SB Nation - Demorrio Williams

Five Good Stats from the Chiefs' Loss to the Browns

Chris Thorman — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:45:08 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

2 days ago: Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs (16) leaps over Kansas City Chiefs safety Mike Brown (30) while running for a short gain during the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. The Browns won 41-34. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Even though the Kansas City Chiefs lost yesterday in stomach turning fashion, they did put up 34 points and 491 yards. When that happens, you're going to have some good stats to talk about.

And not surprisingly, none of those good stats come from the Chiefs defense.

The Chiefs' defense was so surprisingly bad in the absence of DL Glenn Dorsey that it really shocks you to the core. I didn't think we had that many issues on defense...

Demorrio Williams was a active defensive player, making 13 tackles. His name was close to being on this list. He's by far the team's tackle leader by the way. The dynamic duo of Brandon Carr and Brandon Flowers each had picks, which was made even more amazing by the fact that the Browns only made 17 pass attempts for 66 yards. It was tempting to put that stat on the list - 66 yards passing - but the Browns were so clearly uninterested in passing the ball that it would be irrelevant to include that total.

On a sleepy Monday morning, here are my five things to make you feel better about the Chiefs game yesterday. We're talking about:

Check 'em out, after the jump.

The Now Weekly Jamaal Charles Appearance

No matter what, Jamaal Charles is going to end up as the Chiefs offensive MVP, if not team MVP of the 2009 season. He rushed 25 times for 154 yards yesterday. He included a 47-yard rushing TD and two catches for 16 yards.

For a relatively talented NFL team, a guy like Jamaal Charles can win you football games. For the Chiefs, it's Charles that's making the Chiefs games even watchable nowadays. He's had all of the Chiefs' rushing touchdowns this season plus the only kick return for a touchdown the team has had.

The only thing holding Charles back, in my opinion, from becoming a long time, full time running back is his tendency to fumble. On the final kickoff of the game, Charles took the ball back near the 30-yard line and fumbled it out of bounds right at the sideline. The Chiefs got the ball back but I think we all flinched a little when it happened. And we weren't too surprised it did.

491 Total Yards, 34 points

The Chiefs racked up major yards against one of the league's worst defenses. 491 total offensive yards and 34 points were both season highs. Here's how the big stat contributors break down:

QB Matt Cassel, 331 yards passing
RB Jamaal Charles, 170 total yards
WR Chris Chambers, 114 yards receiving
TE Brad Cottam, 62 yards recieving
WR Dwayne Bowe, 56 yards receiving

The Chiefs didn't have a lot of long drives to contribute to that 491 total. Out of thirteen drives, the Chiefs only had three, three and outs. The Chiefs consistently moved the ball, albeit against a poor defense.

It was the best offensive performance of the season for KC. The Chiefs ran the ball well; made some big plays; and converted on 2/4 red zone attempts.

Matt Cassel's Best Game of the Season

Cassel bounced back from three straight sub par games to put together a gutsy performance, performing his best in the fourth quarter as usual.

The Chiefs QB passed for 331 yards, 2 TDs and 0 INTs. Although, there was one pass near the goal line that really should have been intercepted if the Browns defender wasn't a total klutz. He ended up with a QB rating of 99.1 on 22/40 attempts. Include a reported nine WR drops in those numbers, and you can see Cassel had a great game. 331 yards passing was by far Cassel's best of the season - by 69 yards in fact.

The Chiefs' official wide receiver drop number is around 30 I believe. Todd Haley says it's more like fifty but we'll take thirty for now. If we add just that low estimate of thirty onto Cassel's season completions, his completion percentage jumps from 54% to 61.5%. That's a big jump and hitting that 60% number is really nice to see in a QB's stats.

Dustin Colquitt > Josh Cribbs

Josh Cribbs tore up the Chiefs special teams unit on kickoff returns, when he had the extra space the get a running start. On kickoff returns, Cribbs averaged nearly 40 yards on kickoff returns but only averaged 8 yards on punt returns. He was essentially neutralized on punt returns by Colquitt and the special teams unit.

