SB Nation - Mike Goff

State of the AFC West Week 10

Sam (sdsuaztec4) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:32:00 -0000

Those standings look a little strange don't they? First of all, it's kind of funny that the top two and the bottom two teams have the same records. Second of all, it's starting to resemble last year's standings more and more. For the second year in a row, it looks like the division will come down to the second match-up between the Chargers and Broncos. The game will be played in Denver this season but the momentum of the teams in certainly the same. The Chargers have won 4 in a row and the Broncos have lost 3 in a row. This season there will still be games to be played but the losing team will essentially have to win out to win the division. The Raiders and the Chiefs will actually play a big part as potential spoilers; the Broncos play the Chiefs twice and the Raiders once more. If the Broncos lose on Sunday they will have to sweep those three games and I don't expect those two teams to roll over with a big chance to play spoiler against a division opponent. The Chargers play the Chiefs once more at Qualcomm after the Broncos game which will be their last divisional game.

Click the jump to see where all the teams are at

AFC West Standings

	W	L	PF	PA
Denver	6	3	167	151
San Diego	6	3	237	202
Oakland	2	7	88	217
Kansas City	2	7	142	215

(updated 11.17.2009 at 1:16 AM PST)

Kansas City Chiefs: Things aren't getting any better for the Chiefs. As you have probably already heard, WR Dwayne Bowe was just suspended four games for testing positive for PEDs. Bowe is probably the Chiefs' best player and losing him is going to be a big blow to their already meager offense. You have to wonder if the Chiefs knew this was coming when they claimed Chris Chambers. Matt Cassel will probably have even more trouble completing passes now. But hey, at least they beat the Raiders and got their first rushing TD of the season right? It doesn't get any easier for the Chiefs as their next three games are vs. Steelers, @ San Diego, vs. Denver. Their next divisional game is @ San Diego for which there are still 7,000 tickets remaining. With both games left against Denver and one more against San Diego the Chiefs will surely try to play spoiler within the division so they still have a big chance to decide the division.

Kansas City Chiefs Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Jamaal Charles	leg	11/16/2009

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Mike Vrabel	knee	11/16/2009
Dantrell Savage	ankle	11/16/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Devard Darling	knee	09/01/2009
Jarrad Page	calf	11/04/2009
Mike Goff	shoulder	11/11/2009
Jackie Battle	shoulder	10/14/2009
Colin Brown	undisclosed	09/05/2009

Oakland Raiders: So the Raiders have lost 7 straight at home against the Chiefs, no big deal right? Well, since the middle of the 2007 season, no team in the NFL has been worse than the Chiefs. On a good note, the Raiders did have a fantastic day on the ground, especially RB Michael Bush who had 119 yards on 14 carries. I still really wish the Chargers had ended up trading for him. The routine stayed the same for the Raiders; Jamarcus Russell played poorly compounded by constant drops by rookie WR Demetrius Heyward-Bey. Russell was benched again in favor of Bruce Gradkowski who played even worse. Head coach Tom Cable, who probably won't be head coach much longer, hasn't yet announced who will be his starter this Sunday. Maybe it will be Charlie Frye. Hey at least P Shane Lechler kicked for 531 yards right? Now they get to play the Bengals, Cowboys, and Steelers. Their next and last division game is week 15 against the Broncos.

Oakland Raiders Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Tommy Kelly	ribs	11/16/2009

Doubtful

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Javon Walker	hamstring	11/16/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
John Bowie	knee	09/30/2009
Oren O'Neal	ankle	10/14/2009

Denver Broncos: Mr. Hyde showed his face last Sunday when the Broncos lost to the Redskins. Losses against the Ravens and Steelers are understandable but the Redskins are really, really bad. Another thing happened on Sunday that hadn't happened in Bronco land all season, injuries. RT Ryan Harris is already out for this Sunday's game and QB Kyle Orton injured his ankle and is questionable for this Sunday's game vs the Chargers. From what I've heard and read they are basically going to play it by ear and see how much he can practice if it all. It's not out of the question that he plays after not practicing all week, they need to win this game and they know it, especially coach McDaniels. Back-up QB Chris Simms had an awful time after Orton left the game and while I'm sure he'd be better after a week of practice he certainly isn't Tom Brady. During their game on Sunday, on that fake punt, the Redskins did everything to show that a trick play was in the works. The Broncos still couldn't stop it. Clearly the Broncos have strayed pretty far from where they were after beating the Chargers. Their next division game is this Sunday against the Chargers; if they lose it will probably be too late to get back on track to win the division. I'm not sure SBNation's injury widget is very helpful....

