SB Nation - Ashley Lelie

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 11/6

NJ Chiefs Fan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:07:54 -0000

Running a bit behind today. Gotta skip the Twitter stuff. I'm sure you guys will get by somehow. Go Chiefs!

"The break was great," Cassel said on Thursday as the Chiefs continued their preparations for Sunday’s game in Jacksonville. "To get a few days away from here, to re-energize, come back focused, ready to go. We need to start getting on a roll here and hopefully we can start putting some wins together."

One of the ways the Chiefs can get the roll going that Cassel is talking about would be more production at the start of the game from the Chiefs offense. So far this season, they have been ineffective and unproductive on the first play, first possession and first quarter. There isn’t anything where the Chiefs rank first near the middle of the 2009 season.

It’s a pretty gruesome offensive picture early in these games:

Going Faster At First … Friday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

Bowe said this week that his first months as coach Todd Haley’s whipping boy were humbling, demeaning, confusing and …

"Interesting," he said. "Very, very interesting."

Bowe smiled.

"Now it’s better," he said.

Bowe entered this season as an overconfident, unreliable and supremely talented receiver. Haley approached Bowe and, perhaps for the first time in his career, forced him to forget the show and just catch the ball. That wasn’t easy. Bowe likes to put on a show.

"One of the first things I said to Dwayne was: ‘Don’t give me your numbers,’ " Haley said. "If a receiver is on a losing team and has a thousand yards, it really doesn’t count in my mind."

Bowe continues to be a work in progress from KC Star

Whitlock Alert

You might think the sign is intended for Larry "Tweet Tweet" Johnson’s edification. Not true. Larry isn’t around. He’s still suspended. You might think it’s simply a hostile reminder to players to keep their mouths shut about any glaring errors made by Egoli and Haley. There’s some truth in that.

But Pioli and Haley were thinking big picture when they hung the sign. It was for everyone’s edification.

Don’t buy Haley’s Thursday excuse that the hallway where the sign was posted is "sacred" and that the media shouldn’t have reported what the sign said. A Chiefs employee tweeted a picture of the sign. At one point Thursday, Haley said he didn’t even know what Twitter is.

These guys are in over their heads. Haley is taking the bullet for a sign that I’d almost guarantee came from Egoli’s head. No way the sign went up without Pioli’s approval. It took 24 hours for Pioli and Haley to figure out the sign makes them look Mickey Mouse and hypocritical.

Sign in Chiefs’ locker room is a childish distraction from KC Star

Quarterback Matt Cassel said Thursday that it hasn’t been a distraction for him, and it has not upset his own pursuit of rhythm, as the Chiefs continue to audition new wide receivers — which they have done since the early days of training camp.

Kansas City brought in veterans Amani Toomer, Ashley Lelie and Bobby Engram before the regular season began, before signing Bobby Wade and, this week, Chris Chambers. Toomer and Lelie were released during final roster cuts.

"My job is to go out there and execute the offense," Cassel said. "Whatever players are out there, whether it’s the offensive line or receivers, you go out there and you try to do your best and try to execute what the coaches give you. And you try to take care of what you have to do as an individual."

Chiefs notebook: Signs, LJ suspension a coincidence from KC Star

Now Minnesota defensive end Jared Allen has to show he can get sacks against somebody other than the Green Bay Packers.

Allen, the former Chiefs star, leads the NFL with 10 1/2 sacks, although 7 1/2 of them have come in two games against the Packers. At the halfway point of the season, it’s not unrealistic to start projecting Allen with not only his first 20-sack season, but he’s got a chance to break Michael Strahan’s NFL-record 22 1/2 sacks set in 2001.

"As an individual stat, that’s amazing," Allen said after the Vikings’ 38-26 win at Green Bay last Sunday. "Would I take a Super Bowl over that? Any day of the week. Twenty sacks would be great, but it’s way too early to be thinking about that.

"I hope to get one more against the team we play next after the bye week."

Allen enjoying a stellar season with Vikings from KC Star

Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel has taken a beating at times this season, but he remains confident that he has an advantage when it comes to avoiding a concussion.

His mouthguard.

It was developed by Gerald Maher, the team dentist for the New England Patriots. Cassel spent the first four seasons in the NFL with New England before being traded to the Chiefs earlier this year. The Patriots are believed to have had the fewest concussions of any NFL team last season.

"Dr. Maher’s work with the Patriots is pretty well documented," Cassel said. "The guys in that locker room trust the protection that his mouthguards provide, and once I tried it, I won’t wear anything else. As quarterback, you want a mouthguard that not only gives a high level of protection, but is also comfortable and still allows you to speak audibly. Dr. Maher’s mouthguard gets an ‘A+’ in all of those respects."

Cassel’s secret weapon against concussions from KC Star

The Chiefs Women’s Organization (CWO) has been busy this season visiting various agencies throughout the metro. Earlier this week, a group of over a dozen CWO members volunteered at Operation Breakthrough. While there, the CWO’s responsibilities included reading books, playing games, and making crafts with the children. A highlight of the CWO’s outreach schedule each year, this visit once again provided plenty of interaction between the center’s youth and the CWO.
Chiefs CWO Visits Operation Breakthrough from The Mothership

For the most part, Jacksonville hasn’t stopped opposing quarterbacks. At this point, the Jaguars would be pleased with merely containing the field general.

I’m waiting for the evening when I’m watching Jeopardy and Alex Trebek says, "OK, NFL teams for $400 – This NFL squad nearly guarantees an opponent’s quarterback to go untouched, be as on target as a sharpshooter and throw at least one touchdown per game."

Trebek waits no more than two seconds as a contestant confidently states: "What is the Jacksonville Jaguars?"

The question is broad, but Jacksonville has a better likelihood of lifting a television blackout than containing a quarterback.

Trebek knows it, and you and I know it.

Stopping the Quarterback – It’s a Commitment from The Jacksonville Observer

In the wake of the Tennessee Titans' record-setting 305-yard rushing performance against the Jaguars last Sunday, much of the focus this week has been on improving the tackling and the run defense.

But another important factor in the game against the 1-6 Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday might be the Jaguars' ability to put heat on quarterback Matt Cassel.

Kansas City's overall offense and passing offense rank 30th in the league in yardage gained.

