The Kansas City Chiefs will throw the ball in 2013. If you don’t believe me, just ask the new head coach, Andy Reid. He’s a passing coach. He grooms quarterbacks and makes receivers into superstars. It’s what he does. Reid and new Chiefs GM, John Dorsey, have done everything they can on the offensive side of the ball to improve the Chiefs’ dismal passing attack during the 2012 season. They have secured the services of a starting caliber quarterback who has not only been to the playoffs, but has won in January. They’ve re-signed the Chiefs’ best receiver and paid him top dollar. Once the free agency period hit, Reid and Dorsey didn’t break the bank, but they had a plan and that included finding a fast receiver who can “take the top off the defense.” They believe they found that in newly signed wide receiver, Donnie Avery. The Chiefs will absolutely throw the ball in 2013. The question is, how well will they do it and will Reid’s offense work with the players on the Chiefs’ roster?

For the Chiefs to be successful, all the components have to fit together. Alex Smith must maintain the accuracy that everyone is talking about. Bowe has to catch the balls that are thrown his way and then do something with the pigskin to move it up field. This mysterious “best five” offensive line has to give Smith the time to get the ball to the right receiver. Finally, Jamaal Charles has to do what he does and break a 40 or 50 yard run every now and then to keep the opposing defenses honest. All that said, do the Chiefs really have the pieces it will take to pass the ball successfully this season? Let’s take a look at some of the major players in Reid’s new “passing offense.”

I would hardly call Dwayne Bowe a question mark. The man has shown in his six seasons with the Chiefs he is a versatile receiver. He has had passes thrown to him from seven different quarterbacks and still has managed to secure the Chiefs’ franchise record for touchdown receptions in a single season. That’s a pretty lofty feat for a team that used to count tight end Tony Gonzales as one of their players. The only question mark that plants itself squarely on Dwayne Bowe’s back is what will he do now that he has the big contract he’s been searching for. He’s getting paid top five receiver money. Will he show up and be a top five receiver?

Dexter McCluster was drafted to the Chiefs’ roster to be a playmaker. I don’t think Todd Haley and Scott Pioli truly knew what they were getting when they called the diminutive athlete’s number with the 36^th overall pick in the 2010 draft. While McCluster’s numbers haven’t been as stellar as many would think fitting for a high second round pick (984 receiving yards in 42 games with three touchdowns) many would attribute that to McCluster not being used properly. Reid seems to have a plan for #22 and spoke very highly of him in a recent interview.

I kind of like him. He’s not the biggest guy in the world, but he’s got a heart of a lion. He’s got that MO, tremendous quickness and can catch. He’s pretty good at running the football, so there is a place for him. You line him up everywhere. You can move him around and kind of do some unique things with him.

Andy Reid’s words bode well for DMC’s future with the Chiefs organization. I don’t see him being a late off-season cut or casualty of the new administration in Kansas City.

Newly acquired free agent Donnie Avery is a bit of a wildcard. Many Chiefs fans (me included) were scratching their heads after this signing was announced. I found myself searching up YouTube to find any tape I could on Reid and Dorsey’s new toy. I didn’t have to search any further than the Indianapolis Colts played vs. Detroit Lions game last December. Let me recap it for you. The Colts needed a touchdown to beat the Lions and as time expired, rookie quarterback Andrew Luck found Donnie Avery on a slant route. Avery pulled the ball in and hit the accelerator. With his speed, there was no way he would allow the Lions’ secondary to catch him. Game over. The Chiefs need that “clutch” player on their team. I’m hoping they found it. Time will tell, I suppose.

Perhaps the biggest question mark in the passing offense is third year receiver, Jon Baldwin. Last year during pre-season, as Dwayne Bowe was skipping training camp due to not having a contract in place, Baldwin got most of the reps with the first team. Blogs and tweets were running rampant with news of the amazing, one-handed, circus catches that Baldwin was making in camp. Everyone forgave the former first round pick for his disappointing rookie season. Fans blamed the lockout and the lack of an offseason for his less than stellar first year. Last year was going to be Baldwin’s year…or not. He fell flat and didn’t live up to even the most conservative of expectations. Baldwin cannot afford to have another year like the last two.

Andy Reid is ready to win now. In his offense, that means catching passes and scoring touchdowns. The entire mindset of the Chiefs team is about to change. Reid and Dorsey have proven in the short time they’ve been a part of this organization they’re willing to make tough decisions and do what it takes. To think Reid will change his entire offense because Kansas City has traditionally been a “run first” team is silly. I love Jamaal Charles and I love watching him hit the edge or find a seam and burn an opposing defense for a 50 or 60 yard touchdown run. But, there is nothing better than holding your breath when the game is on the line and a pass is in the air, waiting to see the spectacular catch and ultimate touchdown on the other end. The Chiefs will throw the ball this season…and I can’t wait.

That’s how I see it Addicts. What say you?

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Editor’s note: The original version of this story said that Dexter McCluster also had knee surgery. That was an error on out part. We misread the sentence in the article that mentioned Moeaki’s surgery.

Buried in an article today from the Kansas City Star is that Kansas City Chiefs TE Tony Moeaki had arthroscopic knee surgery following the 2012 NFL season.

From the Star:

Reid said tight end Tony Moeaki, drafted one round after McCluster in 2010, had arthroscopic knee surgery after the season but will be ready to go when offseason practice begins in May.

The Chiefs this week signed a second tight end, Miami’s Anthony Fasano, as a free agent. Reid said the Chiefs have plans to use many two-tight end formations

“It’s important that (Moeaki) gets himself healthy and he works on the rehab part of that,” Reid said. “The combination of those two is something we’re looking at as a positive.”

Whoa! I didn’t know that. I pay pretty close attention to every bit of Chiefs news that comes out (duh) and I don’t remember ever hearing this. It is possible I missed it but if not, this is news.

Getting a knee scope probably isn’t that big of a deal. While every surgery is different, scopes are not very intrusive. I used to be a competitive runner and I’ve had both my knees scoped, one to clear out some loose cartilage and just last year to repair a torn meniscus. In both cases, I was back to running again in a few weeks.

Reid didn’t go into detail about why Moeaki needed a scope but I imagine the procedures won’t impact either very much.

Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Kansas City Chiefs fans are so angry with the team’s performance that they’ve taken to scolding the players even during holiday-inspired charity events.

Chiefs WR Dexter McCluser was delivering a turkey and some canned goods to an elderly fan in her home when she let him know that she was praying for he team.

“She said, `I’m praying for you guys. Hopefully you guys can win a game soon,”‘ McCluser recalled in comments published on CBS Sports.com. “I told her we’re working hard. She said, `Well, work harder.’

Is there no end to the hilarity?

Going into yesterday’s game, I thought it was entirely possible the Chiefs would lose. In fact, the Bills were viewed as more or less equal to the Chiefs in terms of talent, so the safe pick in this game was probably Buffalo, given that it was their home opener and they also wanted to make a statement after a blowout loss.

Still, although a loss is just a loss whether you lose by a point or a million, it does matter how you lose, and that’s what stood out most in this game.

Once again, a defense that was supposed to be in the top 10 in the league got carved to pieces. Coverages were routinely blown. Tackling was poor. We had no pressure on the quarterback, and made no plays in the secondary.

After Week 1, I suspected that ILB Derrick Johnson might not yet be fully recovered from his ankle injury. This game pretty much confirms that. He definitely did not show the speed and athleticism that makes him a dynamic player in the middle of his defense. He could not keep up with Buffalo’s running backs and he was horrendous in coverage. Belcher continued to be a huge liability when defending the pass and Flowers looked far from 100 percent.

Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE

No one in the ACL crew looked like they had their 2010 spark back. TE Tony Moeaki was never getting separation and only caught one pass on four targets. Jamaal Charles was totally ineffective in the run game and was put on ice, possibly due to a yet undisclosed injury. S Eric Berry was virtually invisible out there. We now have to consider the possibility that some or all three of those players may never fully recover from their bad knees.

Who would have guessed that S Kendrick Lewis would be so missed?

I presume everyone will now pile on Matt Cassel for this loss, but as with last game, I don’t see it. His stat line was 23/42 for 301 yards, 2 TD 1 INT. In a win, this would be considered a pretty good performance. No one on either side of the ball stepped up when called upon.

