Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns are about to kick off.

Both teams are trying to prove that they’re turning things around. The Chiefs will try to win two straight for the first time this season while the Browns will try to win their third straight game.

I’m predicting a low-scoring affair. Think lots of interceptions and lots of field goals.

I think the Browns come out on top, 15-10.

Be sure to leave your game prediction below and join us during the game to discuss all the action!

Sep 23, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson (33) and quarterback Brandon Weeden (3) celebrate a touchdown by Richardson during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

This week’s Chiefs-Browns game probably won’t get much press outside of the respected cities represented, and it shouldn’t. The Chiefs are 2-10 coming off a victory over the Carolina Panthers in which they were using raw emotion to get through that day’s events, while the Browns are 4-8 coming off two straight victories against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders. But between these two teams, there seem to be no shortage of connections.*

*Unlike Brandon Weeden’s completion percentage. Boom roasted.

Romeo Crennel was the head coach in Cleveland, appeared in zero playoff games,  created two quarterback controversies (Derek Anderson over Charlie Frye, and then Brady Quinn over Derek Anderson), and is probably most fondly remembered for his Coors Light commercials.* Speaking of Brady Quinn, he was a former first round pick of theirs now winning AFC Offensive Player of the Week Awards for the Chiefs** while passing Brodie Croyle on the all-time wins list for Chiefs starting quarterbacks (all it took was one). Then we have Peyton Hillis, who didn’t exactly leave Cleveland under the best of terms and probably won’t be sharing many kind words with his “crazy ex-girlfriend” Joe Thomas, the Browns Pro Bowl left tackle. And let’s not forget Brian Daboll, who was an offensive coordinator for Cleveland for a couple of seasons under the Eric Mangini regime.

*And he probably remembers Cleveland fondly for the pizza. 

**Pretty good considering he can’t throw an accurate deep ball.

As you can tell, for a lot of these players and coaches, this game will be very personal. From a professional standpoint, however, I’ve been looking forward to the coaching matchup of Romeo Crennel vs. Browns head coach Pat Shurmur* for quite some time. Sure, some of the wind was taken out of the sails when Crennel coached the best game of his life last week against the Panthers going for three pivotal fourth downs that, in my opinion, won the game for the Chiefs, ** but there should still be some interesting game-management gaffs between these two, since both are considered on the hot seat for their season-long avoidance of anything resembling good coaching acumen.

*Check out Shurmur’s fake twitter account here.

**I want to give Crennel a lot of credit here. For the first time all season it looked like he coached with no fear and a sense of pros outweighing cons. He faced fourth and short three different times, each time deciding to go for it. The most notable time was with just seconds remaining before halftime and the ball barely out of the endzone. If Crennel had stuck to his conservative ways, the Chiefs would have kicked the field goal, and then probably done so again on their first possession of the second half, a drive which actually consisted of two fourth and short conversions. By going for it, the Chiefs ended up scoring 14 points, compared to the 6 they would have gotten from field goals. This 8 point difference in created points was greater than the 6 point margin of victory, and in my opinion, was the reason the Chiefs won the game.

But enough about the coaches, let’s step into the Dawg Pound and take a look at this titan from the Cuyahoga.

Offense

With the 22^nd pick in the 2012 draft, the Cleveland Browns selected Brandon Weeden from Oklahoma State. He put up the stats in college to warrant a first round selection, and had much praise as a player entering the draft. But it wasn’t his first draft he’d been involved in. Drafted in 2002 by the Yankees, Weeden did the minor league circuit until quitting in 2006. So when he was selected by the Browns, he was 28 years old, and would turn 29 in October. This is the age when quarterbacks should be in their prime, not in their rookie season.* To give a comparison, Weeden is nearly two months older than Aaron Rodgers, nearly 7 months older than Alex Smith, and a full year older than Brady Quinn. But hey, he’s almost six months younger than Jay Cutler, so there’s that. On the season, Weeden is 247/433 (57%) for 2,820 yards with 13 TDs and 15 INTs.

*Although Weeden seemed to be telling anyone that would listen to not think of him as a rookie.

Now, if I seemed to be a little skeptical of Weeden’s potential success with the Browns, I have nothing but praise for Trent Richardson, the runningback from Alabama the team drafted with the third overall pick last April. The guy’s a big, physical runner who also has the speed and elusiveness to wiggle his way through the secondary. He currently is 13^th in the NFL in rushing yards with 827, and 6^th in the NFL in rushing attempts per game. If those rankings seemed strange, the explanation is that Richardson is only averaging 3.6 yards per carry.* But when the defense loads up the box every down daring Weeden to throw, a low yards per carry makes sense.

*When looking up that statistic, I realized that Adrian Peterson is not only leading the league in rushing but also is averaging 6.2 yards per carry! That’s insane by itself, but the guy’s coming off a torn ACL. What a beast.