The Jaguars' run defense figures to improve this week because Rashean Mathis is back practicing with a cast on his broken left index finger and has said it's not giving him any problems. His return enables Reggie Nelson to switch back to his safety spot after struggling at corner in Tennessee.

Jaguars aim to rev up pass rush from Jacksonville.com

The Chiefs are 21st in the league in rushing with 101.3 yards per game as Johnson has gained a career-low 2.7 per carry. Jamaal Charles, averaging 5.0 yards in limited action, could make his fourth career start.

Dantrell Savage, who has 41 yards on eight carries, could also see increased playing time.

"Our running game is something we know we have to have to have a chance to win," Haley said. "We're not going to beat people throwing it 50-60 times a game right now. Our running game is one of those areas that has to improve, specifically eliminating minus-yardage runs. So that's where our focus has been, and that's where it will continue to be."

Kansas City will face a Jacksonville team that ranks near the bottom in most major defensive categories. The Jaguars were burned for a franchise-worst 305 rushing yards in last week's 30-13 loss at Tennessee.

Jaguars vs. Chiefs from CBS Sports

It's not a total loss. But it's not far off.

Though the Jacksonville Jaguars at times have resembled the league's worst team through seven games of the 2009 NFL schedule, they nonetheless find themselves just two games shy of the existing wild-card lead in the AFC with half a season left to right the ship.

This week yields a golden opportunity.

Rather than the reigning Indianapolis juggernaut in their own division, or one of the conference's other powerhouses from Foxboro, Denver or Pittsburgh, the Jags are instead faced with a representative clearly bogged down on the other side of the spectrum - the one-win Kansas City Chiefs.

Then again, such a tonic proved useless last week.

NFL Preview - Kansas City (1-6) at Jacksonville (3-4) from The Miami Herald

Somewhere along the line, other more progressive NFL teams passed the Chiefs. Under Clark Hunt, the team seems to be wandering in the wilderness. Clark has a substantial soccer background, not football. Fans may feel that Pioli and Haley are in over their heads but the young owner may be as well.

I know this idea is sacrilegious in Kansas City, but the franchise is beginning to hurt in all areas. The team itself speaks the obvious.

To attend a Chiefs game and tailgate your heart away is no longer the thing to do. The December games at Arrowhead will be hard pressed to sell out. The consecutive non-blackout string in Kansas City will probably end this year.

For the first time in decades you see Chiefs ticket commercials on every media outlet. The atmosphere at the stadium no longer has that positive buzz of excitement.

Chiefs' Failures Start at the Top from The Examiner

Todd Haley coached in last year’s Super Bowl as offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals. But several years ago, Haley couldn’t even land the job as head golf coach at Jacksonville University.
Now running the show with the Kansas City Chiefs, who face the Jaguars on Sunday, Haley discussed his experiences in golf, his father Dick (arguably one of the best personnel evaluators in NFL history) and the difficulty of leading a 1-6 team:

Would you say that this is sort of a homecoming for you?
No. I love Jacksonville. I love the Jacksonville area. I always have since I spent a lot of time there. I always look forward to getting back there. But you know my home is Pittsburgh.
Jaguars vs. Chiefs: Chiefs’ Haley once coached golf at UNF and JU from Jacksonville.com

The Jacksonville Jaguars took away David Garrard's radio show early in the season, then stripped him of the authority to audible Sunday.

What's next? His starting job? Not quite. The Jaguars (3-4) have made it clear they need Garrard to play better to have a chance to compete on a consistent basis.

Garrard has no touchdown passes, four interceptions and two fumbles in the last three games. He also has been sacked 10 times in that span behind a shaky line. The Jaguars, who have lost two of three, face Kansas City (1-6) on Sunday.

"They can't look over here and say, 'Well, this team is firing on all cylinders,"' Garrard said Wednesday. "We have to be able to execute. In the NFL, whoever you're playing, you've got to go out and execute and make the plays necessary."

Jaguars need more consistency and fewer turnovers from quarterback David Garrard from The Canadian Press

Maurice Jones-Drew vs. Chiefs

With petitions to Scott Pioli apparently all the rage in Kansas City, perhaps a Chiefs fan should circulate one regarding that run defense. People saw what Jones-Drew was able to do against the Titans in Week 8, and the Chiefs actually give up 18.6 more rushing yards per game. Jones-Drew had a bit of a lull in production in Weeks 4 and 5 (14 yards and a touchdown against Tennessee, 34 yards and no touchdowns against Seattle), but the small back is more than back on track. The UCLA product has compiled a whopping 310 yards and five touchdowns combined over his last two games. Odds are that he will feast on this Chiefs defense, and if you can’t wait for his next big game, he has the Bills in Week 11. This is going to be a tremendous stretch for Jones-Drew owners.

Can’t-Pass-Up Matchups — Week 9 from WEEI

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 11/4

NJ Chiefs Fan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:52:28 -0000

via media.kansascity.com

(Photo above: Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli and tight end Leonard Pope helped load some of the 30,000 pounds of protein products donated by Tyson Foods. The players, and other volunteers, transferred the food to vehicles from approximately 60 area relief organizations.)

The Chiefs continued what has been a futile search for help at wide receiver when they claimed Chris Chambers off the NFL waiver wire on Tuesday.
Released by the Chargers on Monday, Chambers is just another attempt by Pioli/Haley to add some firepower to their passing game. To this point, they’ve failed miserably.

Bobby Engram, Quinten Lawrence, Rodney Wright, C.J. Jones, Terrance Copper, Amani Toomer, Ashley Lelie, Bobby Wade and now Chambers. That group combined has provided the Chiefs offense with 27 catches for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Almost all of that belongs to Wade, with his 20 catches for 226 yards and both scores.

More WR Juggling … Wednesday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

KC Star Photo Gallery: Kansas City Chiefs players join volunteers to distribute food at Arrowhead Stadium

The changes won’t be as glaring as the overhaul the Chiefs underwent in 2008, when Gailey reshaped the offense mid-season to customize the scheme to quarterback Tyler Thigpen’s strengths. Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard suffered season-ending injuries in the same game, and Thigpen was forced into a starting role. It was important to keep him healthy, and to do that meant shifting to the spread. That allowed Thigpen to expand the pocket and improvise, if necessary, and it worked. The Chiefs aren’t planning to reintroduce the spread or any kind of gimmick offense — just a more finely tuned scheme that allows Cassel to release the ball faster and get plays in quicker.

