SB Nation - Brandon Flowers

RB Jamaal Charles' 76-yard TD Run Brings the Chiefs Within Three

Chris Thorman — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:17:08 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

3 days ago: Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) is hit by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel (50) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. Fitzpatrick fumbled on the play. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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And Jamaal Charles has brought the Chiefs back into this game with a big TD run near the end of the third quarter. That's five consecutive games with a touchdown for Charles. It's also the longest run in exactly ten years and one day. WR Derrick Alexander had an 82-yard run against Pittsburgh back on 12/12/1999,

It's 13 to 10 in favor of the Bills.

The Chiefs are still going to need some help to win this game. Will Charles break another big play to put KC ahead? We better hope so.

Here are some notes on the third quarter:

Positives

Jamaal. Charles. 76-yard TD run.
Brandon Flowers, this team's weekly play maker, picked off a Ryan Fitzpatrick pass in the end zone.
The Chiefs stopped the Bills short of a touchdown near the goal line twice.

Negatives

Matt Cassel threw a pick on the first drive of the second half.
The Chiefs have three turnovers and zero points to show for it.
Buffalo has over 160 yards rushing against the Chiefs.

Let's go CHIEFS!

Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers Is Active

Joel Thorman — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:41:01 -0000

More photos » by Alex Brandon - AP

Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers is active today against the Bills. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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The Kansas City Chiefs have announced the inactives for today's game against the Buffalo Bills. A semi-surprise here is that CB Brandon Flowers is active and will play today. He had missed practice on Thursday and Friday due to a shoulder injury.

Here are the full inactives for the Chiefs:

WR Quinten Lawrence
OL Ikechuku Ndukwe
LB Justin Rogers
RB Dantrell Savage
TE Jake O'Connell
TE Sean Ryan
LB Pierre Walters
QB Matt Gutierrez (3rd QB)

Couple of notes/thoughts on the inactives:

How fall has Sean Ryan fallen? He was the Chiefs main tight end early in the season.
Dantrell Savage is inactive again meaning Tim Castille should continue to see some time at running back
Quinten Lawrence's deactivation means there's one less option to return kicks and punts. Wonder if Jamaal Charles will get to see some more time there?

Bills inactives are after the jump.

WR Justin Jenkins
CB Ashton Youboty
DB Cary Harris
WR James Hardy
TE Joe Klopfenstein
DE Chris Ellis
DT Jon McCargo
QB Brian Brohm (3rd QB)

Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers Misses Practice, Again

Joel Thorman — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:17:15 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers missed a second practice. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Kansas City Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers once again missed a practice session sitting out today. He participated fully on Wednesday but was on the sidelines yesterday.

Bob Gretzreports Flowers spent practice on the stationary bike.

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley has said before it's important that a player practices, especially on a Friday, if he expects them to play. Flowers is arguably the Chiefs best defender on the field, and definitely the best defensive back, so if he can play at all expect him to go.

The Chiefs will release their injury report this afternoon and I think the best we can hope for Flowers is a "questionable" label.

Josh Looney of KCChiefs.comreports that possible Flowers replacements include Travis Daniels, Mike Richardson and rookie Donald Washington.

Daniels was re-signed several weeks ago and, along with Richardson, has been seeing some time at nickel here and there. Washington has been inactive multiple games this season.

Chiefs List Five on Injury Report, Bills List Twelve

Joel Thorman — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:49:51 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers did not participate in practice today. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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The Kansas City Chiefs have issue Thursday's practice report and only one name has been added: CB Brandon Flowers.

We now know Flowers' injury is a shoulder issue. He missed the first game of the season with a shoulder injury and it's not known if it's the same problem.

DE Wallace Gilberry was upgraded from a limited to full participant today. He's battling a sore back.

Three other Chiefs are included as full participants in practice today: G Andy Alleman (knee), LB Justin Rogers (thigh) and Dantrell Savage (ankle).

If you were wondering if the Chiefs are healthier compared to other teams then here's your answer: The Buffalo Bills have 12 players on today's practice report.

LT Demetrius Bell was out with a groin injury and RT Kirk Chambers was out with an ankle injury.

Others that were limited include LB Chris Draft (neck), G Andy Levitre (shoulder) and TE Shawn Nelson (shoulder).