We Could Be Talking about Chambers being the #1 WR

Chris Chambers had another great game for the Chiefs, catching five passes for 114 yards and a TD. He and Bowe are tied for the team lead in receiving TDs and Chambers is only 28 yards receiving yards behind Bowe for the season. Bowe has only played in one more game for the Chiefs than Chambers has.

Chambers has the Chiefs' best two receiving games this year, yesterday and against Pittsburgh. Him and Matt Cassel are building a repoire as well, which is something we haven't really seen around KC in a few seasons. Right now, Chambers is the biggest threat in the WR corp.

***

Give us your thoughts on these stats in the comments. It's not all bad, right?

Poll

Which one of these is the best stat?

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 12/6 DT's Day

NJ Chiefs Fan — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:38:49 -0000

via i.cdn.turner.com

Game Day!!!! Denver Broncos at Arrowhead today. Wear your 58 jerseys if you got 'em. That number finally gets retired today at halftime. I can't tell you how jealous I am of those of you who will be there today. Now your news.

Alleman plays on the Chiefs’ offensive line. He started a couple of games last month, and then the knee went out. One week, he kind of twisted it. The next, another player ran into it. The week after that, Alleman was out. It was a discouraging way to spend part of his third NFL season, particularly for a player who has gone to unusual lengths to learn about his body and its risks for injury.

Alleman is one of the first NFL players to undergo gene testing, and it had some surprising results. It revealed that Alleman possesses weak Achilles’ tendons, a problem he would’ve never suspected, and he now devotes extra workout time to strengthen them.

Science let him in on a secret — although it didn’t tell him everything.

Chiefs’ Alleman looks to science for an edge from KC Star

The Chiefs placed running back Kolby Smith on injured reserve Saturday and promoted running back Javarris Williams from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.
Williams, 5 feet 10 and 223 pounds, was the Chiefs’ seventh-round pick in this year’s draft. Williams, out of Tennessee State, has not played in an NFL game.

Chiefs put Kolby Smith on IR from KC Star

Almost a decade since the last time Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas stepped on the field for the Kansas City Chiefs, his spirit will undoubtedly be in attendance at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
Thomas, whose number 58 will be retired by the Chiefs on Sunday, sacked Broncos' quarterback John Elway more than any other quarterback during his 11-year career in Kansas City. Against no other opponent would it be more appropriate for the Chiefs to retire Thomas's number.

Chiefs Derrick Thomas Makes Final Appearance Against Broncos on Sunday from Bleacher Report

Bottom line

The Chiefs are overmatched against a team with a lot of offensive weapons, as they showed in last week’s blowout loss to the Chargers. The Broncos may not be as stocked as San Diego, but between Marshall, Moreno and Buckhalter, they still qualify as an offensive team far too deep for the Chiefs to handle. Unless the Chiefs can dominate on special teams or win the turnover battle by a large margin, look for the Broncos to pull away eventually. Prediction: Broncos 30, Chiefs 17

Chiefs-Broncos scouting report from KC Star

The Chiefs delighted a chilled Thanksgiving Day crowd at Municipal Stadium on Nov. 27, 1969, by scoring on offense, defense and on one of the most unusual special-teams plays imaginable.

Linebacker Bobby Bell fielded Denver kicker Bobby Howfield’s onside kick in the final minute and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown, putting the finishing touches on a 31-17 victory in front of a crowd of 48,773.

Chiefs flashback | Week 12 of the Super Bowl IV season from KC Star

The Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, who meet Sunday, each have a player who has flourished despite joining the team in midseason.

Chris Chambers was cut by the San Diego Chargers on Nov. 2, claimed by the Chiefs and almost immediately became their No. 1 receiver. The Broncos needed a new third cornerback for their nickel defense in early November and signed veteran Ty Law, who had been out of football all year.

The NFL season was at full speed, and those players had to catch up quickly.

"They’ve done it in training camp; they’ve had the books," Law said. "If they see something they say, ‘This is familiar, we saw this in Week 3’ or whatever. For me, everything is new."