I’m just going to say it right now, Jon Baldwin may be a bust. We had high expectations for him given that he was lighting it up in camp, but after seeing how the Chiefs D-backs have been playing, anyone on the AA staff could have come out of St. Joe as a training camp sensation. He wasn’t even targeted against the Falcons and did not look good against the Bills.

Kevin Hoffman-US PRESSWIRE

Baldwin never seems to run his routes with confidence and always expects to be able to outmuscle defenders in jump ball situations with his body skills — except that he doesn’t, and one way or the other, we need him to catch and run, not loiter around on the sideline as if he’s playing some elaborate form of Keep Away. In the second half, it was clear that Cassel was forcing the ball to him in the hopes of making something happen deep downfield. Baldwin was never open, never ready and only reeled in half of the balls thrown his way. He got us 62 yards, but in the worst way. I hope I’m wrong about him.

Dexter McCluster, again, was KC’s only reliable receiver, consistently getting open and catching four passes on five targets. TE Kevin Boss again caught a pretty pass, but I’d be surprised if he doesn’t miss time after getting knocked out cold after a nasty blow to the head (which wasn’t really a penalty, but the refs gave us that one). As has long been the case, WR Dwayne Bowe emerged in the second half as the Chiefs’ only big-play threat, catching eight passes for 102 yards and 2 TDs.

Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE

This too, however, has a dark undercurrent to it though, as BJ Kissel pointed out on the Chop Talk postgame podcast. It is currently looking like the Chiefs will have to franchise Bowe again this year, to which he will likely respond by holding out again. The alternative is to pay him big bucks that Pioli doesn’t want to shell out and honestly may be more than he is worth. Still, as Kissel said, “This offense is scary to think about without Dwayne Bowe on this team.”

The offensive line, which was also supposed to be a great strength of this team in 2012, floundered. Cassel was under near-constant pressure and took five sacks. In his short, but illustrious career, this is the first time that Bills DT Kyle Williams has gotten two sacks in one game, and he also drove G Jon Asamoah into Charles for a 5-yard loss. Congratulations, Kyle.

RB Peyton Hillis, who was supposed to be the safe, pounding runner, gave up a critical fumble on the 1-yard line.

But, what killed the Chiefs most in this game was not the poor play of individual players or units, it was the shell-shocked reaction of the entire team to the Bills’ initial success. Early in the second quarter you could see the team as a whole shaking their heads and looking at the scoreboard as if to say, “Well, I guess this just isn’t our game.”

This is unacceptable, and it was by far the most infuriating part of this game. This team seemed to be totally unprepared and they gave up early. That’ll happen in high school. It’ll happen in college. This is unacceptable in the pros.

Special teams gave up another long kickoff return for a touchdown at the worst possible time allowing the Bills to seal the victory in the third quarter. Even my wife, who is still learning the game, correctly pointed out that no one looked focused.

Cassel, the usual scapegoat, was also strip-sacked and was never even close to saving us in the game, but he also scrambled well and showed toughness while getting what little was there. In the end, Cassel, McCluster and Bowe seemed like the only players still interested in playing the game by halftime.

Kevin Hoffman-US PRESSWIRE

This is where the coach is supposed to come in. Not only did the Chiefs seem unprepared, they looked utterly outcoached on defense. With as bad as DJ has looked against the pass, how could Crennel put him in coverage on TE Scott Chandler – one of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s favorite weapons – in the red zone, allowing him to give up an easy touchdown on virtually the exact same play that Tony G scored with last week?

Comparatively, Brian Daboll’s scheme overall looks like it will get us places this year. I liked some of the matchups he exploited, but I can’t honestly say anything positive about the defense.

After halftime, I was expecting the Chiefs to come back fired up, and, while I knew likely wouldn’t be able to catch up to the Bills, I expected them to at least play like professionals. Instead they came out flatter than before. Crennel, who is known for his friendly, soft-spoken demeanor, was unable to get rally the troops. In that situation, the players didn’t need a friend; they needed leader that would kick them in the ass and tell them to go out and play with pride.

Kevin Hoffman-US PRESSWIRE

When it was time for the Chiefs to pick a new head coach after the 2011 season, I was one of the few who went against the grain in suggesting that Crennel was not the best choice. In addition to the fact that he had been unsuccessful in the top job before, many of the things that doomed Todd Haley’s tenure in KC – namely blowout losses – were failures on Crennel’s part as well. Getting torched for lopsided losses is as much the defensive coordinator’s fault as it is the head coach’s. Crennel has now presided as DC over two seasons of disgustingly poor defensive play in the opening games.

Although he engineered big wins in the last three games of the season, not much else stands out in his resume other than the fact that he is from the New England system and the players seem to like him.

After the game, Crennel said he didn’t really know how or why the Chiefs got so thoroughly demolished in the game. Paddy quoted him as saying, “I’m gonna say that I thought we would be better. I really thought that we would be better but we’re not so we’ve got to figure out why that is.”

This is very distressing.

Now, because I have just spewed 1,300+ words of negativity, here’s some happy thoughts for anyone still reading:

1.) The Chiefs came back from blowout losses and crucial injuries in the first two weeks of the season last year, and stayed in division contention to the end. So, if you haven’t blacked it out of your memory, you will recall that you felt this bad after Week 2 last year and it got better.

2.) The Chiefs aren’t the only team that has allowed a league-high 75 points so far in the 2012 season. We are tied with the New Orleans Saints and we play them next week.

3.) Kansas City is currently fifth in the league in total offense, fifth in rushing and 11^th in passing. So, hey, at least that’s not our biggest problem anymore!

4.) As bad as the Chiefs’ loss today was, the Raiders’ beatdown was worse. They got crushed 13-35 against the Miami Dolphins, considered by many to be the worst team in the league.

5.) Speaking of the ‘Phins, it took the team half of the season to learn Daboll’s complicated offense, but after playing awful in their first seven games, Miami went 6-3 starting in Week 9 (against the Chiefs) with a combined score of 222-131. In other words, don’t worry. The Chiefs are just going to be late bloomers.

6.) Remember that Arizona team that we mowed over in the preseason? Well, they just beat the New England Patriots in Foxborough. If they’re good enough to do that, then we must have something.

Can the Chiefs score points?

Of all their successes over the last three years, the one thing the Chiefs have never been is a scoring machine. Last year, the injury-riddled Chiefs were 31^st in the league for scoring with a miserable 13.2 points per game, which was actually a worse performance than the team’s 4-12 season in 2009. Believe it or not, the Chiefs’ total point differential in that failed campaign was only slightly worse than last season at -130 vs. -126.

Even when the Chiefs were healthy and on fire in 2010 they weren’t exactly blowing teams away. Our point differential was just +40, meaning we were scoring just 2.5 more points per game than our collective opponents. It is no secret that this needs to change.

Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

Overall, the Chiefs are built to control the ball and play stout defense. But, again, we haven’t done the best job of that: last year the Chiefs averaged 310.9 yards per game while allowing 333.3. During the triumphant 2010 season, this indicator wasn’t radically different at 349.7 to 330.2 – gaining 20 more yards than your opponent does not a domination make.

Still, the Chiefs have found success in the recipe of playing everyone close, controlling the ball and wearing down opposing defenses to eventual 4^th-quarter victories. In short, get a little bit ahead and hold on for dear life. But, the other issue with the Chiefs possession-based style is that the Chiefs absolutely must score at the end of their long drives. This recipe can work if the Chiefs are able to play offense efficiently enough to rack up points while chewing up clock and have a defense that is consistent enough to thwart opposing offenses in doing the same. As long as the Chiefs are leaving points on the field with stalled drives, red zone inefficiency and turnovers, the team has to rely on the opponent being just as ineffective.

Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Last year, the Chiefs were dead last in red zone efficiency at 33.33 percent. Given that statistic and the fact that the Chiefs had a -126 point differential, it is truly miraculous that this team won 7 games.

The good news is that the Chiefs are now finally built to be the kind of team that they’ve been trying to be. Jamaal Charles is clearly the most dynamic player on offense, but he’s a boom-and-bust runner. He’ll gain 25, then get stuffed in the backfield. Then he’ll get you 6 yards only to get stuck for two consecutive 1.5-yard gains. He’ll give you magic, but he won’t always keep the ball moving. That’s why Peyton Hillis is such an important addition. His power allows him to be a much more consistent 1^st-down runner. The development of Dexter McCluster as a reliable slot receiver provides another move-the-chains weapon to keep the ball in Kansas City hands.

Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

But, they still need to put it in the end zone.

