SB Nation - Ryan Succop

This is the Song That Never Ends

Chris Thorman — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:45:09 -0000

about 1 month ago: Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (82) reaches unsuccessfully for a pass as Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (21) defends in the first quarter during an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

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Did you guys hear that the Kansas City Chiefs are terrible on third down this season?

Yeah, I'm sick of this too. It's like talking about the Chiefs' offensive line each week in '07. That was the big cause of our issues then and the repetition of that story got old fast.

Now we're on to third downs and why the Chiefs are so terrible at converting them, especially this past weekend when the Chiefs went 1/15 on third down. What happened on Sunday? Did the Raiders' defense shut us down? Eh, not exactly but you could make an argument for that.

I've gone through each of our third downs from the Raider game to figure out what the main cause of our third down failures were. The reasons I came up with are the general Didn't execute, Poor play calling, penalties and other. Feel free to disagree with those categorizations.

One point I want to make when I label a third down failure as Didn't execute is that that lack of execution could also have happened on first or second down, causing a long third down.

Here are the conclusions I arrived at after looking at each third down:

8 were because the team didn't execute properly, either on first, second or third down;
2 were near the end of the first half and were time-influenced;
2 were obviously doomed by penalties;
2 were poor play calls; and,
1 we actually converted!

It's all there, after the jump. Have at it.

#1 3rd and 12

Q1, 11:59, KC 13-yard line

Leonard Pope's false start and a two-yard loss by Kolby Smith put the Chiefs at 3rd and 17. Then a Tommy Kelly neutral zone infraction put the Chiefs at 3rd and 12. You know the next play - Cassel picked by Raiders CB Chris Johnson.

Cause: Penalty

#2 3rd and 9

Q1, 7:30, KC 10-yard line

An exchange of five-yard penalties by the Chiefs and Raiders put the Chiefs at 3rd and 9. A 1-yard run by Kolby Smith and an incomplete by Matt Cassel didn't help on first and second down. An incomplete pass closed out third down.

Cause: Didn't execute

#3 3rd and 4

Q1, 4:58, OAK 32-yard line

This is a play you remember - Matt Cassel's short pass to Dantrell Savage was blatantly dropped. Todd Haley said on the sideline to Savage, "You don't want to play today, do you?"

Cause: Didn't execute

#4 3rd and 23

Q1, 1:02, KC 12-yard line

The Raiders defense dominated the Chiefs on this drive. Matt Cassel was sacked for an 8-yard loss on first down and Jamaal Charles was tackled 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage on second down.

Cause: Didn't execute

#5 3rd and 6

Q2, 12:37, OAK 49-yard line

The Chiefs actually gained positive yardage on this drive before they got to third down. Lance Long caught a short Cassel pass to the right side and dove out of bounds, one yard short of the first down.

Jamaal Charles' 44-yard TD run on 4th and 1 made up for this though.

Cause: Didn't execute

#6 3rd and 7

Q1, 7:02, OAK 7-yard line

This drive started with a 41-yard pass to Dwayne Bowe and a 24-yard pass to Chris Chambers. This is the drive where Cassel and Charles fumbled the exchange and then had that weird bump into each other hand off that didn't gain anything.

Cassel's pass to Bowe on 3rd down was off the mark, high and out of the end zone.

Cause: Didn't execute

#7 3rd and 8

Q2, 4:44, KC 35-yard line

An incomplete pass to Mark Bradley and a short run by Jamaal Charles set the Chiefs up for third and long. Cassel passed short right to Chris Chambers and he powered his way to a six yard gain before being brought down near the sideline.

Cause: Didn't execute

#8 3rd and 8

Q2, 1:34, KC 21-yard line

The Chiefs had the ball with under two minutes to go and Kolby Smith's 7-yard run on third down was an attempt to force a Raider time out and waste some time.

Cause: Nearing end of half, deep in our own territory

#9 3rd and 5

Q2, :10, KC 29-yard line

This third down was at the end of the first half. Jamaal Charles' rush for no gain was to run out the clock at KC's 29-yard line.

Cause: End of half

#10 3rd and 10

Q3, 13:41, KC 38-yard line

And we have our lone converted third down of the game! Cassel hit Dwayne Bowe on the left side of the field for an awesome first down.

Cause: We got it!

#11 3rd and 7

Q3, 10:53, OAK 34-yard line

The Chiefs again lost yards on first down (-2 by Jamaal Charles) and Matt Cassel had an incomplete pass to Leonard Pope on second down. Cassel's pass to Bowe on third down fell incomplete, which led to a missed Ryan Succop field goal.

Cause: Didn't execute

#12 3rd and 9

Q3, 2:38, OAK 14-yard line

The Chiefs again failed on first and second down which led to a third and long. Kolby Smith's run up the middle only gained one yard on first down; Cassel's pass across the middle to Lance Long fell to the ground on second down; and Jamaal Charles caught a pass for 8-yards on third down, which left the Chiefs one yard short.

The Chiefs did go for it on 4th and 1 and did not get it.