Midseason acquisitions have difficult challenges in NFL from The Colorado Springs Gazette

The socks have been an unexpected hit for the Broncos and the N.F.L., which is near the end of its season-long 50th-anniversary celebration of the American Football League. The original eight teams — the Buffalo Bills, the Denver Broncos, the Los Angeles Chargers (now the San Diego Chargers), the Boston Patriots (the New England Patriots), the Oakland Raiders, the Houston Oilers (the Tennessee Titans), the Dallas Texans (the Kansas City Chiefs) and the New York Titans (the Jets) — have been featured in legacy games that have included vintage uniforms.

The last of these 16 matchups will be Sunday when the Patriots play the Miami Dolphins, who joined the A.F.L. in 1966. The Cincinnati Bengals became the 10th team in 1968. The commemoration of the A.F.L. has provided a much-needed lift for the teams and the league, which were looking for ways to offset the effects of the recession on merchandise sales. More than two dozen licensees have been making about 100 A.F.L.-related products, which have produced tens of millions of dollars in sales, said Leo Kane, the N.F.L.’s vice president for consumer products.

For a League of the Past, the Uniforms Live On from The New York Times

NFL great Jan Stenerud, who has adopted Colorado Springs as his hometown, is hooked on what he calls "America’s game."

"I think American football is the greatest team sport ever invented," he said.

Which leads us to this question:

What about soccer?

Stenerud, 67, hails from Norway, where he played futbol, or soccer, every day in the summer. He knows the game. He once loved the game.

Ramsey: Stenerud embraces football, leaving soccer behind from Colorado Springs Gazette

Player Tweets

almighty31 all this time. i get a citation and she gets off. she dont even have brake lights.

MrKolbySmith what's good with you?@H0llyHawK

almighty31 how bout them tide. u mighty quiet @themswhite

studie32 i pray that it is

studie32 i rejoice that it is.

Media and Fans

ArrowheadPride Chiefs fans, send us your tailgating pictures tomorrow and we will post 'em. #chiefs

JoshLooney Chiefs Big 12 championship predictions: Demorrio Williams - NEB by 7; Derrick Johnson - Tex by 21; Jamaal Charles - remember Tex/CU? (70-3)

SI_PeterKing Imagine 33 days betw AFC+NFC title games and Super Bowl, as in college with nat'l title game. SB would be Feb. 26--in the middle of combine.

adamcbest: Chiefs need to come and get Suh! Hit on our last Husker D-lineman (Neil Smith). #Suh

webby37: Watching the #Chiefs / #Broncos 1994 MNF classic on the NFL Network... Remember hiding from the folks to stay up and watch the end—Eff Elway

bemonteer: Fired up for the Chiefs and Broncos. Go Chiefs!!!

jwgochiefs1: Hope the chiefs beat the broncos ass today!!!!

tslfan20: hopefully i don't turn into an icicle watching the chiefs lose to the broncos... that would be no bueno

bandfrag: Hey Chiefs fans, remember to wear your #58 DT jerseys tomorrow no matter where you are. The mojo will be needed. Go Chiefs!!!

mattmishler: Heading to KC for the Broncos and Chiefs game!

CreativePetrol: Up early prepping for the big tailgate. Let's get a win, #Chiefs!

Demorrio Williams Feeling Comfortable in the Chiefs 3-4 Defense

Joel Thorman — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:00:20 -0000

by Orlin Wagner - AP

Chiefs LB Demorrio Williams is feeling comfortable in the 3-4 defense. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

View full size photo »

A few weeks ago, Nick Wright of 610 Sports earned the nickname "Derrick Johnson question guy" when he asked Chiefs head coach Todd Haley, 'What is the deal with Derrick Johnson not starting?' Haley, in a somewhat spirited exchange, turned the focus to Demorrio Williams, the six year veteran who's currently perched directly above DJ on the depth chart.

Haley has, on numerous occasions, preferred to focus on the positives coming from Williams instead of explaining why No. 56 hasn't been on the field as often. In the offseason, Zach Thomas said this would be DJ's best position and he would flourish. Like Johnson, Williams was new to the 3-4 defense.

