SB Nation - Wade Smith

What do the Chiefs do with Haley, Assistant Coaches, and the Offensive Line in 2010?

Jon Yoon — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:12:35 -0000

More photos » by Reed Hoffmann - AP

Last week, I spoke about some of the moves the Chiefs need to make this offseason on offense, but the Quarterback and Receiver issue pretty much hijacked the entire discussion. I want to use this part of the column to round out that discussion by focusing on the Chiefs' offensive line. I also want to talk about the coaching staff and special teams.

What's really interesting about the scope of this discussion is that two months ago, the fans were stressed about the state of the offensive line but pretty psyched about the progress of the coaching staff. Today, it seems like the fans have flipped opinions.

Special Teams: Let me just get this part out of the way. Ryan Succop and Dustin Colquitt are clearly safe. Steve Hoffman has also quietly built an outstanding coverage unit around them and that coverage will only get better as the roster becomes deeper with talent (remember, when there is a lot more uncertainty on a roster, it becomes tougher to keep dedicated special teams specialists like Gary Stills on your roster). I sense that as the roster gets better, you'll see more Terrence Coppers on this team and that will make an already outstanding special teams unit even better. At the Kick Returner position, given that the Chiefs have a need for both a speed threat at wide receiver and a returner, don't be surprised to see the Chiefs try to kill two birds with one stone by bringing in a guy who can do both.

Offensive Tackle: I know there's been a lot of uproar about how the Chiefs must get the best offensive lineman on the board with the top pick, no questions asked. I couldn't disagree more. With a top 5 pick, the only position that carries any positional value is Left Tackle and while I am not a draft expert, I'm not really that wow'ed by the top Left Tackles on the board and I'm pleased enough with Branden Albert's progress over the last few weeks. If Branden Albert is indeed the answer at Left Tackle, then you absolutely, positively do NOT move him to any other position. Especially with your top 5 pick. On the right side, I don't see Ryan O'Callaghan ever progressing to the point where he would be considered a franchise Right Tackle. However, given the Chiefs' high urgency needs at multiple positions, I would have to think that finding O'Callaghan's replacement is pretty low on the priority list. That's a position that the Chiefs could probably fill through the later rounds of the draft. I am all in favor of bringing in a whole truckload of competitive options; I just don't think the Chiefs need to reach to get any specific one. The Chiefs should try to do better than O'Callaghan, but if he is the Chiefs' option in 2010, that's not a decision that will come back to haunt them.

Stays: Branden Albert (#1 LT), Ryan O'Callaghan (#2 RT), Barry Richardson (#2 LT)
Pick up: New starting RT either through free agency or around rounds 3-7/undrafted

Center: I don't know who will play Center for the Chiefs in 2010, but it had better not be Rudy Niswanger. Wade Smith might be an option, but I doubt it. There really isn't an option on the team that makes you do cartwheels. If I was to prioritize offensive line positions, I would have to say that bringing in a top-flight Center is easily at the top of the list. However, Rudy Niswanger will have a secure roster spot because he's fine as a backup and you have to like his flexibility to play both Guard and Center

Stays: Rudy Niswanger (#2 Center)
Pick-up: A higher draft pick (2nd-3rd round) or highly touted free agent

Guard: Guard is a position that I see as a pressing need, but not a pressing priority. Brian Waters isn't the Left Guard we thought he was when he was playing next to Willie Roaf, but he's still a good option. At Right Guard, Wade Smith really isn't a terrible option and there are some players on the roster who might make for interesting competition. I still think Rudi Niswanger could make a decent Guard, and you have two young players on the practice squad---Colin Brown and Darryl Harris---who might be able to compete in the offseason for the starting job. The Chiefs need to start thinking about bringing in a better player than Smith and an eventual replacement for Waters, but for now, the position is such a low level of priority that the Chiefs shouldn't consider an upgrade unless there is a Best Player Available (BPA) option in the 3^rd through 7^th round of the draft or a clear upgrade who slips into free agency.

Stays: Brian Waters (#1 LG), Wade Smith (#1 RG)
Potential In-house Replacements: Colin Brown, Darryl Harris
Pick-up: Either drafted potential #1 RG or free agent #1 RG, Potential replacement for Brian Waters at LG in 2-3 years via draft

Head Coach:

There's been a lot of talk about Todd Haley being a target for firing. I really hope that's not the case and given his contract, I don't think that will happen. Coaches need time to establish their program. It always reflects badly on an organization when they play musical chairs with their coaches. Oakland and Washington are two NFL markets that can never seem to establish continuity because they're continually changing systems and philosophies. Haley has made a lot of mistakes for sure, but most rookie head coaches do and I still think he would make considerably less mistakes if he wasn't wearing so many hats. The Chiefs need to hire an Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach and that's non-negotiable.