Cause: Didn't execute

#13 3rd and 1

Q4, 15:00, KC 22-yard line

On third and short, the Chiefs went deep to Chris Chambers and did not convert. While I actually like this play call - plenty of time left in the game, going for the kill - the reason for not converting the first down is clearly a play call issue.

Cause: Poor play call

#14 3rd and 7

Q4, 6:54, OAK 11-yard line

I'm sure you remember this play - Matt Cassel's draw up the middle near the Oakland goal line. Most people flipped out at this call but the announcers said, "This was a Bill Parcells' move." What they meant was Haley called a play to ensure the Chiefs would be lined up properly for the field goal and not lose the ball. Personally, I'd like to see more aggression down on the goal line but I understand where Haley was coming from with that call.

Cause: Poor play call

#15 3rd and 17

Q4, 2:13, KC 37-yard line

The Chiefs were plugging along with the running game as time wound down but a Leonard Pope holding penalty screwed them on this drive. Jamaal Charles managed 9-yards on third down but the Chiefs were forced to punt it away.

Cause: Penalty

***

Okay Chiefs fans. Chime in with your thoughts and make sure you vote in our poll.

Poll

Against the Raiders, the Chiefs failed on third down because of:

Mainly play calling

41 votes

Mainly poor execution

275 votes

Both were equally reponsible

184 votes

500 votes | Poll has closed

Eight Rookie Chiefs Will Dress Against the Ravens

Joel Thorman — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:43:39 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

Tyson Jackson is one of eight rookie Chiefs that will dress against the Ravens.(AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)

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In just a few hours there will be eight rookie Kansas City Chiefs in uniform against the Baltimore Ravens. They range from first round draft picks to undrafted free agents out of Maine.

Yes, Maine. The Chiefs brass searched long and hard in the rookie acquisition process this offseason.

Here are the new Kansas City Chiefs today:

In addition to those on the 53 man roster, six rookies make up the Chiefs practice squad.

It's conceivable to imagine that all eight of those rookies will get into the game in some fashion.

It's about three and a half hours to game time as of this posting.

Seahawks Drop the Chiefs as KC Offense Sputters

Chris Thorman — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:01:14 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

3 months ago: Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) runs past Seattle Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill (56) for a short gain during the first quarter of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Chiefs lose, 14 to 10.

We'll probably remember tonight's Chiefs/Seahawks game as the night QB Tyler Thigpen lost his roster spot. Thigpen looked inept, going 8/15 for 56 yards in first half and second half relief of Matt Cassel.

Matt Gutierrez sealed Thigpen's fate when he came in during the third quarter. Gutierrez ended up passing 10/13 for 113 yards. He did throw two interceptions while under pressure.

Speaking of pressure, tonight was another example of how unstable this Chiefs' offensive line is. The Chiefs gave up four sacks to the Seahawks.

Joel will have a more detailed post later tonight or tomorrow. The good, the bad and the ugly are after the jump.

The Good

Matt Cassel's injury will reportedly will not keep him out of next week's game.
Jamaal Charles rushed seven times for 54 yards, with a great 31-yard run.
Matt Gutierrez looked sharp as the Chiefs' backup
Dwayne Bowe made some great plays in limited action (again)

The Bad

The Chiefs had three fumbles, all recovered by themselves.
Seahawks QBs Matt Hasselback and Seneca Wallace picked apart the Chiefs linebackers and secondary for nearly 300 yards passing.
This offensive line has major problems. Matt Cassel honestly may not make it that far in the season if they don't shape up.

The Ugly

Tyler Thigpen looked like the Thigpen we saw in his first couple of games. Erratic, quick to run and inaccurate.
The Chiefs were 1/10 on 3rd down conversions. That's atrocious.
Not having competition for Ryan Succop may have had negative effects. We thought Succop was a lock to be the steady kicker we've needed but he missed two field goals tonight, one from only 28-yards out.
Matt Cassel (leg), Brandon Flowers (shoulder) and Devard Darling (knee) all left the game with injuries.

Chime in with your thoughts on the Chiefs' performance tonight. Make sure you vote in the poll too.

Poll

Grade the Chiefs performance tonight.

A

3 votes

B

13 votes

C

118 votes

D

369 votes

F

197 votes

700 votes | Poll has closed

Open Thread #3: Ryan Succop Misses Wide Left; Tyler Thigpen Shaky Replacing Injured Matt Cassel

Chris Thorman — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 01:19:23 -0000

More photos » by Reed Hoffmann - AP

3 months ago: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Tyler Thigpen (4) passes to wide receiver Bobby Engram during the first quarter of their preseason NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

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The Good: The Kansas City Chiefs' defense is actually generating a pass rush from time to time.

The Bad: Ryan Succop missed a 28-yard field goal.

The Ugly: Three fumbles by the Chiefs.

More observations:

Tyler Thigpen is looking rough around the edges in relief of the injured Matt Cassel.
Devard Darling left the field with a leg injury.
Matt Cassel is questionable to return to the game with a leg injury.
Jamaal Charles is playing pretty well.
Demorrio Williams and Monty Beisel are playing well at linebacker.

The Seahawks have just scored, tying the game at 7 to 7. It's almost half time. The Seahawks get the ball first in the second half.