Cleveland’s receiving unit has been far from prolific this season, with the lone bright spot coming from Josh Gordon, the team’s 2012 2^nd round pick from Baylor, leading the team with 646 receiving yards off 66 receptions good for 19 yards per reception average. Gordon also has 5 TDs. Second on the team is Greg Little, the 2011 2^nd round pick from North Carolina, with 408 yards and 2 TDs. And this might just be me, but whenever I’ve had the unfortunate opportunity of watching a Browns game this season (curse you Thursday Night Football), it seems Little is dropping every other pass thrown his way.* Tight End Benjamin Watson** is fourth on the team in receiving yards (after Trent Richardson) with 335 yards and 3 TDs.

* But hey, at least he gets targets (more than I can say about Jon Baldwin).

**Clearly a downgrade from the Browns biggest free agent acquisition ever. Or was that a dream …?

As for Cleveland’s offensive line, it’s a real tale from the left to right side. At left tackle, the Browns have the “$100 million” man, Joe Thomas, who was the third player taken in the 2007 draft and has been selected to every Pro-Bowl since his rookie year.* On the right side, the Browns have rookie Mitchell Schwartz, a 2012 2^nd rounder from Cal. In between the tackles, the Browns have Ohio native John Greco at left guard, 2009 1^st round pick and 2010 Pro-Bowl selection** Alex Mack at center, and 2010 3^rd round pick Shawn Lauvao at right guard. According to Football Outsiders, the offensive line is 20^th in run blocking and 7^th in pass protection.

*His resume has arguably-the-best-left-tackle-in-the-NFL written all over it.

**Who was actually sort-of a recipient of Matt Cassel’s touchdown pass in the Pro Bowl. Have a look yourself.

On the year, the Browns are 20^th in passing offense (223.3 yards per game) and 25^th in rushing offense (96 yards per game).

Defense

Upfront for the Browns in their 4-3 defense are Jabaal Sheard, the 2011 2^nd round pick out of Pitt and Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team, at left end; Ahtyba Rubin and Phil Taylor, the 2011 1^st round pick out of Baylor, manning the defensive tackle positions; and finally Frostee Rucker at the right end. Between all four players, they have 9 sacks and 106 tackles.

*Who a lot of Kansas City Chiefs fans wanted in the 2011 draft and then complained when KC took Dontari Poe in 2012. At least Poe doesn’t have THIS wrong with him.

With the linebackers, there’s one player I want to pay special attention to. D’Qwell Jackson is quietly one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL, and nobody seems to ever hear about him. Jackson might be 29^th in the league in tackles this season, but he was second in the NFL in tackles last season and first in the AFC with 158, including 3.5 sacks. That was coming off missing a season and a half due to injury. Before that injury, Jackson had consecutive seasons of 100+ tackles, including leading the NFL in 2008. He has thrived under the 4-3 and is helping the Browns turn around their defense. On either side of Jackson are James-Michael Johnson, a 2012 4^th round pick out of Nevada, and Kaluka Maiava, a 2009 draft pick out of USC. These three have combined for 161 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 2 INTs.

In the backfield, the Browns are not exactly deep. Joe Haden, the 1^st round pick in 2010 out of Florida, has been in and out of trouble with the league all season, but is undeniably their most talented defensive back. On the other corner is Sheldon Brown, the long-time Eagle, who has been in the league since 2002. Both these starting corners have three interceptions apiece. Usama* Young, a free agent acquired in 2011, is the starting free safety while T.J. Ward, the 2010 2^nd round pick of the Browns, is the starting free safety.**

*Can’t be all that popular of a first name.

**As well as first cousin of Maurice Jones-Drew.

Currently, the Browns defense is 24^th in pass defense (252.1 yards allowed per game) and 16^th in run defense (115.6 yards allowed per game).

Special Teams

Phil Dawson – Kicker: 23/24 on the year

Reggie Hodges – Punter: 36.9 Net Punt Average

I would like to open today’s post with a brief statement. This will just take a moment…

I TOLD YOU SO.

Sure, I’m not usually the type of person to say, “I told you so,” precisely because when I make a rare prediction, it usually turns out not to be so. But six weeks ago today, I posted the following:

The Kansas City Chiefs will beat the Green Bay Packers.

That’s right. You read it here first…

The Chiefs will beat the Packers. How do I know this? The same way I am able to evaluate every other question raised during this up-and-down Chiefs season: I have no idea. But they will. And the Packers may very well be 13-0 by the time they visit Arrowhead on December 18… They may even be resting some starters. In any event, I don’t expect the Chiefs will be playing the spoiler in terms of Green Bay’s cruise back to the playoffs. But at least [the Packers] will leave here feeling rotten.

Perhaps you infer from my giddiness that I did not have the most confidence in my own prediction. Like I said, I don’t often get these things right. Clearly, the Kyle Orton Era in Kansas City has indeed lasted more than one minute, and now the discussion is whether it should and/or will last more than one season.

I won’t say I expected Sunday’s shocker, but I felt it was really possible, a gut feeling loosely supported by historical data. I had been thinking back to the Chiefs’ triumph over the then-reigning-champion Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009—a year in which KC only won three other games—which led me to do a little research. I found that, since 1979, the Chiefs had been 6-2 (now 7-2) at home against defending Super Bowl champs. So there.