However, the clock has started to tick for Haley. The mistakes he's making now are unforgiveable in 2010. He has to become a better game manager. In his defense, a lot of his game management mistakes are situational. Haley has been over-aggressive on fourth down situations, but who's to say he'll be just as aggressive when this team is a little better? When you have an offense that struggles to put points on the board, sometimes you take a few more risks to score touchdowns. When you have a defense that can implode at any given second of a game, sometimes you have to be more aggressive about going for 7 to create some cushion for the defense.

I'm also becoming increasingly concerned about the team's lack of discipline. Haley was hyped up to be a disciplinarian and yet his team plays without any shred of discipline. Maybe the team has started to give up, but it's also quite possible that they don't buy what Haley is selling. Sometimes when you overthink, you become more prone to mistakes.

Assistant Coaches:

I've said from the beginning that the stupidest move the Chiefs made this offseason was to enter the season without an Offensive Coordinator or a Quarterbacks Coach and they are paying a price for it. How many times have we watched another team's sideline and saw a Quarterback make a mistake, then immediately consult with one of the Assistant Coaches. Cassel hasn't had that luxury. He's had to figure that all out on his own. He's a young QB who's had to coach himself, not only on mechanics, but on how to think through the game. It might also help Cassel to have a fall-back guy. When Haley tears Cassel apart for making a mistake, sometimes it helps to have another coach on the staff to turn to for help. I imagine Cassel doesn't have the same access to good coaching off the field either. The Chiefs bought a $60M product and didn't even equip themselves with a training manual. Unbelievable.

On other levels, rather than go into painstaking detail about each and every coach, let's just talk about the ones whose job security might be called into question. The two names that most often come up in discussions are Tim Krumrie and Bill Muir. In my opinion, Krumrie is a scapegoat of convenience. It started several years ago when he got negative publicity for running what many consider to be a useless combine drill. That escalated into hatred when he coached one of the worst defensive lines in football. In the fans' defense, Krumrie probably should have been canned along with Herm Edwards. But I was okay with keeping him on board because Scott Pioli, a completely neutral set of eyes with no tie to Herm Edwards or Carl Peterson, thought Krumrie was good enough to keep on his staff.

The question is, has the Defensive Line improved under Krumrie? My answer is "yes." Don't get me wrong. The Defensive Line still stinks, but you have to be careful about understanding why that's the case. We shouldn't judge Krumrie based on his ability to coach up players who don't have talent to play their respective position in the first place (Ron Edwards) or rookies who might not see improvement until 2010 (Tyson Jackson). Krumrie has taught his linemen to operate in an entirely different defense, and he has improved several of the players within it. Dorsey went from a non-factor last season to a fairly consistent disruptive force at a position that I still don't believe best fits his skill sets. Tamba Hali has improved by leaps and bounds in his role as a 3-4 OLB. Even Wallace Gilberry and Alex Magee have looked pretty good from time to time. In other words, when he has talent and the time to develop them, he hasn't done a poor job and maybe the 3-4 Defense is his sweet spot. If Dorsey and Hali continue to play at a high level, if Jackson plays better in his second season as Dorsey did, and if the Chiefs bring in a legit Nose Tackle (which they have to), the Defensive Line will be a strength for the Chiefs.

As for Muir, that's also a tough call to make. I never really liked him because I was never a fan of the offensive lines that he coached in the past. But like Krumrie, he's actually made a lot of progress with virtually nothing to work with. The Chiefs have horrible players on the offensive line. No amount of coaching is going to fix that. I do think Muir has done a surprisingly admirable job making a bad unit look increasingly better over the past several weeks.

At Wide Receivers coach, I'd expect a change here too. The Chiefs demoted Dedric Ward earlier in the season and plugged in Richie Anderson. I would be surprised if the Chiefs looked at Anderson as anything more than a stopgap, unless they plan to keep him as an Assistant coach somewhere else.

Finally, Clancy Pendergast. I don't like his defense. Behind all the shifts and moving people around, the defense still seems pretty vanilla. To this day, I still wonder if he was hired because he was the guy Pioli wanted or because he was the only one left late in the season. I sense it's the latter. I actually think Pendergast would make a terrific assistant coach, but more likely than not, he's not going to accept a demotion.