In the preseason, the Chiefs looked good running the ball and have been overall effective moving down field. But, they still haven’t shown the ability to keep up in scoring. And, when experimenting with throwing the ball heavily against the Seahawks, they showed that they will have a hard time catching up in games if they get behind by more than one touchdown.

Therefore, Atlanta is going to be the perfect test for whether the Chiefs can put points on the board. Not only do the Falcons have two good receivers that are constant downfield threats, but the Chiefs are likely to be without their pass defense players. It’s looking like CB Brandon Flowers and S Kendrick Lewis will be out with injuries and Tamba Hali will be serving his one-game suspension.

Honestly, I think the Chiefs should hold out Lewis and Flowers – it is absolutely not worth it for them to aggravate their injuries to a point where they could potentially be lost for extended time. But, without them, the onus is going to be on the offense to keep up with Atlanta’s deadly air attack.

This matchup will tell us a lot about the 2012 Chiefs. It’s a test.

Let the games begin.

When I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong.

After his first two lackluster seasons, I was ready to write Dexter McCluster off. The selections of WR Devon Wylie and RB Cyrus Gray in the 2012 Draft seemed to indicate that the coaching staff felt the same. This preseason has proved me to be utterly wrong.

In April, looking back on McCluster’s career, I wrote:

[T]he numbers don’t lie. McCluster just doesn’t make big plays, which is his only purpose. RB Jackie Battle was a guy who was able to get what was already there with the ability to break a tackle or two. McCluster basically gets what’s there plus 3 yards due to his speed, but he won’t be breaking any tackles and he’ll get stuffed at or behind the line of scrimmage for a few serious losses a game. Even Battle beat him as the KC running back with the biggest ground gain of the 2011 season with a 34-yarder against Denver.

The 2010 Scout’s Inc. report on McCluster said “he has good ball skills but will struggle when competing for the ball in a crowd. He needs a lot of work on his route running and setting defenders up and will settle into crowded zones at times rather than find a window for the quarterback to throw though.”

Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Indeed that seemed to be his biggest struggle during his rookie season. Making the position switch from running back to slot receiver took longer than anticipated. Not only was it a new position, but he was learning to do it against NFL-quality defenders. In end, he had trouble consistently getting separation, which is a problem due to his small size overall. He ended the season with 21 receptions and 18 carries for a total of just 280 yards.

In 2011, Dex filled in at RB primarily because the Chiefs’ wretched depth was exposed after Jamaal Charles went down. The team was left with Thomas Jones and Jackie Battle – two guys who can pick up yardage through wide-open holes when they’re there, but neither is going to do anything special for you. Dex provided a spark, and was a popular option when the Chiefs knew they needed some dynamism. They gave him the ball 37 times on 3^rd down. But, although he was a better target than Battle in those situations, he was also inconsistent. On his 16 carries on 3^rd and 6+ yards, he averaged 5.4 yards per carry – just enough to not make it most of the time.

Still, he improved his overall skills and Scouts Inc. described him in their 2011 report as “explosive and extremely nimble, but lacks the great top-end speed to be a consistent home run threat. He is very elusive when he gets the ball in the open field and has excellent vision and instincts. He is a natural receiver out of the backfield as well as on downfield routes. He also shows good ball skills and the ability to reach out and pluck the ball away from his body.”

I for one was a bit worried when reports came out of training camp that McCluster was working exclusively with the wide receivers, because it seemed to me that they were forcing him back into a role that wasn’t his strong suit.

Then came this preseason.

McCluster currently leads the team in receptions with 13 receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown in the first three preseason games. Furthermore, he is has shown himself to be the most reliable target for Matt Cassel. Against the Seahawks, Cassel stalled in consecutive drives due to drops by generally sure-handed targets in Bowe, Moeaki and Baldwin. Then he turned to Dexter. In a long drive that would gain the starting offense its only touchdown, he targeted McCluster over and over again. Like most KC fans around the world, I was also shouting, “Just throw it to 22!” The week before, when Cassel was forced out of the pocket, in a situation that would have normally been a throw-away situation for him, he found McCluster open for a 1^st down.

John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

If McCluster can keep this up he can serve a role that is just as important as the #1 receiver on the team. As the league has gradually changed, one major evolution that few people talk about is the emergence of the slot receiver. The ability to make quick high-percentage throws to quick receivers matched up on linebackers has become the cornerstone of effective offenses. The Patriots pioneered this with Wes Welker. The Chiefs saw the effectiveness of a high-end slot receiver when they got carved to pieces by Sam Bradford’s security blanket, Danny Amendola, in Week 2 of the preseason.

Whatever you think about Matt Cassel, I think everyone can agree that he can benefit greatly from having a reliable outlet guy for short, high-percentage throws. Perhaps even more importantly, if opposing defenses begin to view McCluster as a major threat that needs to be covered by a safety or CB, it will both take pressure off Dwayne Bowe and draw defenders away from the running game.

He's even a KU fan! Showing good judgment uncanny intelligence is important to the Pioli regime. Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

The Chiefs may have had an overall uninspiring performance over the last two games, but that’s not the story for me. To me the biggest story of this preseason is the rise of the midget – McCluster’s transition from liability to security blanket, and I can’t wait to see how this goes with him moving into the regular season.

With their thumping 27-17 win (with the score 17-0 as the starters left the field), the 2012 Kansas City Chiefs have made their presence known, and while I always anticipated the Chiefs to be improved this year, it was clear that this game was all about surprise.

Suddenly, the national media have looked up from their Peyton Manning talking points and realized that there is another team in the AFC West – one far more likely to be playoff bound. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said as much after the game via Twitter, “I’m starting to agree with #Chiefs fans – national media (ESPN included) has fallen asleep on KC. They may be team to beat in AFC West.”

It’s important to remember that the Chiefs and the Cardinals were considered to be evenly-matched teams before this game. In fact, Pete Prisco of CBS Sports had the Cards ranked 16^th in his July 25 power rankings, with the Chiefs at a lowly 22^nd, justified by a rote comment about Matt Cassel defining the team’s overall worth (the laziness of what passes for analysis by national football writers astounds me at times).

But, it wasn’t just surprising that the Chiefs were impressive, or even that they gave Arizona a shellacking – it’s how they dominated. WR Dwayne Bowe wasn’t on the field. Neither WR Steve Breaston, nor WR Jonathan Baldwin, who has been blowing up training camp, caught a single pass. RB Jamaal Charles had just three carries for 12 yards. OLB Tamba Hali had zero sacks, and NT Dontari Poe barely registered his presence. And the Chiefs dominated.

John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

Matt Cassel looked polished and comfortable, going 5/6 for 67 yards and a TD. RB Peyton Hillis, coming off a down year, looked fantastic running for 41 yards on four carries plus an 11-yard touchdown pass. WR/RB Dexter McCluster showed his skills as a matchup nightmare, reeling in three passes for 45 yards. On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs defense started with back-to-back 3-and-outs followed by an interception and tallied seven sacks on the night. In the limited amount of time that the Chiefs’ starters were out on the field, it was a massacre. In the late first quarter, I wrote in my notes “THIS IS CHILD’S PLAY!”

This game was also all about surprise because of the play-calling of OC Brian Daboll. I already love this man. Most notable was his fantastic call on 4^th and 3. The Chiefs lined up with heavy personnel in a goal-line formation. As the defense began stacking the box to charge in up the middle, Cassel motioned all the backs and TEs out wide making it a five-receiver set with an open backfield. This threw the defense into chaos as they tried to adjust to coverage in panic. While they were still yelling at each other, Cassel slid in behind C Rodney Hudson for a sneaky conversion. I cannot tell you how much I loved that play – great design, perfectly executed.

Ever since Daboll was hired, we at AA and across Chiefs Nation have been pondering what Daboll’s offence “based on matchups” really meant. I think we’re now beginning to figure that out. While I think this game confirmed my assertion that Hillis could end up the Chiefs’ biggest free agent acquisition, I’m already eating my words about WR Devon Wylie and RB Cyrus Gray replacing McCluster. Dex’s move to being a pure slot receiver already looks like it will pay off dividends in 2012. On two big plays, Daboll drew things up so that Baldwin – the #1 target – would force a one-on-one on McCluster, who has now definitely shown that he has improved his route-running and ability to get open.

Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Most fundamentally, as Paddy pointed out, it’s clear the Chiefs generally grasp his offense and are executing it well. During the second half, GM Scott Pioli was in the press box talking about how the Chiefs now run like a well-oiled machine, getting plays in on time and communicating efficiently. As much as his image as a disciplinarian and ultra stickler for detail put me off, it is clear that the overall culture he is trying to install works. Players were always walking with confidence out there, and coaches seemed to be able to communicate well without wasting time with petty bickering.

The other big surprise is how deep the Chiefs seem to be at nose tackle. While Poe showed he still has a lot to learn, former practice-squader Anthony Toribio showed why he has taken the starting spot. He consistently got off blocks and single-handedly stuffed a running back in the backfield playing against the Cardinals’ starters. Meanwhile, Jerrel Powe was also impressive, getting penetration several times and even notching a sack from the nose tackle position. Poe clearly pushed the pocket on a few downs, but often times seemed to be playing patty-cake with the O-linemen – still unsure of how to use his hands effectively. He seemed to either be focusing too much on his hands or not enough. But, at the very least, he did get double-teamed nearly every time, which was a large part of why KC racked up so many sacks on the game.

John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

The only negative surprises in this game were in the play of the Chiefs’ backup QBs. Although they are in a tight competition, neither played well. Still, neither arguably played worse than Arizona’s two quarterbacks competing over the starting job. I look forward to seeing Tanney bank some passes off the uprights for a touchdown in Game 2 of the preseason.

Generally speaking, it was hard to come away with anything but positive vibes after this game. The Chiefs are back with a vengeance this year and they have shown that they can beat you in any number of different ways. Wherever you are weakest, that’s where we will strike, because we have the tools to get you anywhere, anytime.

I should preface this post by saying that I do not reside within the cerebral cortex of Romeo Crennel and Brian Daboll. I do not know that they will do any or all of these things, but I do think that if they don’t at least try some of them, we will have missed some opportunities this coming season.

1.) DeQuan Menzie as MLB.

One of the many sets that Crennel likes to run in pass-defense sub packages is loading up on D-backs and replacing one ILB – Belcher, obviously – with a safety to cover any RBs coming out of the flat or TEs on crossing patterns. Throughout the 2011 season this was almost always McGraw – a veteran with good instincts who is a good tackler and will be read his man well. This is one of the many packages that was great at confusing and disrupting opposing offenses, and led to brilliant defensive victories like the one over the undefeated Packers.

However, it was also exploited at times with teams audibling to a dive play and running a power back straight up at McGraw. While he is normally a good open-field tackler, he got trucked on a couple of those because he just doesn’t have the body mass to make a thud against a big back bursting through the hole. Enter DeQuan Menzie.

John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE

Menzie comes from the hard-nosed Alabama defense where he often played close to the line. While he’s not huge, he is on the heavy side for a safety, and showed on tape that he could power through wide receiver blocks and would likely do well as both a mean guy following RBs and TEs in the short passing game, and also standing tall against backs plowing through the hole. The case has been made that Eric Berry would be good in that role, but I think he is greatest as an asset to us on passing downs with his ability to take over center field and play the deep ball.

2.) Three-headed RB Monster: Jamaal Charles-Peyton Hillis-Dexter McCluster

With the Chiefs’ top three RBs, they have three very different and complementary ball-carriers. Charles has the speed and vision to break big ones anytime. Hillis is a pounder who can get away from you if he gets a bit of space, and McCluster has the spark to hit the hole fast and can make things happen in the open field. Having all three of these guys on the field simply presents too many plays to contemplate.

US PRESSWIRE

If Daboll fields Charles, Hillis, McCluster, Moeaki and Boss, what package will the defense put out there? The fact is that there is no right answer because with those guys, you could do some power running with Hillis as a lead blocker for Charles/McCluster or you could do also sorts of sophisticated pitches, reverses and screens. Or, you could motion a TE out wide and throw from it. It’s hard to imagine a better goal-line set; the Chiefs will inevitably find favorable matchups. Daboll has made a name for himself being a mad scientist in drawing up plays. I have a feeling he is going to have fun with these guys.

3.) Splitting Hillis out wide

As I mentioned in my feature on Hillis a few weeks back, I noted he is really much more than the plodding pounder he is reputed to be. In fact, he is a great pass-catcher:

His one drop among 61 catches in 2010 made him the third most consistent receiving RB in the league. Most importantly for QB Matt “Panic Toss” Cassel, Hillis hauled in 90 percent of all passes thrown at him in 2010 – on target or not. Then, he had 453 yards after the catch.

Granted, Daboll was often using Hillis as a wideout primarily because Cleveland had/has quite possibly the worst wide-receiving corps in the league. Still, this guy has hands, great body control, good ups and holds on to the ball. Watch 2:10 of these highlights for this amazing catch from 2010 against the Falcons – it’s reminiscent of Moeaki’s stunning grab against the 49ers that year (he’s got another great one at 2:55). Heck, it might even be interesting to see him lined up at TE, despite the fact we already have two good ends.

4.) Poe at DE, in coverage

While we still don’t totally know what we are going to get out of Poe at this point, we do know that Crennel is going to move him around. Initially billed as a run-stuffer, Crennel has been trying to coach him up as a pass rusher. If he develops as both, I think the Chiefs will want to move him to whatever part of the opposing offensive line is the weakest. If that team has a Barry Richardson on their starting roster, we will find him and put a monster of a man right on top of him. Also, given Poe’s ability to crash down and take out blockers, he could be a great lead-man for an unbalanced blitz. Let him cut down his double team on one of the edges as Houston, Hali and DJ rush through to get at the QB.

Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Another thing that Crennel was successful with in New England was getting Vince Wilfork to step back in to zone coverage every now and then. It sounds crazy – and it is – but opposing offenses never see it coming. Heck, Wilfork even had two interceptions last year. While I don’t expect Poe to be a ball hawk or to be able to cover Gronkowski man-to-man or any silliness like that, using him this way would still have some major benefits. 1.) Having him step off suddenly puts the opposing offensive line in disarray up the middle in a way that can be exploited as they figure out whom to shift to and block. 2.) If you’re worried about a speedy TE being able to pick up too much speed off the line and want to slow him down has he crosses through the middle, Poe putting his 349-pound shoulder into him will sure accomplish that.

John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

A few days ago we told you that Kansas City Chiefs RB Dexter McCluster was lining up at WR for the first session of organized team activities. This led many to wonder if new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was considering moving McCluster back to WR, a position he played his rookie year.

According to Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel, that is not the case.

“We’ve given Dexter a few more reps at the wide receiver position,” Crennel told reporters last week. “We feel like he knows how to play running back and we can put him over at running back at any point and time. But we felt like he needed the work at wide receiver so we put him at wide receiver to see how he takes to that. Then if we need him at running back we’ll put him at running back”

McCluster has been something of a question mark since being drafted. He has spent time at both WR and RB. He was most productive out of the backfield last season but the Chiefs have never seemed to figure out how to use McCluster’s speed and elusiveness consistently. Crennel thinks that by beefing up McCluster’s receiving skills the Chiefs will be able to make better use of his skills.

“Probably what that will do is that will open it up for us to use him however and whenever,” Crennel said. “He’s taken to it very well. He’s been enthusiastic about it.”

There is no doubt that McCluster is dangerous with the ball in his hand. If the Chiefs can find a way to max out his potential in 2012 he could quickly become a major headache for opposing defensive coordinators.

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

According to Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com, via Twitter, Kansas City Chiefs RB Dexter McCluster lined up at WR for the team’s first OTA session today.

McCluster began his career with the Chiefs as a WR but after a rookie season in which he was not particularly effective, the team moved him to RB in 2011.

As a rookie playing mostly receiver, McCluster had 21 receptions for 209 yards and one touchdown.

Ironically, in 2011, McCluster caught twice as many balls playing running back. McCluster had 46 receptions last season for 328 yards and one TD.

As a running back, McCluster got only 18 touches in 2010, gaining 71 yards. Last season, however, McCluster snagged 114 rushing attempts, gaining 516 yards. He scored one rushing TD.

So is he a WR or a RB?

I wouldn’t read into this too much one way or the other. New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has a lot of offensive weapons to play with and he will likely try a lot of different things with a guy like McCluster. We learned last season that McCluster can be an effective third down style back. If Daboll can find a way to make him more dangerous in the passing game, the Chiefs will be able to cause even more problems for defenses.

What do you think, Addicts? Are the Chiefs considering moving McCluster back to WR or are they just trying some different looks early on as they build their new offense?