DT John McCargo (calf) and CB Ashton Youboty (ankle) were full participants.

Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers Misses Practice

Joel Thorman — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:29:29 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

17 days ago: Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers, right, gets his hands up to break up a long pass to San Diego Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson, left, during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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The Kansas City Chiefs were once again inside for practice today because of dropping temperatures in Kansas City.

Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com reports that CB Brandon Flowers did not participate in practice today.

Per Looney, he was present for practice but was in sweats and tennis shoes off to the side of the field.

No word yet on what, if any, injury he has. Looney also points out that players that are suffering from illness generally stay away from the players.

Bob Gretz also reports that RB Jamaal Charles and RB Dantrell Savage participated in practice. Charles was dinged up in last Sunday's game but practiced again today. Savage has missed several games due to an ankle injury.

The roster continues to stand at 52 players. In the past, if the Chiefs haven't signed a player off the street at this point then it usually means someone is getting promoted from the practice squad.

That player is thought to be NT Derek Lokey since the Chiefs don't have anyone currently backing up NT Ron Edwards.

No Score From the Chiefs and Chargers Early

Joel Thorman — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:26:29 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

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The Chargers started out with the ball inside their own 10 after Darren Sproles muffed the return. A deep pass to Vincent Jackson was defended by Brandon Flowers and the Chargers eventually punted.

The Chiefs got the ball back and Matt Cassel threw a completed pass to Lance Long and a first down pass to Mike Cox.

Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt trapped the Chargers inside their own 10 again for his NFL leading 30th punt inside the 20.

The Chargers went three and out on their second possession as well.

The Chiefs got the ball back and converted a rare third and long on an 11 yard pass to Bobby Wade.

The score is currently 0-0.

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 11/24

NJ Chiefs Fan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:29:56 -0000

via KansasCity.com

Your Tuesday morning Kansas City Chiefs news from across the internet. Enjoy.

When a team wins, the decisions are good, even if they are bad. If a team loses the game, the decisions are bad, even if they were good.

Todd Haley was a genius on Sunday, just a week after he was considered a dolt even in a winning effort against Oakland. Getting the unexpected victory over the Steelers was built on many decisions and a lot of them went the Chiefs way.

Here are four decisions that came down on Sunday that helped the Chiefs to victory.

Winning Decisions … Tuesday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

KC Star Video: Feeding 1000 families

The 3-7 Chiefs get another test this Sunday when they play the 7-3 Chargers in San Diego. The Chargers, who beat the Chiefs 37-7 at Arrowhead Stadium last month, have won five straight games and moved into first place in the AFC West with Sunday’s 32-3 win over Denver.

Regardless of how the Chiefs fare in San Diego, they could look back on the overtime victory against the Steelers as a defining moment in their effort to build one of the league’s premier programs.

"I hope it’s that," McGraw said. "It definitely has the potential to be that. Hopefully, we’ll use it as something we can really build on, a cornerstone of what we’re trying to do here.

Chiefs get shot of confidence from win over Steelers from KC Star

The media horde gathered for Todd Haley’s weekly press conference, the first one to come after two consecutive Chiefs victories.

Haley was not celebrating or ebullient as he stood behind the podium. It was 24 hours after the Chiefs overtime victory and the head coach had moved on. There were the San Diego Chargers to get ready for this weekend.

But he did have a few things to say about the game and how things played out in the victory over Pittsburgh. Here are the highlights.

From The Mouth of Todd 11/23 from Bob Gretz

KC Star Video: Succop, Chambers talk about win over Steelers

While the Pittsburgh Steelers were hampered as the heart of their defense, safety Troy Polomalu sat out due to injury, it was still clear that no one believed the Chiefs had a chance to win against the reigning Super Bowl Champions.

With a large number of Steeler fans in attendance at Arrowhead Stadium, it was those who dawn the red and gold and attend week-after-week who cheered on a Ryan Succop game-winning field goal in overtime.

Here’s how the grades shake out:

Kansas City Chiefs: Week Eleven Report Card from Bleacher Report

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, Kansas City's victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers was not the end of the Chiefs' long battle to regain respectability.

It was not even the beginning of the end.