Stays: All Assistant Coaches except Pendergast
Goes: Clancy Pendergast, Dedric Ward
Pick up: Offensive and Defensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach, Wide Receivers Coach

I know it sounds like I'm not pushing for change. Between keeping continuity on the coaching staff

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 12/14

NJ Chiefs Fan — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:27:24 -0000

via KansasCity.com

Well, that sucked. The wheels seem to be falling off, and with that observation, today's Arrowheadlines get kicked off with a little piece from Mr. Jason Whitlock.

That’s the only explanation for Chiefs coach Todd Haley opening his postgame news conference with a disingenuous thank you to the 30,000-plus Chiefs fans who filled 80,000-seat Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.

"Before I get started," Haley said in the aftermath of Kansas City’s 10th loss, a 16-10 snoozer to the Buffalo Bills, "publicly I want to thank the fans. I thought the fans were tremendous for us today."

Yes, this is the "process" to avoiding a blackout next Sunday.

In the minutes after Kansas City’s $63 million QB launched his fourth interception of the day, misfired on two more open deep balls and was caught by CBS television cameras telling someone — maybe booing Chiefs fans or Haley barking in his headset — to shut the (expletive) up, Haley campaigned for ticket sales.

"I just publicly want to thank the fans for making a lot of noise for us today," Haley said.

The boos were quite loud. And the silence was deafening at times. I can’t really blame the fans.

Chiefs should thank anyone who sat through this game from KC Star

KC Star Photo Gallery: Bills 16, Chiefs 10 | Sunday, Dec. 13

Cassel’s four interceptions led only to three points for the Bills. The Chiefs three takeaways on defense led to zero points for Kansas City. They were minus-one on turnovers and minus-three points off those giveaways. That was enough to make them minus-one in the victory column.

"We went into the game with a clear cut key that if we could win the turnover battle, we would have a very good chance to win the game," said Haley. "We were unable to capitalize on the turnovers we were able to create and then in the end our turnovers put us in a position where we couldn’t win."

Wasted was another good performance from RB Jamaal Charles...

Bills Make Fewer Mistakes and Beat Chiefs 16-10 from Bob Gretz

When this wretched season is mercifully finished, the Chiefs won’t need to watch video of every snap to relive their offensive futility.

They can merely review the final 8 minutes of Sunday’s 16-10 loss to Buffalo at Arrowhead Stadium. Even in that short time span, the Chiefs committed almost every offensive sin imaginable: two big dropped passes, two interceptions, two holding penalties and three receivers failing to get out of bounds when the Chiefs were desperate to save time.

Every one was a factor in the defeat.

Chiefs can't overcome offensive mistakes in 16-10 loss to Bills from KC Star

Walking out of the stadium a week ago, I ran into Roger, a big Chiefs fan I know who had watched the debacle against Denver. He had drowned his sorrows in a suite after the game and was stumbling his way out of the building.

"Hey Gretz," he yelled over his shoulder, as his long suffering wife Anne was dragging him to the parking lot. "There’s nothing as bad as losing to the Donkeys. It can’t get any worse than this."

Oh yes it can Roger. It did. It’s one thing losing to a Denver team that’s in the hunt for a wildcard spot in the playoffs. It’s another to go down to the Buffalo Bills, a 4-8 team with an interim head coach and a starting quarterback who might have a degree from Harvard but should not be starting for an NFL team.

Column: Yes It Can Get Worse And Did from Bob Gretz

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley had three critical fourth-down decisions to make Sunday.

Only one of them worked out in the 16-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium.

•Decision 1: The Chiefs faced fourth and 1 after recovering a fumble at the Buffalo 9 in the first quarter of a scoreless game. They decided to go for it and inserted backup offensive tackle Barry Richardson and linebacker Mike Vrabel as eligible receivers. Vrabel has 11 career touchdown catches from that formation.

Crucia l decisions on fourth downs don't pan out for Chiefs from KC Star

If the two key guys in the 2009 Chiefs offense were on escalators, they would pass each other going up, and going down.

Jamaal Charles is on the up escalator, as he continues to show that he has the ability to be a top-flight offensive threat in the NFL.

Matt Cassel is on the down escalator, as he continues to struggle to establish himself and the Chiefs passing game as a productive and consistent offensive force.

Both were on display Sunday as the Chiefs fell to the Bills 16-10. Charles and his legs kept the Chiefs in the game in the second half, when Cassel and his passes were taking them out of the action.