(Hindsight is … Complicated Part II, for Part I, click here)

To me, among the most intriguing Chiefs picks in the draft were WR Devon Wylie (4^th round) and RB Cyrus Gray (6^th). Wylie is a short wideout with ridiculous speed who would have gone earlier in the draft if it weren’t for injury concerns. Gray is a small and speedy back with breakaway speed. Both were also great special teamers in college. Together, they basically make a better version of Dexter McCluster.

Bruce Thorson-US PRESSWIRE

As I have been going back and re-watching all of the games from the 2011 season, one theme has consistently arisen – there are lot of Chiefs players that I am very jaded about. One of those is Dexter McCluster.

Drafted initially be to a Wes Welker type receiver, he spent a lot more time last season in the role of a running back as a complimentary Darren Sproles type. So far, he has lived up to neither comparison, but he might some day and therein lies the dilemma.

Last year, when Jamaal Charles went down, so did our offense. Having one of the most dynamic players in the league touching the ball 20 times a game had allowed the Chiefs to hide a lot of weaknesses on the offensive side of the ball. With Charles gone, Haley struggled to throw together something resembling an offense with depth players off the trash heap. Even during his rookie season, clouded by the excitement of the Chiefs’ first winning season in ages was the fact that McCluster was all but a bust as a playmaker. He had just 21 receptions and 18 carries with his only memorable play being a touchdown on a screen pass against San Francisco.

John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

At the end of the 2010 season, Haley seemed to be giving up on the idea of McCluster as a slot receiver and said he would be giving him more snaps at running back. I don’t think they planned on him having 114 carries in 2011, but that’s how it shook out. What’s interesting about going back to the numbers is that they conflict wildly with my own perceptions and affections. I’ve always liked McCluster as a seemingly hard-working guy who has the kind of grit you wouldn’t expect from a 170-lb munchkin.

Still, the numbers don’t lie. McCluster just doesn’t make big plays, which is his only purpose. RB Jackie Battle was a guy who was able to get what was already there with the ability to break a tackle or two. McCluster basically gets what’s there plus 3 yards due to his speed, but he won’t be breaking any tackles and he’ll get stuffed at or behind the line of scrimmage for a few serious losses a game. Even Battle beat him as the KC running back with the biggest ground gain of the 2011 season with a 34-yarder against Denver.

All of this brings us back to the Chiefs’ eternal offensive problem since the Trent Green days. We move the ball, but we don’t make big plays and we can’t score for the life of us. McCluster is not currently helping to alleviate this problem. He’s not a great receiver, not a great running back, useless in pass protection, and only had one return for a touchdown in two seasons. So where does he fit?

Despite the fact that the Peyton Hillis signing gave the Chiefs’ roster three running backs (not counting Shaun Draughn), I still thought they needed at least one more body. Charles is still rehabbing his ACL, Hillis is coming off of schizophrenic year with injuries and odd behavior, and McCluster, as we have established, is nothing special and can’t currently be trusted to shoulder a serious portion of the carries.

What I expected they would do is go after a power back more in the mold of Thomas Jones when he had speed. Instead they grabbed Gray, a guy known for his quickness, but who can handle more contact than McCluster can. They also picked up Wylie, a dude who ran 4.25 40 in 2009 before breaking his foot, and projects well as a slot receiver with some downfield ability. If both of these guys pan out, McCluster will be unnecessary.

But that’s assuming that McCluster will not continue to develop. In Scouts Inc.’s blurb on him, the only bad thing they pointed out in his game is: “He has good ball skills but will struggle when competing for the ball in a crowd. He needs a lot of work on his route running and setting defenders up and will settle into crowded zones at times rather than find a window for the quarterback to throw though.”

Meaning, he can still be taught.

Sproles, who was in many ways a trailblazer for sparkplugs like McCluster, only had 148 touches in his first three years with San Diego. McCluster had 160 in 2011. Sproles only really came on in his 4^th season, and truly exploded for the Saints last year with 1,313 total yards from scrimmage split almost perfectly evenly between runs and passes. The difference is that he was in the high-octane Saints offense getting the ball from Drew Brees.

Could McCluster eventually develop into Sproles? It’s possible, but very hard to tell. Although they are both short, Sproles is two inches shorter and 20 lbs heavier than McCluster, giving him a bit more beef to sustain hits and an even smaller profile to grab or shut down by filling the gaps in front of him. Also, being so small, you have to be an excellent route-runner because otherwise it’s just too easy for defenders to box you out, and if you’re not in the exact right spot, it’s hard for the quarterback to get the ball to you. Sproles has gradually become an excellent route runner; McCluster clearly still has a lot of work to do.

Getting the most out of these little guys also depends heavily on the person designing the scheme. All indications are that McCluster was a Pioli pick – he comes from the New England mindset of getting versatile gadget players, Haley loves big physical receivers. Because of that, I think there is reason for optimism now that Brian Daboll has taken over the offense.

Although it took him too long to install with the lockout, Miami was humming once they understood his offense last year. Just watching them demolish the Chiefs at Arrowhead again was enough to convince me this guy knows how to draw up plays.  The color commentators couldn’t stop talking about one play that led to their tight end burning Derrick Johnson for a touchdown.

Often times, these sort of unique players need to find the right pairing with a coach who can figure out how to maximize them. RB Danny Woodhead got almost 1,000 yards for New England in 2010 after being cut by the Jets. Sproles was one of the best free agent signings of 2011, leaving Chargers for the Saints. I worry that if McCluster doesn’t pan out for the Chiefs, we will soon be seeing him in highlight reels wearing a different color.

What do you think addicts? Is it time to bring the McCluster experiment to an end, or is he one more offseason away from being the dynamic weapon we’ve been waiting for?

Back on Nov. 13th, Kansas City Chiefs RB Dexter McCluster’s house was broken into.

Now it looks as though the cops have their man.

Daniel E. LaBlance of Kansas City has been charged with second-degree burglary in connection with the incident.

Stolen from McCluster’s pad, according to court documents were a Chiefs helmet pendant, eight sets of lava beads containing diamonds, black and red Prada shoes, a diamond watch, a Macbook, a laptop computer, a video game, a 19-inch flat-screen television and a pair of True Religion jeans.

The scary thing here isn’t just that McCluster got ripped off, but that LaBlance has been convicted of second-degree murder in the past.

Sheesh! Glad Dex wasn’t home.

RB Jackie Battle will not play with a foot injury.

Safety Jon McGraw is doubtful with a high ankle sprain.

I would imagine Battle has done enough to be brought back next season, however, we may have seen the last of McGraw. Jon is getting up there in the age department, however he was still KC’s best SS this season with Eric Berry out. He continued to play the run like a linebacker and was certainly better than Reshard Langford, Shabby Sabby Piscitelli and Donnie Washington.

For depth alone, I think McGraw should be brought back. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Scott Pioli go after safety depth aggressively this offseason. If that happens, the return of Eric Berry may mean there is no longer room for McGraw.

As for Sunday, the Chiefs will likely roll with Langford and a RB combo of Thom Jones and Dex. Looks like Jones could be going out with a bang.

That or two yards and a cloud of dust.

Yep. So I was there.

Living on the other side of the world, my brief return for the holidays was my only opportunity to see the Chiefs in person this season. I happened to be in town for two consecutive home games – against the Packers and the Raiders — and had to choose one, so I naturally chose the one I thought they were going to win.

But, like that guy in Indiana Jones and the Quest for the Holy Grail, I chose … poorly.

My impressions after the jump. (more…)

The Kansas City Chiefs halted their four-game losing streak Sunday by defeating the Chicago Bears 10-3.

It has been a while since I’ve done an “Earning Their Arrowheads” column because, quite frankly, I didn’t feel enough players were earning them to warrant a post.

Yesterday was a different story. Here are the players that earned their Arrowheads on Sunday!

Justin Houston

Houston is at the top of the list. He was sensational yesterday. If the rookie can continue that level of play for the rest of the season, then the Chiefs defense is going to continue to perform well. Houston looks like he could a difference-maker for the Chiefs.