But maybe it was the end of the beginning.

Quality win boosts Kansas City's confidence from Philly.com

It may sound strange, given the Chargers have won five straight to climb atop the AFC West, but it appears we may have a perfect storm here, a confluence of circumstances that will keep Sunday's game in Qualcomm Stadium invisible to local TV.

And so the first blackout since San Diego hosted the Saints on Nov. 7, 2004 — 44 home games ago — not only looms, but appears almost certain. As of yesterday, nearly 6,000 of the 56,500 tickets that count toward lifting a blackout had not been sold.

"As of noon," Chargers Chief Operating Officer Jim Steeg was saying, "we had sold 180 tickets. My thinking is that, instead of moving 180 by noon, we need to move 180 an hour.

Blackout policy a turkey for S.D. from The San Diego Union-Tribune

That's before Sunday's game at Qualcomm Stadium against the Chiefs, who suddenly seem a little different than the team the Chargers routed 37-7 last month.

The Chiefs have won two straight after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 in overtime Sunday.

If anything, the Chargers saw the Chiefs' victory as a potent reminder that work remains.

"That was good for us," left tackle Marcus McNeill said. "It was an eye- opener. Pittsburgh is a great team."

That would be the Pittsburgh that beat the Chargers 38-28 last month.

"Obviously it says a lot about Kansas City's continued progress," Rivers said. "They beat a Pittsburgh team, and we know what Pittsburgh did to us."

Keeping that drive alive from The San Diego Union-Tribune

Winning on the road is tough in the NFL, but yesterday in Oakland and Kansas City, the Bengals and the Steelers showed us a blueprint of how to play football unprepared, unaccountable and at a level that is unacceptable for a playoff-contending football team.

One thing we have to understand about this league is that no matter what records are attached to a team’s name—such as the Raiders and the Chiefs—these guys still are professional football players. They are still being paid to play, and if you give them an open door or show them an opportunity, they will take advantage of it.

Losses by Bengals, Steelers not surprising from The National Football Post

We know, we know. "That’s why they play the games" and "any given Sunday" and all that. But mere football clichés, true though they may be, don’t quite capture the weird majesty of Week 11 in the NFL.
The ultra-moribund Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions — a match-up your Fixer described as "belief-system-challenging" on Friday — faced off in a wildly enjoyable 38-37 shootout that wound up being a record-breaking game for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. The rookie threw the pass of the day, a game-winner with no time on the clock.

Ultra-mangy underdogs had their days elsewhere, too, as the Oakland Raiders pulled out a late 20-17 win over the AFC Central North-leading Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs outlasted the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime, 27-24.

If there is a football self-help book called "When Bad Things Happen to Good Football Teams," it’s surely flying off the shelves today.

Underdogs Rule for One Sunday from The Wall Street Journal

That siren is still echoing around running back Larry Johnson. You think it’s a coincidence the once-soaring Bengals signed him last week and immediately coughed up a game in the final 33 seconds to the horrendous Raiders? On the same day, the team freed from Johnson’s grip, Kansas City, sprang a thrilling upset over the Steelers.

A Pox on the Bengals from The New York Times

Last year, South Carolina's outstanding kickerRyan Succop was given the honor of being selected dead last in the draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He was one of just two kickers selected. Succop has a huge leg and is more than capable of handling kickoffs, field goals, and extra points. He arrived in Kansas City, beat out incumbent Connor Barth for the starting job, and has quietly had a great rookie season for a terrible team. He put a cherry on top today by kicking the overtime field goal that gave the Chiefs their huge overtime victory against the defending Superbowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

So, good for you Ryan Succop. You're no longer even a little bit irrelevant. In fact, there's going to be just one NFL rookie getting more TV time than you today: Matthew Stafford, who was picked 255 spots in front of you. Good work, fellow Gamecock.

Irrelevant no more- Succop shines in NFL from Examiner.com

STORY OF THE WEEK

On a Sunday when New Orleans and Indianapolis each went to 10-0, there also was reason for a few of the NFL's dregs to rejoice.

Kansas City returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, fell behind by 10 points and then rallied to stun defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh 27-24 in overtime. In improving to 3-7, the Chiefs won consecutive games for the first time since 2007.