Denver Broncos Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Ryan McBean	knee	11/16/2009
Josh Barrett	hamstring	11/16/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Nick Greisen	knee	08/05/2009

San Diego Chargers: The Chargers were able to establish a running game and stop the run in one game on Sunday, which is something they will need to continue if they want to succeed going forward. Unfortunately, the run defense came at the expense of the pass defense, although that was also a function of the defensive game-plan against QB Donovan McNabb as well as the lack of a great pass rush. The Chargers had a great pass-rush over the previous games; injuries to Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips probably didn't help things. Hopefully they are feeling better this Sunday and getting pressure on whomever is the Broncos QB; the Broncos quick WRs can do crossing routes just as well as the Eagles WRs. If C Nick Hardwick is able to return this Sunday it will be a huge upgrade on pass and run blocking. If we get ahead early I think LT will have another big day and will soften up the Bronco's secondary when we need to pass the ball. The Broncos have given up a huge amount of rushing yards in their last 4 games and I still think the Chargers are at their best when LT is pounding the ball up the middle. After this Sunday against the Broncos, the Chargers have their last divisional game against the Chiefs, and then a game against the Browns which should be nice. As far as injuries, it looks like Jeromy Clary and Tim Dobbins will be able to play, and hopefully Travis Johnson, too, since the DL by committee thing has worked out pretty well so far.

San Diego Chargers Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Travis Johnson	leg	11/16/2009
Jeromey Clary	ankle	11/16/2009
Tim Dobbins	knee	11/16/2009

Doubtful

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Nick Hardwick	ankle	11/16/2009
Jyles Tucker	ankle	11/16/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Ryon Bingham	arm	09/05/2009
Jamal Williams	triceps	09/19/2009
Antwan Applewhite	hamstring	10/20/2009
Brandon Hughes	knee	09/02/2009

Poll

Which team is more dysfunctional right now?

Chiefs

53 votes

Raiders

414 votes

467 votes | Poll has closed

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 11/12

NJ Chiefs Fan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:55:23 -0000

via sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Todd Haley rattled off a bunch of statistical areas where the Chiefs rank quite well among the league’s 32 teams. But he allowed after he was done that "stats are for losers." There’s no doubt the ‘09 Chiefs are losers right now, tied for the worst record in the NFL.

Then there are all those others numbers, losers of 27 of their last 30 and 37 of their last 44.

So many fans and pundits wanted change at Arrowhead and rebuilding. It’s doubtful they remembered just how painful it can be. After eight games, the current Chiefs rebuilding job is the ugliest in franchise history.

Ultimate Rebuilding Pain … Thursday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

The Chiefs, tangled in recent weeks in the storm surrounding the suspension and release of running back Larry Johnson, are trying to move past the controversy and find a way to win a game.
That will put things out of kilter Sunday when the 1-7 Chiefs play the 2-6 Raiders in Oakland. The Raiders have had a tumultuous season, even by their standards, but things in Oakland have been relatively peaceful the past couple of weeks.

The Chiefs aren’t strangers to controversy, particularly as it relates to Johnson, but normally that’s an area where they can’t compete with the Raiders. Oakland almost always had a drama or two keeping the Raiders occupied.

Raiders won't gloat over Johnson's departure from the Chiefs from KC Star

Chiefs guard Mike Goff was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, and the shoulder injury that kept him out of Sunday’s starting lineup also will end the veteran’s season.

Kansas City signed Goff during the offseason, after he had played his first 11 seasons with Cincinnati and San Diego. Goff, 33, started the first seven games this season.

Coach Todd Haley said Wednesday that Andy Alleman probably will move into the starting role. Alleman, whom the Chiefs acquired in a trade earlier this season with Miami, started against Jacksonville.

Goff will miss remainder of season from KC Star

The Kansas Chiefs and Oakland Raiders have been making plenty of headlines the past few weeks, but not for any reasons they'd like.