(more…)

Monday nights are usually when I sit down, reflect on what the Kansas City Chiefs did or didn’t do over the weekend just past, and pull something out of my ass together for my Tuesday post. But on this particular Monday night, it so happens I was a bit distracted by something rather compelling that I was watching on television. I only had time to jot down some observations during breaks in the action as it unfolded. So consider these my Quick Slants. Some of them are even football-related…

• Hey, nice graveyard rendition of Danse Macabre by the Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City during the MNF intro (my friend Kristin was the Zombie bassist on the left).
• Not a big fan of all those not-so-terrible white towels. The idea was lame enough at Busch Stadium during the World Series and it’s no more impressive at Arrowhead. What? Is everyone surrendering? Or just waving their tighty-whities in the air? Hard to tell.
• Is that a five-inch Herm Edwards screaming at a couple of clueless tools to “ice down those Coors Lights, baby?” Finally—a coaching job worthy of Herm’s stature.
• Lamest Halloween costume seen in the crowd: Zach Galifianakis’s “Alan” with beard, sunglasses, and strap-on baby (with sunglasses) from The Hangover. Soooo 2009. (And there’s no good reason to remind Chiefs fans of 2009.)
• Did I hear that right about Chiefs center Casey Wiegmann? 10,502 snaps in a row? I wonder if that statistic about a routine, seemingly mundane element of the game will take on more significance later…
• Newest addition to Todd Haley’s nasty-as-he-wants-to-be ensemble: Navy undershirt with some kind of emblem that resembles either a grease stain or maybe a patch of sweat.

(more…)

We’re taking a trip down memory lane today by periodically reliving the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory over the San Diego Chargers last season on Monday Night Football.

Up next is Dexter McCluster’s punt return for a touchdown. The Chiefs were up 14-7 at the time. It would be the last points the Chiefs would score in that game. It would be the last points they needed to score.

Will Dexter be able to come up big again tonight?

Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com tells us that McCluster missed the practice for personal reasons, via Todd Haley.

Dexter McCluster missed today’s practice b/c of personal reasons. Coach Haley: “He’s fine. He’ll be back.

Good to know. Looks like Dex still has a chance to smoke the Chargers on MNF!

According to Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star, RB Dexter McCluster was not at the early portion of today’s practice.

The media is only allowed to view the first few minutes of practice so we won’t know more about this situation until the team releases their injury report later today.

McCluster was not listed on yesterday’s injury report.

Dex could be out for any number of reasons so let’s not jump to conclusions just yet. Still, his absence is worth noting.

I for one want him on the field Monday Night so he can have a chance to create a little more Monday Night Magic a la last season.

As always, we’ll keep you updated on the situation. For now, enjoy a video of Dex’s return against the Chargers after the jump.

(more…)

The Kansas City Chiefs look to get their first win of the season Sunday when the 0-3 Vikings come to Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs are running out of time if they want to save their season and they will likely have to overcome more injuries this week as there is a chance both Brandon Flowers and Jon McGraw could be out.

Here are five players that will need to step up if the Chiefs want to defeat the Vikings.

Matt Cassel

The Matt Cassel bandwagon is slowly sinking into the sea. If there is anyone left on it, this could be Cassel’s last chance to save them.

The Chiefs offense is in a bad way. They only have one running back that can produce, and he can only do it part time. Without a productive passing game, the Chiefs won’t be able to produce points. The Vikings are pretty soft against the pass. Cassel will have to watch out for Jared Allen, but the Vikes are vulnerable in the secondary.

When Jamaal Charles was in the lineup, the Chiefs were able to lean on him and the running game if Cassel was struggling. Unfortunately, Charles is gone, and he isn’t coming back this year. Guys like Bowe and Breaston are play-makers but they can’t throw the ball to themselves. As such, the offense and maybe the season, lies in the shoulders of the QB.

(more…)

Chiefs fans all over the country may be feeling uneasy today. The team is coming off an 0-4 preseason. Their promising young tight end is out for the season and now there is even speculation that Matt Cassel could miss the season opener with a rib injury. Fans are worried. Some fans are livid at the approach Chiefs coach Todd Haley has used in the preseason. It’s understandable, but all that being said, we really have no idea if the Chiefs will be any good this season. Optimists like myself have pointed out areas that we seem to have improved on from last season. Others are already in full doom and gloom mood. I’ve seen words like horrible and terrible used on a regular basis. The vibe in Chiefs Nation is starting to remind me of Haley’s first season when he was just some “idiot with a bad temper”. It’s almost like last season didn’t happen for some fans.

So who’s right? No idea. However, I for one am in a GREAT mood today.

Why?

The answer is simple. After months of lockouts, speculation, and debate we get REAL football this week. The games will now mean something and we will start to get the answers we have been looking for. That, my friends, is a great reason to get excited.

I thought about doing a preview of the matchup with the Bills this Sunday, but I’m sure they’ll be plenty of that as we get closer to kick off. Instead, I decided to take this opportunity before we start getting real proof of what this team is going to be to make one last set of 10 predictions about the 2011 Chiefs.

Check them out after the break.

(more…)

Early in the 2010 season, Dexter McCluster was looking like a brilliant pick by Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.

McCluster helped the Chiefs upset the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football by returning a punt for a touchdown. It was the longest punt return in the team’s storied history.

Against the San Francisco 49ers, McCluster caught a pass in the flat from Matt Cassel. The little dynamo raced up the sidelines before taking flight from the five-yardline for the touchdown.

Yes, early in 2010, McCluster looked to be every bit of the playmaker fans hoped he would be. Unfortunately for Dexter, however, a high-ankle sprain put the rookie on the shelf for a number of weeks.  When he returned, it was clear McCluster had lost some of his shiftiness and burst that made him so dangerous early in the year. He was a virtual non-factor the rest of the season.

The Chiefs drafted McCluster to primarily play receiver. The team was looking for players with speed and play-making ability in 2010 so the pick made sense at the time. McCluster, however, had trouble making an impact as a slot receiver. He was a rookie without a lot of experience playing the position. The fact that the Chiefs had so few receiving threats made it even more difficult for McCluster to stand out.

(more…)

The Kansas City Chiefs turned in another ugly performance against the St. Louis Rams but that doesn’t mean there weren’t good individual performances.

Our “Earning Their Arrowheads” series is all about recognizing the players that showed up on Sunday…or in this case, Friday.

Let’s get to it.

Dexter McCluster

DMC showed up in a big way Friday night. He pulled in 5 catches for 37 yards. McCluster has been KC’s only play-maker this preseason on offense. When McCluster is healthy he is seriously dangerous. The Chiefs appear to be figuring out how to use him and that is one of the few positive signs we’ve seen from the offense this preseason.

(more…)

To be honest, my hand has been hovering over the Chief’s panic button pretty much since the 2011 schedule was announced. Even as the Chiefs signed their draft picks and free agents — when every team is feeling pretty good about itself — I tried to temper that enthusiasm. Now, after three humiliating preseason showings, the protective cover is off, I’ve gotten code confirmation from Paddy, it’s time to push the damn thing.

After the jump, here’s three things I think we now know about the Chiefs with the preseason nearly over: (more…)

All seriousness aside, just what are we getting in Kelly Gregg? Will the addition of Queequeg and Powe, the rookie 6th rounder, be greater than, less than, or zero sum with the subtraction of veterans Sweet Ron and Perv? As to the second question, it’s a hard call at this point but we’ll nevertheless check what the stats have to say.

Crock Blocking

(we really gotta get Crock a feature logo)

I find it next to impossible that McCluster, under these circumstances, will ever justify where we drafted him.

But hope is not lost, not entirely.  And in the face of Wendler’s simple math, I think the Chiefs would do well to try to make the numbers fit, and give McCluster a serious chance to be an impact player.

Here are five ways I could see the Chiefs utilizing McCluster in productive ways. I’ve gone out of my way to assure that each way is not a gimmick, and can make repeat appareances week in and week out, rather than relying on surprise plays.

Jeremy, myself, Lyle, Taylor, and Nikolozi through the looking glass…

(more…)

Rookie FB Shane Bannon tries to earn his Arrowhead at training camp. (photo by Ryan James)

The Kansas City Chiefs hit the practice field for their second day of training camp yesterday afternoon. AA reader Ryan was on hand and managed to snag photos and videos for us to share with you.

First, let’s take a look at some of Ryan’s thoughts and observations from practice.

-It was a pretty easy day. All position specific drills. Toward the the end of practice Brandon Flowers had a nice pick against Cassel and the wide receiver was either Urban or Bowe.

(checked on this and it was Urban)

-I was impressed with Ricky Stanzi.

-Allen Bailey is an absolute monster and fan favorite.

-Andy Studebaker looks as though he is already the starter…he really wants it and it is evident.