NFL Rewind from The Washington Times

The prognosis on Jeromey Clary's injured left ankle is not good.

The Chargers right tackle sprained a ligament in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 32-3 victory at Denver, a costly setback that could have a lasting impact. It might even end Clary's season.

"I think that would be premature," Chargers coach Norv Turner said. "But that is a concern of mine, yes."

CHARGERS: Clary could be out for season with sprained ankle ligament from North County Times

Player Tweets

BFlowers24 shoutout to the whole kc squad and the fans.....great win....pick up the usa today we havn fun n kc on the cover....

superdj56 Chiefs 27:24 Steelers http://bit.ly/6TP1Fe

Media and Fans

kb_kcstar But both sides screwed it up. Pollard was a loud-mouthed rebel who probably needed this fire lit under him. KC misjudged his talent.

kb_kcstar Sometimes players just don't fit in a team's culture, for better or worse. Honestly, I don't think either side regrets how it happened.

seanelgar: @Ms_Liv if anyone had picked raiders and chiefs then I would have crapped my pants!

The_Katbot: @jason_wilson Yes, my fantasy victory this week was basically the equivalent of the Chiefs beating the Steelers. Only I won by 35 points

BarrysKOOLAID: Actually, I am the ONE person in the world who said the Chiefs would bea... (YouTube http://bit.ly/07a8MeY )

g1goodw: We went to the Chiefs/Steelers game on Sunday and my team shocked the world in OT!

Only 47-Yards of Offense Has Chiefs Down by Ten to the Steelers

Chris Thorman — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:27:11 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

24 days ago: Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers (24) recovers a ball fumbled by Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace (17) after Wallace caught a 33-yard pass during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Well that was fun while it lasted.

After going up 7-3 early, the Kansas City Chiefs are down 17 to 7 at half time to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The highlights? Jamaal Charles' opening kick off return for a touchdown and Brandon Flowers' strip of WR Mike Wallace.

The lowlights? Pretty much the rest of the game. The Chiefs have done nothing on offense and gave up two touchdowns late in the second quarter to the Steelers.

We're only down by ten but this game feels like it's getting out of hand. Here are some first half stats:

QB Matt Cassel: 4/10, 35 yards
QB Ben Roethlisberger: 16/20, 220 yards, 2 TDs
The Chiefs have three first downs and the Steelers have 12
The Chiefs only converted one of six third downs
The Chiefs have 47-yards of offense to the Steelers' 279

Keep talking Chiefs in this thread.

Jamaal Charles' 97-Yard Kickoff Return has Chiefs Leading Steelers Early

Chris Thorman — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:38:47 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

24 days ago: Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) is chased by Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Stefan Logan (11) as he returns a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. Wallace fumbled the ball moments later and Flowers recovered it for the Chiefs. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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The Chiefs are leading 7-0.

The first quarter highlight was Jamaal Charles taking the opening kick off back for a 97-yard touchdown. Close to that was Brandon Flowers stripping Steelers WR Mike Wallace after Wallace made a big catch in Chiefs territory.

Unfortunately, the Chiefs weren't able to do much with that turnover. They stalled on second and third down and short to force a punt.

The first quarter has just ended. The Steelers have the ball near the Chiefs' 20-yard line.

Up seven against the Steelers after the first quarter? I'll take it.

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 11/22

NJ Chiefs Fan — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:25:30 -0000

via cdn1.sbnation.com

Game Day!!! Steelers are in town (probably with a lot of fans). If you can, head out to Arrowhead and raise some hell for those of us too far away to make it. The team's going to need all the help they can get.

How much the Chiefs might have grown as a team is debatable. They secured victory No. 2 last Sunday in Oakland and got a great deal of help from the Raiders, who like them are one of the league’s bad teams right now. This meeting is likely to show two things: the Chiefs have grown, and they are still very far, far behind the best teams in the league like Pittsburgh.

With his black and gold roots, Todd Haley does not try to hide his admiration of what the Steelers have done through the years, maintaining their place as a contender each year and winning two of the last four Super Bowl trophies to add to the four from days of yore.

"They’re consistent in all areas – personnel, how they draft, all areas," Haley said. "They don’t panic. If things don’t go real well early they don’t panic; they’ve proven that over the years. I think that this model would be a great one to follow as would some other teams obviously; New England being one of those teams and Indianapolis, Philadelphia.