But I certainly didn’t predict that by the time this game arrived the Chiefs would have lost their starting quarterback and then ditched their head coach—the two major developments that made the difference in this upset. This changes everything. Or, rather, everything has changed. From the first drive forward on Sunday, this felt like a new team (with the same, but improved defense).

I’ll let others continue the discussion about what these new circumstances on the sidelines and behind center might mean for the Chiefs into 2012 and beyond. For now, I just care about next week and the week after that. That’s right. I’m feeling overly optimistic again.*

*It’s sorta, like, my thing.

So I will double down and offer one more “bold” prediction: The Chiefs will win the AFC West.

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“If practice was going slow, he’d look at me and just say, ‘It’s time,’” Eaton said.  “He wanted me to get on somebody’s [case] and start a little fight.  I was known for that and it paid off on Fridays.  There’d always be some extra money in my locker.  Practice players don’t make much, so I really appreciated it.”

Wow. That is pretty messed up. It just goes to show you that growing a beard and wearing a sweaty hat is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what a head coach will do to win.

I wonder if Haley ever employs similar tactics to rile up his players if he feels like a Friday practice is kind of sluggish.

If the Chiefs keep winning, he can just strangle a few of them with his epic beard to make sure they’ve got their minds right.

With no KC game today, Chiefs fans should become Browns fans for a day.

Other than the weeks and months between the end of the Super Bowl and the beginning of the preseason (with the exception of free agency and the draft of course) this is my least favorite week to be a Kansas City Chiefs fan.

The dreaded “Bye Week.”

Ugh. Who would have ever though that this would be a good idea? In 1990, the NFL introduced these monstrosities for reasons still unknown. Thankfully, we still have other football to watch.

So how can you get through the “Bye Week Blues?” I suggest, for today anyway, becoming a Cleveland Browns Fan.

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The Cleveland Browns are this year’s Kansas City Chiefs.

That is what I wrote in my season predictions when I picked the Browns to steal one of the Wild Card playoff spots in the AFC.

Last year, I predicted the same fate for the Kansas City Chiefs. I looked at the team’s influx of young talent and their favorable schedule and declared a 10-6 finish and a Wild Card spot.

They did me one better and won the AFC West.

It didn’t play out exactly as I had envisioned it in my head. I didn’t think the Chiefs would beat the Chargers at all. I had them beating the Raiders at least once. I figured they’d sweep the Broncos. Still, the Chiefs got a few lucky bounces and won most of the games they had to win.

This year, I think the Browns do the same thing. While I am aware that the AFC North is a much tougher division than the AFC West was in 2010, the Chiefs proved you don’t have to dominate your division to sneak into the playoffs. KC went 2-4 in the AFC West last season, beating the Chargers and Broncos once each while losing the rest. What got them into the playoffs was going 4-0 against NFC West.

Guess which NFC division the AFC North and the Browns face this season?

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July 12, 2011

Dear Vivien,

I am writing you this letter—okay, so it’s a blog post for my regularly scheduled slot*—with the hope that long before you are able to read and understand this, and optimistically within a matter of days from now, the NFL owners and players will have resolved their silly little labor dispute (no, I cannot explain that to you now—we are still busy trying to explain it to each other) and you will grow up in a world flush with Kansas City Chiefs football, as did your father and those before him.

*Daddy likes to multi-task. So sue him.**

**Not literally. This is just an expression. You’ll learn.

As your father, I see it as my responsibility to ensure that you grow up to know the wonderful joy, occasional disillusion, and ultimate, satisfying bond of being a Chiefs fan. It is, of course, only one of my many important jobs as your dad—which, as you must know, also includes (though it’s never intentional!) embarrassing you thoroughly, beginning with this letter. Sorry, kid—I think I may have seen that Google “Dear Sophie” ad one time too many.

Vivien Jeanette Wishna, born June 20. (Same birthday as Len Dawson.)

First of all, I want to commend you on how far you’ve already come in just three weeks: you eat constantly, burp and fart at will, and don’t even bother to get up when nature calls.* And you complain loudly the moment things don’t go your way. In short, you are well on your way to becoming a real American—and more specifically, a real American football fan.

*Embarrassed yet?

But Vivi, I think you’re really going to love being a Chiefs fan. There is much fun to be had and many thrilling moments to be shared, at home, at Arrowhead, or anywhere. I should warn you, though, that it isn’t always going to be easy. Once you’ve mastered certain mysteries in your young life—walking, talking, algebra, etc.—you will still inevitably have to contend with the inexplicable: A draw play called on third down? An all-time-great running back sitting on the bench? Holding? Holding!?! YOU CALL THAT HOLDING?!?!?

But perhaps, as I really hope, you’ll look back on this era of Chiefs history—with its grainy, “3-D high-definition” video (soooo 2011!)—as the time the team started its return to glory.

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Maybe it was meant to be.

Peyton Hillis pulled off a shocking upset over Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers, defeating him 61%-39%. The Browns RB will take on former Madden 12 cover athlete Mike Vick, who defeated Adrian Peterson 59%-41%.

It stinks he knocked off Charles and I think Jamaal is the better back but I am rooting for Hillis all the way now. I thought Rodgers deserved to be on the cover but I have to hand it to Browns Nation, they have shown up in a big way for Hillis.