It’s not a good combination for producing victories, which probably explains the three straight losses the Chiefs have suffered.

Offense: One Guy Up, Another One Down from Bob Gretz

Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles almost made the offensive and defensive plays of the game Sunday against Buffalo.

It wasn’t enough that Charles scored the Chiefs’ only touchdown of a 16-10 loss with a 76-yard touchdown dash in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, after a pass went in and out of the grasp of wide receiver Chris Chambers and into the hands of Bills linebacker Paul Posluszny, Charles came from behind and tore the ball from Posluszny’s grasp.

As Charles was ripping the ball out, Posluszny was on top of Chiefs guard Wade Smith, but not on the Arrowhead Stadium turf. The officials, however, ruled Posluszny was down by contact, awarding the ball to Buffalo at the Kansas City 35.

Charles has big day on offense and almost makes big play on defense from KC Star

The numbers jump off the statistical page from Sunday’s game between the Chiefs and Bills:

BUFFALO PASS RECEIVING: Terrell Owens, 2 catches for 15 yards; Lee Evans, 1 catch for 11 yards.

The best tandem of wide receivers that the Chiefs have seen this year were held to three catches for 26 yards. Put the clamps on a pair of receivers like that and a defense expects that they’ll be on the winning side in any game.

It didn’t happen as the Bills beat the Chiefs 16-10.

"I’ll have to wait to see the tape," said CB Brandon Flowers. "Coach (Haley) always talks about hidden yardage, so I’ll be anxious to see where we maybe gave up some hidden yardage. But we really didn’t let those two guys hurt us."

Defense: Good Enough To Win from Bob Gretz

After yielding 245 rushing yards to Denver in last week’s game, the Chiefs were looking for improvement in Sunday’s meeting with the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium.

They got it, but just barely. The Bills rushed for an even 200 yards in their 16-10 victory.

The Bills needed every one of those rushing yards, considering they passed for only 73. But the Chiefs once again weren’t strong enough to shut off both facets of an opposing offense.

Chiefs' defense gets run over once again from KC Star

Beauty is clearly in the eye of the beholding winning coach, because this game was uglier than the clothes pro golfers wore in the 1970s.

There was nothing stylish, nor relevant, about the game, which led Fox studio analyst Terry Bradshaw to preface his description of the game's few highlights with "If anybody cares."

Buffalo Bills defeat Kansas City Chiefs from The Democrat and Chronicle

Back in town last Sunday for the ceremonial retirement of Derrick Thomas' No. 58 jersey, Marty Schottenheimer roamed the Chiefs warm-up area. It must have seemed eerily familiar. I don't know what he thought, but I can guess what was on his mind: "What the hell happened to my program"?

That's a loaded question. Short answer: A lot, and very little of it good.

What is going on at Arrowhead these days in no way, shape or form resembles the start of the Schottenheimer-Carl Peterson turnaround; the comeback from back-to-back four-win seasons in 1987 and '88. If you recall, the Chiefs went 8-7-1 in 1989 and looked like a team on the rise with the infusion of new blood (Derrick Thomas) and the improvement of existing players (Neil Smith, John Alt, Albert Lewis, etc.).

Can you imagine the Chiefs losing the last two (or any two) AFC Westgames by a combined score of 87-27 when Marty was coach? Not on your life.

Honeymoon Over for Chiefs Todd Haley & Scott Pioli: Bring In Charlie Weis from The Post Chronicle

Chicago's Jay Cutler and Kansas City's Matt Cassel were the highest-profile quarterbacks traded in the offseason, and the Bears and Chiefs are learning to be careful for what they wish.

Cassel threw a career-high four interceptions against his old AFC East rivals the Bills on Sunday. Cutler had two more picks in a loss to Green Bay to push his league-leading total to 22.
All season, Cutler and Cassel have been pressing to compensate for problems elsewhere on offense. Chicago and Kansas City have fully invested in them as franchise quarterbacks; team officials must be patient while rebuilding around them, starting with the offensive lines.

Week 14 Checkdown: Scramble on for bottom seeds in AFC from Sporting News

This last one is because I like to stir the pot.

NFL.com Video Highlight: Bernard Pollard pick-6

Chiefs S Leggett Missing From Practice Again

Joel Thorman — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:07:14 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

2 months ago: Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell (2) throws over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Maurice Leggett (31) in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009. The Raiders won 13-10. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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Once again, Kansas City Chiefs S Maurice Leggett was once again absence from practice today fueling speculation that his injury is a serious one. He left Sunday's victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers with a shoulder injury and didn't return.

Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com is providing us with a practice update this afternoon.

Those in the rehab area

The other headliner is that LB Mike Vrabel was not participating in the team portions of practice like he was yesterday. Kent Babb of the Kansas City Star suspects Vrabel could be out for several weeks. His participation yesterday was encouraging but apparently there was a setback (or this is precautionary).

RB Dantrell Savage also did not participate today after missing Sunday's game with injury. He was practicing yesterday in a limited capacity.

LB Justin Herron also did not participate. He missed last weekend's game with a thigh injury.

Alleman back, Smith No. 1 for now

G Andy Alleman returned to the practice field for a second consecutive day. He had an injury that prevented him from playing last weekend. Despite his presence on the practice field, Wade Smith was lining up with the No. 1 team at right guard.

No Changes to the Chiefs Depth Chart Against Chargers

Joel Thorman — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:17:44 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

about 1 month ago: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel (7) is hit as he passes by San Diego Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips (95) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chargers beat the Chiefs 37-7. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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Maybe he's happy with the way his team played, or maybe it's superstition but Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley didn't change anything on the team depth chart as the preparation for the San Diego Chargers begins.

The only changes came because of injury reasons.

RG Wade Smith is on the first team for the injured Andy Alleman.
OLB Andy Studebaker is the on the first team for the injured Mike Vrabel, who's expected to be out for several weeks.
WR Mark Bradley is on the first team for the suspended Dwayne Bowe.

The kick and punt returners remain the same. Jamaal Charles, as he should be, is the No. 1 kick returner. The defensive unit gave up over 500 yards but there were no shakeups. The receivers will likely stay the same throughout Bowe's suspension.

The Chiefs are starting to get a core group of players playing on a consistent basis. The coaching staff had previously shuffled things around quite a bit but as we get further into the season they seem to be figuring out who they want to keep around.

Chiefs' Ndukwe Could Be Seeing Time at Right Guard

Joel Thorman — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:45:24 -0000

I can't count how many times I've heard this question in comments on the site and emails to me: 'Why don't the Chiefs try Ndukwe at right guard?'

My answer? 'Uh, I don't know actually...."

(On a side note, if you're asking multiple questions about a backup tackle possibly moving to backup guard then congrats - you've reached full obsession.)

Todd Haley talked about Ikechuku Ndukwe this afternoon and, if you're one of the people that want to him at guard, you'll like this from the head coach.

"That’s probably his best position really," he began. "We tried to force the issue at tackle early but if it came down to it that’s a position he’s really comfortable playing. He’ll have his shot in there. That’s why I feel fairly comfortable with that being the spot."

Haley said it would be "fair" to say Alleman is the starting right guard at this point.

There's been a lot of movement at the position in the last week. Mike Goff went down with an injury last week, which moved Andy Alleman into a starting role, and then Goff was placed on IR today putting Alleman on the first team.

His comments about Ndukwe indicate that he might be the one coming off the bench to spell Alleman or replace him in the unfortunate instance that Alleman's injured. The line's swing man, Wade Smith, will also be in the running to spell Alleman.

Chiefs Trying to Stay Healthy, Fill Running Back Void

Joel Thorman — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:27:28 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

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The Kansas City Chiefs are trying to stay healthy but that plan has been interrupted for the time being. Here are where the Chiefs stand with a few injuries and how they lined up in practice today (practice info courtesy Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com)

Offensive line

Wade Smith continues to take first team snaps at center as Rudy Niswanger misses his third consecutive practice.

Niswanger injured his knee on a quarterback sneak play last Sunday. The injury looked painful and he was ultimately carted off. Head coach Todd Haley indicated that he would be back this season and might even be back in time for the Chiefs next game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 8th.

Branden Albert continued to take first team reps at left tackle but, as Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com pointed out, he had a heavier limp than yesterday.

Running back

All other spots on the offensive line were business as usual but who will be running behind that line with Larry Johnson's set to miss at least the Jaguars game?

Jamaal Charles took reps as the first team running back. As we pointed out yesterday, Charles has had more than ten carries just once in his NFL career. I'm sure the Chiefs have a plan for the running game but I would guess that the plan doesn't include Charles taking all the snaps LJ used to get.

Dantrell Savage and Kolby Smith split time as Charles' backup. Savage, like Charles, has never been asked to consistently take the full load so it will be interesting to see how he fits in. Smith isn't technically on the active roster yet but with each day it looks like he will be come next Sunday.