Game-Day Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

Bottom line

The Steelers didn’t become the franchise they are by losing to teams like the Chiefs. Still, it’s interesting to note that lesser Pittsburgh opponents like Cleveland and Detroit were able to hang in during their games against the Steelers. That’s probably the best the Chiefs can hope for. Despite last week’s win in Oakland, the Chiefs have too many issues to think they can realistically compete with Pittsburgh. They’ve been blown out by many of the stronger opponents they’ve played, and the game against the Steelers has a similar feel. If Pittsburgh comes to Arrowhead Stadium with its best game, there’s little the Chiefs can do to have any say in the outcome. Prediction: Steelers 30, Chiefs 10.

Chiefs-Steelers scouting report from KC Star

It was years ago when Todd Haley got the book, before the pages were creased and stained with highlighter marks. He still consults it a few times a month, searching for a lost proverb, hunting for validation.

Where would he find it this time? In "The Art of War," where was there an explanation or reason for this?

It is last Sunday. The Chiefs are in Oakland and, as they have often this season, are struggling. Are trying to escape this battle with a rare victory. Trying to earn some of that validation that Haley has turned back more than 2,500 years to find. There is a fourth down, the fringe of a momentum shift, and Haley calls timeout an instant before the ball is snapped. The Raiders fumble, but it doesn’t matter because the timeout nullifies the play. Assistant head coach Maurice Carthon chastises Haley, and Haley returns fire. While television cameras zoom in, the Chiefs’ head coach and his top lieutenant engage in a verbal, R-rated spat.

"He was getting after me," Haley will say a day later, after the Chiefs leave Oakland with a 16-10 win.

Chiefs' Haley coaches by the book from KC Star

Whitlock Alert

I understand personal accountability. And I realize Bowe should’ve never put himself in a situation in which he needed to cut weight quickly.

We want 20-something athletes to be leaders and role models. They’re famous and make a lot of money. You can say the same about the coaches. But we don’t want to hold them to the same high standards as athletes. Coaches and executives create the win-at-all-cost environment.

There are a number of people who view Mark Mangino as a victim. Mangino’s defenders believe his coaching approach prepares young people for a cruel world. It also prepares them to be cruel.

In their desperation to hold onto their money and fame, coaches are becoming more ruthless. The athletes take the majority of the heat. It’s very rare that a situation arises like what we’re witnessing at Kansas. The culture of football rarely gets challenged publicly.

Chiefs fans are so desperate for victories that it’s difficult to discuss the "winning" culture Scott Pioli and Todd Haley are putting in place at Arrowhead Stadium. Bowe’s suspension for PEDs is a reflection of that culture. It is.

Bowe a victim of the win-at-all-costs pressure from KC Star

Sunday’s contest will mark Todd Haley’s first-ever encounter with the Steelers as an NFL head coach. A graduate of Upper St. Clair High School in Pittsburgh, Haley is the son of legendary Steelers personnel man Dick Haley, who played a pivotal role in the acquisition of 10 Pittsburgh players who are now enshrined in Canton.

Those 10 players were selected to a total of 67 Pro Bowls during their respective careers and are the owners of a combined 37 Super Bowl rings, including one earned by CB Rod Woodson with Baltimore in 2000.
Looking at the Steelers-Chiefs game from Examiner.com

The Chiefs (2-7) will be looking for the upset with a new-look offense. Last Sunday's 16-10 victory over the Raiders was their first since releasing starting running back Larry Johnson, who had originally earned a one-game suspension for off-the-field remarks about head coach Todd Haley on Twitter, as well as some anti-gay slurs on the website.

The offense took another hit on Tuesday, when the team confirmed that wide receiver Dwayne Bowe was suspended for four games for violating the NFL's policy on performance enhancing substances. Bowe had made six catches for 91 yards in the win over Oakland.

Jamaal Charles, starting in place of Johnson, added 103 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown against the Raiders.

Steelers hoping to find focus in Kansas City from The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Kansas City is a tough place to play. Their fans are going to be right there from the national anthem, right into it," said Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward. "If we can jump on them early and take their fans out of it, then I think we'll be fine. But it's always hard to win on the road."