Open Thread: Kansas City Chiefs v. Seattle Seahawks

Chris Thorman — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:00:15 -0000

When: 7 PM (Arrowhead Time)

Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

Seahawks on SB Nation: Field Gulls

Blogs posts so far about this game: Full coverage

Tonight, Kansas City Chiefs fans will watch their team take on the Seattle Seahawks, in the third preseason game of 2009.

You can follow the Seahawks chatter over at Field Gulls and follow live game stats over at NFL.com.

Last weekend against the Texans, AP racked up nearly 1,800 comments during the game which I do believe is some sort of record. I expect more comments tonight, considering how much we'll see the first team play tonight.

Once these open threads hit about 450 comments, I'll open up a new thread and link to it. For the newbies, during game time is one of the few times that the language around here, let's say, is more colorful than it normally is. That's a game time only relaxing of the normal protocol because you know, sometimes you just need to curse violently to someone about this team.

Get your predictions for this game in early. Maybe one of you can pull a Kent Babb and guess the score exactly right. Let us know the final score and how those scores will be made for maximum effect. I'm picking the Chiefs to win, 20 to 13. Two Ryan Succop field goals of course, one TD by a minor offensive player and one Larry Johnson goal line TD dive.

GOOOOOOOOO CHIEFS!!!

Update by Joel 5:36 PM: Derrick Johnson and Jake O'Connell aren't dressing tonight. Kolby Smith and Zach Thomas are not dressing either.

Poll

Will the Chiefs score more than 20 points tonight?

Yes

210 votes

No

143 votes

Not sure

19 votes

372 votes | Poll has closed

Chiefs Training Camp Update 8/27

Joel Thorman — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:32:47 -0000

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, 82, caught a pass inside the sidelines at the team's practice facility near Arrowhead Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. DAVID EULITT/The Kansas City Star (via KansasCity.com)

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And the updates are coming in for the Kansas City Chiefs lone practice today as they alternate between two practices and one.

Here are few highlights:

Derrick Johnson is still out with an unknown injury
The Chiefs are actively game planning for the Seahawks in practice
Ryan Succop kicked a football into the woods

More updates, after the jump.

General stuff

The Chiefs worked on more goal line and short yardage situations, responding to last week's game against the Vikings. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
Chiefs morning practice was mostly geared toward getting ready for Saturday's preseason game against Seattle. It's the most extensive work they've done in the preseason preparing for an opponent. (Bob Gretz at CBS Sports)

Offense

QB Brodie Croyle was looking very in sync with his receivers today. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
Brodie Croyle was also working with the scout team (BobGretz.com)
WR Dwayne Bowe had a nice TD grab, prompting Todd Haley to say, "That’s being smart and disciplined. Good job." (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
No. 2 offensive line, from left to right: Damion McIntosh, Tavares Washington, Wade Smith, Andy Alleman and Ikechuku Ndukwe (BobGretz.com)

Defense

LB Demorrio Williams filled in for Derrick Johnson (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
LB Monty Beisel had a pick underneath during 7 on 7. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
Brandon Flowers knocked down at least three passes during the practice, including running step-for-step with WR Quinten Lawrence, maybe the fastest player on the team. (BobGretz.com)

Special teams

K Ryan Succop knocked a football into the woods, after it sailed through the uprights. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
Ricardo Colclough returned some kicks. He hasn't done this in a few years (BobGretz.com)

Injuries

Held out today were LB Derrick Johnson, LB Zach Thomas, TE Jake O’Connell and RB Kolby Smith (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
No information on Derrick Johnson's injury, but since he's lifting weights and doing cardio in the rehab area, it can't be too serious. (Bob Gretz at CBS Sports)
Zach Thomas was not on the field at all for the second day in a row (BobGretz.com)

The Kansas City Chiefs Lead the League In...

Chris Thorman — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:59:01 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

4 months ago: Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley, center, works with the offense during NFL football training camp in River Falls, Wis., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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Roster transactions! Yes!

The Kansas City Chiefs have fourteen total roster transactions since the general start of training camp in the NFL, the last day in July. That number includes trading, cutting and waiving players and does not include draft pick signings.

An excellent article by Yahoo Sports Charles Robinson brought this stat to my attention in his article yesterday.

Enter Haley and general manager Scott Pioli, two men who have seemingly gone to work on the franchise’s psyche with a blowtorch and a chainsaw. With that in mind, you need only look at the Chiefs for one afternoon to realize that the blood-letting has just begun. And by the time it’s over, there may not be a player on the roster who hasn’t had the buttons inside his head re-programmed – if he can survive long enough.

Robinson goes on:

That latter point is significant. Since the start of training camp on July 31, the Chiefs have made more roster moves than any other team – signing, cutting or trading 14 players. And that’s a tally that doesn’t include the inking of draft picks. While at their training site in River Falls, Wis., the Chiefs released five players. The previous regime had cut three players while in River Falls … in three years.

It really is a startling difference once you sit down and think about it. Fourteen players over just three in three years by the previous staff? Talk about contrasting styles.