"At first I had a little doubt about it because i'd never played in a 3-4," Williams told Soren Petro on the Red Zone. "I was always a 4-3 guy but after getting in the system these last few games, I really like it a lot."

Williams says the 4-3 made him feel like "you have to be perfect all the time" but in the 3-4, he's given some freedoms.

"I know what's in front of me and what's coming at me," he said. "I really like it a lot because it gives you an opportunity to make a lot of plays."

He's relatively undersized at 6'1", 230 pounds but, because of the 3-4, he can use that to his advantage.

"When I'm dealing with the big guys," he explained, "I need to attack the big guys before they attack me. That's why I'm successful in a 3-4, is to attack guys."

Williams battled injuries during training camp and said he "was a little worried" about being cut in the first week of September.

Who Plays When for the Kansas City Chiefs Defense

Chris Thorman — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:06:30 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

about 1 month ago: San Diego Chargers running back Darren Sproles (43) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel (50) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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Position	Player	% Run	% Pass	% Coverage
DL	Glenn Dorsey	50%	50%	0%
DL	Tyson Jackson	57%	42%	0%
DL	Ron Edwards	50%	50%	0%
DL	Tank Tyler	48%	52%	0%
DL	Wallace Gilberry	48%	52%	0%
DL	Alex Magee	32%	68%	0%
DL	Kenny Smith	71%	29%	0%

We've got a whole new set of statistics that we'll be giving you and they're from a fantastic new site we've just discovered - Pro Football Focus.

Pro Football Focus has play percentage stats (as you can see), special teams tackles, run and pass blocking stats and more...It's really an amazing site. Check it out.

To get us started taking a look at these stats, I've posted the percentage that each Kansas City Chiefs defensive player plays on either running plays, passing plays and on special teams.

I've got the linebacker and secondary stats for you after the jump.

If you include special teams, S Mike Brown is actually leads the team in playing time.

I know it sounds geeky but I'm very excited about the possibilities of mining Pro Football Focus for interesting stats. We'll have a lot more of their stats for you over the weekend and coming weeks.

It's Friday, so my laziness is showing through in the lack of analysis on this post. After the jump, the linebackers and secondary playing time stats.

Linebackers

Position	Player	% Run	% Pass	% Coverage
LB	Mike Vrabel	45%	31%	24%
LB	Tamba Hali	45%	40%	15%
LB	Corey Mays	58%	9%	32%
LB	Demorrio Williams	58%	6%	37%
LB	Jovan Belcher	28%	12%	59%
LB	Derrick O. Johnson	29%	15%	57%
LB	Monty Beisel	19%	3%	77%
LB	Andy Studebaker	100%	0%	0%

Secondary

Position	Player	% Run	% Pass	% Coverage
DB	Mike Brown	46%	3%	51%
DB	Brandon Carr	45%	1%	54%
DB	Brandon Flowers	46%	2%	52%
DB	Jarrad Page	45%	1%	55%
DB	Maurice Leggett	33%	4%	62%
DB	Jon McGraw	32%	9%	59%
DB	DaJuan Morgan	56%	0%	44%
DB	Mike Richardson	16%	4%	81%
DB	Donald Washington	26%	5%	68%
DB	Ricardo Colclough	11%	5%	84%

Anything interesting stand out to you?

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 11/5

NJ Chiefs Fan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:58:18 -0000

via www.kcchiefs.com

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, a petition aimed at stopping Johnson from breaking Holmes’ record had collected more than 5,300 "signatures," or users who submitted their names in favor of preventing Johnson from becoming the most prolific rusher in Chiefs history.

Two of the three men who started the petition told The Star on Wednesday that it started as a discussion among friends — before it became clear the three Olathe natives and longtime Chiefs fans weren’t alone.

"The fans are speaking in loud numbers. It doesn’t grow like this without fans really caring," said Dan Cataldi, who lives in Des Moines and posted the petition last Thursday.

Messages from team and fans directed at Larry Johnson from KC Star

Branden Albert celebrated his 25th birthday on Wednesday with a nice two-hour practice at the Chiefs facility with his teammates.
But there really wasn’t time to have any type of party. There was game preparation to handle, a game where Albert will finally get back on the field.