"We’re always going to play to our players’ strengths," Haley said.

Chiefs use bye week to fine-tune offense from KC Star

KMBC's Karen Kornacki reported that the district will gut Southeast high School stadium, which is about 50 years old, and build a new multi-sports complex.
It will cost $3.5 million but there is talk of increasing it to $10 million, Kornacki reported.

The stadium will be paid for with grants, sponsorships, private donations and fundraising.

Kansas City School District Athletic Director Kimble Anders said they have applied for an NFL grant and they have the support of the Chiefs team.

KC Schools Plan To Build New Stadium from KMBC.com

There's more. The NBA is exploring a fan's accusation that Dallas Mavericks player Drew Gooden mumbled a gay slur in his vicinity. Last week, Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson reportedly did the same, twice in two days.

Do any of these incidents require a congressional hearing? Nope. Do they indicate that we've become so supersensitive about what famous people say and do that nobody with more than 10 entries on Google should ever open his mouth or leave her house without first clearing it with a publicist? Probably.

But the controversies are also a sign of society's robust health. We debate these words and behaviors -- are they heinous and unforgivable or just dumb and obtuse? -- because we don't really know just how to feel about them. And sports is both mirror and lamp. The mirror shows us where we are; the lamp leads us up and out.
Chicago Blackhawks' blackface forces the issue from The Chicago Tribune

It’s gotten to the point where my favorite week of the football season is the Chiefs’ bye week. Why? Because I get a break from the constant reminder that my favorite team just isn’t that good.

During the bye week, I don’t have to worry whether GM Scott Pioli is the most overpaid, overhyped executive in the history of football. I don’t have to worry whether Matt Cassel will tear his rotator cuff after Branden Albert blows another blocking assignment. I don’t have to worry whether coach Todd Haley will pull a Tom Cable on Larry Johnson.

The Blessed Bye Week from National Football Post

There is no doubt that, particularly after 2003, there was a good amount of evidence pointing towards Chris Chambers’ becoming a star WR; since then, though, he has basically fallen off of a cliff...

...Simply put, regardless of how ugly a quarterback or how decrepit a team a WR is surrounded by, elite WRs simply catch a higher percentage of the balls thrown to them than Chris Chambers does.

Chris Chambers, the Worst WR in Football from Patriots Daily

Scouts from the Kansas City Chiefs were present at today’s Notre Dame practice in South Bend. Joining them were representatives from the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts.

There are a handful of very interesting NFL prospects playing for the Irish and the Chiefs currently hold 8 draft picks (and counting!) so it’s never too early to keep tabs on the players of note at each school Kansas City is scouting.

Chiefs Scout Notre Dame Practice from KCChiefsBlog

Player Tweets

studie32 Had a great time with @douggieboomer today. . . . Back to the grind tomorrow.

Media and Fans

ArrowheadPride RT @robmikesh Year to date, I have as many #NFL rushing touchdowns as the entire Kansas City Chiefs running back corps.

ArrowheadPride As I sift through today's news, I realize LJ is soo last week.

Adam_Schefter Bengals terminated the contract of veteran G Scott Kooistra.

Tomahawkkid88: Just launched a brand new awesome ALL POSITIVE chiefs forum. Chech it out and sign up as a member at www.barryskoolaid.com GO KC!

BillKempin: Sportscasters bashing the Chiefs for signing guys released by other teams seem to be unaware it' illegal to sign dudes playing elsewhere.

QueenJerrica: Dude on Jimmy Fallon says he is a chiefs fan lol

Who Wants to be a Chiefs WR? Anyone? Anyone?

Joel Thorman — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:00:26 -0000

With the addition of Bobby Wade reportedly happening today, I thought it would be a good time to do a quick review of how we ended up with the receivers that we did. Obviously, this position has been a revolving door the last nine months with the exception of Dwayne Bowe and Mark Bradley, the only two leftovers from the '08 squad.

There have been players entering their second season that were released (Franklin), veterans that were signed (Toomer) and released and even a few veterans that made it on the 53 man roster (Engram).

All in all, there have been 14 players that have been seen on the Chiefs roster at one point since Scott Pioli's January hiring.

Four were cut from last year, a few more came off the street and a bunch in between.

Still on the Roster from Last Year
Dwayne Bowe
Mark Bradley
On the Final Roster Last Year But Not Now
Will Franklin
Jeff Webb
Devard Darling (IR)
Kevin Robinson
Signed and Released Between January and Today
C.J. Jones
Rodney Wright (PS)
Amani Toomer
Ashley Lelie
Taurus Johnson
Jeff Webb (Re-signed)
Signed Over the Offseason, Still on the Team
Bobby Engram
Terrance Copper
Quinten Lawrence (Draft)

Kansas City Chiefs Release Bernard Pollard, 12 Others

Joel Thorman — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:56:02 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

4 months ago: Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rodney Wright (11) makes a catch while chased by Houston Texans cornerback Glover Quin, left, during the first quarter of their NFL football exhibition game in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009. Wright gained 12 yards on the play. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Browse more photos »

The Kansas City Chiefs have just announced the final round of cuts to get down to the league mandated 53 man roster.

Biggest shocker? Bernard Pollard. Wow.

Offense	Defense
TE Tom Crabtree	CB Jackie Bates
G Darryl Harris	DE Dion Gales
WR Taurus Johnson	DE Bobby Greenwood
WR Ashley Lelie	DT Derek Lokey
RB Javarris Williams	S Bernard Pollard
WR Rodney Wright	LB Zach Thomas
G Colin Brown (IR)	S Ricky Price

After the jump, we take a look at the circumstances surrounding each of the cuts.

The following were released:

S Bernard Pollard

Wow. There were trade rumors recently and apparently they had some legs. This is far and away the most shocking move by the Chiefs.

Frankly, I don't understand this move. This leaves DaJuan Morgan, who was injured for much of last season as a rookie, and Mike Brown, who has been injured much of the last five years, as your strong safeties.

CB Jackie Bates

This shouldn't be much of a surprise. The Chiefs decided to keep five cornerbacks and it was down to Bates or Ricardo Colclough. Colclough has been a return man in the past and provides a little more experience.

TE Tom Crabree

It's not surprising, either. This leaves three tight ends on the Chiefs roster (Sean Ryan, Brad Cottam and Jake O'Connell). Crabtree had a couple of nice plays in last week's game against the Rams but ultimately it came down to a numbers game. Remember, the Chiefs gave up a draft pick in a trade to get O'Connell.