In a matchup of two of the worst teams in the NFL, the Chiefs will take the field Sunday without Larry Johnson, who was released for making inappropriate comments, against a Raiders team dealing with more allegations of coach Tom Cable's history of violent behavior toward women.

Kansas City (1-7) is set to play its first game without Johnson on its roster since 2002 after the two-time Pro Bowl running back was released Monday. He was initially suspended for posting on his Twitter account a gay slur, insulting followers and questioning the competence of coach Todd Haley.

Riders vs. Chiefs from CBS Sports

A ROSE: My congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs Football Club for taking a principled stand on the actions of team members. Mr. Larry Johnson has a substantial record of disregard for the efforts of others and Missourians do not take this lightly.

Roses & Thorns from News-Leader.com

Brought in for his breakaway speed that Oakland hoped would revive the vertical passing game, Heyward-Bey has only five catches for 74 yards and no touchdowns in his first eight games as a pro.

"I haven't made the plays I wanted to make, but I've definitely been solid just looking at my grades that come out of the game. ... I've been very solid. There's always room for improvement as a whole receiving corps. We've been all right. We've been all right."

Oakland's receivers have once again been one of the worst groups in the league, catching just 28 passes the entire first half of the season.

But coach Tom Cable last week singled out Heyward-Bey's performance in the previous two games as one of the highlights of the first half. Heyward-Bey had three catches for 38 yards in those two games, hardly the production expected out of a top 10 pick but better than what he had done in the first six games.

Heyward-Bey remains confident despite struggles from MercuryNews.com

PewterReport.com is issuing a correction about a comment from Charlie Campbell's PI Quick Hits article posted on November 2. After the 2009 NFL Draft the Bucs had some change over in the Bucs scouting department.

In the article it stated that the Bucs "dropped" former scout Dom Green. Since publication of the article, Pewter Report has learned that Green was offered a contract to stay with the Buccaneers, but he chose to take a position with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Correction: Scout Dom Green Chose KC over TB from PewterReport.com

THIS SUNDAY, the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League will honor Native American Heritage Month at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Native American Heritage Month recognizes the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S.

I commend the Raiders organization for honoring the contributions of Native Americans, but I question their choice of opponent — the Kansas City Chiefs.

Is it possible to be any more insensitive in the selection of an opponent for an event that began with, what I view, as good intentions?

Byron Williams: Good to honor Native Americans, but Raiders opponent is an insensitive choice from The Oakland Tribune

Kansas City Chiefs earlier this year created a spoof of The Office to send up their front office operations, now they're bringing again with a riff on 30 Rock.

For the most part, it's spot on, especially in the production values. The moments where it seemed the most strained are when the two guys impersonating Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan are on screen. But given that those are the two most talented performers on 30 Rock, it's a forgivable misstep. That and the KC Wolf character is kind of annoying, but then they have to work in the mascot somehow, I guess.

The video is after the jump, as it's one of those annoying ones that starts automatically when you open the page. A commendable show of humor, especially for a franchise that employs a coach who clearly takes everything way too seriously.
Chiefs Better at TV Spoofs Than Football from The Sporting News

Lance Long. You know, that smurfy slot receiver in his first year from Mississippi State? He’s not a rookie, technically, but Long might as well be.

The 5-foot-11, 186-pound Detroit native has experience in this offense and familiarity with head coach Todd Haley. As you may remember (like it was eons ago or something), Haley called the plays for the Arizona Cardinals‘ high-flying passing attack last year. What you may not have known is Long spent that entire year on Arizona’s practice squad.

Fantasy owners need to start going Long from KFFL.com

No Player Tweets

Media and Fans

Fake_J_Russell: Been real busy this week ... loading up on calories for the game against the #chiefs Lots of burgers and fries. #raiders

Slimlicious99: @superdj56 Come on DJ you gotta get on the field more. Im a Chiefs and a Longhorn. You are my favorite player for sure.

amandarykoff: Let's face it, when the Raiders play the Chiefs, there really are no winners.

SI_JimTrotter: OAK more talented on field, KC is superior in the front office. RT @SportsJunkie854 How long till Raiders or Chiefs make playoffs?

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 G Mike Goff to Injured Reserve is Confirmed

Joel Thorman — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:53:29 -0000

Indeed it appears Kansas City Chiefs right guard Mike Goff will be headed to injured reserve ending his season eight games early according to Kent Babb of the Kansas City Star. Babb first reported the roster moves on his Twitter account.