We know that the news can come at quite a rapid pace around here sometimes so I've summed up all of those fourteen roster transactions after the jump. By next Tuesday, the team will have to trim down to 75 players so there will be more cutting and signing coming soon.

After the jump, check out the Kansas City Chiefs training camp roster transactions.

July 28th - K Connor Barth waived

And the Ryan Succop era (however long it may last) began with the release of Barth.

Total transactions: 1

August 3rd - Claimed LB Vince Redd off of waivers

A 6'6", 260 pound outside linebacker, Redd saw limited action in five games with the Patriots last season. He was signed as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2008 and appeared in five of the team's final six games accumulating two tackles.

Redd was waived on August 24th after being suspended for four games by the NFL. Ephedra containing Sudafed is reportedly to blame.

Total transactions:3

August 4th - Chiefs sign veteran WR Amani Toomer

However you look at it, it's fairly clear to me that the Chiefs would point to option one. After listening to fomer Giants GM Ernie Accorsi on 610 Sports, I'm definitely on board with this signing. He's in the same veteran mold as Mike Vrabel and Zach Thomas and embodies the high character players the Chiefs have targeted.

TE Tony Curtis was released to make room for Toomer on the roster.

Total transactions:5

August 5th - QB Ingle Martin cut

My initial speculation on the waiving of Ingle Martin was that it was to make room on the roster for DE Tyson Jackson. Not so as you'll find out next.

Total transactions:6

August 5th - Chiefs sign former Patriot QB Matt Gutierrez

Yep, another New England QB. Guttierrez is looking to beat out Tyler Thigpen for the third string spot and so far, he's doing just that.

Total transactions:7

August 13th - Chiefs swap snappers

The Chiefs released long snapper Tanner Purdum in exchange for now second time Chief Thomas Gafford.

Total transactions: 9

August 17th - Chiefs sign WR Ashley Lelie; Release WR Jeff Webb

Former Bronco and journeyman Lelie took three year Chief Jeff Webb's spot on the team and so far in limited action has done more than I ever remember Webb doing. We'll see if Lelie makes the final 53.

Total transactions:11

August 24th - Chiefs trade for G Andy Alleman

This is the second time since Pioli's hiring on January 13th that he has made a trade with his father-in-law, Bill Parcells. The Chiefs traded up to acquire TE Jake O'Connell on the second day of the draft.

Total transactions:12

August 24th - G/T Ikechuku Ndukwe also included in the trade

And the Chiefs weren't done on the 24th, adding another guard from the Dolphins in the trade and releasing G Brian De La Puente to make room on the roster.

Total transactions:14

Poll

Have the Chiefs made....

Too many roster moves

15 votes

About the right amount

162 votes

Not enough moves

337 votes

Not sure yet

153 votes

667 votes | Poll has closed

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Fantasy Sabotage, Packers Dominance, and Davone Bess

Ken Meringolo — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:44:32 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

Did Marko Mitchell make this team on Saturday?

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It's Tuesday, and time to talk NFL. We made it through another week of watching every preseason game and I have to admit...it was about 4,000 times harder this week than it was last week. First of all, last week seems like 20 years ago. And last week football was new again. I feel like I have been watching nothing but football and the season is only two weeks old...the preseason is only two weeks old. It was also a lot easier last week because I had all Saturday night to watch games, whereas this past Saturday from about 3:30 PM to midnight, I was in the parking lot at FedEx field. I pushed my DVR to the max and muscled through the second slate of games.

One thing I discovered: a few of the dudes who I play fantasy football with decided they could uncover my draft day strategy by reading this column. So I have to be a little more careful. I have hidden two FAKE fantasy observations in today's column. I need one more week to protect my draft. You understand, right?

Two Free Toppings For Redskins Fans So Far

We got into the end zone twice. The fact that Chase Daniel threw both touchdowns is not really that big of a deal to me. What matters the most to me is that Marko Mitchell and Fred Davis were the ones who caught those passes. If you ask me, Mitchell made the team on Saturday night. He made his presence known when he was on the field and that touchdown catch was the kind of red zone play we have been lacking for quite some time. I realize it was not against the first team defense, but that grab made me wonder if he could be a guy that you could call plays for in the red zone. Just because it took Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas two years to figure out how to make themselves useful doesn't mean it will take that long for Marko.

The same kind of warm and fuzzy feeling washed over me when Fred Davis caught his touchdown. He needed that. We all needed that. Talk about the difference a week makes. Not only no fumbles, but Fred Davis made a big play on special teams as well. Nobody doubts Sleepy's abilities. But until last night, we had yet to see him string together a number of smart plays that impacted the game. Games like that build not only his confidence, but the confidence in the coaches to call his number, and the confidence in his teammates to rely on him. I am already in the tank for Fred this season, having predicted he will be a huge factor in our red zone, so his performance made me a lot more comfortable.

Jason Campbell audibled at least two times, but probably more on Saturday night! This has been a huge bone of contention between Campbell supporters and Campbell bashers, and between Jim Zorn supporters and Jim Zorn bashers. The results of these audibles did not seem to show themselves in the stats, but nevertheless, he did change the play prior to the snap. This was confirmed in post-game interviews, most notably by Jim Zorn when he praised Campbell for getting them out of a play or two that had no chance of working.

