It’s that time of year again, when we all scour every mock draft we can find and endlessly ponder and argue about what the Chiefs should do once April 25^th rolls around.

Everyone has an opinion, most formed forged by a mix of personal preferences, tape study, and a survey of mocks and expert commentary. The problem is that draft science is far from a real science and Mel Kiper Jr. is not god. In fact, the man is our creation – he exists as a result of our obsession and boredom this time of year, and don’t get me wrong, I listen to his podcast, read his articles and scan through all of his mocks. Still, that is far from meaning that the Chiefs should take his advice on Draft day.

The big theme of this round of draft chatter is about how none of the QB’s are worthy of the first overall pick so therefore the Chiefs should steer clear of them with their first selection, choosing instead one of the standout pass-rushers or linemen.

Perhaps it’s my background as a journalist, but I hate groupthink and that includes the conventional wisdom that builds up around this time every year and then gets shattered by the guys actually making the decisions. Let’s be clear, regardless of whatever the self-styled draft scientists say, the player that is worth the Chiefs 1^st pick is the player most likely to make the team better, Kiper’s big board be damned.

To me, it is obvious that this player is whoever the Chiefs deem to be the best quarterback prospect available. I believe that player to be Geno Smith, but what John Dorsey thinks is far more important than my amateur evaluation. In the coming weeks I will go through and detail why the Chiefs shouldn’t pick each individual other prospect that the so-called experts have mocked to them, but for now, I just want to point out that Dorsey has a much better track record than the “experts” when it comes to drafting quality players.

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s compare the Packers’ 1^st-round picks since 2005 with what the scientists wanted them to choose:

2012: LB Nick Perry

Pick #: 28

Result: Jury Still Out. Perry started five games this season and racked up a couple of sacks, but couldn’t stay healthy and finished the year on injured reserve with a wrist injury.

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

2011: T Derek Sherrod

Pick #: 32

Result: Jury Still Out. I know it seems like a cop-out, but Sherrod has also seen limited time due to injury. He broke both the tibia and fibula in his leg during the team’s stunning loss to the Chiefs in 2011 and hasn’t been back on the field since. Before then, he started five games giving up no sacks but generating concern in Green Bay about his grasp of the fundamentals.

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

2010: T Bryan Bulaga

Pick #: 23

Result: High-end starter. Drafted late in the round, Bulaga has played right tacklke for three years “near a Pro Bowl level” and will get a shot at playing left tackle in 2013, according to the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel.

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

2009: B.J. Raji

Pick #: 9

Result: Franchise player. Raji is a major force at his position and a difference-maker in games.

Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

2009: LB Clay Mathews

Pick #: 26

Result: Franchise player. Ditto for Matthews. 42.5 sacks since being drafted. ‘Nuff said.

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

2007: DT Justin Harrell

Pick #: 16

Result: Bust due to injury. There is an odd theme to injury being the bane of the Packers’ most promising young players, but it was again the case here. He was cut in 2011 after four disappointing seasons, which the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel summed up thusly: “Harrell never quite had a chance to cash in on his potential as injuries robbed him each season.” Still, he was drafted with a torn bicep suffered in college and was a risky pick on the behalf of the Packers’ front office.

2006: OLB A.J. Hawk

Pick #: 5

Result: High-end starter. ESPN insider describes him as: “an excellent combination of size, strength and athleticism for the position. He is an instinctive player who understands angles and how to the leverage the football. He has improved attacking the line of scrimmage being more physical on contact. He is solid as a zone coverage defender but may get exposed in combination man schemes.”

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

2005: QB Aaron Rodgers

Pick #: 24

Result: Living legend. A-Rodg probably has to get another Super Bowl victory to punch his ticket to Canton, but he is one of the best three quarterbacks playing this game right now, possibly the very best.

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

All and all, not a bad haul for eight first-round picks – one bust, two high-end starters, two franchise players, and one superstar that will define this generation for the team. I don’t need to remind you of what the Chiefs got themselves through these years, but suffice to say it is significantly less stellar.

How did the experts do? Well, this is what Kiper, king of the draftniks, wanted Green Bay to do all of these years:

2012: LB Nick Perry

Ok, this one was sort of obvious. Green Bay needed a pass-rushing threat opposite Clay Matthews and Perry was projected to be the only one available at this spot.

2011: T Derek Sherrod

Ditto. Also shows that these iffy picks were eminently popular.

2010:  G Mike Iupati

Real pick #: 17 by San Francisco

Result: High-end starter. Scouts Inc. has him ranked as the 49ers’ 6^th best player.

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

2009: CB Malcom Jenkins

Real pick #: 14 by New Orleans

Result: Good starter. The Saints moved him to free safety where he shows good overall skills on that dreadful defense but hasn’t been a difference maker. He has four interceptions in four seasons.

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

2008: CB Antoine Cason

Real pick #: 27 by San Diego

Result: High-end starter. He gives up big plays, but is overall still a solid d-back. His Madden 13 overall rating was 86, which is pretty dern good.