He was battling a shoulder injury over the last couple weeks, an injury that caused him to snap his 113 game starting streak last weekend.

In Goff's place will be Andy Alleman, who got the starting nod on Sunday. I was content with Alleman's performance last weekend. I think he'll be fine for the rest of the season, but that position will certainly be eligible for an upgrade over the offseason and into the NFL draft.

Behind Alleman is Wade Smith, the swing man on the offensive line.

As we told you a few minutes ago, linebacker Justin Rogers was signed in Goff's place.

Goff was the one of the veterans brought in by Todd Haley to help with the leadership aspect of a young club. However, he was actually expected to produce in his time here. I think many of us would say he's about had it as a starting NFL guard after 12 years of service.

Goff is due $1 million in base salary this season and $1.1 million next. He is eligible to be a free agent in 2011.

Chiefs G Goff Absent From Practice; New Player Signed

Joel Thorman — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:58:09 -0000

Apparently it was an interesting practice for the Kansas City Chiefs this afternoon. Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com is filling us in on a few of the happenings at One Arrowhead Drive.

Rogers returns

First, LB Justin Rogers was back out on the practice field. The Chiefs signed him twice in October. The first time he was on the team for a few days and the next time he was signed and then released again within 24 hours.

G Mike Goff was not at practice and, as Looney points out, connecting the dots would suggest Goff has landed on IR (but still no confirmation from the team). It's unlikely he was released while he was injured (which would entail an injury settlement). He was battling a shoulder problem the last couple weeks which eventually helped Andy Alleman land the starting job at right guard last Sunday.

McGraw returns but Morgan stays on the first team

Now this is interesting. FS Jon McGraw has returned to the practice field after missing the last two-and-a-half weeks with a leg strain. SS DaJuan Morgan was taking his place at FS while he was injured but - surprise, surprise - Morgan continued with the first team today.

Linebackers banged up

Three linebackers were in the rehab zone this morning. Jovan Belcher, David Herron and Mike Vrabel were all not practicing fully.

Vrabel's the only one of those players on the first team, which was filled by Andy Studebaker today.

The Chiefs Start the Second Half of the Season at 0 - 0

Jon Yoon — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:32 -0000

by Orlin Wagner - AP

about 1 month ago: FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2009 photo, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson (56) tackles Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell (2) during the first half of a NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo. For six weeks, Johnson has been benched, taken out of the lineup for reasons that have never been made public. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

View full size photo »

I realize that the second half of the Chiefs' season doesn't officially start until next week, but given the bye week, it really feels like the second half of the season started on Monday. Doesn't it?

I know the idea that the Chiefs are now 0-0 starting today is cliché and may seem like a worthless statistic, but it's actually a pretty crucial measure in a rebuild. Before the season started, there were many that said they would be okay with a 4-12 record as long as the team looked like it was improving throughout the year and as long as the bulk of those wins came in the second half of the season. Hopefully that second half momentum would carry through to 2010.

Because to me, the second half of the season in a rebuilding year is a pivot point. The first half of the season revolves around testing and learning. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. You throw a lot of young guys into the fire and some hop out of the fire, while many of them smolder. You give players time to buy into a new offensive and defensive philosophy, to buy into a new coaching staff and a new culture. In the case of the Chiefs, you have to coach players to play in entirely different schemes. Not just the 3-4. It's a completely new blocking scheme. It's a completely new offense.

The second half of the season should represent a point where players either get it or they don't. You can't dangle the same excuse that players are still learning. Todd Haley gets that. He was pretty out of character in his last press conference. I was expecting him to rant and rave about what a lousy performance his team put in against the Chargers. They certainly deserved the criticism. Instead, Haley focused on the positives. Haley was obviously more excited that his players were starting to "get it," even if his team got routed in that effort. As a motivational tool, it gives the players a fresh start. When the playoffs are out of reach, it's very easy to lose motivation, especially when the first half of the season was so frustrating. If the Chiefs play solid football for the rest of the season, they'll celebrate their improvement and that will carry over week after week.