Finally, Brian Orakpo seemed to me to be everywhere. Based on what we have seen so far, he does not appear to have bust potential does he? Sure he is still raw out there in the some of the things they are asking him to do but damn he looked good rushing the passer. Hogs Haven has a word to explain false starts and holding calls on offensive linemen lined up across from Brian Orakpo: Orakpophobia. (nicely done Kevin) The Redskins defense looks poised to carry this team.

Please...No More Penalties...

Week Two of the penalty-fest rages on. I spend a considerable amount of time on fast forward for some of these games, and rightfully so. The little yellow "FLAG" box on the ticker was working overtime. I thought it was going to burn into my TV screen. Both my TV and I waded through the sloppy play and here is our deep thought of the week:

The two worst jobs in the world: Rosie O'Donnell's urologist and the first tackler on the scene when Brandon Jacobs is the runner. Now on to the games.

Indianapolis Colts 23, Philadelphia Eagles 15 - DeSean Jackson is not going anywhere is he? Damn. The good news is that no matter how great the Eagles look right now or even during the season, they will find a way to come up short. That said, the truth is they look strong. Speaking of strong, Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne are not missing a beat. And Donald Brown continues to look every bit as good as Joseph Addai in that offense. He is going to steal carries from Addai right away. If/when Addai gets banged up, Brown might take the starter's job and never give it back.

Cincinnati Bengals 7, New England Patriots 6 - I simply don't know how you can sustain true hatred for Chad Ochocinco. The dude is fun to watch. He is an amazing athlete and has the ability to make amazing plays, and he is a true entertainer. If you can think of no other reason to watch this season's Hard Knocks on HBO, Chad is worth putting it on your schedule. In this game he kicked an extra point and he opened the second half with a kickoff. Both were pretty decent.

Minnesota Vikings 17, Kansas City Chiefs 13 - Brett Favre looked okay--the Chiefs seemed to be blitzing on every play that he dropped back. What stood out to me was the play of the Vikings starting linebackers. Henderson, Greenway and Leber looked great. If the Williams brothers can stay on the field, this defense is going to be sick. Larry Johnson couldn't seem to get anything going, as it always looked like he was getting met at the line of scrimmage. Unfortunately for Larry, in the same game, there was a guy named Adrian who seemed able to get yards in tight space at will. Two other players I found myself paying attention to: Dwayne Bowe and Ryan Succop. Bowe is listed at 6'2" but he looks gigantic on the field. If he and Matt Cassel get comfy, watch out. Ryan Succop, this year's Mr. Irrelevant, has been kicking the ball very well. In a 12-team league, I would not be shocked to see this guy on someone's roster, given the fact that KC may be settling for a lot of field goals this season.

Dallas Cowgirls 30, Tennessee Titans 10 - Watching the punters take aim at the largest HD screen in the world before and during this game was amazing. How do you spend that much money to build a place like that and not know that your screen is totally in play? Wait...they DID know. Apparently the Cowgirls' punter was tested at 100 feet and they still left the screen at about 90 feet off the ground. I guess the only thing bigger than Jerry Jones' wallet is his sense of denial. You think every punter who comes through there isn't going to try and hit the screen? It's going to be a rite of passage for punters, replacing the old rite of passage for punters, which was of course trying to get laid. I can already see Chris Cooley taking his backup punting job a LOT more seriously in pre-game warmups on the road in Dallas. I hope that Jerry Jones and the NFL are able to figure this one out, because "World's Biggest Video Screen" could turn into "World's Biggest Video Screen Disaster" on the front pages quickly.

Cleveland Browns 27, Detroit Lions 10 - Come on Matthew Stafford...you're killing me. Calvin Johnson is all-world, but even he would have had trouble bringing down some of the balls Stafford was putting up. It could have been worse, but not much. The Browns got on the scoreboard this preseason with Derek Anderson leading the way. I know Braylon Edwards is a stud, but I think Josh Cribbs and Mike Furrey are the two best receivers on that team right now. A quarterback could get real comfortable and real confident in a hurry throwing to those two.

Miami Dolphins 27, Carolina Panthers 17 - Carolina's uninspired play has made me forget quickly how dominant they were last season. Jake Delhomme does not look like he is at the top of his game--if he is then they are in real trouble. I worry that DeAngelo Williams may be asked to do too much, and the Panther defense continues to be riddled by injuries this preseason. Miami would not be the sexiest team on the field even if they lined up against the "Before" cast of the "The Biggest Loser". But they get it done, don't they? If you had to choose between Davone Bess and Ted Ginn Jr. in a fantasy draft, who would you take? I go back and forth, and Ted Ginn Jr. has really impressed me a lot this preseason. Bess is going to have a few insane fantasy days this season.

Atlanta Falcons 20, St. Louis Rams 13 - If it wasn't against St. Louis, I would be tempted to say this Falcons' team is in playoff form. Michael Turner and Matt Ryan got their reps in and they looked smooth. The Rams did next to nothing against the Falcons first string defense. The leading passer for the Rams? Kyle Boller. I could not get to the final whistle of this game fast enough.