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

2007: RB Marshawn Lynch

Real pick #: 12 by Buffalo

Result: High-end starter. Lynch is a borderline franchise player and definitely would have been a good pick for Green Bay if Buffalo hadn’t snatched him four picks earlier. It’s also important to note, however, that Lynch was a trouble-maker who washed out for his first team, which very well could have been the Packers instead of the Bills.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

2006: A.J. Hawk

Right again! Rival expert Todd McShay had the Packers taking TE Vernon Davis. Now that would be scary.

2005: S/OLB (?) Thomas Davis

Real pick #: 14 by Carolina

Result: Mediocre player. Davis’ biggest problems lately have been health. He only played nine games in three seasons from 2009 to 2011 and didn’t stand out in 15 starts in 2012, picking up 68 tackles, no sacks and one interception for the Panthers.

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

So matched up against the real Green Bay front office, Kiper would have gotten for them four high-end starters plus one good and one mediocre player vs. one superstar, two franchise players, two high-end starters and a bust. That, of course is what conventional wisdom brings – low-risk moves that pay off but make no home runs.

Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Was 24 the right spot for Aaron Rodgers to be drafted? Well, we know now that it definitely was not. Instead, Alex Smith was taken 1^st overall that year followed by RB Ronnie Brown, WR Braylon Edwards, RB Cedric Benson, RB Cadillac Williams and CB Pacman Jones. Why? Well, it was a strong running back draft class, just like this is a strong draft for defensive front-seven players.

This is why the “best player available” philosophy is always so misunderstood. Best player available doesn’t mean “next player on Kiper’s Big Board” or “the consensus pick by the draft scientists.” It means finding a player with something special that you can envision helping your team, possibly leading it to the promised land. John Dorsey is much better at that part of the game than any of the talking heads, and has proven it.

Forget about what the crowd says would be “good value” for Chiefs #1 pick. Good value is going to be getting the best quarterback for the future we can. Trading Albert for a young tackle prospect is not good value. Picking up another overhyped D-lineman or undersized pass-rusher isn’t either.

In short, don’t listen to the chatter. Dorsey’s got this.

Jan 22, 2013; Mobile AL, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey discusses with his scouts and coaches following the Senior Bowl South Squad practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

“Winning isn’t everything—it’s the only thing.”

This legendary sports quote is most often attributed to legendary coach Vince Lombardi,* but rarely is it reprinted in its entirety: “Winning isn’t everything—it’s the only thing I love more than picking up candy wrappers.”

*Speaking of Green Bay, I didn’t get to see much of the games this past weekend, but I’m looking forward to Sunday. What time is Saints-Packers?

In the history of sports and coaching—particularly the rarified domain of big-time professional sports ownership and leadership—there have always been idiosyncratic personalities. That’s not news, and it’s one of the reasons why Kansas City Star reporter Kent Babb’s examination of “Arrowhead Anxiety” was as credible in its concept as it was dreadful in some of its details.

The sidebar—“Gold, greed lead to murder”—is actually unrelated.

Babb’s story was a solid piece of reporting, based on weeks of investigation and reflection and more than 30 interviews (as it should be—I wish I hadn’t been so pleasantly surprised by its thoroughness). For that alone, it deserved to be on the front page. As to whether it deserved to be the front page—for anyone who hasn’t seen the hard copy, Babb’s story (and its accompanying, menacing graphic) occupy about 80 percent of the broadsheet (right)—or to be the only sports story discussed in Kansas City and to make its way to many other markets, I have mixed feelings.

Actually, not mixed at all—I hate that we’re talking about this, because even though football is the undercurrent and the reason we care, actual football-on-the-field is removed from this discussion. I understand it’s interesting that Chiefs executives may seem more preoccupied with the surreptitious routes their employees take to lunch (so as not to be seen fraternizing with one another) than they are with Dwayne Bowe’s pass routes,* but does that mean we should be? Can’t we all just get back to relishing the end of Tebow Time?**

*I stole that clever route comparison from Nick Wright, who spent about four hours—three-and-a-half hours too many—discussing this on his show yesterday.

**And its return next fall, which, I feel, will ultimately be a good thing for the Chiefs (and all of the Denver Broncos’ opponents).

Yes, I’m writing about it right now, and no, I don’t think I’m hypocritical for doing so. Not wanting to talk about something and believing it can’t be ignored are two different things. I’m adding to the hubbub,* but I hope that by talking it out now, we will all see this story fade away sooner.

*Couldn’t decide whether to go with “hubbub” or “hullabaloo.” Hullabaloo? Yeah, I should have used hullabaloo.

Because I don’t have much at all to add—it’s hard to imagine how anyone could—to the comprehensive scrutiny laid down by Big Matt and Lyle yesterday. I appreciate the points made all around. I agree with most of Matt’s observations and roughly 100 percent of Lyle’s conclusions (and in the comments, it sounds like Matt agrees more than disagrees, too). So before I leave it at that, I will share just a couple of my own, none-too-profound reactions to the article and its allegations…

(more…)

“I want [my players] to be strong, I want them to be tough, I want them to be physical, I want them to be aggressive, I want them to be tenacious….did I forget anything? Smart? Yes, that should’ve been at the forefront.”