The Steelers are coming off their worst offensive performance of the season. They managed only 226 yards against the Bengals and failed to score a touchdown on four trips inside the red zone.

Steelers insist they won't be trapped from The Observer-Reporter

Former NFL receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who played under Haley when he was an assistant with the Jets and Dallas Cowboys, defended Haley's coaching credentials.

"Todd grew up around football. He coached me to two Pro Bowls. His father drafted me with the Jets,'' said Johnson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 draft who now works for ESPN. "Here's a guy that (supposedly) doesn't know anything about football, but I got two Pro Bowls out of him.

"I think he's pretty good. He helped the Arizona Cardinals get to the Super Bowl.''

Experience becomes issue for Chiefs' Haley from The Tribune-Review

In addition to the most recent episode with former Chiefs' running back Larry Johnson, Haley continues to harbor some sort of ill-will towards Kansas City linebacker Derrick Johnson.

So much ill-will apparently, that Haley can’t seem to find a situation or a position on his defense that justifies starting the former first-round selection out of Texas.

Johnson, unlike his former running back teammate of the same surname, hasn't been critical of his head coach. He hasn't gotten in trouble with the law. He's not making a habit of antagonizing Chiefs' fans when he's out in public. And he hasn't gotten into trouble with the league for failing a drug test.

Stated simply, Derrick Johnson has been a class act in his time in Kansas City, and one of the Chiefs most productive players. So why isn’t Haley giving Johnson consistent playing time on a team that is 2-7?

Still a Mystery: Chiefs Head Coach Won’t Start Linebacker Derrick Johnson from KC Sports Central

But, before there was Leon Lett of the Dallas Cowboys showboating and prematurely celebrating a fumble return for touchdown in the Super Bowl XXVII, or Steelers rookie Plaxico Burress spiking the ball after a 19-yard catch in a 2000 game against Jacksonville when he was not touched down and the ball was still live, or even Philadelphia rookie DeSean Jackson throwing the ball down in celebration a yard shy of the end zone last season, there was Smith and the embarrassing gaffe he committed in an Oct. 18, 1971, game on a Monday night in Kansas City.

Taking a pass from Terry Bradshaw, Smith was on his way to a 50-yard

touchdown against the Chiefs when he raised the ball over his head and triumphantly began to pump his left arm as he neared the end zone. However, before he could cross the goal line, Smith lost control of the ball -- he did not spike it, as some have suggested -- and, instead of a touchdown, the ball rolled through the end zone for a touchback.

To be sure, it was one of the most ignominious moments in Steelers history, a play that has forever dogged Smith's career and almost always is included in a list of embarrassing or boneheaded stunts committed over the years by NFL players.

Belichick's blunder hardly alone in NFL lore from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Suddenly, the big pass play has disappeared from the Steelers offense. After torturing opposing secondaries with long passes in the first six games, the Steelers are finding them harder to come by than swine flu shots.

And maybe the player affected most by the drought is Santonio Holmes, the Steelers' big-play receiver.

To be sure, Holmes has 13 catches for 132 yards in the past two games, including seven for 88 yards in the 18-12 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. But he has been unable to shake the shackles of two-deep coverage for big pass plays and hasn't caught a touchdown since the season opener against the Tennessee Titans.

Head to head: Steelers WR Santonio Holmes vs. Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Player Tweets

almighty31 y ppl so fake these days. actin like they scared to keep it real

almighty31 nite tweeters

Media and Fans

ArrowheadPride Yikes! RT @cfromtheict Michigan is TERRIBLE. I think i'd rather watch the #chiefs

JPosnanski What's more amazing? That In 5 years, Weis turned Notre Dame into the Wash. Generals or that he got EVERYONE to despise him.

JBBauersfeld: KU and K-State both lose for the 2nd straight week. Maybe another Chiefs win? Ha

CRS81: Anyone still go to chiefs games other than steelers fans?

Tuggboat: Brodie can't sleep. He is too excited about his first Chiefs game. http://pic.gd/be3bca

MelisaKayla: @eofboutclassics yeah, I am! Go Chiefs!!!

jacjan85: On the way to c chiefs beat stealers go chiefs