Smith is the only running back with a history of taking a large grunt of the work.

Safety

Jon McGraw skipped out on the team portion of practice today as he continues to rehab what Haley called a strained leg.

Wide receiver

Interestingly, Bobby Engram took first team reps as the slot receiver. Lance Long was promoted from the practice squad last week and filled that role. He left last week's game with a head injury but appeared to be fine. He missed practice earlier this week, which appears to be a precautionary move.

Chiefs C Niswanger Has Some Sort of 'Significant' Injury

Joel Thorman — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:13:20 -0000

Photo Source

Kansas City Chiefs center Rudy Niswanger injured his knee on a fourth down quarterback sneak in Sunday's loss to the San Diego Chargers. He was helped off the field and eventually taken away to the locker room in a cart. As he tried to walk, even a couple of steps, you could tell he was in pain.

Head coach Todd Haley confirmed after the game that it was a knee injury.

"Rudy is having his knee looked at as we speak," Haley told reporters yesterday, "and we will know more about that injury later. It’s a significant injury of some sort but, hopefully, less significant than we initially thought."

The Chiefs are coming up on a bye week so if the injury is on the "less significant" side of things Niswanger will have two full weeks to heal.

"I can’t guarantee that," Haley said when asked if he could play at Jacksonville on November 8th, "but it didn’t look great initially."

Wade Smith, who was filling in for Branden Albert at left tackle, moved to center when Niswanger went down. If Niswanger is out for any extended period of time, Haley feels the team has options.

"Andy Alleman has played center and we have a practice squad player who has played a lot of center," Haley said. "We have some center options, Wade being one of them."

That practice squad player is Darryl Harris, who started nine games at center for the Ole Miss Rebels in 2005. The following years he played mainly right tackle and left guard but filled in at all spots on the offensive line.

If Niswanger is down for an extended period, then here are your center options: Wade Smith, Darryl Harris, Andy Alleman and/or some free agent.

Chiefs' Page, Niswanger and Albert Highlight Injury Talk

Joel Thorman — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:30:22 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

about 1 month ago: Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley walks off the field following an NFL football game with the San Diego Chargers Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chargers beat the Chiefs 37-7. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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The Kansas City Chiefs have been relatively lucky this season in terms of injuries. Whether it be because of the conditioning or pure luck, the Chiefs have consistently had few players on the injury report.

This week, injuries are a topic of conversation. Before we get onto a few of the injury situations, I wanted to share this quote from Kent Babb of the Kansas City Star yesterday morning:

But the tallest challenge for Haley has been establishing a philosophy that injuries, which he says are occasionally unavoidable, are sometimes viewed as a sign of weakness. Free safety Jarrad Page faced doubts after he suggested during the preseason that an injury should keep him out of the Chiefs’ third exhibition game. Johnson has endured several nagging injuries that kept him on the sideline during practices and threatened his job security.

Haley has made it clear that the way players react to injuries might determine their futures in Kansas City. If players nurse their wounds too long or report minor issues as long-lasting problems, Haley takes mental notes.

Interesting stuff. Check out the full article here. Definitely worth the read.

More on Rudy Niswanger being carted off, Jarrad Page's healthy scratch and an inactive Albert after the jump.

Niswanger carted off

Chiefs C Rudy Niswanger went down in the second quarter with an apparent knee injury.

On a 4th and one, QB Matt Cassel ran a quarterback sneak over center Rudy Niswanger. After the failed attempt, trainers had to help Niswanger off the field where he was walking with a heavy limp.

He went to the bench where a few trainers gathered around him. A few minutes later, he was brought off the field on a cart.

All we know at this point, is that it's a knee injury and he did not return. I could tell from my seat that he was in quite a bit of pain when he was trying to walk.

Wade Smith, who started at left tackle in place of the injured Branden Albert, slid over to center. Barry Richardson, who was just promoted from the practice squad last week, took Smith's spot at left tackle.

Quite the shuffle. My guess is that a few centers might be worked out today and tomorrow.

Page is a healthy scratch

Safety Jarrad Page appeared on the injury report as a full participant in practice and probable for Sunday. Per head coach Todd Haley, Page was a healthy scratch.

"I think he was healthy enough to play," Haley said.

Safety Jon McGraw started in his spot.

"I thought McGraw had played very well the last couple weeks when he's been in there," said the head coach. "Again, it's a roster deal there where we're trying to juggle a lot of different spots and who we think can help us any given day."

McGraw started last week when Page was out with a shoulder injury. McGraw had been running with the first team during practice.