DE Dion Gales

A little surprised here. Gales didn't necessarily separate himself but the Chiefs will be a little low on defensive ends.

DE Bobby Greenwood

See above.

G Darryl Harris

I thought about the best chance he had to make the team was due to the low number of offensive linemen. Harris' name was rarely mentioned and ultimately proved to be expendable.

WR Taurus Johnson

Chiefs had a lot of wide receivers and, for a position where they needed playmakers, he apparently couldn't cut it. It doesn't help that he didn't return kicks and/or punts as well.

WR Ashley Lelie

A little surprising considering he showed a little promise and is one of the few Chiefs receivers with some experience. He's a fast receiver and the Chiefs don't really have that right now.

DT Derek Lokey

He was playing nose tackle behind Tank Tyler and Ron Edwards. It was going to be tough to beat out one of those guys.

S Ricky Price

Again, a numbers game. He couldn't beat out Jon McGraw and starter Jarrad Page.

LB Zach Thomas

Rumored to be injured and looking at retirement. Apparently he was healthy enough for the Chiefs to part ways with him without an injury settlement.

RB Javarris Williams

The Chiefs 7th round draft pick and the only draftee released. He's certainly eligible for the practice squad.

WR Rodney Wright

29 year old player who hasn't shown much thus far.

Placed on Injured Reserve

G Colin Brown

When did he have an injury? Behind Pollard, this is the second most surprising move. There were no indications he was injured. He was the team's fifth round draft pick.

Big Plays Prop Up Chiefs' Offense in Loss to Rams

Chris Thorman — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:59:56 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

3 months ago: Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson (27) runs for a 41-yard gain as St. Louis Rams linebacker David Vobora (58) gives chase during the first quarter of a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Browse more photos »

When you take a look at the box score for the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Rams, the first thing that will pop out at you is that the Chiefs had 402 total yards!

I know what you're thinking, "It's been so long since the Chiefs produced that many yards."

Well, no it hasn't been that long. The Chiefs put up 492 yards of offense last December in a loss to the Miami Dolphins. But it does seem like a lot of yards for an offense who hadn't produced more than 300 yards so far this preseason.

So did the Chiefs turn the corner on offense last night? Not exactly. Despite solid numbers in the box score, any observer of the game will tell you that the Chiefs still have big problems on offense. Don't believe the box score on this game.

One exercise I like to do after each game is if the team or a player has a big offensive performance, I take the yards away their one or two top gaining plays and see where they stand after that. It's an interesting way IMO to view how effective this quarterback or running back is for most of their plays.

Now if you're consistently making big plays and that accounts for a lot of yards, well then that's what we call good. The Chiefs' offense has not been good.

I take a look at the big plays after the jump. Let us know if you think these plays were flukes or if the Chiefs are on their way to becoming a real NFL offense.

Four Big Plays

You'll probably hear the local media talk about the four big offensive plays by the Chiefs last night. Those four plays accounted for 184 yards of offense - 46% of the total yards gained.

Here's how they went down:

Dantrell Savage - DS had the run of the preseason last night. The Chiefs had the ball on their own 2-yard line early in the second quarter when Brodie Croyle handed the ball off to Dantrell Savage. Savage broke through the middle of the line, spun around, bounced off of a couple of Rams to the right side of the field and just broke the run wide open. Savage wasn't able to outrun a couple of Rams defenders but he got pretty far. If he broke that for a TD, it would have been the play of the entire NFL preseason. Check out the highlight video of Savage's run here.

Sean Ryan - TE Sean Ryan is fighting for a roster spot and he got some big help from Brodie Croyle in the first quarter. Croyle hit Ryan for a 20-yard pass on the Chiefs' second drive of the game and then on the next drive hit him for the big one - a 40-yard catch and run down the middle of the field. You can watch that highlight here.

Larry Johnson - The next play after that Sean Ryan 40-yard catch was Larry Johnson busting through a big hole the o-line created for a 41-yard run. The Chiefs were at the Ram's 47-yard line and LJ almost had a TD but his football barely stepped out of bounds as he tiptoed the sidelines around the 5-yard line. That highlight is here.

Ashley Lelie - So the third quarter starts and it's all crazy Tyler Thigpen play. With about ten minutes to go and the Chiefs yet again starting inside their own 20-yard line, Thigpen gets about 12 seconds to throw the ball and flings a wounded duck 43-yards to Ashley Lelie. Could Thigpen do that again? Probably not. It was a heave and a lucky one at that.

So there's 184 yards of the Kansas City Chiefs offense in just four plays. The team had a total of 62 offensive plays.

My question to you this morning is: Can we say these plays were the result of our solid offensive play? Or were they just lucky plays and we should discount them in the team's overall offensive performance?

That's how I'm looking at these big plays this morning. Savage's run was more the result of poor tackling by the Rams than anything else. Sean Ryan's 40-yard pass did help set up a Ryan Succop field goal. Larry Johnson's efforts were soured near the goal line after his run. The Chiefs committed offensive holding and then a delay of game penalty pushed them back from the Rams 6-yard line to the 21-yard line. Thigpen's pass to Lelie was just slop.

As many players and media types are saying, this team has not found it's identity, especially on offense. We're inconsistent and downright amateur looking at times.

So AP readers, can the Chiefs survive the season on the random, lucky big play?

Receivers, Safeties on the Chiefs Roster Bubble

Joel Thorman — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:44:58 -0000

There are roster battles across the board for the Kansas City Chiefs bubble players but I've highlighted two of the particularly interesting battles today.

(Photo via David Eulitt of the Kansas City Star)

First, is DaJuan Morgan and Mike Brown battling it out to backup Bernard Pollard. There are reasons for and against each player. I make the case that Brown will be retained by the coaching staff.

Second, is the slew of reserve wide receivers on this team. From Copper to Wright to Johnson to Lelie, there are no sure things. I don't make a case for any of these players, instead raise questions about each of them.

Safety: DaJuan Morgan vs. Mike Brown

Neither have made a huge impact on the field this season but, for leadership purposes, I see Mike Brown winning the backup safety battle. Bernard Pollard should be the starter, in my estimation, despite what might be going around.