Remember if you want to contribute to AA’s training camp coverage like Ryan, please email me at patrick.arrowheadaddict@gmail.com.

Videos after the jump.

(more…)

The 2011 NFL season will be Cassel’s third with the Chiefs since coming over from the New England Patriots. After a rough first season with the Chiefs in 2009 where Cassel had a quarterback rating of 69.9, second worst in the AFC west only behind JeMarcus Russell, he bounced back with a great overall performance in 2010.

(more…)

When healthy, there is no doubt that Dexter McCluster can make an impact. The question is, were his 2009 injury issues a sign of things to come?

The Kansas City Chiefs have a number of young, talented players but while some of them seem to be reaching their potential, others are still falling a little short. I thought for a lazy, Saturday activity, we could do a little poll of Addict Nation to see which player you think has the most to prove in 2011.

It made sense. Sproles is from Kansas City and the Chiefs were about to embark on a draft where they would look to add players with speed and play-mnaking ability. They were also in desperate need of a return man.

Not long after the report that the Chiefs were interested in Sproles, the Chargers changed course and tendered the RB, taking him off the free agent market.

(more…)

Source: Yarkbarker.com

The Kansas City Chiefs 2011 NFL schedule was released November 19th, and to no one was surprised the Chiefs are slated to face much stiffer completion in 2011.  This increase in competition will mean that the Chiefs players, particularly the starters, will have to come ready and prepared when the season starts.

I’ll give you my preliminary take on how I see it all shaking out after the jump.

(more…)

Remember when the Chiefs signed Kendrell Bell?  I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.  It seemed like such a great move.  And the fan base, naturally, was psyched*.  Unfortunately, as so often happens in sports, things didn’t go as planned.  Bell had never fully recovered from a season-ending shoulder injury suffered with the Steelers in 2004.  2005 showed us a shell of a man, unable to make plays or even get to them.  He was a total non-factor.  It was unfortunate, but it was obvious: Bell was washed up at 25.

*Check out the official Kendrell Bell website.  Still up-and-running.  “The hardest hitter in the league is now the hardest hitter on the web!”  I got a good laugh out of that.  I also voted in the online poll.  The question was “do you think the Chiefs made good moves in preparation for the 2009 season?”  I voted no.  There are now three votes for no and one for yes, which the site has broken down to 74.4% no and 25.6% yes.  Presumably there is a .6% margin of error.  Also, why does this site have a poll about the 2009 Chiefs when Bell’s last year with the team was 2007?  If it was just a graveyard that would be one thing, but someone was still updating it two years after he left?  Some really weird stuff going on in that site.  I put it in my favorites, and will be visiting once weekly, preferably on the sabbath. If someone is still checking the site’s stat counter I want them to know I’m there.

And then a funny thing happened.  Bell was brought back for another year.  Rather than admit their mistake, the Chiefs embraced it.  They started talking about unleashing him in 2006.  He was referred to as a pass-rush specialist despite getting only one sack in 2005.  Kendrell Bell wasn’t the problem, he was the solution.

Of course that isn’t how it worked out.  Bell was just as bad in 2006.  Hardly surprising considering, you know, he still had the same DNA and everything.  But we went through the motions.  An entire second season full of painful-to-watch starts (and one more sack).  Finally, mercifully, another injury endEd Bell‘s career in 2007.  The Chiefs finally had a way to sweep their horrendous mistake under the rug without having to admit they were wrong.  The perfect crime.  Bell was promptly executed in the dungeons below Arrowhead.

How is this relevant?  Well, I assume you’ve read the title.  Thom Jones will be back in 2011.  And, dig this gang: he’s going to be even better than he was in 2010!  The rest of the league is officially on notice.

(more…)

So here I was, all ready to dissect the shocking, fifth-round-fortune-shaping impact of the recent Kansas City Chiefs-Detroit Lions tampering scandal, when I realized: hey, it’s Oscar Week. And three weeks after the Super Bowl and seven weeks after the Chiefs’ last game,* it’s at least a mild comfort to once again have an over-hyped contest to watch on TV come Sunday, perfect for side bets and drinking games.

*It was an honor just being nominated. Oh, bullshit.

But I can understand if red-carpet cocktails and Oscar pools aren’t exactly any kind of substitute for pre-game tailgating and fantasy team-tracking. So in an attempt to bridge the divide, I went ahead and devised this quick quiz for your amusement.*

*What, you’d rather read more about the CBA?

(more…)

"Hey Tyson, Matt Finucane, Arrowhead Addict. So how fat do you plan on getting next year?"

My initial intention was to give Pioli a grade like everyone else. However, I quickly realized any letter I assigned him would be completely arbitrary. As I’ve said, I’m inclined to give him more credit than Todd Haley for our turnaround. But that’s more a reflection of my feelings on Haley than Pioli. Haley may turn out to be a good coach, but a master architect he is most definitely not. If he were in charge his first order of business would probably be to extend Thom Jones’ contract.

People have been heaping praise on Scott Pioli from the second he got here.  He was immediately declared a personnel genius.  His drafting, which none of us knew anything about beforehand, was proclaimed a specialty.  His approval rating on Arrowheadpride has always been ridiculously high.  Hell, on this very site last week one of our commenters said Pioli “won 3 Super Bowls.” 

It’s hard for me to know which way to lean on this.  On a personal level, I don’t like Pioli.  The secrecy, the arrogance, The Patriot Way, it all rubs me wrong.  And yet here we are, back to respectability just 2 years after Herm and Carl (The Lie Guys) did their best to flush our reputation down the turlet.  Surely someone deserves credit for that.  If not Pioli, I’m having a hard time thinking of who that someone should be. 

more after the jump:

(more…)

Source: Yardbarker.com

After missing multiple weeks with what is believed to have been a high ankle sprain, Chiefs rookie WR Dexter McCluster was back at practice today, taking part in all aspects.

From Josh Looney via Twitter:

JoshLooney Josh Looney

Good news out of #Chiefs practice today; Dexter McCluster (ankle) practices in full for first time in a month. Moeaki back too -head/limited

This is welcomed news for the Chiefs who have lacked a bit of offensive spark since McCluster’s departure. Dexter’s return should also make life a little bit easier on WR Dwayne Bowe and RB Jamaal Charles. Bowe has been the Chiefs’ only legitimate receiving threat with McCluster out (not that it has hurt his production much) and Charles has had to be used more frequently as a wideout to keep defenses honest.

McCluster adds a big threat element to the Chiefs offense and they will need it as they try to get their second road win of the season Sunday in Seattle.

What do you think Addicts? Will McCluster make an immediate impact when he returns?

Source: Yardbarker.com

The Kansas City Chiefs have wrapped up the media portion of practice today and the reports are pouring in on which players are the most banged up.

Here are the highlights:

-Tony Moeaki was not present at all. He is reported to have a concussion. I’d say he is out for Sunday.

-Matt Cassel has a busted left ankle. Nick Wright tweeted that Cassel was dead last in sprints today. Cassel had a noticeable limp during last weeks game. It is likely a sprain that he will play through though his mobility could be an issue.

-Brian Waters has a groin injury and sat out today while rookie Jon Asamoagh took snaps in his stead.

-Kedrick Lewis, who has been battling a hamstring injury, was running through drills according to Josh Looney.

-Dexter McCluster is still limited…

-Lastly, Nick Wright tweeted that Todd Haley appears to be dealing with some sort of leg injury that is causing him trouble when walking. Haley figures to be probable for Sunday’s game.

What do you make of the injury news Addicts?

Source: Yardbarker.com

No reason not to believe him this time. Wright has been right about everything McCluster so far.

getnickwright nick wright

SCOOP- #Chiefs WR Dexter McCluster will NOT play Sunday at Denver. Still dealing with high ankle sprain.

Looks like the Chiefs will have to go at least one more week without their x-factor.

Source: Yardbarker.com

The Kansas City Chiefs have been without one of their most versatile offensive weapons for two games.

That may be about to change.

Reports from the media portion of practice are coming in and the word on the street is that WR Dexter McCluster is still limited but is participating in individual drills. This is a big step forward for McCluster who has been pretty much just standing around playing catch since he went down with an ankle injury in the team’s victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Nick Wright of 610 Sports reported some time ago that McCluster has a high ankle sprain and that he would miss several weeks.

Chances are the Chiefs are testing McCluster’s ankle out today to see how it responds. The Chiefs could use McCluster to help spark their recently anemic offense but the team likely doesn’t want to rush him back and risk doing further damage to the injured ankle.