The city of Cleveland has had a rough go of it for a while now. They’ve had major heartbreak with all of their pro teams over the years, with the most recent humiliation being LeBron James’ classless dumping of the city on national television.

I grew up just outside of Cleveland the folks over there love their Browns and they’ve been seeking for someone to root for. Looks to me like Hillis is that guy. I think it’s a great story so I’m on team Hillis.

Who do you guys think should be on the cover? Vote here.

If you haven’t heard yet, teams other than the Kansas City Chiefs are picking in the 2011 NFL Draft.  In fact, those teams play a very important role in the Chiefs’ draft since the Chiefs don’t pick in the top 5 this year.  Who the 20 teams before us pick can have a significant impact on who we draft.  So, for those wondering why I don’t think AJ Green or Julio Jones will be there for us at 21, take a look at one way I see the first round of the Draft going.
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There is now little doubt that Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis will be departing Kansas City so not the focus shifts to who will replace him.

According to Adam Caplan is reporting that a personnel source told  FOXSports.com that a name to keep an eye  on is Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

Daboll was the wide receivers coach under Weis in new England so he is familiar with the offensive system the Chiefs are running. Daboll could find himself available if Browns GM Mike Holmgren decides to fire head coach Eric Mangini and his staff at the conclusion of the season. The Browns have shown improvement this season, however, Mangini has failed to increase the team’s win total from a season ago and Holmgren’s patience may be wearing thin.

The Browns have not exactly been a scoring juggernaut this season. They rank 30th in passing and 19th in rushing. Though to be fair to Daboll, the Browns haven’t exactly had the best QB play starting Jake Delhome, Senneca Wallace and Colt McCoy at different times throughout the season. On top of that, Mangini has been criticized as being too conservative on offense so Daboll may not necessarily be at fault.

What do you think Addicts? Would you be interested in Brian Daboll as a possible replacement for Charlie Weis?

Source: Arrowhead Addict-Parick Allen

Kansas City Chiefs rookie safety Eric Berry has been nominated for the Pepsi Rookie of the Week award.

This is the fifth time Berry has been nominated for the award, though he has yet to win it.

He’ll have some stiff competition this week as he’ll go up against popular Denver Broncos QB Tim Tebow, who threw for 308 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans.

Other rookies in the mix this week are QB Sam Bradford of the St. Louis Rams, Joe Haden of the Cleveland Browns and QB Joe Webb of the Minnesota Vikings.

If Tebow or Berry don’t get it there is a good chance Haden will. The Browns CB racked up 5 tackles, a forced fumble, a sack and an interception against the Baltimore Ravens. Not a bad days work, eh?

Anyway, head over to NFL.com and vote for Eric Berry. Remember you can vote as many times as you like until Friday.

After you do that, check out this interview with Berry just about an hour before he was drafted by the Chiefs. He talks a little bit about Tim Tebow and some guy named Patrick Allen from Arrowhead Addict tells him he wants to see him in red and gold.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to be the underdog despite having one of the best records in the NFL. Todd Haley’s team is currently being given five points by the wonderful folks in Vegas.

You can see the logic here. The Chiefs were considered to be a bad team so they were naturally underdogs, even at home, against the Chargers to open the season.

The next week they went on the road to face a Cleveland team that torched them on the ground just a few months earlier. They Chiefs won ugly.

In their third game, the Chiefs were underdogs at home against the 0-3 49ers. This one is a head scratcher. I guess the Cleveland win wasn’t as convincing for Vegas as the 49ers’ loss to the New Orleans Saints the same week.

The Chiefs covered the spread. And then some.

More after the jump.

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Source: yardbarker.com

The Kansas City Chiefs are 3-0, alone atop the AFC West, AFC Conference and NFL standings and are less than a week away from traveling to Indianapolis for what could be the most important game in franchise history.

Oh yes. It could be that big.

There is no more denying that the Chiefs are a better team. Significantly better.

The rest of the league may not be ready to believe it but anyone who has followed the Chiefs over the last three years knows a few things about the NFL that the analysts often forget.

No wins are easy in the NFL.

Chiefs fans know, perhaps better than any football fan in the country, the value of a victory.

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It sounds like this:

2-0.

For those seduced by the Piper’s song, 2-0 brings such comfort and complacency that they fail to see they are being led off a cliff, into a sweeping river or through the mouth of the darkest cave.

How quickly a little music has us changing our tune.

Just a couple of months ago, the music in Chiefs Nation sounded a little bit different. It reeked of optimism, sure, but there was a certain tempering of expectations. There were too many unknowns to make any concrete predictions but there were certain things that were understood, almost universally, by followers of the Red and Gold. These were commandments if you will, that I rarely if ever, saw questioned.

They went a little something like this:

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Eric Berry has struggled in his first two games but the positives are there as well. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

We have been talking a lot about Matt Cassel as of late and I expect that to continue over the course of the season.

One guy we haven’t really been talking too much about over the last two weeks, is Chiefs first round draft pick Eric Berry. There has been so much to talk about, what with the team starting off 2-0 and the emergence of guys like Tony Moeaki, Dexter McCluster, Javier Arenas and so forth that Berry has gotten lost in the shuffle.