Some rumors surfaced within the last couple of weeks that Morgan was the subject of a failed trade between the Chiefs and Lions. We're not sure of the accuracy of the rumor but it was definitely out there. If it is indeed true, then it's clear the Chiefs A) don't need him, B) don't want him or C) have someone else on the roster (Brown) they prefer.

Whatever the choice, the result is the same.

This is what tells me Brown will stick around: The Chiefs worked him out on June 3rd. 23 days and a full slate of OTAs later, they signed him. That means that they wanted to see what he had left in the tank, saw the competition already on the roster and went ahead and signed him. To me that says they believe he's a good fit with the Chiefs.

Both have been pinned as injury prone but, thus far in Chiefs camp, it's been Brown, not Morgan, who has stayed healthy.

Both players are due minimum contracts with Morgan signed through '10 and Brown just this year.

Reserve Wide Receivers

I think most of us can agree that Dwayne Bowe and Mark Bradley are making the team. Are there any arguments on this one?

I feel pretty safe saying that Bobby Engram will make the team even if he hasn't had much action in preseason. He's been in the league for 13 years so, assuming health, the Chiefs know what they've got with him meaning the preseason action isn't necessary.

I also feel safe about Quinten Lawrence who has been targeted more than any other wide receiver this preseason, which means he gets open (or the quarterbacks think he's open) and that's gotta be something the coaching staff recognizes. Two more pluses: He has been getting some time at returner and might be the fastest player on the team.

That leaves the following players battling it out: Terrance Copper, Ashley Lelie, Taurus Johnson and Rodney Wright.

At this point, it's down to a numbers game. For these four, I have some questions.

Copper has been with the first team, which shows he's on Haley's good side when it comes to showing effort (because that's how his depth chart is created...based on effort). But, will Haley keep someone on the team based on effort and not necessarily results in the preseason?

Lelie showed up late so he's a little behind. He's shown a little bit, especially last game and especially considering he was just signed a couple weeks ago. Does Haley keep Lelie based on what he could learn in this offense and what he could contribute?

Johnson appears to be out of the running if we base this off of what we've read in practice reports. To be honest, the only reason I remember Johnson's name is because he was the recipient of a Haley lashing in a recent NFL Network video. But the Chiefs did work him out prior to the draft, and signed him as a UDFA so there's something there that they like, or thought they liked. Does Haley give Johnson some more time to figure out if he likes what he thought he liked?

Wright is an interesting figure on the team. In the early goings his name was splattered across nearly every camp report out there. Christy Brusoe, a UWRF writer who covered the Chiefs, boldly claimed there's a spot on this team for Wright based on effort alone. We'll see. Does Haley keep a guy like Wright who appears to be competent at most things, yet not exceptional at anything?

Five Things to Watch for Tonight as the Chiefs Take on the Rams

Chris Thorman — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:04:45 -0000

by Tom Olmscheid - AP

4 months ago: Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Alex Magee, back, looses his helmet while making the tackles on Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, front, during the second quarter of a NFL preseason football game Friday, Aug. 21, 2009 in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid)

View full size photo »

Good morning AP readers! It's game day!

Yes, I'm already getting pumped up for this evening's game against the St. Louis Rams. As a heads up, the game is on at 7 PM central time. We will have the normal 4-5 posts during the game and we'll try to manage the 2000+ comments we had last game.

As a little primer for you this morning, I've got five things to watch for listed after the jump. Here's what I'm talking about:

Wide recievers to watch for
Who's playing in place of Brandon Flowers
More on the battle at right tackle
End of game execution
Missouri sports viewing habits

Enjoy and remember....GOOOOOO CHIEFS!!!

Who's the #2 WR? Or the #3? or #4?

Wide Receiver
~~D.Darling~~		T. Copper
M. Bradley		~~A. Toomer~~
B. Engram		D. Bowe
Q. Lawrence		T. Johnson
R. Wright	Slot Receiver	A. Lelie
	B. Engram
	Q. Lawrence
	R. Wright

This is of course the latest Kansas City Chiefs WR depth chart. Dwayne Bowe is of course our #1 wide out but who's next after that?

I think Ashley Lelie has made the most of his playing time out of any of these guys. Despite having only four catches for 64 yards, Lelie has stuck out in my mind as a strong candidate to be this team's #2 wide receiver when the season starts.

Bobby Engram appears to be the veteran we're holding to at the WR position. With the release of Amani Toomer on Tuesday, it makes sense that the Chiefs will keep at least one veteran WR on the team and Engram appears to be that guy.

Terrence Copper is a bit of a wildcard here because frankly I haven't read or seen much from him this preseason. He has one catch this preseason and rarely, if ever, was mentioned in our training camp reports. Still, he does sit atop the depth chart. That must account for something, right?

I think Quinten Lawrence has earned a roster spot for himself this presason. He has the second most preseason receptions behind Bowe.

If there are two odd men out, I'm choosing Taurus Johnson and Rodney Wright to get cut in this next round of roster cuts on September 6th. Neither one has been particularly strong. I know Wright has shown some flashes of training camp brilliance but I don't take that to mean much. it seems like every off season there's a guy like Wright who when the ax comes down on him in the first or second round of cuts, everyone flips out and is shocked.

Donald Washington Week 1 starter?

And for those wondering, the mystery of Brandon Flowers' shoulder injury continues. This means that someone will have to step in and take his place. Is that rookie Donald Washington?

I'm not sure. Travis Daniels and Maurice Leggett are ahead of him on the depth chart. Leggett plays a lot of nickelback but I see no reason why he doesn't step in in place of Flowers tonight at some point. Leggett is a rising star on this team and I bet he plays pretty well.

On the other hand, Washington has been running with the first team in place of Flowers this past week in practice. Sounds like Washington may get the start.

RT Battle

Damion McIntosh moved to the reserve left tackle role last week when the Chiefs signed right tackle Ikechuku Ndukwe but moved back to first team right tackle this week in practice.

Throw in Barry Richardson, who at this point is not a consideration for the starting spot, and you've got three fairly evenly matched players battling.

My prediction is entirely gut based - Ndukwe first team RT and McIntosh will back him up to start the season.

Can the Chiefs execute at the end of the game?

I know it's only the preseason but the Chiefs have had chances in all three of their preseason games to come back in the fourth quarter. Against the Texans, Vikings and Seahawks, the Chiefs had the ball late in the fourth quarter but could not put together a scoring drive.