Another reason the Chiefs' second half should technically start this week is that there is also a major pivot in terms of schedule strength. Their remaining schedule is significantly weaker than it was in the first half. They got the entire NFC East out of the way and they've already taken on one of the AFC North's behemoths. In the second half, the Chiefs get Jacksonville, Buffalo, Oakland, and Cleveland. While none of those games are shoo-ins, they are winnable games. Contrast that with the first half of the season, when the Chiefs only really had two (Oakland and Washington).

Don't get your hopes up. If the Chiefs win 4 games or more in the second half of the season, that would be pretty remarkable. Rather than obsess over wins/losses, here are two things you can look out for: 1) are the Chiefs improving as a team? 2) are the Chiefs getting a lot of improvement from their foundational guys or from their stopgaps? Here are some things to watch for in the second half of the season:

Can they get 3 to 4 wins? If the Chiefs win 3 to 4 more games, that will be a huge accomplishment for a Chiefs' team that is currently on pace to match their pathetic 2-14 record from last season.
Watch Branden Albert's progress. I haven't given up on Albert. People forget that he's learning to play at a completely different weight in a completely different blocking scheme. I wouldn't pay too much attention to the rest of the line. Remember, we're focusing on improvement that can carry over to next season. I hope that Mike Goff improves his pass protection only because it helps Cassel develop as a pocket quarterback, but who really cares about how that impacts the Chiefs in the long-term? Goff and Niswanger aren't a part of the answer after this season, and I'm not entirely sure if O'Callaghan does either.
We need to resign ourselves to the fact that Matt Cassel will probably never have great protection this season. It is what it is. You'd still like to see him improve his accuracy on intermediate routes. I personally believe he has improved markedly at getting rid of the ball faster, but he'll need to get better at that too. That means picking up blitzes. All of those things.
Consistency on the Defensive Line. Forget about tackles and sacks. When you watch Glenn Dorsey and especially Tyson Jackson, hopefully you'll see some fundamental improvements in each of these guys. Jackson, as expected, is horribly inconsistent as a 5-technique Defensive End, but with Vrabel helping Jackson to understand the position, you hope he'll start to get it. Once Jackson and Dorsey both start to consistently get it, you're going to see some major improvements in both the run defense and our pass rush.
The running game is an interesting situation, because it feels like they might have one piece, but it's unclear whether they have the full puzzle. Jamaal Charles has the upside to be a nice complementary back. And that back is probably not Kolby Smith, nor is it any other back on this roster. Consider the primary back in KC to be a stopgap and pay close attention to Charles. Charles has flashed potential, but he hasn't shown it with any consistency. The Chiefs will hopefully use the rest of the season to see how high that ceiling actually is.
Unless Dajuan Morgan kicks some serious butt, none of the Chiefs' safeties have played well enough to justify keeping their job in 2010. That includes Page, as sad as that it is to say.
This might turn a few heads, but I think Dwayne Bowe has a lot to prove over the course of the season if he wants to be this team's go-to receiver threat. With his inconsistency, his knack for dropping key passes on key third downs, and his knack for disappearing in stretches, one has to call into question whether he has any future as the Chiefs' primary target. He would undoubtedly make an outstanding #2 receiver. I can't help but wonder if much of his previous success was due to the presence of Tony Gonzalez. However, no matter which way you slice it, the Chiefs will need wide receiver help at some point. After all, Chris Chambers isn't going to be any kind of a long-term solution.
Mike Vrabel. Yeah, that sounds weird, because he's clearly not in the Chiefs' long-term plans. But one of the key foundational elements to the Chiefs' defense is the progression of Tyson Jackson. If Jackson does his job, you never notice it, but you might see Vrabel get progressively better as the season goes along. So on the one hand, you can pay attention to Tyson Jackson and see how he progresses; on the other hand, if that's too boring for you, then watch Vrabel instead and see if he's getting absorbed by blockers.
The offensive line is what it is. I just don't see any long-term options on the line outside of Albert. The starters aren't very good and the backups don't have any real upside. You hope Waters can milk out a few more productive years. You hope Albert continues to improve. The rest of the line, you just hope that they can become as "not horrible" as they can possibly be. That's a sad reality that we have to face.

The Chiefs need to start fresh and forget about how frustrating the first half of 2009 was. You can't walk in to the second half of the season with the expectation that the Chiefs will somehow, magically pull a playoff season out of their back pocket. However, if the Chiefs see some improvement in the above areas and steal a few wins along the way, that's a very good thing for the team.

