2013-08-02



NFL Network Analyst On Chiefs: 'This Is The Kind Of Team You Don't Want To Play' from KC Star

"I grew up in Philadelphia. I still live there," Mayock said. "I was a close observer of the Reid era, and nobody respected what he did there and how he did it more than I did. So that's going to be a pretty cool night.

"Andy looks like he's got a complete breath of fresh air. He's back to what he used to be years ago in Philly, actively coaching, actively installing. I think he's having more fun than he's had in years."

Chiefs Battle In 'Back-And-Forth' Practice from The Mothership

The Chiefs defense was once again active, early and often and coach Reid made mention of it.

"I thought the defense did a nice job," coach Reid said.

"That's how you'd expect it, early on in camp; you want that defense to be dominant. The offense always takes a little bit longer to get going; that's how it normally works. I was proud of the way they handled each other, getting after it, competing." Coach Reid would later say about practice, "It was back and forth."

Defense Dominates As Chiefs Return To Practice from KC Star

Some of the offense's mistakes were self-inflicted.

Running back Jamaal Charles dropped a screen pass, rookie tight end Travis Kelce fumbled after making a catch; and wide receiver Jon Baldwin dropped a slant on third-and-15, only to compound that by committing a false start on fourth down.

"You've got to catch the football," Reid said. "In any offense in the National Football League, drops cost you, so you have to focus in and concentrate on the football, particularly when you're tired, sweating, tired, it's the NFL. You've got to catch the football."

Chiefs Camp Report: Offense Struggles, Sutton Shows Off New Defensive Alignment from KC Star

Defensive coordinator Bob Sutton threw everything he had at the offense, including a pass-rushing alignment that had outside linebackers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston on the same side next to Derrick Johnson. Talk about a modern-day Triple Stack. Houston got a hand on a Daniel pass intended for TE Travis Kelce, and CB Neiko Thorpe broke up a pass intended for Dwayne Bowe.

Branden Albert's Reaction To Ryan Lilja Signing With Broncos: (Darn) from KC Star

Branden Albert hadn't heard the news about a former Chiefs teammate, Ryan Lilja. So when he was told after Thursday's practice that Lilja had signed with the Denver Broncos, Albert's first reaction was to drop an expletive.

"Ryan is a good dude,'' Albert then said. "That's good for him. It's going to be weird because I did battle with him. I know what type of warrior he is. He's one (heck) of a warrior, one (heck) of a person. I wish him the best. I hate to see that but he has a family to feed and he has to do what he has to do.''

Thoughts On The Chiefs O-Line And Lack Of Salary Cap Space from KC Star

I like the collection of bodies the Chiefs have on the offensive line. They can legitimately go seven players deep, something they haven't been able to do in some time. Branden Albert and Eric Fisher give the Chiefs the potential for their best set of tackles since Willie Roaf and John Tait.

But I can't shake the feeling that something is missing and that something is Ryan Lilja. Albert, who is 28 and has played five NFL seasons, is the veteran of the group. The Chiefs can use the kind of experience that Lilja, a veteran of two Super Bowls from his days with Indianapolis, can bring.

Chiefs' Dontari Poe Quits Barbecue, Sheds Weight from KC Star

Chiefs nose tackle Dontari Poe has sworn off barbecue.

And that's no small sacrifice for someone who is from Memphis and lives in Kansas City, two of the barbecue capitals of the world.

"It might be the hardest thing I've had to do since I've been here," said Poe, the Chiefs' first-round draft pick in 2012.

Poe said he hasn't had a bite of barbecue since the off-season program, ended last June.

Chiefs Sign OT, CB As Practice Resumes from The Mothership

The Kansas City Chiefs return to the practice fields today, with two new players on their roster. The Chiefs signed offensive tackle Mike Tepper and cornerback Kamaal McIlwain, the team announced today.

Tepper (6-6, 354) has played in six games (four starts) in one NFL season with the Indianapolis Colts (2011). In 2011 and 2012, Tepper split time between the Colts practice squad and active roster before being released on Aug. 31, 2012...

...McIlwain (5-10, 175) originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2011.

A Preseason Primer: Chiefs Open Exhibition Schedule On Aug. 9 At Saints from KC Star

The Chiefs are about a week away from giving us our first look at their retooled roster, an overhauled unit that features a new quarterback in Alex Smith, new number one overall draft pick in offensive lineman Eric Fisher and a new head coach in Andy Reid.