Last season the team was absolutely terrible in the second half. We're way above that now. But still, you'd like to see some late game savvy when you can.

Will this be the most viewed TV event in MIssouri this evening?

Probably not. With Rams fans, you never know what you're going to get. I bet most people in St. Louis don't even know there is a game tonight.

I'm not even sure I'd want to go to this game. It's in a dome....in downtown St. Louis. Talk about your empty, imagination less places.

***

Let us know your thoughts on these topics in the comments.

Failures Disguised as Victories and Other Acts of Kelly Jennings and Brian Russell

John Morgan — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:28:35 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

This file photo shows Peyton Hillis before Brian Russell got his grit on him. Hillis is a more cerebral player since the incident.

Browse more photos »

We've talked about Thursday and the future, but it's time we got back to the game. We left off with Aaron Curry cutting behind the Chiefs offensive line and tracking down Larry Johnson from behind. It was beautiful. In the years to come, I think this kind of play will be ordinary for Curry and an extraordinary play for Curry will be NFL Films worthy. The drive wasn't done though.

3. Seattle had stuck a Terrill in their line and sprung a leak. Kansas City was driving and one flashy play wouldn't stop them. Terrill was out, but another classic Seahawks weakness was about to rear its head.

2-10-SEA 44 (:11) 25-J.Charles right guard to SEA 13 for 31 yards (24-D.Grant).

KC: 2WR (left), WR (right), TE (left), RB

Sea: 4-2 Nickel

Curry leaves the field and Seattle sets to defend the pass. That's what Kansas City wants. It's a draw. Seattle's line crashes forward and rushing lanes multiply like amoeba. Jamaal Charles starts left and then cuts back right. Leroy Hill and Lofa Tatupu bite on the motion left. Center Rudy Niswanger pulls to the second level and joins the line judge setting an impenetrable pick for Tatupu and Deon Grant. Hill is aligned over the developing right "B" gap, but when Charles hits the hole and emerges, Hill can only dive at his feet. Charles squares and starts up field. Tatupu tracks, but his angle is hopeless and when he dives for the tackle, he is no more effective than Brian Russell. Russell, attempting to plant, slips onto his butt, but, never the quitter, holds his arms out for the tackle. Tatupu and Russell collide with Tatupu sliding over Russell and Russell sliding under Tatupu. Charles cuts towards the center. Josh Wilson gets a hook on him, slows him and Grant completes the tackle. Just an ugly play all around.

2. The Chiefs run twice into the pile to set up third and seven. That's when Russell exacts his revenge.

1. When you're a critic, there's nothing better than writing a bad review. It's an excuse to be creative and, let's face it, insult comedy is great comedy. Plus, there's no pressure. I hate writing about Brian Russell. I could host a weekly roast and never run out of material. But roasts happen to the beloved. And bad reviews are funny because the review itself is good and the subject of the review avoided. Russell is like a 24 hour loop of moments in my life I've hit my head. Hard. If I describe the feeling, it's only to be sure I can still comprehend it.

Hill can flail and Tatupu can take a bad angle, but neither can completely eff up the one thing they are given credit for. Russell supporters will sometimes tell me he succeeds because we don't see him. Funny, I see him blow cover all the time.

3-7-SEA 10 (13:50) 4-T.Thigpen pass incomplete short right to 82-D.Bowe (21-K.Jennings).

KC: 2 WR (left), WR (right), TE (left), RB

Sea: 4-3 Over

Seattle debuts their pass rush line. From defensive left to right: Darryl Tapp, Cory Redding, Brandon Mebane and Patrick Kerney. The linebackers and secondary are in cover-2 man. Ken Lucas is assigned (I think) Ashley Lelie. Curry is assigned Bobby Engram. Tatupu, Sean Ryan. Hill, Charles. And, the pivotal matchup, Kelly Jennings is on Dwayne Bowe.

The line performs ably, crashing the pocket and getting good pressure from all sides even if no one player breaks into the backfield. Lucas, Curry and Tatupu pick up their assignments. Jennings does what he does well: Assuming man cover and not letting Bowe get separation, but this is a mismatch. Bowe is 221 and physical and likely to body-shield Jennings, or as Vincent Jackson did, jump on top of him. This is exactly why the Seahawks safeties are in a cover-2 shell.

When Bowe and Jennings run up the right sideline and into the end zone, Brian Russell doesn't react and provide deep cover, no he stands staring into the pocket a la Michael Boulware. It's only after the pass that he breaks on Bowe, and he's so far out of position that his contribution to Jennings' near pick is a little attaboy hop step from just beyond the goal line.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Jennings plays the ball for once and more importantly high-points it. His great position and timing put him in perfect position to pick it in the end zone, but his ball skills betray him. He doesn't snatch the ball but watch it smack him in the facemask and then luck into pinning it there. The motion is clumsy enough and the catch tenuous enough that any hope Jennings has cerebellum capacity remaining to drag his feet is lost. All reserves are keeping his heart pumping and his detrusor relaxed. He falls out of bounds to finish an incomplete pass.

Ryan Succop misses a chip shot. It's a Failurama and who is the kicker to make waves!?

Horse Tracks 9/1/09 - Orton has dislocated knuckle; Kuper has high ankle sprain

Douglas A. Lee — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:59:39 -0000

DB - Final Preseason Push - Patrick Smyth
Press release notes for Thursday night's finale versus the Cardinals.

DP - Broncos hurting at QB - Mike Klis
Kyle Orton suffered an open dislocation of the knuckle on his right index finger, which reportedly puts his availability for the season opener in jeopardy.

CSG - Broncos' guard Kuper has ankle sprain - Frank Schwab
Chris Kuper reportedly has a high ankle sprain; no word on how long he'll be out. The trade for Russ Hochstein is looking more important...

NFP - Marshall plan has precedent - Andrew Brandt
Brandt reminds us that the Broncos have experienced several high-profile contract disputes and/or groundbreaking trades, including Clinton Portis, Ashley Lelie and Jay Cutler.

DP - Mailbag: Brandstater? More like Brandstarter - Mike Klis
Klis responds to emails

ESPN - Too Short For A Column: 08/28/09 - Rick Reilly
As rururuland784 posted, Rick Reilly is hearing that Jay Cutler did actually return Pat Bowlen's phone calls.