If I had to guess I would say that even if McCluster’s ankle responds well he will be a game time decision. If the ankle doesn’t respond well then McCluster is likely to sit out another week.

JoshLooney Josh Looney Kendrick Lewis (hamstring) and Dexter McCluster (ankle) remain “limited” with their injuries; Brian Waters (shoulder) limited too #Chiefs

Crap. I don’t like the sound of this. Not one bit. With the way the Broncos throw the ball we need Lewis and his speed back and with our offense needing to get jump started, I don’t want to see both McCluster and Waters riding the pine.

I’m feeling discouraged. Tell me it is going to be alright.

Source: Yardbarker.com

When the Kansas City Chiefs begin their preparations for the Denever Broncos today, they will hopefully do so with the services of rookie WR Dexter McCluster.

The Chiefs are 1-1 since McCluster went down with what is believed to be a high ankle sprain. In both games he has missed, the Chiefs have struggled on offense, scoring only 13 points against Buffalo and 20 in Oakland.

While McCluster hasn’t put up huge numbers for the Chiefs when he was playing, his contributions to the offense have been enormous. McCluster must be watched closely whenever he is on the field, whether he actually ends up with the football or not. His speed and versatility make him an extremely dangerous offensive weapon and a perfect decoy for a team like the Chiefs that likes to run the football.

More after the jump.

(more…)

It is time to throw Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel a bone.

If you’ve been reading this site for more than a couple of weeks, you know that I have been highly critical of Cassel. I have particularly been hard on him about his completion percentage which has spent more time on the wrong side of 60 percent than I would like. However, now that we are halfway through the season I think it is time to give the Chiefs signal caller another look.

After giving it much thought, I think that Matt Cassel is in a very tough position with this year’s team. He is a quarterback with no receivers.

(more…)

kentbabb Kent Babb Dexter McCluster is still not fully participating in practice. Safety Kendrick Lewis was back working at full speed, though.

Kent Babb via Twitter

Source: Yardbarker.com

Happy Halloween and happy game day Addicts. Today the Kansas City Chiefs will host the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium and Todd Haley’s team hopes the scariest thing they’ll have to deal with today is the putrid play of the Buffalo Bills.

No game can be considered easy in the NFL and the Buffalo Bills are desperate for a win. I liken today’s game t a zombie movie. Sure, one on one a zombie isn’t that dangerous. They’re decaying, they’re slow and they’re stupid but the are blood thirsty and will stop at nothing to devourer your brains.

The Buffalo Bills are the zombie today. They are 0-6. They aren’t going to win ten straight and make the playoffs. They have nothing to lose but another game. Trick plays, 4th down conversions, options, it is all available for the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs had better keep their heads on a swivel or the Buffalo Bills might just sneak out of the dark, bite them and turn them into the zombies of the AFC West.

Tricks and treats after the jump.

(more…)

That means some of the other wide receivers will have to step up. Chances are we will see Chris Chambers return to the lineup alongside Dwayne Bowe and Terrance Copper. My guess is that Chambers may be inserted as the slot receiver because Haley is probably happy with Copper, especially after he climbed the ladder last week and came down with a tough catch for a first down.

Still, there may be times when Haley wants to give one of his receivers a breather and in that situation he may turn to rookie WR Verann Tucker.

Tuckers was undrafted out of California. He was on the team’s practice squad until WR Jeremy Horne injured himself and was cut. Tucker was promoted to the main roster and Horne was added to the practice squad.

There has been some buzz coming out of practice about Tucker. He is 6-1 and 204 pounds so he could create a decent mismatch against a smaller corner.

Have a look at a Verran Tucker highlight after the jump.

(more…)

The Kansas City Chiefs have released their official injury report for their Halloween showdown with the Buffalo Bills. 

Three players appeared on the report. 

Ryan Lilja (hand) is listed as questionable but he was a full participant in practice. If we are to believe Nick Wirght’s report from last night, Lilja has a broken thumb and will play. My guess is that Wright is right. Lilja is a touch SOB. He’ll tape that sucker up and play. 

Reshard Langford (ankle), who has been injured since Kimble Anders played for the Chiefs, is questionable and was limited at practice. 

Last but most certainly not least, we come to WR Dexter McCluster (ankle). Wright reported last night that McCluster has a high ankle sprain and will miss several weeks. High ankle sprains are tricky and the key to getting them healed is rest. If McCluster tries to play on the bas ankle he could make things worse. 

No disrespect to the Bills but this may be the easiest game the Chiefs play all year. They are more than capable of winning it without McCluster. I think if rest is what the rookie needs, rest is what he will get this Sunday. My guess is the team is listing him as questionable just to make Buffalo prepare for DMC, even if just a little. 

What do you think Addicts? Will DMC play on Sunday?

Source: Yardbarker.com

This could be bad news for the Kansas City Chiefs offense.

I was just about to head to bed when I took one last look at my Twitter page and I didn’t like what I saw. Nick Wright of 610 Sports is reporting that Dexter McCluster has a high ankle sprain and could miss multiple weeks.

This seems to make sense based on what we have been hearing out of Arrowhead. McCluster left Sunday’s game and did not return. He was later seen on crutches and in a walking boot. There have been reports that McCluster has been seen limping this week.

These high ankle sprains can keep a player out for a while.

Again this is not a confirmed report but I tend to believe Wright. He was right about Tyson Jackson injury after the first game so I doubt he is making it up.

Wright also reported that guard Ryan Lilja has has a broken thumb and that Mike Vrabel has a dislocated finger. Wright claims both will play Sunday.

We’ll keep you updated if we hear anything.

Source: Yardbarker.com

The Kansas City Chiefs continued their preparation for the Buffalo Bills today but they did so with a few injured players.

WR Dexter McCluster, who suffered an ankle injury of some kind against the Jacksonville Jaguars, was again limited in practice. Earlier in the week McCluster had been seen on crutches and in a walking boot. While he is no longer using either he still is not a full participant in practice and is said to be limping.

Guard Ryan Lilja was also limited and is said to be suffering from a hand injury. It is doubtful Lilja, a veteran offensive lineman, will sit out the game because of a hand injury. I expect the Chiefs coaches are just giving him some time to heal up.

Reshard Langford, who has been on the injured list forever, was also limited with an ankle injury.

Vote For TJ

Don’t forget Chiefs running back Thomas Jones is up for the Fedex Ground Player of the Week Award. Don’t let the Raiders Darren McFadden beat Jones. Get over to NFL.com and vote for TJ before it is too late.You can vote as many times as you like so get to it.

Source: Yardbarker.com

The Kansas City Chiefs have been pretty lucky on the injury front so far this season.

Unfortunately their luck may have run out.

Chiefs rookie sensation Dexter McCluster is apparently suffering from an ankle injury that had him in a walking boot and n crutches earlier this week. Today during the media portion of practice McCluster was out of the boot and off the crutches but was noticeably limping and was not taking part in drills despite being in full dress.

Other players limited in practice were guard Ryan Lilja (hand) and safety Reshard Langford (ankle).

McCluster suffered a lower leg injury in Sunday’s game against Jacksonville, and he was on crutches earlier this week and also wore a walking boot.

On Wednesday, the Chiefs rookie — and one of its most versatile players — was playing catch during receiving warm-ups but wasn’t running. He was barely doing any walking, but when he did move around, it wasn’t with a noticeable limp.

Kent Babb of the KC Star

Source: Yardbarker.com

Adam Caplan of Fox Sports.com is reporting that the Kansas City Chiefs worked out four players over the weekend.

Three of the players were former Patriots. Go figure.

According to Caplan the team worked out WRs Kelly Washington and Sam Aiken as well as LB Pier Woods and S Derrick Alexander.

It makes sense that the Chiefs would be working out receivers given their severe lack of depth at the position. Alexander also makes sense as after Eric Berry, Kendrick Lewis and John McGraw the Chiefs have no depth. Former CB Donald Washington did some filling in for Lewis during the Houston game and played terribly.

If the Chiefs do decide to sign any of these players look for the to do it today. Tuesday is a team day off and has come to be known as “transaction Tuesday.”

My guess is if they sign anyone it will be one of the receivers. There is an unkonwn (to us) injury to Dexter McCluster and with Chris Chambers apparently in Haley’s doghouse, the Chiefs are desperate for bodies at WR.