—Romeo Crennel, upon accepting the job as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs
January 9, 2012

Yep, the Kansas City Chiefs and Romeo Crennel made it official. This interim is over, and yesterday they got together to let the world know: They are in love. For now, at least. Even when you’ve started out as friends, any serious relationship takes work—What’s the give and take? How do we want to raise our family? Who will be our starting quarterback?—and this partnership might take more work than most.

The Chiefs, of course, are at a crucial juncture. Some think one small tweak* could lead them to the Super Bowl. But the possibilities are downright Shakespearean. Will we see tragedy, as we did for too many recent years, or comedy—you know, the good Shakespearean kind that always has a happy ending but for some reason isn’t really funny at all? Or just another comedy of errors?

*Peyton Manning?

Crennel has said all the right things publicly—he is here to win a championship and thinks it can happen and soon—but what is he really thinking?

At times when I feel like I don’t have nearly as much as others to add to this ongoing Chiefs conversation in terms of facts, figures, and analysis (these times include the off-season, the pre-season, the post-season, and, occasionally, the regular season), I opt to have some fun and squeeze my ramblings into rhyme or rap or greeting cards or even Mad Libs.

So here we go: In tribute to Romeo Crennel’s namesake* and with apologies to Bill Shakespeare (or whoever really wrote Romeo & Juliet and those other plays that bear his name) and to all of you, I offer our fair Romeo’s first inner monologue as Chiefs head coach—yes, in iambic pentameter (except, you know, when it’s not)…

*Seriously, Crennel is named after Shakespeare’s Romeo. He even has a sister named Juliet.

(more…)

It was a painful Christmas weekend for the Chiefs and their fans. Hope was high when the day began and even later, the best outcome seemed highly possible: everything was falling into place—if only Kansas City could pull out a win at home. But a failed field-goal attempt at the end of regulation meant overtime and ultimately, one big play and a relatively short field goal—and the Chiefs were officially out of the playoffs.

Hard to believe it was 40 years ago.

Wait. What? Which game were you watching?

Yes, one day after the Raiders defeated the Chiefs in overtime, for their fifth straight win at Arrowhead*, I found myself masochistically sitting through another heartbreaking Chiefs loss in overtime. Double overtime.

*The last time that had happened at Arrowhead? It hadn’t.

I’ve written before about my joy in reliving past Chiefs glory that I was not living to enjoy in the first place. On Sunday, I almost too eagerly took the chance to experience some of the pain I wasn’t yet born* to appreciate, either: The NFL Network had cobbled together some never-before-rebroadcast archival footage for an hour-long special commemorating “The Longest Game Ever,” Kansas City’s 1971 division playoff against the Miami Dolphins, which was—spoiler alert!—the longest game ever, lasting well into its second overtime before—double spoiler alert—Kansas City succumbed 27-24 on a Garo Yepremian field goal.

*Though, as I indirectly explained to my daughter, the game plays a role in my being born:

[There is] a story I like to repeat, though I most definitely was not there: On December 25, 1971, [your grandmother] was watching the historic Chiefs-Dolphins divisional playoff, which I’m sure you know is still the longest game in NFL history (that’s why it’s historic!). When the game went into a second overtime, she had to choose whether or not to leave to go on a scheduled date with your grandfather. She went. This started a process—one that, I hope, your own mother will be the one to explain to you in several years—that eventually resulted in me.

In fact, when my father came to pick up my mom, it was the first time he had ever met his future in-laws, who were visiting—and at that moment glued to the TV. They would claim, jokingly—though we were never sure how much so—that they couldn’t remember meeting him that day.

Though it is part of my own family’s lore, I had never known all the little details and dramas of that day—an unseasonably 63-degree Christmas Day, which was seen as an ominous sign against a team from south Florida. The players were somewhat bummed to be playing on Christmas, an NFL first, though Len Dawson reminds viewers that many were just happy to be playing for an extra paycheck in an era when football salaries didn’t always make ends meet (Bobby Bell was working full time for General Motors—being an all-Pro linebacker for the Chiefs was merely his second job).

In the end, it would come down to the kickers. Miami’s Garo Yepremian, who looks not unlike Wallace Shawn as Vizzini in The Princess Bride, was “the smallest man in professional football,” and had spent the previous two years selling his own line of neckties. Jan Stenerud, meanwhile, was “not just a kicker, but also an athlete”—no offense, kickers—who revolutionized the position as the first dominant soccer-style kicker,* and is still the only “pure kicker” voted into the Pro-Football Hall of Fame. In fact, this game featured 15 future Hall-of-Famers (12 on the field, both head coaches, and one beloved owner). Statistically, though, the game belonged to the unlikely Ed Podolak, whose 350 all-purpose yards set an NFL playoff record that still stands.

*Have you seen the straight-ahead style kickers used to use? It’s amazing they ever made a field goal from more than 10 yards away.