"Best present I could have is to get a chance to play again," Albert said after the team’s Wednesday practice. "That’s what I’ve been working on for three weeks."

Albert Celebrates Return … Thursday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

"We’re trying to get him ready," Haley said after Wednesday’s practice. "He took some (snaps) today and made a couple of plays."

Chambers is the fifth wide receiver to join the Chiefs since the start of training camp. Wade, second among the Chiefs with 20 catches and two touchdowns, has helped.

Toomer and Lelie, who were cut before the start of the season, didn’t. It’s too early to tell about Lance Long, who has played in only one game since being promoted from the practice squad.

Their continuing efforts to upgrade at wide receiver speak to the Chiefs’ offseason inadequacy of stocking the position.

Chiefs believe Chambers can help them from KC Star

Roster overview: At one point, the Jaguars relied heavily on free agency, but this current team is home grown, with 30 of the 53 players being Jacksonville draft choices. Of that 30, there are 22 from the first, second and third rounds. Among the team’s 24 starters (offensive, defense, kickers), 21 are Jags draft picks, including five first rounders: LT Eugene Monroe, TE Marcedes Lewis, DT John Henderson, DE Derrick Harvey and FS Reggie Nelson. Jacksonville has only two UFAs on the roster, both in backup roles: OT Tra Thomas and S Sean Considine. Veteran Rams WR Torry Holt signed on before this season after he was released by St. Louis.
Opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars from Bob Gretz

Inside linebacker Derrick Johnson, who has undergone an inconsistent season in which he has lost his starting job and has yet to earn it back, at least has won back some good favor with Haley.

But favor isn’t yet enough to unseat Demorrio Williams, who Haley said was a bright spot for the 1-6 Chiefs.

"Demorrio Williams is not a reason why we’re where we’re at," Haley said. "He’s played as good of football as anybody on this team. I have no problem with how Derrick is preparing, practicing and playing. I have no problem at all with Derrick and what he’s doing. He’s continuing to get himself ready, so when an opportunity — a bigger opportunity presents itself, he’s ready for that."

Chiefs notebook: Page placed on injured reserve from KC Star

Lance Long is one of several new wide receivers for the Kansas City Chiefs. The second-year pro spent five weeks toiling on the Chiefs’ practice squad before being activated for the Chiefs game Oct. 25 against the San Diego Chargers. He played in one game for Arizona in 2009 after spending the entire 2008 campaign on the Cardinals’ practice squad. He had two catches for 12 yards in his first game, a loss to San Diego.

1. So how did it feel out there against San Diego trying to help the team win? It felt good, man. It felt real good just coming out here trying to make plays for the team and doing whatever it takes to help the team out. I’m just thankful and I look forward to (the next game).

Quick Five: Chiefs Wide Receiver Lance Long from The Examiner

Former Pro Bowl receiver Chris Chambers went from one AFC West Division team to another this week in part because of an ongoing off-the-field situation involving his ex-girlfriend and his wife.

The issue dates back at least seven months and includes an extramarital affair, a pending divorce, Chambers' request for a restraining order against his ex-girlfriend and several lurid text messages from the woman to his wife, court records show.

Ultimately, Chambers — who admitted the Chargers had told him they had concerns about his personal situation — was released Monday, during a season in which his production was significantly down. He was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday.

Chambers, 31, said Monday that "I guess it created a distraction upstairs. ... They know a little too much of my life, and they used it against me."

Chambers sought legal help vs. ex-girlfriend from The San Diego Union-Tribune

South Park’s latest episode could have been written by Chiefs suspended running back Larry Johnson instead of the show’s normal writing team. "The F Word" pokes fun at the use of fag and faggot as common put downs and derogatory terms for homosexuals. The overall theme being that the words have had many meanings over time and don’t necessarily mean homosexual when used now. Harley riders also took a shot from the show as seen in the South Park’s new definition for fag: "An extremely annoying, inconsiderate person most commonly associated with Harley riders or a person who owns or frequently rides a Harley."