San Diego Chargers 17, Arizona Cardinals 6 - Something about a game that involves Norv Turner causes my finger to LAY on the fast-forward button. Philip Rivers looked good...maybe he knew he was about to sign a 6 yr/$92 million contract extension. That's right, he is no longer in the sights of teams looking to change quarterbacks next season...ahem...Daniel Snyder, please put that phone down. Kurt Warner did not look sharp. Watching him made me wonder if losing Todd Haley is going to be the difference between this being a "special" offense or this being a good offense that doesn't do enough to make the playoffs.

Seattle Seahawks 27, Denver Broncos 13 - Here's why Matt Hasselbeck will be up for the fantasy comeback player of the year award: Both he and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are smart, exceptional football players. They are clearly getting comfortable together and if you give a guy like Hasselbeck a player like Houshmandzadeh to rely on, he is going to milk it for all it's worth. Throw in this year's rookie Deon Butler and last year's rookie John Carlson (led the team last season in catches and receiving yards) and the Seahawks should be able to do some damage in the NFC West. As for the Broncos, am I the only one who is watching this team and wondering how they are going to get it done on defense every week? There has been no team in more disarray than the Broncos this offseason. Front offices in Washington, D.C., Oakland, Dallas, and Detroit are all extremely grateful.

San Francisco 49ers 21, Oakland Raiders 20 - Mike Singletary strikes me as the kind of coach who is just a hair away from putting on pads and getting out there. And he needs to just so he can let off some steam. You know he has to be just pissed about the lack of a bona fide quarterback out there. Shaun Hill was just named the starter, but I am not sure if you would say he "won" the job. All that said, I think the defense and running game out there will carry the 49ers to respectability this season. Glen Coffee continues to shine. In Oakland, you know they have to be fighting the urge to start Jeff Garcia--the guy who gives them the best chance to win by the way. The best quarterback on the field all day was Nate Davis, the youngster for the 49ers.

New Orleans Saints 38, Houston Texans 14 - The first quarter was a 7-7 tie with the Texans getting help on their opening drive from the Saints defensive penalties. The play that got them their touchdown though on that opening drive looked pretty awesome. Gary Kubiak drew up a bootleg that gave Matt Schaub a wide open receiver on the line of scrimmage at the 5-yard line. It was beautiful. Drew Brees got his touchdown of course and the Saints offense rolled all night long.

Green Bay Packers 31, Buffalo Bills 21 - Most improved team from last year to this year? Green Bay Packers. Dom Capers has that defense ready to go right now. And while Aaron Rodgers still creeps me out a little, it is hard to argue with his abilities. The player that stands out to me for Green Bay right now is their young tight end Jermichael Finley. He looks very, very nasty. Him and Donald Lee are battling it out for the lead pass-catching tight end spot, and Lee is no slouch. If Finley becomes a regular on the field, he will post Witten-like tight end fantasy numbers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, Jacksonville Jaguars 23 - I kept waiting for the Jags to get their rushing yards at least. But they only got 61 all night. That is a stat that will haunt a team like theirs. They are built to control the clock and play solid defense. David Garrard looked decent going over 200 yards passing, but when the season starts, is that going to be their bread and butter? Last week I said Jacksonville would be battling for the title of Most Boring Team. The Buccaneers are going to give them a real run for their money.

Chicago Bears 17, New York Giants 3 - All the Redskins fans that wanted Jay Cutler to come to D.C. would be kicking themselves if they watched this game. Cutler had his way against the Giants...like Bob Saget with the Olsen twins. Matt Forte ran well and the Bears starting defense looked pretty strong. EXCEPT for when Brandon Jacobs blew up Urlacher on one particular run. He made Brian Urlacher look like LaRon Landry last season. That is one violent dude. I am still in awe of Landry for even attempting to take Jacobs on straight-up like that.

Baltimore Ravens 24, New York Jets 23 - Let the Mark Sanchez era begin. There is no way Kellen Clemens wins that job. Nor should he. It is close enough that after trading up to get him, he is going to get the nod. I love Rex Ryan in New York. He brings a lot more personality to a team that needed it. Troy Smith looked pretty bad all night, but when they put in an option play late in the game, he all of a sudden looked very comfy. Ordinarily you might think he would be a slam dunk as a red zone quarterback but Joe Flacco is pretty close to being a guy you don't take off the field. Not yet, but pretty close.

Give Me the Numbers, STAT!

Last week the Redskins were outgained 500-196 and got shut out by the Ravens. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Redskins outgained the Steelers 304-238. They had a 20-13 advantage in total first downs and they had a better 3rd down conversion percentage than the Steelers. They added a two-for-two performance on 4th down. The Redskins held the Steelers to less than 100 yards rushing and had fewer penalties. A lot of this was accomplished with second- and third-stringers on the field but it is still meaningful. When you hold these kinds of advantages over your opponent, you tend to come out the winner. That is an important thing to learn and remember as we get closer to the games counting.