Albert is inactive

Left tackle Branden Albert was inactive yesterday Multiple reports as the week progressed suggested the odds didn't look good for him, and they were right.

The Chiefs were especially thin at tackle yesterday when Smith had to move over to center so his presence was missed.

Like I've said before, I'm not privy to the details on his injury but you've gotta wonder whether Haley had the bye week in mind. If Albert sits now, that'll be three consecutive weeks of resting the ankle.

Greetings from FedEx Field

Joel Thorman — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:32:21 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

2 months ago: FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2009 file photo, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is seen before the preseason NFL football game in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, FILE)

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Good morning everyone. I've just settled into the press box here at FedEx Field. It is a miserable day in Washington D.C. It's currently 43 degrees (but feels like 36) with a light drizzle. It should climb a couple of degrees but this is about the way it's going to be the rest of the day.

I got here very early. Originally I had planned the drive being well over an hour with D.C. traffic and all but I made it here in great time.

Here are a few things that have been going on this week as we wait for the 12:00 CST kickoff.

Injuries

Branden Albert is of course out. Wade Smith will take his spot. That's definitely a position to keep an eye on today.

Last week, right guard Mike Goff went down and was replaced by Andy Alleman. Goff's been under heavy criticism from those outside the organization as of late but as far as we can tell he's healthy, has practiced all week and will play on Sunday.

Jarrad Page injured a shoulder at some point. I don't recall seeing an injury occur during the game against the Cowboys but he didn't practice on Wednesday and has appeared on the injury report all week. Haley said on Friday he was "much improved" from where he was earlier in the week so it's looking good for him. If he can't go, Jon McGraw would start in his place.

Nothing really to report on the Cassel injury report - Haley was asked whether his quarterback was completely recovered from a MCL injury that sidelined him for week one. The coach indicated that he's not completely healthy, and can feel some discomfort in the knee at times, but it's nothing that has been limiting him (or else it would be on the injury report, right?).

No other injuries to note, which is nice. The Chiefs have been relatively healthy this season. I went back and looked at the injury reports during Herm Edwards' last year here and he seemed to always have a couple extra names on there compared to the Haley's first season. I'm working on that post so look for it in the next few days.

Coaching shake-up

This week Chiefs coach Haley had a little shake-up in his coaching staff. Former NFL player Richie Anderson, with Pioli, Haley and Parcells connections, will now take over as receivers coach for Dedric Ward, who is expected to remain on staff in some capacity. Receiver Bobby Wade said this week that it's important to have a close relationship with your position group and stressed continuity as a key factor in that. Ward also said Anderson has been at practices and meetings and he doesn't expect much to change with the players.

Interestingly, Arrowhead Pride commenter soybon reminded us that almost 10 years ago to the day, Todd Haley was replaced as the Jets receivers coach by Charlie Weis mid-season. It doesn't have any bearing on this situation but it's an interesting note during this transition period for the coaching staff.

There have been discussions around here on whether the coaching shake-up is a sign that Haley's having trouble with his staff. Some will say yes, while others will say this isn't a sign of managerial issues for the coach.

More No-Huddle Coming?

And the big story around the mainstream media this week was whether the Chiefs success in a two-minute drill situation last week against the Cowboys will result in more no-huddle situations for Haley and the offense. With their backs faced against the wall, Cassel and the Chiefs uncharacteristically drove the length of the field in the waning minutes against the Cowboys. Some penalties helped, of course, but so did clutch receptions by Wade and Dwayne Bowe.

The success on that drive has prompted some to wonder whether the Chiefs should try to replicate that situation throughout the Redskins game. It makes sense but, as Rich Gannon pointed out this week, that would put quite a strain on the defense. For example, a no-huddle offense could still result in a three-and-out except, and that means the defense gets even less time to rest in between possessions.

There's been no definitive word from Haley on whether the no-huddle will be employed more often.

GM Scott Pioli on the Road

With the Chiefs sitting at 0-5, and possibly looking at another top draft pick in April, some of the talk around here has begun to focus on college prospects. Chiefs GM Scott Pioli spoke to 610 Sports earlier this week and broke down what his weekly schedule looks like now that college teams are beginning conference play.

Monday/Tuesday: Usually at Arrowhead as injury reports begin to come in and free agents are worked out

Wednesday/Thursday/Friday: Travel to schools to watch practice and tape on possible prospects.

Saturday: Return to Arrowhead or, in the case of this week, meet the team out on the road.

Sunday: Chiefs game

And then start all over again.