So how has Berry done thus far?

The Chiefs have given up 4 touchdowns thus far to opposing offenses and you can arguably blame Berry for 3 of those touchdowns.

In Week 1 against San Diego, Berry blew his coverage on Antonio Gates in the red zone, allowing the All-Pro TE to cut inside and reel in a perfectly delivered pass from Philip Rivers. Later in the same game, Berry got a little to aggressive coming up to cover Gates and allowed Legedu Naanee to slip behind the defense for a long touchdown reception.

In Sunday’s game against the Browns, Berry again got a little too aggressive, biting on a play fake (as did Kendrick Lewis) thus providing no help for CB Brandon Carr. The result was another long touchdown pass, this time courtesy of Seneca Wallace to Joshua Cribbs.

That being said, Berry is playing pretty darn well. Find out why after the jump.

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Source: Yardbarker.com

Another week and another win for the Kansas City Chiefs. Good teams find a way to win and the Chiefs are showing the league that they are well on their way to being a good team. How good they get this season will hinge on how quickly they improve as the season goes on. Thus far, Todd Haley’s squad has shown heart and toughness as they have given themselves a two game head start.

As we do every week, lets take a look at five players I feel are earning their arrowheads.

1. Brandon Flowers

Brandon Flowers turned in his second solid performance in as many weeks. He continues to impress with his coverage skills as well as in run defense. Flowers is becoming a complete player by not only shutting down his own man but by coming up to help when the ball is ran to his side. He made a couple of nice first down saving tackles against the Browns.

As a coverage man, Flowers locked down Cleveland’s wideouts and picked off a Seneca Wallace pass that he returned for a touchdown. Todd Haley has been preaching that his younger players need to take the next step in their development. Flowers appears to be right on schedule.

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Source: Yardbarker.com

The Kansas City Chiefs got the win Sunday but it wasn’t because of their QB. We will no doubt be debating Cassel’s worth throughout the week. The Chiefs QB looked absolutely horrid in the first half before settling down a bit in the second half.

Let’s take a look at the numbers so we break down just how effective Cassel was by quarter.

First Quarter:

M.Cassel pass short right to T.Moeaki ran ob at KC 9 for 2 yards.
M.Cassel pass short left to D.Bowe to KC 18 for 4 yards (S.Fujita).
M.Cassel pass short middle to T.Moeaki to KC 26 for 8 yards
M.Cassel pass incomplete short right to D.McCluster.
M.Cassel pass incomplete short right to D.McCluster.
M.Cassel pass incomplete short right to T.Moeaki.
M.Cassel pass incomplete short left to T.Moeaki.
M.Cassel pass short left to C.Chambers to KC 20 for 15 yards
M.Cassel pass short middle to T.Moeaki to KC 36 for 16 yards
M.Cassel pass incomplete short left to D.McCluster

5 of 10 for 45 yards

It was obvious the Chiefs were determined to come out throwing in an effort to get Cassel into a rhythm. The results were mixed. Cassel hit 5 of 10 for 45 yards in the first quarter.The numbers are ok but the offense was ineffective.

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Source: Yardbarker.com

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Cleveland Browns today or their first 2-0 start since 2005. The accomplished this feat behind the tough play of their much improved defense.

How does 2-0 sound, Addicts?

Let me just say that again. 2-0.

The Chiefs still have a lot of work to do if they want to be a good football game but for tonight at least, none of that matter. No one expected the Chiefs to go from a bad team to a great team over night. What is important is that it is evident they are getting better.

It is time to hand out my game balls.

Offensive Game Ball:

The Offensive Line

The Browns came out determined to stop the Chiefs running game and while the Chiefs struggled to move the football at times, the offensive line did a great job opening up holes for Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles, particularly in the second half when the Chiefs were trying to ice the game. Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles ran well but for the most part, they took what the offensive line gave them. This is a great sign because if the Chiefs passing offense can open up a little bit, the O-Line has proved they can open up the holes needed to move the chains.

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Source: Yardbarker.com

The best way to defeat your enemy is to know more about him.

In an effort to get to know a little more about what the Chiefs will be facing today, I spoke to Steve DiMatteo who runs Dawg Pound Daily. DPD is a great resource for any Browns fan it is one of our more popular NFL blogs. If you know any Browns fans, God help them, send them to Dawg Pound Daily.

Let’s get to know the Browns.

1. I thought Holmgren was a brilliant choice by the organization but I firmly believed Mangini should have gotten the axe. After a tough loss to a not so good Bucs team, how are Browns fans feeling about their coach?

Browns fans are already on rocky terms with Eric Mangini, and the loss to the Buccaneers didn’t help matters much, but I also don’t believe it made the tension any worse either. Fans will put up with the early disappointment, but a loss to the Chiefs will make the anti-Mangini sentiment intensify. Unless the Browns somehow win seven to nine games, few expect Mangini to be around much longer, anyway.

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The loss of Jackson is very disappointing because he finally seemed to be turning the corner Monday against the Chargers. The word is that he has a sprained MCL that could sideline him 1 to 2 weeks.