However, the game would be most remembered for how the foremost kicker in the league turned into the Lin Elliot of his day, if only for one day. Stenerud missed two field goals, including a potential game-winner near the end of regulation, and had another attempt blocked in overtime. Yepremian also missed, but not twice. Eighty-two minutes and 40 seconds after the game began (according to the game clock), the short, bald former tie-maker unmade this tie with a 37-yard field goal, and the favored Chiefs were out. Inconceivable!

(more…)

The Chiefs really dominated this game and should have been well ahead at the half, but for their complete inability to convert on three trips into the red zone. In the end, they survived a brief comeback by the Packers to get their first win without Todd Haley at the controls. Orton also had a nice advantage of this being his second time around against the Packers, having faced them when he led the Broncos back in Week 4.

For the Packers things simply just weren’t firing. Aaron Rodgers seemed strangely off target, and then his O-line started to drop like flies and leak pressure badly, making his job even harder.  Let’s find out what else went on in one of the biggest surprise games of Week 15.

Check out PFF’s performances of note right here.

From greenbaypressgazette.com:

A drunken woman grabbed her 11-year-old daughter by the neck and choked her on Sunday after becoming angered by the Green Bay Packers game, police said…

The woman was drinking alcohol and became upset because the Packers were losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. The girl said that after the Packers lost, her mother choked her again with enough force that she couldn’t breathe, the criminal complaint said….

I can understand feelings of anger and rage related to watching NFL football. There were plenty of times this season I wanted to strangle Todd Haley and Barry Richardson but I sure never grabbed the nearest person and throttled them.

Sheesh.

My favorite part is after the jump.

(more…)

Kyle Orton and the Kansas City Chiefs have been nominated for the Never Say Never Moment of the Week award for their victory over the Green Bay Packers.

These awards are actually all sponsored by various companies. There is a Rookie of the Week award and an Air and Ground Player of the Week award. I’d grown tired of giving these companies free advertising so I am going to spare you mentioning the sponsor names here. =)

Anyway, if you would like to vote for Kyle and the boys, head on over to NFL.com now to vote and watch the NFL.com highlight video of Sunday’s win.

The Kansas City Chiefs shocked the NFL when they beat the Green Bay Packers yesterday.

The win was truly a team effort by the coaches and players on both sides of the ball. But who had the greatest impact on Sunday’s win?

A lot of things needed to fall right for the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday and a lot will need to go right for them to make the playoffs but after a roller coaster season, KC fans have to be believing that anything is possible.

A loss to the Packers would have eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention. Their record already has them out of the wild card race and so their only road to the playoffs is by repeating as AFC West Champions.

To make up ground, the Chiefs needed to beat the Packers but they also needed the Denver Broncos to lose. Both those things happened on Sunday and so now the Chiefs’ road to the postseason is a clear one.

Find out what needs to happen over the next two weeks for the Chiefs to make the playoffs, after the jump.

(more…)

The Kansas City Chiefs upset the Green Bay Packers in Romeo Crennel’s first game as interim head coach.

It was as complete a game as the Chiefs have played all season long. Kyle Orton seemed to spark the struggling KC offense and although they had difficulty finding the end zone, there is no doubt that KC was a different team with Orton under center.

Here are some initial observations from the game:

-Kyle Orton was terrific

For a guy playing with a bad finger in his first start with a brand new team, Orton was sensational Sunday. He out-dueled Rodgers and although he didn’t throw any TD passes, Orton completed a number of crucial passes that helped move the chains for the Chiefs and keep the Packers offense off the field. Orton finished the day with 299 yards passing. He was 23 of 31 with a 104.1 QB rating. If he continues to play well, Orton could spark quite a bit of controversy and debate when it comes to deciding who will be the QB of the Chiefs in 2012.

(more…)

The Kansas City Chiefs shocked the world by being the first team in 364 days to defeat the Green Bay Packers.

The offense struggled to find the end zone but they moved the ball enough to keep Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense off the field.

We’ll have much, much more, but for now it is time to celebrate. Use this thread to praise Romeo, Orton and the defense. The Chiefs have won and against all odds, are still alive in the race to win the AFC  West!

The Kansas City Chiefs will square off against the undefeated Green Bay Packers today at Arrowhead Stadium.

The game will feature a couple of interesting story lines for the Chiefs. QB Kyle Orton will get his first start since being acquired via the waiver wire in November. Should Orton suffer any setbacks with his injured finger, rookie Ricky Stanzi will be the second string QB.

Join members of the AA staff and readership in the comments of this post to talk live during the game. Go Chiefs! Shock the world.

The Kansas City Chiefs will try to be the first team in about a year to defeat the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers today at Arrowhead Stadium.

Since the game has the potential to be a blowout (Chiefs doing the blowing of course) I thought it might be fun to play a little over/under before today’s game. Later this week we can check back to see who got the most right.

The game is simple. I’ll make a list of possible scenarios that involve predicting a number.

For example: Thomas Jones will have two fumbles.

If you think Jones will fumble more than twice, vote over. If less, vote under. If you think I got it just right, vote PUSH.

The reader/AA staffer who gets the most correct will win bragging rights until next week’s game. Have fun and leave your guesses in the comments.

(more…)

The Kansas City Chiefs will try to shock the world by defeating the Green Bay Packers today at Arrowhead Stadium.