Chiefs G Mike Goff Enters Thursday Injury Report

Joel Thorman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:45:05 -0000

The Kansas City Chiefs currently have five players on the injury report while the Jacksonville Jaguars have four. This is a little surprising because, through eight weeks, the Chiefs have usually been the healthier team in any matchup.

There were no changes to the Chiefs injury report except for the addition of Mike Goff.

Did Not Participate

S Jon McGraw (leg) - Still no updates but he hasn't practiced in nearly two weeks.

CB Mike Richardson (illness) - Unknown illness. This is the second day in a row he's been gone.

Limited Participation

C Rudy Niswanger (knee) - He practiced again today which is a good sign. Coming back from a MCL injury in two weeks would be impressive (Cassel took three).

G Mike Goff (shoulder) - No clue what this is. Goff's a veteran so this could be precautionary.

Full Participation

T Branden Albert (ankle) - He appears ready to play.

***

The Chiefs currently have 60% of their starting offensive line on the injury report.

Branden Albert, Mike Goff Miss Chiefs Practice

Joel Thorman — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:16:52 -0000

The Kansas City Chiefs took the field today in preparation for the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. As we noted in various posts this morning, there were two new and one familiar face on the field.

New addition to the active roster, Kenny Smith, was on the field wearing No. 90. Practice squad addition Marlon Favorite was practicing in No. 93, Tank Tyler's old number. Kolby Smith also returned to practice (presumably wearing No. 21).

Two players were also missing from practice according to Josh Looney and Bob Gretz. Branden Albert, who did not travel with the team to Washington last week because of an ankle injury, and Mike Goff, who was not on the field at all today, did not participate in practice.

Albert's injury is worrisome and has caused a bit of a chain reaction. To prepare for his absence last week, the Chiefs activated Barry Richardson (which opened a practice squad spot for Favorite) and activated Ikechuku Ndukwe for the Redskins game.

In a sign that Albert's improving, he was not in a walking boot today and was seen running and jogging (via Bob Gretz).

Goff's absence is unknown at this point. He has had no reported injuries since missing a handful of plays against the Dallas Cowboys a week and a half ago.

Jarrad Page, who missed last week's game, practiced today.

The Chiefs will release an injury report later this afternoon with a few more details on the absence of these players and Gretz might have some more information when his practice report is updated shortly.

Former Chiefs Bennett, Boone and Wilson Headed Back to Arrowhead This Weekend

Chris Thorman — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:30:17 -0000

More photos » by Don Wright - AP

2 months ago: San Diego Chargers defensive end Alfonso Boone (70) sacks Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

Browse more photos »

Here is your weekly "connection" post courtesy of the mothership.

I remember seeing Darren Sproles play back in high school in Kansas City, when he was averaging something ridiculous like 260 yards a game rushing.

Chiefs G Mike Goff spent five seasons with the Chargers (2004-08).
Chargers RB Michael Bennett (2006-07), DE Alfonso Boone (2007-08) and TE Kris Wilson (2004-07) all played with Kansas City.
Former Chiefs assistant coaches on the Chargers staff include: Jeff Hurd (’98-06) and Hall of Fame WR Charlie Joiner (2001-07).
Former Chiefs CB Chris Dishman (’99) is SD’s asst. secondary coach.
Chargers Director of Player personnel Jimmy Raye III worked for KC in ’95 and is the son of former Chiefs assistant coach Jimmy Raye.
Chargers TE/FB Brandon Manumaleuna is the son of Frank Manumaleuna, who played LB for Kansas City (’79-81).
Chiefs Manager of FB Operations Chris Caminiti coached at the University of San Diego (’96).
Chargers RB Darren Sproles prepped at Olathe North HS in Olathe, KS and played at Kansas State.
Chargers sp. teams coach Steve Crosby was born in Great Bend, KS and was a RB at Fort Hays State.
Chargers T Jeromey Carey played at Kansas State.
Kansas City video asst. Josh Schmidt worked at the University of San Diego.

Make sure you ask John from Bolts from the Blue a question or two. He was kind enough to come by and post a FanPost asking for questions. His line on Mike Goff sums up the signing of the guard for me: "Also, I tried to tell you guys Mike Goff was terrible......"

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)

Browse more photos »

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!