Wallace Gilberry will likely step in for Jackson at DE. Barry Richardson will get his second straight start in place of O’Callaghan. Richardson played pretty well against the Chargers though he did give up 1 sack.

What do you think Addicts? Will missing these two starters hurt the Chiefs tomorrow?

MaryKayCabot #Browns QB Seneca Wallace has “somewhat” been told he’ll start and “got the feeling” he will.#nfl

What do you think Addicts? Would you rather face Delhome or Wallace?

Don't expect a repeat performance from Jerome Harrison. Mike Brown is gone. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

After only winning 4 games in 2009, the Kansas City Chiefs would love to start the 2010 season 2-0. They have a chance to do that this Sunday if they can defeat the Cleveland Browns on the road.

When these two teams met last year late in the season, the contest turned in to a bit of a shootout with Cleveland’s Jerome Harrison and Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles trading blows. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, Harrison got the better of Charles and along with 2 returns by Josh Cribbs, the Browns came out on top.

Yet Kansas City is a different team this year and if the Chiefs defense plays as well against Cleveland as they did against San Diego in Week 1, they will have a pretty good shot at getting the victory.

Let’s look at 5 keys to Sunday’s game.

1. Get Jamaal Charles the ball.

Todd Haley has got to wake up and give Jamaal Charles more carries, especially at the beginning of the game. Charles split carries evenly with Thomas Jones against the Chargers and this strategy almost cost the Chiefs the game. I’ll have more on Charles and Thomas Jones later today but if the Chiefs are going to be better on offense than they were against the Chargers, Charles needs more than 11 carries.

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“It sticks with me, I know that,” Haley said of last year’s 41-34 loss to Cleveland. “Each one of these days is very critical to our success as we go forward. The guys understand that mode that we’re in. We’re playing against a team that really handed it to us the last time we played.”

From www.kansascity.com (share this quote)

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“AccuScore is forecasting a close game with the Kansas City Chiefs winning 49% of simulations, and the Cleveland Browns 51% of simulations. In close games, turnover margin is especially important. The Kansas City Chiefs commit fewer turnovers in 40% of simulations and they go on to win 79% when they take care of the ball. The Cleveland Browns wins 72% of the simulations in which they commit fewer turnovers. Jamaal Charles is averaging 65 rushing yards per sim. If he can have a great game with better than average rushing yards and at least a 1 rushing TD (28% chance) then he helps his team win 73%. Peyton Hillis is averaging 52 rushing yards per sim. If he can have a great game with better than average rushing yards and at least a 1 rushing TD (31% chance) then he helps his team win 71%. SPREADS / TOTALS: Current Point Spread is CLE -1 — Over/Under line is 38″

Sounds like another close game.  Here’s to holding onto the ball.  Maybe once, just once, we can blow someone out of the water.  My heart can’t take it.  Sound off Addicts.

Though the Chargers are preparing, Todd Haley and company would be foolish not to have a few tricks up their sleeve that they haven’t been so kind as to show on tape.

We’ll find out in about two weeks when the teams clash on Monday Night Football.

Source: Yardbarker.com

As you know, Fansided and AA is covering the Pre Draft Sean John Fine Tailoring Event. Sean John is welcoming the 2010 Draft Class to NYC in style, picking attendees up in a Rolls Royce, fitting them for a custom Sean John Suit and treating them to a gifting suite while they are at the store.

Well one of those players in attendance today was former Florida Gator CB, Joe Haden. Joe was kind enough, after his fitting, to give me a few minutes of his time. One interesting thing he told me was that he has talked to Cleveland more than any other team.

“Actually, I worked out for Cleveland and I visited Cleveland.” said Haden. ” So I’ve been talking to them probably the most out of all the teams.”

This isn’t a huge shock as Cleveland has been linked to Haden for a while but there have been questions recently as to whether or not the Browns would forgo drafting Haden to take QB  Jimmy Clausen if he is on the board. Cleveland’s intentions could drastically impact the top 10 of the draft.

This quote doesn’t mean Haden is a lock for Cleveland but it is proof that the Browns are giving Joe more than a passing glance.  I’ll have my complete interview with Joe Haden a little later.

Here is some more coverage from the Sean John Fine Tailoring Event.

Will the devil dance on draft day? Photo Source: Yardbarker.com

In a recent article on SFGate.com, home of the San Francisco Chronicle, David White reported that Raiders have been offered the opportunity to trade out of the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Citing an unnamed source, White claims that an unnamed team offered the Raiders their 2010 second round pick and their 2011 first round pick for the 8th pick in this years draft. Remember, the Raiders foolishly traded away their 2011 first round pick to the New England Patriots for Richard Seymour. Taking this deal would move the team out of the first round this year but would give them two 2nd round selections. The extra 2nd rounder should be attractive to the Raiders as it is being reported that they may offer their current 2nd round pick to the Eagles for QB Donnovan McNabb. Essentially, if the Raiders were to take the deal and trade for McNabb, they would have acquired Richard Seymour and Donnovan McNabb for a 2010 first round pick. Not too shabby, eh?