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are known for mixing sports into South Park episodes. The two best examples are the time they ripped Jay Cutler and when they destroyed Bill Belichick. In "The F Word" the duo relive a quarterback vs. talk show host moment.

South Park Uses Jim Rome to Tackle Fag from You Been Blinded

Player Tweets

80bobbywade Check out my latest blog on giving back to the community: http://bobbywade80.com/blog...

Media and Fans

kb_kcstar Sweet Lord, I hate the Yankees.

Adam_Schefter OK, now that baseball season is behind us, we can put all the focus back where it belongs - on football. Three days till Sunday.

claypatterson: Yeah, like the Chiefs really need a petition to prevent them from getting rushing yards http://bit.ly/rgEnL

tstout1: So Yankees win. Isn't that like saying "the Chiefs lost?" #notnews

Chiefs GM: No Conversations About Trading Derrick Johnson

Joel Thorman — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:45:22 -0000

More photos » by Andy King - AP

Chiefs GM Scott Pioli said he has had no conversations about trading Derrick Johnson.(AP Photo/Andy King)

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Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli appeared on 610 Sports' Morning Rush with Roger Twibell today. A few topics were covered, and we'll get to those in a later posting, but one thing he said caught my eye.

Twibell asked a question that I think many of us would ask if given the opportunity (and I'm paraphrasing the question): With Demorrio Williams' increase in playing time, does that give the Chiefs an opportunity to trade Derrick Johnson?

"I don't know because I haven't had any conversations like that with anyone and no one has approached me on that," Pioli said.

Do we take him at his word? Because ultimately trades in the NFL come down to leverage in terms of maximizing compensation and Pioli would lose a whole lot if he came out and said, 'Yes, we're looking to trade Derrick Johnson.'

It's not out of the realm of possibility for a team official to stretch the truth in order to maintain a competitive advantage, which Todd Haley did at one point when asked if the offense had been changed. And that's okay. That's what they're supposed to do.

"This is a good question," Pioli continued, "in the sense that there's been other players and other situations in the past where people say, 'Why didn't they trade for this player or why didn't they trade this player away?'"

What Pioli had to say next is the kicker: "Trades, or the opportunities for trades, have to involve two people."

The man makes a point. More from Pioli on DJ after the jump.

The Chiefs GM did not call out DJ as a reason for his decreased playing time, instead pointing to the play of Demorrio Williams, as coach Haley did yesterday.

"I think the situation with Derrick is more about Demorrio Williams than it is about Derrick," he said, "and I think Todd said that yesterday."

He then went on to point out a reality in the NFL: If you miss time due to injury, then there's somebody right behind trying to take advantage of that (Unless you're Marty Schottenheimer in January of 1998 and insert Elvis Grbac coming off of injury into the game instead of Rich Gannon, who outplayed him during a six game stretch but that's for another day).

"During the preseason, Derrick unfortunately had an injury that kept him out of a full game and limited him somewhat even when he came back," he said. "He gets injured in the Oakland game, and misses the Philadelphia game, and what happens in situations like that, when something happens to a player, is that creates opportunities for another player."

He did go on to say that prior to DJ's injury setbacks, that none of the linebackers "had made it crystal clear who the starter was going to be or the player who was going to be forcing or demanding paying time."

"One player's misfortune is another player's misfortune or opportunity and Demorrio has played pretty well so I wouldn't read too much into what the situation is with Derrick. It's more about Demorrio Williams being given an opportunity, and Corey Mays an opportunity, and those two players playing well."

Chiefs Coach Wants To Talk About Demorrio Williams, Not Derrick Johnson

Joel Thorman — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:37:31 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley strongly defended Demorrio Williams today. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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For the last couple of weeks, when asked about the reason behind LB Derrick Johnson's diminishing playing time, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley pulled out the line that the right 53, not necessarily the best 53, will play. He also said, on both occasions, that Johnson has been a little nicked up.

It's been a few weeks as DJ gets over a minor ankle sprain and a groin injury, and is seemingly healthy, so what gives?

Here's an exchange between Haley and a reporter when asked about DJ.