We’ve got all the info you need to catch today’s game.

When: Sunday, Dec. 18 at 1:00 p.m. ET

Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

Watch: FOX

Distribution Map: The506.com

Listen: WTMJ 620 AM in Milwaukee, KCFX 101.1 FM in Kansas City

Live Streaming Audio: NFL.com Audio Pass

Betting Line: Green Bay (-14)

The Kansas City Chiefs will try to do what no team has done in some time by beating the Green Bay Packers tomorrow afternoon.

In an effort to gather some intel on how to beat an unbeatable team, I sat down with Ray Rivard of Lombardi Ave, FanSided’s Green Bay Packers site.

Let’s go Inside The Enemy Camp with Lombardi Ave.

Do you ever get bored after watching blowout wins every week?

It’s not been boring watching the Green Bay Packers this season. Though they have dominated teams with their offensive prowess, you just never know what the defense is going to bring.

That’s what’s made this team entertaining to watch … At least for me. The defense has allowed teams to move up and down the field, but always seems to come up with the huge defensive stop when they need it … The interception, fumble recovery, the fourth down stop … This opportunistic group just seems to know when to turn it up a notch.

And blowout wins are never boring … Especially when the team is 13-0.

(more…)

Apparently, the Chiefs don’t do so well against AFC East opponents at home in 2011. That is one thing we did learn this weekend. Not only did the winless Miami Dolphins’ streak of, you know, being winless come to an emphatic end with a 31-3 exorcism at Arrowhead, but a couple of other streaks fizzled out on Sunday, too, starting with K.C.’s own recent undefeated stretch. So it looks like there will be no unprecedented 13-3 season after an 0-3 start, no 16-game run to a Super Bowl title. Oh well.

Perhaps, too, this marks the conclusion of Head Coach Todd Haley’s days as a bedraggled, unwashed sideline hobo. “I want to take my hat off to Miami,” he said after the game, effectively announcing an end to the streak in which he has worn the same streaked cap since the autumnal equinox.

But what’s weird, or not so weird, is that—other than dropping the Chiefs back to 4-4 for the first half of the season (and, hey, who saw even that as a strong possibility back in mid-September?)—the unfortunate events of November 6, 2011, tell us almost nothing about what is coming next for this team in the second half of the season.

Will these Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos at home this Sunday? I have no idea. Probably? Maybe not?

Will these Chiefs win the AFC West? I have no idea. Maybe? Probably not? It is possible. Of course it’s possible. They are currently in a three-way tie for first, and as rough as their second half looks, the road facing each of their divisional compatriots looks just as tough. This team could still end up 6-10 or 8-8 or even 9-7, but which nine? Which seven?

So, at the midway point, I might as well make one semi-bold prediction:

The Kansas City Chiefs will beat the Green Bay Packers.

That’s right. You read it here first. Unless, of course, you’d already read it somewhere else, and that’s okay, too.

(more…)

The Green Bay Packers look to defend their Super Bowl Championship by starting the season with a victory over 2009′s Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints.

Join us in the comments of this post to talk about the game and of course, talk about the Chiefs!

The comments update live so there is no need to refresh the page. Simply jump in and join the conversation.

Who are you guys rooting for tonight? Packers or Saints?

The Kansas City Chiefs are in the great state of Wisconsin tonight to take on the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers.

For the Packers, the game is likely going to be a stretch of the legs for their starters before the young players fighting for a roster spot take over.

For the Chiefs, however, it may be something more. Kansas City has not looked good so far this preseason, leaving some the theorize that Todd Haley will play his starters well into the contest. In fact, if you look back at Haley’s press conference, he seems to drop clues that the Chiefs have always planned to treat the fourth preseason game like most NFL teams treat the third; as a dress rehearsal for the regular season.

Whatever the case, the Chiefs will take the field tonight with a lot to accomplish. The starters will look to find a rhythm and the backups will look to secure a roster spot.

Join us in the comments of this post to talk about the action, live! Kickoff is at 7PM central.

Each week we go “Inside The Enemy Camp” and interview the FanSided editor who covers the team the Chiefs will do battle with next. This week, I had a special request to do an exchange with Andy Tisdel of The Oak Creek Patch in Wisconsin. Andy was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about the Packers.

You can also read more about the defending Super Bowl Champs by visiting FanSided’s Packers site Lombardi Ave.

Now, let’s go Inside The Enemy Camp with Andy Tisdel.

 The Packers are the defending Super Bowl champs. That means they are going to have a bulls-eye on them all season. Do you feel they are ready to deal with that pressure or will they suffer from the “dreaded Super Bowl hangover?”

I’m fairly optimistic that they will not, or at least, if they don’t repeat it won’t be because they were still sitting on the Super Bowl victory. I give a big assist to the lockout, because in a normal off-season, the players and coaches all get to parade around and go to events and sort of bask in the glory that they’ve earned. And from what I understand, it gets harder to get the players focused and keep them hungry in minicamps and training camp. This year, there was none of that. They didn’t go to the White House until August, they didn’t have much time to celebrate. Guys were at home, training and staying hungry. If the Packers fall short this year, I don’t think a Super Bowl hangover will be the cause.