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Source: Yardbarker.com

It looks as though those of you hoping the Chiefs will fill their NT needs by trading for Shaun Rogers may be out of luck. Or are you?

From Pro football Talk:

Two days after the same paper reported Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers was available to trade, the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports the Browns “plan to keep him.”

So what’s going on here?

We suspect the team doesn’t want to further rock the boat with Rogers, a player that has had it’s share of conflict with the organization. The latest report doesn’t exactly rule a deal.

“The Browns plan to keep Shaun Rogers because of his tremendous ability,” a league source told Mary Kay Cabot. But the notion is qualified by: “Unless someone makes the Browns an offer they can’t refuse, Rogers will be a Brown in 2010.”

An offer they can’t refuse, eh? Who do we know that can make an offer they can’t refuse? Could it be Don Pioli? The Chiefs have a very high 3rd round pick and we already know that they are willing to give it up for the right players as they offered it up in an attempt to trade for Anquan Boldin.

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I also suggested that the Bills might trade up with the Chiefs to aquire Sam Bradford. I was called daft for that as well. Not so crazy these days, is it?

OK, gloating aside, there were also plenty of things I was off base about. But hey, that is the fun of doing these things, no? I hope you enjoy reading these mocks as much as we enjoy coming up with them.

Each mock inevitably brings in new readers that are fans of other teams. To those folks I say welcome to Arrowhead Addict. We are happy to have you. Please, however, keep in mind that this is a Chiefs site, so if we get your teams pick wrong, chilax. Remember, this is all make-believe. I suggest, if you are going to comment, tell us what you think your team should do and add to the discussion, instead of wasting a perfectly thoughts in favor calling me a moron and declaring this the worst mock draft since Mel Kiper’s hair started looking ridiculous. Cheers!

Pick	Team	Player Selected	Player’s Position	Player’s School	Analysis
1.		Sam Bradford	Quarterback	Oklahoma	Different QB, same result. If the Rams were watching the playoffs last year and I know they were because they sure weren’t in them, they saw the caliber of QB it takes to succeed in the NFL. Manning, Brees, Favre, Rivers, Brady. There were some injury concerns about Bradford but those appear to be waning. He absolutely dazzled folks at the Combine with his size and character. Granted, he didn’t throw but unless his arm falls off at the shoulder at his pro day, this kid has a very big chance of going #1.
2.		Ndamukong Suh	Defensive Tackle	Nebraska	Lion’s defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham must be bursting with glee at the prospect of Bradford going #1. Last I heard, he anointed two armed guards to follow Bradford everywhere he goes and Cunningham himself, is giving Bradford daily shoulder massages and is waiting on the QB hand and foot to help him relax for his pro day. That scream of glee you hear when the Rams draft Bradford, that will be Cunningham.
3.		Gerald McCoy	Defensive Tackle	Oklahoma	This choice will be pretty automatic for Tampa. They would probably rather trade back (who wouldn’t) but it isn’t going to happen. Their only hope is that some QB desperate team freaks and goes all in to get Clausen out of fear that the Redskins will take him. I just don’t think it will happen. #3 is really high to trade up. The earliest trade I think we will see is at #5 with KC but you never know.
4.		Jimmy Clausen	Quarterback	Notre Dame	I am baffled when I see mock drafts that have the redskins picking a LT like Okung here to protect Jason Campbell. That is like trying to convince Jamarcus Russel to show up to camp thinner than Tom Cable. It ain’t gonna happen.  Old rat face made his bacon in Denver by somehow creating a running game out of thin air with any HB who happen to be standing on his sideline. He took an entire offensive line cast off by the Browns and made them decent. No, I have changed my mind on this. Shanahan is not going to roll with Jason Campell. I wouldn’t put it past Shanni to pull a fast one and snatch up Chad Pennington for a year to have him run a bootleg extravaganza but I think if Clausen is there he is going to take him and get to work on terrorizing the NFC.

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There may be nothing to this but it is interesting coming off the recent purchase of the St. Louis Rams.

The Donkeys are pretty popular, so I doubt they would ever be moved away from Denver, though you never know. My father thought the same thing about his beloved Browns and the *Poof*. We’ll have more when if this story develops.

Goodell said he met with Stallworth for 45 minutes to an hour before the Dolphins’ final regular-season game in Miami, where Stallworth lives. Goodell added that Stallworth seemed to be remorseful and worthy of reinstatement. Their conversation helped seal the reinstatement, Goodell said. Once Stallworth is re-instated, it will be up to the Browns and new team president Mike Holmgren as to whether the team wants to retain the receiver.

Cleveland drafted wideouts Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie last season and has on its roster Pro Bowl return man/receiver Josh Cribbs, who could have his contract re-worked upwards. If Stallworth is released by Cleveland, he would be a free agent that could prove valuable to several receiver-needy teams like St. Louis, Chicago and Miami.

Whether those teams want to deal with the potential PR backlash is something that could impact Stallworth’s employability.

NFL.com

I know some of you folks probably have some pretty strong feelings about Dante Stallworth. If a discussion gets a brewin, keep it cool. I also encourage you to watch the video on espn when you get a chance. It is interesting.