Chiefs Training Camp Update 8/10 PM

Chris Thorman — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:52:58 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

4 months ago: Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Tyson Jackson (94) works with defensive line coach Tim Krumrie during NFL football training camp in River Falls, Wis., Monday, Aug. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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Updated 8:43 PM

We're still waiting on the UW-RF updates but we've got the usual sources of Kansas City Chiefs training camp info for you after the jump.

A couple of highlights:

WR Rodney Wright continues to get his name called out for good reasons
Ryan Succop didn't miss any of his four field goals today
Eight Chiefs missed this afternoon's practice to attend rehab
Two fans at practice today hung up a sign that read, "Brodie Fans 4 Life." The sign was referring to quarterback Brodie Croyle. Later in practice Head Coach Todd Haley made a comment about it following a Croyle interception. "They took your banner down, Brodie," Haley joked. (UWRF)

More updates, after the jump.

General Stuff

Former Chiefs T John Alt visited practice today (UWRF)
Overall, the defense dominated the offense (UWRF)

Offense

OT Colin Brown, the Chiefs' fifth-round pick, is getting work at guard in afternoon practice. He played only tackle at Missouri. (Bob Gretz at CBS Sports)
Chiefs coach Todd Haley says all starting jobs are open and no decisions are final. So take note of this: WR Dwayne Bowe hasn't worked with the No. 1 offense today. Taking those snaps have been Devard Darling and Mark Bradley. (Bob Gretz at CBS Sports)
It’s extremely difficult to put a football in the bucket and when a QB does accomplish this task, the crowd gets going. Today QB Brodie Croyle looked to have the only make of the day until QB Matt Cassel got the crowd roaring with a make at the end of the period. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
WR Rodney Wright did turn in a big play for the offense (it seems he’s turned in a lot of them this camp) by getting loose on a post route that moved the chains. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
The offense did get on track late in the 7 on 7 drills, though, with TDs on each of the final two plays of the segment (WR Quinten Lawrence and TE Brad Cottam). (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
The tight ends all make great catches today during the 11 on 11 drills. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
Receivers continue to get challenged...the dropsies are still there some (Mitch Holthus)
TE Tom Crabtree had a "sweet" one-handed grab (UWRF)
In a 3 DBs vs. 2 WRs drill, Cassel was intercepted by Pollard but hit Bradley and Darling for big gains (UWRF)
In the 7-on-7 drill, Cassel was 2/5 and Croyle was 2/3. Both series were highlighted by a couple drops (UWRF)
Thigpen had the play of the drill hitting Rodney Wright between three DBs for a first down (UWRF)
In red zone work, Cassel was 3/5 with a pick, Croyle threw two completions before throwing a pick, and Thigpen and Gutierrez both had touchdown passes (caught by Lawrence and Cottam, respectively) (UWRF)
Haley after a diving O'Connell catch: "That’s the way 4-5. We need more guys like that [putting their body on the line], laying out to make catches like that." Sean Ryan had a diving catch the next play. (UWRF)

Defense

Today’s 7-v-7 period consisted of all third-down situations. By my count the defense, led by several nice plays from LB Derrick Johnson, won the session handedly. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
The D kept the momentum rolling into the red zone portion of 7-v-7 drills, getting two INTs from CBs Brandon Carr and Ricardo Colclough (Colclough had a pick in the scrimmage on Saturday as well). (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
Vrabel helps a bunch...great cover in red zone. (Mitch Holthus)
The defensive line practiced a drill where they engaged a sled then had to charge an assistant coach who would pop out from either side of the sled (UWRF)
C Cameron Goldberg knocked DE Tyson Jackson to the ground, who then had to work one-on-one with an assistant coach (UWRF)
DE Glenn Dorsey jumped off sides, swore loudly, then had to run (UWRF)
CB Ricardo Colclough intercepted and deflected two consecutive Croyle passes (UWRF)
Jarrad Page hit Jamaal Charles after catching a pass and caused a fumble (UWRF)
S Ricky Price intercepted a Thigpen pass (UWRF)
Dorsey would have had a sack on Croyle if the game was live (UWRF)
The entire defensive line stayed 20 minutes later than everyone. But Tank Tyler, Tyson Jackson and Tamba Hali stayed even later working on drills (UWRF)

Special Teams

The Chiefs continued Monday's emphasis on special teams in afternoon practice. WR Rodney Wright and RB Jackie Battle lined up as first-team kick returners. (Bob Gretz at CBS Sports)
Chiefs K Ryan Succop was 4 for 4 on field goals in afternoon practice. He hit from 37, 37, 42 and 45 yards. (Bob Gretz at CBS Sports)

Injuries/Not Practicing

Eight Chiefs are missing afternoon practice to work with the rehab team. The only starter in the group is ILB Zach Thomas. (Bob Gretz at CBS Sports)
Also missing were LBs Demorrio Williams and Monty Beisel and S DaJuan Morgan (UWRF)

Chiefs Training Camp Update 8/8 PM

Chris Thorman — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:41:16 -0000

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Updated: 5:18 PM

Family fun day is underway in River Falls, WI, at the Kansas City Chiefs training camp, as this picture from the Chiefs twitter feed shows.