DP - Scoring not a strong point for Broncos - Jeff Legwold

DP - Kiszla: Band-Aid approach a boo-boo
Kiszla isn't happy about the Broncos' new secretive policy regarding injuries. Get used to it...

DB - High School Reunion - Zach Eisendrath
There are three sets of high school teammates among the Broncos' players and coaches.

CSG - Might be preseason, but Broncos need a win - Frank Schwab
I disagree. They just need to play better. Why in the world does winning matter in the preseason?

KDVR - Tanaka's Take: Broncos, Cutler & The Future

LTC - Not ready yet - Brian Howell

LTC - Preseason showing bodes ill for Broncos - Brian Howell

MH - Miami Dolphins should go after Brandon Marshall, baggage and all - Greg Cote

IDT - Drew Litton: Broncos Season Ahead

DP - Sunday's game attracts big TV audience

RMI - Denver Broncos fans offer forecast for season - Andy Piper

DP - Little in running for more memories - Irv Moss
Moss profiles Broncos legend and HOF nominee Floyd Little.

SU - Floyd Little Podcast
An interview with Floyd Little, courtesy of his alma mater.

NFL Results

NFL - Minnesota Vikings 17 at Houston Texans 10
Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson had productive games for the Vikings, while Matt Schaub sprained his left ankle but kept playing. Favre reportedly may have a cracked rib.

AFC West News

NFL - Extent of Cassel's injury remains unknown as Chiefs stay quiet

KCS - Gailey out as Chiefs offensive coordinator - Adam Teicher
Umm, oops? Wow.

KCS - Haley’s timing off on firing - Jason Whitlock

KCS - Coaching change strange, QB absent - Randy Covitz

KCS - Chiefs buzz: Team’s injury list is a long one - Adam Teicher

NFP - Haley tries to save Chiefs’ offense - Matt Bowen

SDUT - Chargers trade for defensive lineman from Texans - Kevin Acee
The Dolts gave up a conditional 5th-round pick in the 2010 draft which could become a 6th-rounder for Texans D-lineman Travis Johnson. They are also on the lookout for another CB.

SDUT - Bolts sign seventh-round pick Byrd - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Backs figure into roster decisions - Kevin Acee

SFG - Raiders Silver and Black Blog : Let the healing begin - David White

SFG - Raiders Silver and Black Blog : Raiders make first cuts - David White
Jokeland is already down to 75 players.

SFC - Oakland teams haven't hit rock bottom - Scott Ostler

NFL News

NFL - Giants' Umenyiora says he 'made a mistake' by leaving team facility

NFL - Brady, or Anderson? Mangini still undecided on his QB

NFL - Stafford takes all reps in practice with Culpepper, Stanton hurt

BG - QB O’Connell is waived - Mike Reiss

CSN - Patriots Release QB Kevin O’Connell

Y! - Former big-time recruit, NFL prospect arrested - Charles Robinson

NFL Opinion

NFP - Diner morning news: Weekend rewind - Mike Lombardi

NFL - 49ers, Packers, Saints are impressive; Browns, Raiders ... not so much - Pat Kirwan

NFP - How Cutler makes the Bears better - Matt Bowen

PFW - Pressure building on Packers bosses - Rob Reischel

PFW - Texans' 'D' struggling, but potential for improvement is evident - Mike Wilkening

SI - Brett Favre under pitch count with Minnesota Vikings - Steve Aschburner

SI - Brett Favre, Michael Vick and more QBs to watch this season - Norman Chad

SI - Brett Favre passes biggest test of preseason - Peter King

CBS - AFC East preview: Division's uncommon denominator? Brady - Pete Prisco

CBS - Panthers camp report: Passing will never catch Fox's fancy - Pete Prisco

FOX - Schein Nine: NFL preseason's unsolved mysteries

ESPN - A glaring oversight overhead - John Clayton
Clayton's mailbag

NYT - Brees’s Pursuit of Marino’s Record: A Word of Advice From Kevin Smith - KC Joyner

NFP - Tavern talk: Blue power rankings - Mike Lombardi

NFP - Daily Jolt fantasy preview - Ray Gustini

NFP - Preseason senior position rankings - Wes Bunting

NFL - Senior class of cornerbacks solid heading into 2010 draft - Gil Brandt

Happy birthday Marvin Harrison

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:47:03 -0000

Image: Colts.com

View full size photo »

Marvin Harrison is no longer a Colt, and likely won't be one again. In fact, it is very likely his career is over. Today is Marvin's 37th birthday, and wide receivers in the NFL rarely produce much past the age of 35. Still, Marvin has let it be known that he wants to play again, and while he has seemingly gotten some feelers from teams like the Vikings, Dolphins, and Titans, Marvin hasn't gotten any solid offers. Again, that's pretty normal. Jerry Rice, the last three years of his long career, was a shell of his former self. People were out-and-out begging Rice to retire. When he got demoted behind the immortal Ashley Lelie in Denver, Rice got the message.

This is not a league for old men.

So, even though we all know it is likely Marvin Harrison won't sign with anyone, why are people like Jason Cole writing such snippy little hit pieces bashing him on his birthday?

First off, I like Jason Cole. He is one of the better NFL writers out there. So, this isn't a Jason Cole is a douchebag-style article from us at Stampede Blue. This is a genuine WTF? article as to why people still feel the need to, essentially, rip Marvin Harrison when he has done nothing to warrant it.

As part of Jason Cole's Direct Snap, a series of articles Cole writes weekly for Yahoo! Sports, Cole decided to point out that today is indeed Marvin's birthday and that, at the ripe old age of 37, Marvin Harrison stinks... and no one in the NFL wants to sign him.

At least that’s the opinion of five NFL personnel men who were asked last week about the prospects of Harrison ending up on a roster anytime soon. While that’s hardly definitive (it only takes one team to have a need for Harrison to get a job), a lot of things are working against the second-leading receiver (1,102 catches) in league history.

"The biggest question I have is, can he really play anymore?" said one general manager. "When I watched the tape of him, he really didn’t look like he had that much left. You can see that the knee [injury from 2007] is still bothering him."

The consensus opinion about Harrison, who at 6-foot, 185 pounds has never been an overpowering receiver, is that he has lost a lot of quickness. That quickness allowed him to get away from defenders in the past. Without it, opposing teams regularly were able to cover Harrison, who averaged a career-low 10.6 yards per catch last season, with nickel and dime cornerbacks.