However, it’s very true that every team that plays the Packers is going to put special emphasis on it, especially the Bears, Falcons and Giants (all teams that the Packers ran over on the season-ending six-game winning streak). Everybody wants to knock off the defending champs. That’s something they’ll absolutely have to prepare for.

(more…)

Well, Chiefs fans, the bad news is that it’s still the preseason. The good news: The preseason is almost over. And that means that this, thankfully, is my last preseason post.* And since, try as I might, I’m just not able to follow through on this one idea I had of reimagining the Chiefs coaching staff as the cast of Entourage (which is what’s currently playing on the DVR), I guess I’ll have to fall back on my default optimism.

*In a way, I’d like to think of these August posts as my own preseason performances. After a long lockout that saw me resorting to, among other things, visualizing the Best Picture nominees as NFL Films, comparing Steve DeBerg to Abraham Lincoln’s first-term Vice President, extolling the virtues of soccer, and exploiting my infant daughter, I reserve the right to seem rusty now that I am back to writing about what, just for the sake of argument, I will call “actual” football games. But, much like our dear Chiefs, I promise to get my groove back by Week One.

So, putting aside the fact that I could not care less about the outcome of these preseason games—or for that matter, really, the performances, so long as no one gets hurt—could the Chiefs be showing us a little more right now? Of course. Are there reasons to be disappointed by what appear to be some severe shortcomings and a lack of cohesion in game situations? Uh…yeah. But should we be worried? I think you know my answer to that, but I’ll spell it out for you anyway: It starts with “H” and ends with “ell no!”

(more…)

The third preseason game is typically thought of as a dress rehearsal for the regular season.

But will the Kansas City Chiefs treat it that way this year?

Because of the NFL lockout, the Chiefs began their training camp by taking things slow. Head coach Todd Haley held off a bit on beginning full-fledged contact and tackling and that led to a less than impressive preseason debut for the Chiefs.

In the second preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, the Chiefs picked things up a bit and played their starters a little bit longer. Still, Haley pulled his starters long before the Ravens who used some of their key players throughout the entire first half.

Traditionally teams treat the third preseason game as if it is a regular season game. They game plan, open up the playbook a little bit and play their starters into the third quarter. Coaches often claim they want to get their players in the swing of going through a halftime period. Usually, after a series or two into the third quarter, the starters get yanked.

(more…)

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.
(more…)

The Green Bay Packers are Super Bowl champions for the 4th time in their storied history.

The Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31 to 25 in a game where turnovers made the difference. Green Bay lead 21 to 3 midway through the second quarter but the Steelers came roaring back, closing the gap to 21-17 heading into the 4th quarter.

But Aron Rodgers would not be denied. The Packers QB would go on to be named Super Bowl MVP after throwing 24 completions for 304 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions.

Steelers QB Ben Roethilisberger did not fare as well. He threw 2 costly picks to go along with his two TD passes. all in all the Steelers turned the ball over 3 times and that proved to be the difference as the Packers converted those turnovers into points.

Hopefully we’ll be seeing the Kansas City Chiefs in the big game next season (if there is a season) but for now, the Green Bay Packers are the kings of the NFL. Congratulations to the Pack.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers will square off today with the winner being immortalized as the Super Bowl XLV Champions.

Here at Arrowhead Addict we’ve had a little competition of our own going on. The staff has picked each playoff game and today we will crown a champion.

Big Matt had been in first place throughout the playoffs after a strong opening weekend but he got cute last week, picking the Bears and the Jets and he is now in 2nd place.

Here are the standings:

Adam T: 6-4

Merlin: 6-4

Randy: 6-4

Big Matt: 5-5

Patrick: 5-5

Victor: 4-6

Lyle: 5-5

Nick: 3-7

Double D: 3-5 (no picks last week)

After the jump, we have our official picks and the reader standings.

(more…)

To get you ready, we’re going to have the Packers and Steelers square off in a rap anthem smackdown.

This all started when rapper Wiz Khalifa wrote a song called “Black and Yellow.” The video features shots of Pittsburgh and the song title refers to the colors of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Well it turns out Lil Wayne is a Packers fan and he has ripped off the Khalifa song and made his one version to represent Green Bay.

So who has the best anthem? Check them out after the jump.

(more…)

It’s Super Bowl Sunday Addicts! Sure, another year is tainted by the fact that our beloved Kansas City Chiefs aren’t participating in the big game but to be honest, if they were, I’d probably have a tough time enjoying it. I’d be so dog gone nervous all day long my hair would be falling out in clumps. Today, all I’m worried about is making sure I have enough beer and wings for when my buddies get here. Yes I’d rather be freaking out because the Chiefs were playing but life isn’t perfect.

But Super Bowl Sunday is about ass close to a perfect day as I can think of.

After the jump I’ve got a bit of Chiefs related news for you. Later on today we’ll have our official staff picks for the game tonight and some other Super Bowl related posts.

Until then, here’s your Morning Fix!