There is a scrimmage today from ~2-4 PM, which we'll have notes on hopefully before the Hall of Fame induction.

No pictures up yet from yesterday's practices. Hopefully they get some up soon.

Update: We've got some tweets from Josh Looney coming. Here are a few highlights:

Ryan Succop nails a 58-yard field goal
Tyson Jackson gets his first training camp sack

We've got more updates for you, after the jump.

General Stuff

This is a somewhat of a dress rehearsal for the coaching staff as well with the first preseason game just one week away. The headsets are out and Haley’s staff is putting the press box to full use to mock a gameday atmosphere. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)

Offense

Cassel to Darling on a five-yard corner route to the back left corner or the end zone (Josh Looney on Twitter)
Cassel showing some serious scramble ability today (Josh Looney on Twitter)
Cassel did show some athleticism in the series by avoiding a heavy pass rush and scrambling seven yards to set up the field goal try. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
Thigpen to TE Jake O'Connel on a 13-yard wheel route for the first offensive TD of the day (Josh Looney on Twitter)
Cassel hit RB Jamaal Charles on a shovel for a nice gain and then took the next play into the red zone with some nice agility on a scramble. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
RB Jackie Battle then rumbled his way for a first-down to the five before Cassel connected with WR Devard Darling on a corner route in the back left of the end zone for a TD. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
The scrimmage turned situational when the ball was placed on the two-yard line for a third-and-goal situation. It took the offense two plays to score, but when they did it was a beauty as RB Jackie Battle went up and over the pile of linemen for the TD. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
QB Matt Gutierrez got his first opportunity of the afternoon and connected with TE Tom Crabtree to move the chains on third down. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
Two new groups took the field with Thigpen hitting Toomer on a 25-yard route across the middle. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
The same two groups did battle once more when the thunder started to roll across the rural Wisconsin sky. This time it was Thigpen’s legs who did some work, taking a scramble inside the five-yard line before hitting FB Jed Collins in the flats on a play-action pass. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
Croyle completed a pass to wide receiver Amani Toomer who fumbled the football after being ripped down. The ball was recovered by the defense. (UW-RF)
Thigpen then dropped back to pass but was forced from the pocket and scrambled to his right and went out of bounds for a 20-yard gain. (UW-RF)
Amani Toomer fumbled a 13 yard completion from Cassel (WPI $$$)

Defense

Defense gets its revenge with back-to-back INTs...CB Travis Daniels and CB Ricardo Colclough (Josh Looney on Twitter)
Your #1 pick DE Tyson Jackson records his first sack of training camp (Josh Looney on Twitter)
BIG HIT - DJ puts a lick on WR Amani Toomer across the middle to force a fumble!!!! (Josh Looney on Twitter)
The first-team offense opened things up with RB Larry Johnson converting a third-and-short situation near mid-field, but it was the defense who got on the board first when QB Matt Cassel mishandled a snap and DE Wallace Gilberry took the loose football 50-yards to the house. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
LB Tamba Hali eventually thwarted the drive with a sack of QB Brodie Croyle to set-up K Ryan Succop with his second FG opportunity of the day. (Josh Looney at the Mothership)
Pollard coming up with some big hits (Josh Looney on Twitter)
Continuing the trend as seen in practice thus far, cornerback Maurice Leggett spent time as the defense’s nickel back. (UW-RF)
On quarterback Brodie Croyle’s first drive, linebacker Derrick Johnson had a would-be sack had the team been allowed to sack the quarterback. (UW-RF)
Defensive end Glenn Dorsey and linebacker Tamba Hali had sacks on Croyle. (UW-RF)
On second-and-twelve, cornerback Brandon Carr nearly picked off a Thigpen pass. Carr would later have a successful quarterback pressure on Thigpen. (UW-RF)

Special Teams

Succop's 58-yarder was right down the pipe with some distance to spare (Josh Looney on Twitter)
Ryan Succop missed a 33-yard field goal. (UW-RF)
To end a drive, kicker Ryan Succop hit a 34-yard field goal. (UW-RF)

Injuries/Not Practicing

Running back Kolby Smith and guard Wade Smith were not active during practice this afternoon. (UW-RF)
Cornerback DaJuan Morgan and linebackers Mike Vrabel, Monty Beisel, Zach Thomas and Demorrio Williams were not present on the practice field this afternoon. (UW-RF)
Center Wade Smith ran off the field after the first 15 minutes of practice with what appeared to be a knee injury. He resumed practice 15 minutes later and worked on snaps with Tyler Thigpen. (Post Chronicle)
Monty Beisel didn't participate in the sprints. His right foot was causing him some pain. (Post Chronicle)
Kolby Smith and Derrick Johnson were once again working with the conditioning coach and spent most o the day carrying weights up and down the field. (Post Chronicle)
Demorrio Williams, Wade Smith, Dajaun Morgan and Glenn Dorsey were also working with conditioning, mostly working with stationary bikes and doing sit-up drills. (Post Chronicle)
G Tavares Washington did not participate after suffering an injury yesterday (WPI $$$)