Here's a look at the Chiefs' preseason opener, plus their three exhibition contests that follow:

KCChiefs.com Video: Poe: "I'm Playing My Role The Best I Can"

KCChiefs.com Video: Reid: "Proud" Of The Way They're Competing

KCChiefs.com Video: One On One: Len Dawson

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Chiefs Must-See Pics From Day Six

KC Star Photo Gallery: Chiefs Training Camp : Aug. 1, 2013

Chiefs' OC: Alex Smith Best QB from ESPN

"Ultimately, every team has to have a quarterback," Pederson told The Kansas City Star. "I think we have the best in the league."

That's high praise considering some of the star quarterbacks in the NFL. Smith finished seventh in Total QBR, ESPN's quarterback rating system, last season (70.1). Peyton Manning (84.1) finished first, followed by Tom Brady (77.1), Colin Kaepernick (76.8), who replaced Smith in San Francisco, Matt Ryan (74.5), Aaron Rodgers (72.5) and Robert Griffin III (71.4).

Chiefs' Houston Aims To Be Triple Threat At Linebacker from FS Kansas City

It was a breakthrough performance that earned Houston a trip to the Pro Bowl.

"But I know I can get better," Houston says, shrugging his mountainous shoulders.

The Chiefs think so, too, particularly new defensive coordinator Bob Sutton.

"He's a guy you have to deal with if you're on offense," Sutton says. "He's a physical rusher. He has the ability to go around you. He's got the power to take a guy back. So he's an outstanding pass rusher."

Chiefs Let Competition Shake Out At Wide Receiver from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

It took Jon Baldwin a split second to get his big frame around the cornerback, and another split second for the Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver to flash open across the middle.

It was by the textbook, really. Exactly how Chiefs coach Andy Reid drew it up.

Everything except the catch.

The pass from quarterback Alex Smith zipped over the line of scrimmage and hit Baldwin square on the hands, the thud of it bouncing into the air met with a collective gasp -- more like an "Ugh!" -- from several thousand fans lining the hillside of the practice field to watch.

Chiefs Team Up With Big Brothers Big Sisters For Charity Game from KSHB

The focus of Kansas City Chiefs training camp turned from football to helping the community Thursday morning.

Members of Big Brothers Big Sisters attended practice in St. Joseph ahead of the Chiefs Charity game later this month. The game raises money for the organization and gives young kids an experience organizers say they will never forget.

OC: Smith Is The Best QB In The NFL from FOX Sports

Now, I'm all for a guy backing up the leader of his offense, but someone needs to talk a little sense into Pederson. Just last season, Smith lost his job because he got hurt, and then it turned out he wasn't as good as the guy who filled in.

And there's also the matter of, oh, I don't know, the other 10 or 15 quarterbacks in the league whom any coach would rather have.

Chiefs Ready To Feast On Zarda BBQ from FOX4KC

Chiefs players will eat very well on Friday, when Zarda brings in the spread its known for.

The huge catering event had Zarda workers busy all day on Thursday as they transferred food from their Blue Springs location to training camp in St. Joseph.

"A lot of big guys, I mean you are going to have over 300 slabs of ribs. You're going to have close to 600 pounds of beans. You're going to have about 50 gallons of BBQ sauce. You know it's a tremendous amount of food that you are taking up there," said Terry Hyer of Zarda's.

Culp Fiction: Hall OF Famer Has Larger Than Life Legacy from The Yuma Sun

Alvarez said he remembers one day Thomas - who died in May at age 79 - was raving about a young freshman player. In no time, that player was making a name for himself in the trenches for the Criminals.

"He was a great person," Alvarez said. "Everybody liked him. One of the things that really stood out, not during football but during wrestling season I remember Curley Culp would be announced at the unlimited weight. When it was his turn to wrestle, he'd take his robe off and everybody stood in awe at his physique and how big he was and how he went about his business. He wasn't a person that you thought was the greatest or anything, he was just a regular guy. But we knew, and everyone else knew, he was the best in whatever he was at. In football he was the best in the line."

Pretty Much Screwed: The 2013-14 Kansas City Chiefs from SportsGrid

Welcome to "Pretty Much Screwed," our definitive guide to the upcoming NFL season. This team-by-team preview details why your favorite franchise might have to start looking forward to next year - and highlights at least one reason for you to be hopeful. Today: we examine the Chieftains from Kansas City.

Derrick Thomas Academy Owes $10 Million, Lawsuit Says from KC Star

Former board members for Derrick Thomas Academy are accused in a new lawsuit of running up a mountain of debt and ignoring warnings that the deficit would close the school.

The lawsuit was filed this week in U.S. District Court by Wells Fargo Bank as the trustee for several bondholders against Derrick Thomas Academy Charter School Inc. and its seven former board members.

The lawsuit says the Kansas City school owes bondholders $10.6 million borrowed since January 2007 to buy, renovate and equip the school building and to pay off a $2.5 million debt to EdisonLearning, the company that managed the school.

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