What is going on with Derrick Johnson? Just straight forward, he's healthy enough to play special teams but can't get onto the field.

"You're the Derrick Johnson question guy, aren't you? We're going to label you Derrick Johnson question guy," Haley responded. "There's a lot of factors that go into it.

"Right now, I'd rather you be talking about Demorrio Williams because that guy came out and played a heck of a game. They happen to play the same position. We're going to play the guys that give us the best chance to win. Period. Like I've said from the start."

There's more.

"53. Talk about him," Haley said a little stronger than usual. "That guy busts his butt. How many tackles did he have, do you know?"

Seven, the reporter responded.

"Good production. We'll play the guys that give us the best chance to win. Period."

So this week it's not a nicked up issue, it's a production issue?

"53 got a chance to play however he got in there and he's playing well and giving us a chance to win," he continued. "I thought Demorrio played a game good enough for us to win. He was one of the guys above the line of 'Did you play good enough to win, did you play in the middle somewhere and hold the fort, or did you probably hurt our chances to win? Demorrio was above that positive line."

The exchange certainly wasn't an overabundance of emotion, and it won't make national headlines, but it was one of the stronger responses we've heard from Haley since he was hired.

The question becomes, did Haley respond like that because:

A) He felt that strongly about Demorrio Williams' play

B) He was making a point to ignore Derrick Johnson

Judge for yourself by watching the video here (courtesy of David Eulitt of the Kansas City Star).

Lots of Changes to Kansas City Chiefs Latest Depth Chart

Joel Thorman — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:13:35 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

3 months ago: Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley talks with players during the first quarter of their preseason NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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Changes, changes and more changes to the Kansas City Chiefs latest unofficial depth chart. The big changes come on the defensive side of the ball. The two new Chiefs are added on the offensive side of the ball.

No time for small talk. Here are the changes. After the jump I've posted the updated QTable.

Tyson Jackson to the first team, Alfonso Boone to the second team

The rookie slides past veteran Alfonso Boone at left defensive end. Definitely a good thing since he needs all the time he can get. From my vantage point the last few games, this is well deserved as well.

Demorrio Williams to the first team, Derrick Johnson to the third team

Demorrio Williams racked up 10 tackles in Saturday night's loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He looked very good taking over for the injured Derrick Johnson. We're not quite sure what DJ's injury is but he's now been relegated to the third team at inside linebacker.

I'm assuming this is injury related though, it does make me wonder. Last week Todd Haley indicated DJ has to "get it going" a little bit.

Corey Mays to the first team, Zach Thomas to the second team

Zach Thomas has been injured the last several weeks of practice so this is no surprise. What's interesting though is that you can definitely make a case that Corey Mays won this job and didn't just have it handed to him because of Thomas' injury.

He's had a great camp.

Jon McGraw to the first team, Jarrad Page to the second team

Jarrad Page was reportedly injured in the Seahawks game so I don't think this one will stick barring the severity of that injury. That's just my guess.

Page has been one of the bright spots. There were some early (false) rumors that he was the first to gain his Arrowhead.

New Chiefs

Ikechuku Ndukwe is listed as the fourth right guard. Andy Alleman is listed as the third center.

In reality, Ndukwe has been seeing time at right tackle. Alleman has been seeing time at right guard.


			R. Price		D. Morgan
			J. Page		M. Brown
			J. McGraw		B. Pollard
			*Free Safety*		*Strong Safety*

	P. Walters		C. Smith
	T. McBride		D. Johnson		J. Belcher		A. Studebaker
	T. Hali		M. Beisel		Z. Thomas		M. Vrabel
	*OLB*		D. Williams		C. Mays		*OLB*
			*ILB*		*ILB*			J. Bates
						D. Gales		D. Washington
L. Fryar		A. Magee		D. Lokey		B. Greenwood		T. Daniels
R. Colclough		W. Gilberry		T. Tyler		A. Boone		M. Leggett
B. Carr		G. Dorsey		R. Edwards		T. Jackson		B. Flowers
*Cornerback*		*Def. End*		*Nose Tackle*		*Def. End*		*Cornerback*

