Chiefs-Vikings Practice 7/31

From River Falls, Wisconsin

What a disappointment! It wasn’t so much that Jared Allen didn’t show up Thursday night for the Chiefs-Vikings practice.  That would have caused a world of problems and headaches,  which is probably why the Vikes left him at home.

The sad part was Branden Albert did not get the chance to get some practice time against an All-Pro defensive end.  That would have been a great indicator of his development and progress after a week of camp.  Likely it would have been only 10 snaps or less, but everyone around the Chiefs was looking forward to the battle.  Instead, Albert got Brian Robinson and then he picked up a sprained ankle.  Albert ended up missing about half the practice with the injury.  The Chiefs have to hope this ankle thing is not something chronic; remember he sprained an ankle during the off-season practices and ended up missing the last two weeks of work. …Read More!

First Game In Chiefs History

It all got started for the Chiefs franchise on this day, 48 years ago.

The date was July 31, 1960.  The place was Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. The Dallas Texans opponent that day was the Oakland Raiders.

The Texans won that first game in franchise history, 20-13. …Read More!

Practice on, No Jared?

From River Falls, Wisconsin

The weather has cleared enough and the fields are in good enough condition that the Chiefs-Vikings joint practice tonight here at UW-River Falls is still on.

However, rumor has it that Jared Allen will not be making the bus ride over from the Vikings camp in Mankato.  That’s the early word from several Minnesota front office types.  With Jared however, anything remains possible and he could be the first guy off the bus when it finally stops in the Falls.  Or he may come over and not even suit up.

Stayed tuned.

Finding Players Never Ends

From River Falls, Wisconsin

The business of player personnel in the NFL is a 24/7, 365-day job.  There are ebbs and flows, but always there are more bodies to evaluate, more rocks to turnover, more tape to analyze.

That goes for teams at the top of the standings and teams at the bottom.  Bad teams are always looking to get better and the good teams can’t take a breath and relax.  As Chuck Noll once told me, in the NFL you are either getting better or you are getting worse, you never stay the same.

Starting this Sunday night the NFL will play 65 pre-season games.  By the time that schedule is completed, the Chiefs personnel staff will have seen in person every team in the league.  They will spend more hours looking at tape.  Even as their own roster is being reduced to the final NFL limit of 53 players, the personnel staff will be out looking for new bodies to bring in. …Read More!

Thursday Morning Cup O’Chiefs

From River Falls, Wisconsin

The Jared Allen circus rolls into the Falls this afternoon for tonight’s practice under the lights against the Vikings.  Chiefs are very interested in seeing how some of their young players fare against the purple people.  Sounds like Allen may be a very limited participant in what happens.  That will probably be the case as well for players like Tony Gonzalez and Brian Waters. …Read More!

Afternoon Practice Update 7/30

From River Falls, Wisconsin

The Chiefs put practice No. 11 in the books Wednesday afternoon and it was a solid session.

There’s been great readership and reaction to these practice reports and it’s a pleasure to do them.  But let me re-affirm something: these sessions as single elements that constitute only a moment in time.  One day a guy is up, next day his legs are tired and he struggles through practice.  Nobody in training camp has 11 great practices in a row.  What I look for our trends, situations and performances that happen on a regular basis. …Read More!

Offensive Line Gamble

From River Falls, Wisconsin

Are the Chiefs taking a big gamble in this 2008 season with their offensive line?

You bet they are.

Even Herm Edwards admits that.

“You are taking a gamble any time you go with as many young players as we are,” said Edwards.  “There is always a risk.  But what you build in this case is something that will last, not a one-year wonder.” …Read More!

Morning Practice Update 7/30

From River Falls, Wisconsin

It was a perfect morning for football and the Chiefs had a good practice session in full pads.

One roster note: the Chiefs had an open spot and with their shortage of defensive ends, they are bringing back Jonal Saint-Dic, a rookie free agent out of Michigan State.  He was released at the end of the team’s off-season program.  Also, safety Ron Girault who was released when Glenn Dorsey signed has hooked on with the New York Jets. …Read More!