(more…)

There is only one game that matters remaining in the 2010 NFL season, and the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t in it.  Instead, we will see the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers duke it out in Dallas at the Super Bowl.  Instead of pouting about how the Chiefs didn’t make it to the big game, we should take the opportunity to get a good look at why the Packers and Steelers made.  Those teams have demonstrated how to get to a Super Bowl.  We need to see what we can learn from them so that in the coming years, we can there as well.

Many different kinds of teams can get to the Super Bowl.  Just look at the difference between the teams that went last year compared to the teams that made it this year.  However, there are similarities between the Packers and the Steelers that I will highlight so that we can determine where the Chiefs fell short this year.
(more…)

Source: fantasyknuckleheads.com

The Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears today at Soldier Field and will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl!

It was a game with plenty of ups and downs, especially for the Bears. Chicago couldn’t get anything done on offense with Jay Cutler on the field but their defense managed to keep them in the game, holding the Packers to just 14 points for most of the game.

The Packers D got to jay Cutler and after just one series into the second half, Cutler was done for the day and Todd Collins took over. Collins was terrible and was benched just before the end of the 3rd quarter. He gave way to 3rd string QB Caleb Haine who nearly lead the Bears to an improbable comeback.

In the end, however, the Packers held on and will enjoy some champagne as they watch the AFC Championship game to see who they will face in the Super Bowl.

Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers.

Had all gone as planned, the Kansas City Chiefs would be hosting the NY Jets today instead of the Pittsburgh Steelers but alas, it appears as though our beloved team is still a year or two away from making a Super Bowl run.

Still, we’ve got some very good football on the way and the staff here at Arrowhead Addict has got their picks in. First let’s take a look at the standings. Some of the staff has fallen away for failure to get their picks in so their names are omitted. Randy had a record of 4-2 but forgot to pick two of last week’s games so he was awarded losses for both of those. Lyle missed to picks last week and was also given losses. Big Matt and Adam T. now lead the field with the only +.500 records.

Big Matt: 5-3

Adam T: 5-3

Merlin: 4-4

Randy: 4-4

Patrick: 3-5

Victor: 3-5

Double D: 3-5

Lyle: 3-5

Nick: 2-6

Patrick:

Packers 27, Bears 17

Defense has been ruling in the playoffs thus far and with Chicago playing at home, I want to give the Bears the edge here. However, the fact that the Bears had a week off and then got to play a soft Seattle team is going to hurt them. The Packers on the other hand are battle tested and have gone through Philadelphia and Atlanta on their way to the NFC Championship game and they have done so convincingly. It’s got to be the Pack.

Steelers 16, Jets 9

Talk about a brawl. These two teams are pretty well matched on defense but Pittsburgh clearly has the better QB. The Steelers won’t make the stupid mistakes the Patriots did last week and New York’s run will end here. I’m rooting for the Jets because I don’t cheer for rapists, but the Steelers are going to take this one.

More picks after the jump.

(more…)

Each week here at Arrowhead Addict the staff has picked the upcoming Kansas City Chiefs game. Unfortunately there will be no Kansas City Chiefs game today or tomorrow for that matter but at least we still have some football to entertain us before a long and uncertain offseason.

The staff will pick each game throughout the playoffs and we will keep track of records so that after the Chiefs win the Super Bowl, we can crown an Arrowhead Addict Staff Champion. We encourage you all to get in on the action as well by giving us your picks in the comments. We’ll tally them up and declare an AA Reader Playoff Champion as well.

Let’s take a look at the standings from last week’s picks:

Big Matt: 3-1

Adam T: 2-2

Merlin: 2-2

Randy: 2-2

Patrick: 1-3

Jeremy: 1-3

Kyle: 1-3

Victor: 1-3

Double D: 1-3

Alright so we didn’t do so hot, well except for Big Matt. Unfortunately for Matt, the only one he got wrong was Chiefs/Raven

How did you all do? Let’s take a look at our top reader predictions from last week:

(more…)

This series is brought to you by T.G.I. Friday’s, where every Sunday means Food, Fun & Football! Hut, hut, hut!

Thanks to our good friends at TGI Friday’s, we are going to have a series of sponsored posts on the weekend’s best games. We’ll start with the obvious choice first.

Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) vs. Tennessee Titans (6-8)

The Kansas City Chiefs return home for their last two games of the season this Sunday. The Chiefs need to win their last two contests to finish 11-05 and guarantee themselves the AFC West title and their first playoff appearance since 2006.

The 6-8 Titans are a team in turmoil but they are also not yet eliminated from playoff contention. Still, they need to finish 8-8 to have any home of making the post season and if they fall to the Chiefs, they will be eliminated.

This is a huge game for both teams.

More after the jump.

(more…)

This series is brought to you by T.G.I. Friday’s, where every Sunday means Food, Fun & Football! Hut, hut, hut!

Thanks to our good friends at TGI Friday’s, we are going to have a series of sponsored posts on the weekend’s best games. We’ll start with the obvious choice first.

Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) @ Seattle Seahawks (5-5)

The Kansas City Chiefs got their season back on track with a win over the hapless Arizona Cardinals last week and Sunday they will look to rectify their road woes when they travel to Seattle to take on a former division rival in the Seahawks.

Seattle will be looking to climb back above .500 after suffering an embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Saints.

If Seattle hopes to stop the Chiefs they will have to muster up some defense. They currently rank 30th in the league against that pass giving up 283.2 yards per game.

The Chiefs have struggled on the road so if Seattle can get their passing game going against a Chiefs secondary that is susceptible to the big play, the Seahawks might be able to pull out a victory. This could be a close one.

More after the jump.

(more…)

Source: Yardbarker.com

The Kansas City Chiefs defense followed up with an impressive performance against the Philadelphia Eagles with another solid day against the Green Bay Packers.

The Chiefs starters shut down the Aron Rodersless Packers in the first quarter with not one, not two, not three but 4 straight three and outs.

“It’s very important, said Chiefs first round draft pick Eric Berry. “Just get that momentum going into Monday night football and make sure we’re ready to play.”

The Chiefs defense may not have been facing all of Green Bay’s starters but that never used to stop them from laying an egg. The Chiefs defenses of recent years have often been just as inept against backups as they have been against starters. For a team that was atrocious in pretty much every phase of the game in 2009, these little victories are signs of improvement.

(more…)

Source: Yardbarker.com

The Kansas City Chiefs third stringers managed to hang on to a lead as the Chiefs defeated the Green Bay Packers 17-13 in the final preseason game of 2010.

The Chiefs starters faired pretty well. The running game and special teams units looked sharp and the defense was smothering, allowing only a FG at the end of the first half.

Matt Cassel was 4 of 9 for 58 yards and a TD and an INT while Jackie Battle lead the team in rushing, carrying the ball 10 times for 67 yards, including a 50 yard scramble.

Overall I thought the starters played pretty well in their limited time. We’ll have tons more for you tomorrow. For now, sit back and enjoy the Chiefs first preseason victory in 2 years.

Brodie Croyle could stir up some crazy talk this Thursday. (source: yardbarker.com)

Chiefs backup QB Brodie Croyle has a chance to stir up a mini QB controversy this Thursday when he returns to action against the Green Bay Packers.

Don’t believe me? Just watch.

Chiefs Nation is getting nervous. A couple of months ago, most fans were happy to blame all of Matt Cassel’s 2009 struggles on his 2009 teammates. Most reasonable fans would admit that Cassel was far from a finished project but no one was ready to call him a bust just yet. They wanted to see what he did with some talent around him.

Now that the 2010 preseason is nearly complete, it is apparent that Cassel does have talent around him. His offensive line looks light years ahead of last year’s group. He is throwing to the same top two receivers he ended the season throwing to in 2009 in Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers. Bowe thus far looks like a new man, holding on to most of his passes in limited action. The running game that sputtered a season ago when lead by Larry Jonson appears to be one of the most dynamic in the league being lead by Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles. Dexter McCluster has emerged as an offensive X-factor and Javier Arenas is setting Cassel and the offense up with favorable field position.

Only to most observers, Cassel looks, well, the same. He is holding on to the ball too long. He appears just as skittish in the pocket this year when he has time to throw as he did last year when he didn’t. He is not throwing the ball down field and appears content with checking down to his outlet man or or falling forward for a one yard gain.

(more…)

Scoff, blow this off, call me a rumor whore. Whatever…

And let me first state that the likelihood of this happening is extremely slim, if not non-existent, but…

If the Brett Favre wants to come back and if the Green Bay Packers don’t want him, I do. I’m pretty sure Carl “Consecutive Sellout Streak” Peterson would be interested, too. After all, this is the same guy who once orchestrated a trade for an aging Joe Montana. This is the same guy who before this year never, ever invested a single season in a homegrown quarterback project. Can you, with a straight face, honestly say that you’d be upset if King Carl and the Chiefs delayed the Brodie Croyle project in favor of Favre?

This isn’t completely baseless speculation either. Check out what Adam Schefter said about our interest:

NFL Network’s Adam Schefter suggest the Jets, Chiefs, and Ravens as possible landing spots if the Packers decide to trade Brett Favre.

Some people are obviously sick of Brett’s comeback carosel, and others are simply chalking the buzz up to stupid ESPN wanting its boy back. And then, of course, Brett is denying this, even though rumor has it that he’s demanded his release. Personally, I kind of feel like Brett was pushed out by the Pack. I think the guy can still play, and if that is his desire then the Pack owes it to him to find a spot for him on an NFL field, either in Green Bay or elsewhere. After all, did any player ever give more to an NFL franchise? Still, all of this is contingent on the validity of the rumor that Favre is seriously interested in making a comeback. All of this could just be a result of ESPN’s rampant rumor mongering.

Nonetheless, I think we should definitely be interested in the unlikely event that Favre comes back and the Packers decide to trade him. I think he’s the one guy who could deal with our offensive line woes and make us a playoff contender, giving us at least a shot at winning eight, nine, maybe even 10 games.

What does everybody else think about the longshot proposition of the Chiefs trading for Brett Favre?