*Wide Receiver*		*Tackle*	*Guard*	*Center*	*Guard*	*Tackle*	*Tight End*	*Wide Receiver*
D. Darling		B. Albert	B. Waters	R. Niswanger	M. Goff	D. McIntosh	B. Cottam	T. Copper
M. Bradley		H. Taylor	W. Smith	E. Ghiaciuc	T. Washington	B. Richardson	S. Ryan	A. Toomer
B. Engram		C. Goldberg	D. Harris	A. Alleman	C. Brown		J. O'Connell	D. Bowe
Q. Lawrence					I. Ndukwe		T. Crabtree	T. Johnson
R. Wright	*Slot Receiver*							A. Lelie
	B. Engram			*Quarterback*
	Q. Lawrence		*Fullback*	M. Cassel	*Tailback*
	R. Wright		M. Cox	B. Croyle	L. Johnson
			J. Collins	T. Thigpen	J. Battle
				M. Gutierrez	J. Charles		*KR/PR*	*Punter*
*Long Snapper*	*Kicker*				D. Savage		Q. Lawrence	D. Colquitt
T. Purdum	R. Succop				K. Smith		R. Wright
					J. Williams		D. Savage

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.

Summary of What Kansas City Chiefs Players Haven't Been Practicing

Chris Thorman — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:34:30 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

4 months ago: Kansas City Chiefs running back Kolby Smith (21) trains during NFL football training camp in River Falls, Wis., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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This afternoon at 2 PM (Arrowhead time), the Kansas City Chiefs take the field for the 21st of their 24 training camp practices in River Falls, WI.

What's that you say? Camp ends on Thursday?

Indeed, fellow Chiefs fan. My how quickly how it has gone. The team will be back practicing in Kansas City in no time.

And to throw some more dates at you, here are the 2009 NFL roster cutdown dates:

Sept. 1 - Roster cutdown to maximum of 75 players
Sept. 5 - Roster cutdown to maximum of 53 players

That's five players (down from 80) gone by two weeks from today. A total of 17 27 Chiefs will be cut just a few days later. And the NFL regular season begins the next week after that. Wow.

So, we'll do this injury summary again at the end of the week in our training camp summary, but now let's have a quick refresher on who's missed time during the Chiefs' 20 practices and why. I know even I forget things about camp here and there with so many updates coming out so I like doing updates like this when I can.

Head coach Todd Haley has repeatedly mentioned that he's sitting certain guys, especially veterans, because they need a bit more rest than the younger guys. Others have had nagging injuries and others have sat more almost all 20 practices.

After the jump, the skinny on who's been missing practice in River Falls in a, if I do say so myself, sweet looking chart graphic.

* Wes Dacus and Tony Curtis have been cut

Top Five Absentees

RB Kolby Smith - On the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list because of a knee injury last year; will likely sit out the first six games of the regular season
S DaJuan Morgan - Undisclosed injury; currently practicing
LB Demorrio Williams - Undisclosed injury; currently practicing
LB Zach Thomas - Undisclosed injury; not currently practicing; should start practicing soon according to recent updates
G Wade Smith - Undisclosed injury; currently practicing

It is my opinion that DaJuan Morgan has missed too much time to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. Kolby Smith will likely miss the first six games of the regular season because he will be on the PUP list (league rules) and then who knows what will happen after that. If Demorrio Williams remains healthy, he'll probably have to earn a roster spot on special teams. Zach Thomas will most definitely make the team and his lack of practicing seems to be injury/veteran rest related. I'm not sure what's up with Wade Smith. He just recently started practicing.

The Chiefs' injury situation has been pretty good this off season. Last season, for Week 1, the Chiefs only listed LB Nap Harris, WR Will Franklin and the injured WR Maurice Price as out with injuries after suffering lots of dings during camp.

Two more guesses on cuts are G Tavares Washington, who's missing practices right now and oh is that a bad thing. And I also think that TE Jake O'Connell may end up losing his roster spot because of missed time early on.

Thoughts on who may lose their job because of a lack of practice?