Personally, from the information I have seen on it, I think Stallworth would have hit the guy regardless. Especially after watching that video. I don’t for a second condone his getting behind the wheel while still over the limit but ever since the sentence was so light I have thought it was probably a pretty unavoidable accident.

What i am here to ask you, however, is would you be interested in picking up Stallworth were he to become available?

Sunday was supposed to be Fan Appreciation Day at Arrowhead but by
3:15 P.M., it was fan annihilation day! Fans left disgusted after 3 1/2 hours of lackluster defense, special teams and coaching. Throughout
the afternoon the Chiefs P.R. machine blasted the Greatest Fans in the
NFL. Perhaps if they don’t improve the product on the field we should
be labeled the Most Gullible Fans in the NFL.

Let’s dissect the action. Despite giving the Chiefs a gift touchdown
on a muffed punt the Browns maintained a simple game plan; run the Veer behind All-Pro Tackle Joe Thomas. The way he abused Alex Magee and Wallace Gilberry makes me wonder if we shouldn’t use our first pick in the draft to pick the best left tackle available.

As the game wore on Clancy and Company put 8 and 9 players in the box, leaving the corners in one on one coverage. Despite this, the aerial challenged Browns and Brady Quinn could not take advantage of the match ups. Instead they stuck with Harrison, running the Veer over the gap between our DT and Tamba Hali. Repeatedly our backers and safeties could not fill the gap, resulting in runs of 78 and 34 yards. At times, it appeared that the defense was playing with little enthusiasm. On the last drive, they simply gave up.

To avoid more fan apathy, Scott Pioli and Todd Haley have
roughly 9 months to rectify this situation through the draft free
agent signings and player development. If not fan annihilation could
become a full force reality!

In a game that featured a lot of big plays, some of them record breaking, the Kansas City Chiefs fell to the Cleveland Browns 34 to 41 Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

There are lot of story lines and talking points to discuss when reviewing the Chief’s latest embarrassment but none more glaring than the abysmal performance of the defense.

The Chiefs gave up the third most rushing yards ever to a single back as the relatively unknown Jerome Harrison rushed for a staggering 286 yards and three touchdowns. While they were at it the Chiefs allowed Joshua Cribbs into the record books giving up two kickoff returns for touchdowns making the Browns return man the most successful in NFL history.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the defensive performance was the brashness with which Cleveland ran the football. At the half it was clear to everyone in Arrowhead Stadium that the Browns had no intention of putting the game in the hands of Brady Quinn’s arm. Quinn completed a pathetic 10 of 17 passes for only 66 yards.

Even with the knowledge that the Browns would be running almost every down the Chiefs could simply not stop Harrison. He ripped off big run after big run. Corey Mays had an absolutely atrocious game, often losing site of the ball carrier and getting swallowed up by blockers. Mike Brown often made it appear as though the Chiefs were playing without a safety, taking horrible angles allowing Harrison to get behind the defense. The overall defensive performance was riddled with shoddy tackling and blown assignments.

Meanwhile, Matt Cassel showed flashes of what the Chiefs have been hoping to see all season. The QB easily had has best game as a Chief, throwing for a season high 331 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions. Cassel was 22 for 40 although his numbers would have looked even better if not for 9 dropped passes by Chiefs receivers, many of which stalled otherwise productive drives.

The other bright spot on offense for Kansas City was running back Jamaal Charles, who had a excellent day overshadowed by Harrison and the Chiefs horrendous defense. Charles ran for a career high 154 yards and a touchdown for a 6.2 yard per carry average. Chris Chambers also had a nice day receiving, catching all five balls thrown his way for a healthy 114 yards and a touchdown.

The game also featured the return of Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe, who lead the Chiefs in dropped passes only pulling in 4 of his 10 targets. Bowe was his usual self, dropping perfectly thrown balls that hit him in the hands only to follow up with an unbelievable and difficult catch later on.

In the end, the 34 points put up by the Chiefs offense was not enough to overcome Cribbs and Harrison. Matters won’t get any easier for the ,who head out on the road to face playoff contenders Cincinnati and Denver in subsequent weeks to wrap up another miserable season.

Jamaal Charles has been one of the few bright spots for the Chiefs this season. Since taking over the reigns as the Chiefs  lead back following the departure of Larry Johnson, Charles has racked up 489 yards in only 93 carries for a healthy 5.3 yards per carry average. Keep in mind that Charles only got 6 carries for 36 yards in the Jacksonville game.

Though he has had some trouble against tougher defenses like Denver (3.1 YPC) and Pittsburgh (3.4 YPC) he has been very successful against weaker opponents like Oakland (5.7 YPC), San Diego (6.6 YPC), and Buffalo (7.2 YPC). The Bills currently rank dead last in the NFL against the run, giving up an average of 170 yards rushing per game.

The Browns are ranked 29th against the run (just below the Chiefs) giving up an average of 148.2 YPG. Charles has shown the ability take advantage of weaker defenses so look for the Chiefs to go to him a lot on Sunday. It appears the Chiefs are trying to keep Jamaal around 20 carries per game but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a few more this weekend as the Chief coaching staff attempts to take advantage of what might be their last winnable game of 2009.