Cole goes on to note a another very important reason why teams have likely not signed Marvin: He can't contribute much on special teams. Likely, if a team wants Marvin, they will want him as a back-up to mentor younger receivers. Back-up WRs in today' NFL must be able to play on special teams. Marvin's 37. He can't do that.

Also, it's likely Marvin does not want to play the role of a back-up or mentor. If you know Marvin, or have watched him as long as I have, you know he is an introverted guy who rarely talks. His teaching is by example. He shows up early, works his butt off, catches everything thrown at him, and leaves. He doesn't shout at teammates. He doesn't call out his QB to the media. He doesn't insult his coaches, give fans the bird, or scream during games that he wants "the damn ball."

And no, Marvin Harrsion did not shoot anyone in Philadelphia in May of 2008. Them's the facts. Learn them, and shut up already about "Marvin the Gunslinger."

So, knowing that there is no market for Marvin, or (for that matter) any WR over the age of 35, why is Cole digging this up again? Why is he writing stuff like this:

In addition, there is a perception that Harrison had an attitude problem. Cleverly hidden for years behind Harrison’s Garbo routine is that he and quarterback Peyton Manning didn’t get along, which could be the fault of either player. However, there is a memorable exchange that an opposing coach once had with Harrison before a game in 2006. When the coach noticed that Harrison was catching punts in warmups, he walked over to Harrison to ask what was going on.

"Marvin smiled a little, just a little, and then said, serious as a heart attack, ‘It’s the only way to get the ball around here,’ " the coach said of a player who set an NFL record with 143 grabs in 2002, but was limited to just 80 the past two seasons.

Harrison has been deemed to be just as much a diva as a number of other receivers – without the high-profile public displays. That said, it allegedly annoyed plenty of people, which is why the Colts ultimately cut ties with him in the offseason.

OMG! Marvin and Big P weren't buddies all the time? Marvin made a comment in 2006 that he wasn't getting the ball enough? And, because he wanted the ball more, Marvin is a diva?

Seriously, what the hell is this?

Yes, folks. The chemistry between Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrsion was so bad they are only the greatest QB-WR combo in the history of the entire league. Let's repeat that, so we can place Cole's comments in their proper perspective: Peyton to Marvin is better than Montana-Rice, Young-Rice, Kelly-Reed, Unitas-Berry, Aikman-Irvin, and Fouts-Winslow. Is it possible that Marvin was not always "hunky-dory" with Big P? Yes. Did they have great respect for one another, and work hard every day to make each other better? No question.

And seriously folks, name me one WR who is not a "diva" by sports journalism standards. Wide receivers want the ball on every play. When they don't get it, they get upset. Since when did this become a "bad trait" of WRs? If you have a WR that does not want the ball in his hands on every play, cut the guy. He's wasting a roster spot. And in any case, with Marvin, he was a player who always wanted the ball, but always knew when he should have it. We all know the story of the final offensive drive by the Colts in the 2006 AFC Championship Game. It was Marvin who was screaming at Peyton and Tom Moore that the Colts needed to run the ball. They did, and chewed up a ton of clock in the process. Joseph Addai scored the winning TD, and the rest is history.

Apparently, Jason Cole doesn't know that story, or perhaps he's forgotten it.

And finally, the reason the Colts let Marvin go was because of his 2009 cap hit, not his attitude. I have no idea where Cole is getting his information, but Marvin's age and his bum knee did not warrant a $13.5 million dollar cap hit in 2009. Indeed, as we all know, the Colts made a strong push to keep Marvin, asking him to re-negotiate his contract down to something the team could manage. If Marvin had annoyed so many people to the point where the Colts didn't want him back in 2009, as Cole suggests, why did Jim Irsay, Bill Polian, and Jim Caldwell make such a strong push to keep him? Marvin and his agent ended up refusing to re-negotiate, and the Colts cut Marvin.

If Cole and others want to bash Marvin for that, I understand. It was a dumb calculation on Marvin's part. With a recession in full swing, NFL teams are more reluctant than ever to sign old WRs to big contracts. Players like Amani Toomer, who is three years younger than Marvin but in the same boat in terms of market value, had trouble all off-season finding an NFL team. Toomer recently signed with the Chiefs, but he may not make the final 53-man roster. Embarrassing for a guy who just two years ago was a big receiving threat for the world champion NY Giants. Another player in nearly the same situation is Joey Galloway. He was signed by the Patriots this off-season, but right now he is now likely the third or fourth WR on the depth chart. His deal with New England was for only one year. Gee, that's showing a lot of faith in the guy.

So, knowing all this, it just doesn't make any sense why someone like Jason Cole would write something so snippy about an over-the-hill great WR. If Marvin signs with someone, it's great! A future Hall of Famer is playing again. Yippee!

If he doesn't sign, so what? What more does Marvin Harrison have left to prove?

Only one guy is ahead of Marvin in all the meaningful receiving statistics, and his name is Rice. Unlike losers like Terrell Owens, Marvin has a ring. Owens hasn't won a playoff game since 2001. Marvin will have his #88 retired by the team he spent almost all his career with, and he will go down as the greatest WR of his generation. Anyone who suggests otherwise should check the stats and then kindly shut his pie hole. You can make comments about his playoff stats. You can say he wasn't flashy. But, show me another player not named Jerry Rice who has accomplished what Marvin has accomplished. Has Keyshawn, TO, Torry Holt, or Hines Ward had the kind of career Marvin has had in terms of wins and stats?

No. So, don't suggest that any of those guys are better.

I hope Marvin finds an NFL team who will sign him. He's got Tony Dungy working hard for him, it seems. And if he were to sign with a team like the Chicago Bears (the team Dungy is selling Harrison hard to), even at age 37 with a gimpy knee, he'd be the best WR on their roster. But, because he is old and because of that gimpy knee, people do not want to give him a two or three year contract. They'd much rather waste their money on rookies.

So, from us Colts fans, we wish Marvin a happy 37th birthday, and we still don't know why people continue to write prickly articles about him. Again, Jason Cole is a great NFL writer. I don't write that just to kiss his ass or anything. I mean it. But this bit from Cole about Harrison makes little to no sense. Even if it did, it just isn't warranted or necessary. All Marvin Harrison ever did was catch TDs and, after he did so, toss the ball to the ref. Why big media does not appreciate that, I don't know. I know we football fans sure as hell did.