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They have Favre, but screw them. We've got Zach Thomas.

As the Chiefs were going through warmups and stretching, OLB Mike Vrabel yelled: "They have Favre, but screw them. We've got Zach Thomas." The injured Thomas was working on the adjoining field with the rehab group. It was a not-so-subtle jab from Vrabel to get his teammate back in regular practice.

Pre-Season Week One: Chiefs To Watch(Bob Gretz)

From Arrowhead Stadium

As the Chiefs kickoff the 2009 pre-season Saturday evening at Arrowhead Stadium against the Houston Texans, there are a lot of nervous coaches and players. Openers do that to people, especially openers of a new era or regime.

On an 80-man roster where 75 players should be available to play, about half of that roster has real doubts and concerns about where they will be a month from now. This year under Scott Pioli and Todd Haley it may be more than half.

So there are a lot of players to watch in this Chiefs-Texans matchup. Here are five:

Work In Progress (Bob Gretz)

"What was evident and visible in the team’s off-season workouts in Kansas City has continued here in the northwoods: the passing game is out of synch. Some days it’s pretty ugly and inefficient. Other days there’s a flicker of things coming together.

What Chiefs fans will see Saturday night in the pre-season opener at Arrowhead Stadium is anybody’s guess"

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Ryan Succop - What We Know So Far.

by markc on Aug 11, 2009 9:54 AM EDT on Arrowhead Pride

Ryan Succop has been a point of discussion in several threads here at AP, especially after Barth was let go.
So I thought we would take a look at what we know so far from training camp.
Of course this is just training camp and not the real pressure of regular season or pre-season game, but I have heard he is a pretty level headed individual so I think he will be ok under pressure but time will tell.

The following quotes are from Bob Gretz and the good folks up at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls.

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Camp Practice Update 8/5 A.M. (Bob Gretz)

Todd Haley spent a lot of time paying attention to the team’s wide receivers during the Wednesday morning session and based on his commentary throughout the practice, he didn’t like what he saw.

"Come on Jake (O’Connell) you’ve got to know the whole picture."

"Stay off the ground. I don’t want to see us get an interception because you are laying on the ground."

"I’m tired of the picks and dropped balls."

Contact & Conditioning (Bob Gretz)

"Thus, the practices in the current training camp are much more physical than anything that’s gone down with the team under Herm Edwards, Dick Vermeil or even Gunther Cunningham. The tone, tenor and length of Haley’s practices call to mind Marty Schottenheimer; it’s the closest comparison to what is taking place at UW-River Falls."

During the team’s 2-minute drill at the end of practice

kicker Ryan Succop was rushed onto the field with time expiring to kick a 50-plus yard field goal. Succop drilled it and sent the sideline into cheers.

Supplemental Draft (Bob Gretz)

"Coming up on Thursday is the NFL’s Supplemental Draft, designed for players who have lost their college eligibility and were not part of the group available for the annual NFL Draft in April. Generally players end up in this draft because of academic, team or NCAA suspensions, or family considerations that force them to make a late decision to go pro before the end of their college eligibility."

almost 3 years ago markc 3 comments

Haley On Coaches/Part 1 (Bob Gretz)

"Todd Haley got a late start putting together his coaching staff for the 2009 season.

That left him in a position where he was concerned about the kind of coaches he would be able to hire for his first chance at being a head coach.

When the smoke cleared, Haley was very satisfied with the group he put together especially men like offensive line coach Bill Muir"

Quinten Lawrence - What we know so far

by markc on Jun 27, 2009 8:43 AM EDT on Arrowhead Pride

Ever since the draft I have had my hopes up about Quinten Lawrence being that diamond in the ruff that Pioli and company have been able to come up with in the past.

So I have looked and listened for all the information I could come up with.
All the quotes listed below are from Bob Gretz

I added May 10th and 11th together since they are the same thing.

Rookie Mini-Camp Update Sunday A.M. May 10, 2009

- Draft choice Quentin Lawrence bobbled a throw on a slant pattern and it was picked off. When Lawrence did not run after the man with the interception, he got an earful from the head coach.

- Despite that, Lawrence did show the ability to snatch the ball out of the air when it’s thrown in his direction.

Monday Morning Cup O’Chiefs 5/11/09
WR Quinten Lawrence learned things the hard way. Haley stresses to his team that when there’s a turnover, everybody goes after the football to make the tackle. Just like when the Chiefs defense gets a turnover, everybody becomes a blocker. During Sunday’s workout, Lawrence bobbled a pass in traffic that was picked off by the Chiefs defense. On the field, 21 players reacted as they should to the turnover, whether on offense or defense. Lawrence did not and he soon heard about it from the head coach. There was no gray area in his words.