As for a bit of local flavor, Pioli said he attended the Missouri/Nebraska in Columbia last week. I heard he left after three quarters. He did say, however, that he was looking at a top defensive player on Missouri (Sean Witherspoon?) and Nebraska (Ndamukong Suh?).

Quote of the week

Reader Submission: Warren E. Murray Jr. (Sports Illustrated), in response to a story on the Detroit Tigers' ownership:

As a Redskins fan I have seen our franchise destroyed by Daniel Snyder, whose response to this recession has been to aggressively sue lifelong season-ticket holders because they are now unable to afford their tickets. America knows what this recession has cost Detroit, but at least in the area of pro sports ownership, Detroit is better off than many other communities.

Yikes!

Five Things to Watch For in the Chiefs v. the Redskins

Chris Thorman — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:55:12 -0000

More photos » by Alex Brandon - AP

"As a first round pick out of Texas, I promise to under perform and to not exceed your expectations." (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Browse more photos »

Ah yes....Gameday!

Joel is headed to FedEx field as we speak to grab his credentials and plunker down in the press box for the Kansas City Chiefs v. the Washington Redskins today.

For those of us not as lucky to be attending the game in Washington, in the press box, I've put together five things that I'll be specifically watching during today's 12 PM Central time game.

To get you to click over and get you to read my brilliant ~~rambling~~ musings, here are a few teasers:

Tyson Jackson
Wade Smith at left tackle
Larry Johnson against a mediocre run defense
The emerging TE Sean Ryan
And the overall Chiefs attitude

Check 'em out, after the jump and let us know what's on your mind heading into today's game.

Tyson Jackson

A lot of the focus of the conversation has been on the offense around here. With new players on defense and a new scheme, I know I've been reluctant to into detail about how/why the Chiefs defense is playing like it's playing. Some of the struggles are the new scheme. Some of it is related to the players. And some of the struggles are because we've been playing solid opponents during the first quarter of the season.

Well today I'm going to take time to specifically watch the Chiefs first round pick DE Tyson Jackson. Like everyone has said, his position in the 3-4 defense isn't about getting his name called on TV or stats. It's about applying enough pressure by himself to lock up defenders and allow the linebackers to get penetration and stop running backs.

I'm going to be watching Jackson to see exactly how much attention he commands against an offense that ranks in the lower third of the NFL in the major categories.

Wade Smith at Left Tackle

Wade Smith gets the nod at left tackle after Branden Albert didn't make the trip to DC Maryland yesterday. Even though Smith hasn't played relatively much since becoming a Chief, I've always thought that he was on NFL rosters because he could played center, tackle and potentially even guard.

We'll see today just how versatile Wade Smith is and if the Chiefs have even bigger problems at o-line depth than we think they do.

TE Sean Ryan

Through Week 5, Ryan has 13 catches for 124 yards receiving. Traditionally, the tight end hasn't played much of a role in the Todd Haley led offense but it seems that Ryan may becoming a go-to guy for Matt Cassel.

Ryan is fourth on the team in receiving yards, trailing Bowe, Bradley and Wade respectively. We've been talking a lot about wide receiver depth around for say, oh, the last six months. Maybe Sean Ryan is another solid piece of the receiving game puzzle for KC?

Larry Johnson v. Redskins Defense

I'm sure you've heard by now that the 2009 Redskins are the only team to face six straight winless teams to open a season. That may be one of the most ridiculous stats I've ever read about in NFL football.

Partly because of the lack of talent they've faced, the Skins' defense ranks 6th in points allowed, 5th in yards allowed, 3rd in passing yards allowed but 22nd in rushing yards allowed. Hmmm. Something isn't right there and I hope LJ can take advantage of it.

The Redskins have given up103, 126, 154, 129 and 86 yards rushing respectively. The only rushing attack worthy of saying they're good is the Giants, who the Redskins played in Week 1.

Does Larry Johnson rush for over 100 yards today?

The Chiefs Attitude

The Redskins are falling apart. This is the first week that a lot of "experts" are picking the Chiefs to win. FedEx field provides no real home field advantage. Hell, it's not even in DC :)

It's tough to say the Chiefs should win this game. The Redskins are bad but so are we.

But if the Chiefs don't come out at least looking like they want to win this game and can win this game, I'm going to be angry. We have decent enough talent to beat the Redskins. It's going to come down to coaching. And we have the advantage there.

I think.

Will Todd Haley have the Chiefs fired up enough to get their first win, on the road no less?