weeks before calling him the next Bobby Bell? Most definitely. We’ve all been burned by preseason performers and training camp titans before. The book is still out on Mays, but he’s been impressive so far.

I know the game was on “Vikings Cam” or whatever, but did the NFLN tell Mike Mayock before the game that he would get fined every time he added any color about the Chiefs?

Tamba Hali, you must have been really overweight/out of shape last year. You look slim and fast. I am downright shocked you are playing so well. You are flying to the ball like a heat-seeking missile.

Rudy Niswanger is a joke. I’ve been saying this for two years. I think the masses are finally starting to agree. Kevin Williams one on one against Rudy was like me trying to fight Brock Lesnar. It was a one-sided ass whoopin’.

If you think Niswanger was bad, Barry Richardson was even worse. Barry Mannilow could have blocked better.

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Here’s what the Chiefs are getting in Ikechuku Ndukwe and Andy Alleman, the two offensive lineman acquired by trade with the Miami Dolphins.

Ndukwe: Aside from the fact that his name has been at times fun and at times a pain, Ndukwe was thrust into the line-up last year when OG starter Donald Thomas went down with an IR injury. Ndukwe didn’t perform horribly but he didn’t fair well at times either. The Phins made little progress in their rushing attack last season on the right side of the line where Ndukwe and Vernon Carey patrolled, outside of the WildCat formation at least. Ndukwe was serviceable as a back-up. Someone who could come in and relieve a tired starter but he struggled when put in position to be “THE” guy. At times, Ndukwe couldn’t do much in the pass protection game and his lack of footwork often put the Dolphins in a position of unloading the ball too soon. Ndukwe still has a way to go in his development, but the good news is that he is young and does have some potential. Will that potential be found in K.C.? Hard to say, but Ndukwe is likely a career back-up.

Alleman: Much easier to spell but you seem to always want to put an “R” before “man”. Alleman is the better of the two lineman here as he plays both RG and LG and is also a back-up center. He is the guy that the Chiefs will like…at least the team will. He is hard

working and versatile. Last season the Dolphins used Alleman to replace an inaffective Ndukwe at the RG position. Then, when former Phins center Samson Satele struggled, Satele moved to RG and Alleman took over at center. Shortly thereafter, LG Justin Smiley went down for the year and Alleman was moved to the LG spot.

Alleman isn’t going to knock fans out with his play, but he is depth for any teams unit who may be concerned about multiple line positions. In Miami, Alleman became expendable because of some rookie emergence and a few other versatile free agents that Miami coaches were more comfortable with.

The Office...Kansas City Style

For those of you who are fans of The Office, and aren’t we all, you’re going to enjoy the hell outta the Kansas City Chiefs’ new spoof of the hit show, starring none other than infamous mascot K.C. Wolf. Long-time front office official Denny Thum even gets in on the fun. They got the music right, the logo right, even “the feel” right. I can’t believe this thing was put out by the Chiefs. It really is a new era in K.C., huh?

If this is the kind of stuff we are going to get from the beautiful new KCChiefs.com on the reg, then I will be one happy camper. The new site looks and functions great, but this was definitely the highlight of my first trip over there. Enjoy…

Thanks a lot, Kent Babb. Brodie Croyle giving Matt Cassel a push at quarterback? You know you have gone too far with the B.S. speculation when Adam Teicher, the Mort of Kansas City football, is shooting down your gossip. Always been a fan of yours, but c’mon now.

Seriously, the Chiefs would have to be nuts to give up on a $63-million QB after one preseason game for a QB who can’t stay healthy. Brodie Croyle making it through a regular season as a starter healthy is about as likely as Flava Flav becoming our next President. Croyle does possess a canon of an arm, but I still question both his decision making and his gonads — dude does not like getting hit. Not one bit.

Oh, and then there’s the fact that Croyle was throwing to Dwayne Bowe against scrubs during the first preseason game. Most of us Addicts could have found Bowe once or twice against those second- and third-stringers. They were that physically overmatched by D-Bowe, aka Boldin Midwest.

Let’s tomahawk chop this rumor before it gets rolling. Yes, the Best Boys are not huge Croyle fans, but this is about the Chiefs, about Cassel, about our future. Most of all it is about not wasting air, ink, keystrokes and time, because, barring a Cassel injury, Croyle will never be Todd Haley’s starter. In fact, if Cassel did go down, my guess is that Haley would bring in a new quarterback to at least hold down the fort. He’s no Herm Edwards. He won’t gamble his career on Mr. Glass.

(Adam Best is the senior editor of Arrowhead Addict. Follow him daily via email/RSS feed and Twitter.)