OTA Update 5/22
– Draft choice WR Quinten Lawrence finally showed a flash of his speed, catching a nice ball on a long pass from QB Ingle Martin. Lawrence ran fast smooth.

– On the very next play, QB Matt Cassel tried to hook up on a similar play with WR Dwayne Bowe, but the play was covered perfectly by CB Brandon Carr. The difference in speed between Bowe and Lawrence was striking.

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Colquitt’s Comeback (Bob Gretz)

"First it was a groin pull, where eventually the muscle pulled away from the bone.

Then it was a sports hernia.

Finally, there was damage to his pelvis.

Physical problems No. 1 and 2 required surgery. All three meant a great deal of rehab that started in January.

Through those injuries last year, Dustin Colquitt kept punting. He missed two games when the groin pull became too much to bear. But he came back and kicked the rest of the season. In that time, he couldn’t practice during the week and he had problems running. Every day was an adventure in pain, treatment and patience."

Haley’s Special Teams View - Bob Gretz

""The first time we got to hear from Coach Haley, he made it plain that special teams are important," said punter Dustin Colquitt. "He pointed out our special teams coach Steve Hoffman and said ‘If you want to make this team, everybody go talk to him because you won’t make it if you can’t play special teams.’

"He made sure everybody knew there was an emphasis on it."

To make that happen, Haley will not be afraid to use starting players in the kicking game."

High yet low for Succop

"Christian Okoye is one player Succop might want to listen to because he’s big and he played for the Chiefs. The former bruising back, known as the "Nigerian Nightmare," didn’t sound as tough as he played.

Okoye offered sound advice.

"Kansas City has good barbecue," Okoye said. "Go and get barbecue because the players and coaches would love you for it."

Haley’s Defensive View - Bob Gretz

"While those outside the team may be hung up on whether it will play a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense, Haley is more concerned with using the talents on his roster to field a stout and dominating defense that will give the Chiefs a chance to win."

Look at ’09 Draft Class Part 2 (Bob Gretz)

"Today, we look at the remaining four draft choices, starting with sixth-round selection WR Quentin Lawrence.

The adjustment from McNeese State to the NFL has been a tough one at times for Lawrence. He’s heard the voice of Haley in his ear several times, and the head coach wasn’t whispering sweet nothings to his young receiver."

The Red Zone with Soren Petro, present... Chiefs Cornerback Maurice Leggett

Succop Ready for Irrelevant Week

"Kickers spend a lot of time on the sidelines, but Succop won’t be idle here. Where is he going after the beach extravaganza? He’s going to Disneyland! And on Tuesday, too, when the lines aren’t so long. But that is not all. Irrelevant Week also includes an Angels game that night! We will explain to him this whole "yes, they are the Los Angeles Angels, but they play in Anaheim, so don’t get confused" business."

almost 3 years ago markc 8 comments

OTA Update 6/16 Bob Gretz

The Chiefs organized off-season worked ended Tuesday, as head coach Todd Haley put his team through a conditioning test and then dismissed them until July 30th when they head to training camp in Wisconsin.

Red Zone - CB Maurice Leggett - 3pm Wednesday

6/17/2009 - Soren talks with Chiefs CB Maurice Leggett

Jayice Pearson interview on sports 810

Jayice talks about the new Chiefs and what the future looks like.

almost 3 years ago markc 32 comments

Chiefs fans are going to like this new Chiefs defense.(Bob Gretz)

"Before they were done, I swear there was a play where the Chiefs blitzed all 11 guys. Cornerbacks are coming off the corner. Safeties are flying up from the secondary. Linebackers are on pogo sticks, jumping up and back in various combinations.

On 1st-and-10, the Chiefs are lining up in the 3-4 defense but that might be the only play in a possession where they are in that alignment. When they got to a nickel, the nose tackle comes out and a cornerback comes in. That’s when all sorts of things happen."

Darling Chases Starting Spot

"Todd Haley says there are no starting jobs assured on the 2009 Chiefs right now.

That’s OK with Devard Darling. He’s more than willing to keep working for a starting job. He’s just excited that right now, he’s running with the first team offense as the other receiver with Dwayne Bowe."

OTA Update 6/8 Bob Gretz

"During individual position drills, Haley spent the time right in the middle of the wide receivers. Remember Haley’s background as an assistant coach was working with the wide receivers. During the practice, he saved his sharpest retorts for the guys catching the ball, and especially those dropping the ball."