Wednesday Morning Cup o’Chiefs

From River Falls, Wisconsin

It’s the quiet before the storm here in the northwoods.  On Thursday, the circus comes to town in the form of Jared Allen and his new teammates with the Minnesota Vikings.  While we are in Wisconsin, the state line with Minnesota is only a few miles west of RF, so the folks around here seem to be evenly split between Vikings and Packers fans.

Even without Jared, the place would be jumping with just the Vikings here.  Throw in good old No. 69, and you can bet the Kansas City media will be salivating for some pearls from Jared.  It will be good to see him; Jared was always one of my favorites.  He didn’t always do or say the right thing, but then who among us does?  In almost every occasion however, win or lose (and last year was a lot of losing) he stood up and answered questions from the media. …Read More!

Afternoon Practice Update 7/29

From River Falls Wisconsin

It was a glorious summer afternoon here in the northwoods as the Chiefs went through practice No. 9.  They were in shells (that’s shoulder pads and no football pants for those who haven’t been following along.)

And score one for the offense!  Chan Gailey’s unit had their best practice of the training camp to date.  One can almost see the light bulbs going off over the heads of some of the offensive players as they go from day-to-day.  The basic Gailey offense is not very extensive and that’s all the team is working with right now.  So they should get better at execution each practice because they’ve run these plays before.

That was visible on Tuesday afternoon. …Read More!

Morning Practice Update 7/29

From River Falls, Wisconsin

The subject was the kicking game during the Chiefs 50-minute workout this morning here in the northwoods.  There are 79 players on the roster and 60 of them were on the field for the work with special teams coach Mike Priefer.  They worked on the four major units: kickoff return, kick coverage, punt return and punt coverage.

Remember, special teams is one of the best predictors when it comes to a player’s chances of making the final 53-man roster.  If a player is not a starter and is not any front-line special teams units, his chances of making the team are not good.  Also remember it’s still July, and a lot change change in the five weeks before the first regular season game.

Here’s what we saw: …Read More!

Tuesday Morning cup o’chiefs

From River Falls, Wisconsin

Herm Edwards foot comes off the gas pedal a bit today for the Chiefs players here in the northwoods.  They’ll have a special teams practice this morning.  These usually go for about one hour without pads with special teams coach Mike Priefer.  Some of the veteran players who are not part of the kicking game do not even attend the workout.  Instead they’ll lift weights or do some conditioning.  Then, everyone will be back on the field in full pads for an afternoon session. …Read More!

Afternoon Practice Update 7/28

From River Falls, Wisconsin

The afternoon was sunny, hot and humid; perfect weather for a training camp practice.  The Chiefs were in shells, meaning shoulder pads, but no football pants.  That did not effect the intensity, as the workout may have been the most physical of camp so far.

And since it was the seventh practice of camp, some bumps and bruises are starting to show up.  …Read More!

Tony G Likes What He Sees

From River Falls, Wisconsin

Not much is expected of the Chiefs this year, what with it being a rebuilding year and all.

Tony Gonzalez doesn’t see it that way.  Not at all.

One of the most veteran Chiefs believes the folks around him are already a better team than they were last year.

And, he knows there are skeptics. …Read More!

Morning Practice Update 7/28

From River Falls, Wisconsin

The pace of this morning’s work here at UW-River Falls was more to the liking of Chiefs head coach.  That’s not to say everything was A-OK, but it was a step forward from what Herm Edwards saw on Sunday.

Missing from the practice work were DE Turk McBride (stomach ailment), G Brian Waters (unknown), TE Tony Gonzalez (rest) and WR-KR Kevin Robinson (knee).  During the practice, LB Derrick Johnson was suffering from cramps and did not participate over the last hour or so.

Also WR Timon Marshall was released,  so the Chiefs have 79 on the roster right now. …Read More!