Pre-Game Chiefs-Falcons In Atlanta

From the Georgia Dome

6:20 p.m. – standing on the sidelines in conversation are Scott Pioli, Clark and Daniel Hunt and Falcons GM Thomas Dimitoff, who once worked for Pioli with the Patriots and also worked in the Chiefs personnel department in the Peterson Era.

6:17 p.m. – The Chiefs have 77 players dressed for tonight’s game. The Falcons have 69 players in uniform. Both teams are finishing up their pre-game stretching.

6:00 p.m. – Out early to take kicks and punts were the following players: punt returns – Dexter McCluster, Javier Arenas, Maurice Leggett and Jackie Bates; kick returns – Quinten Lawrence, Lance Long, Kestahn Moore, Javarris Williams, Terrance Copper,

5:55 p.m. – Starting RT Ryan O’Callaghan will not play tonight. Correction: TE Jake O’Connell will not play tonight and was left back in Kansas City. Somebody got their Irish O’Cs mixed up with the Chiefs. Also out are the expected duo of TE Tony Moeaki and G Darryl Harris. With O’Callaghan down, it will be interesting to see how the Chiefs handle the tackles. Barry Richardson has been working almost exclusively at left tackle, with Colin Brown at right tackle.But it would seem far more likely that Richardson will move over and start at RT than Brown. Stay tuned.

5:50 p.m. – Tony Gonzalez and Scott Pioli greet each other like long lost friends at the 40-yard line, with a hug and smiles all-around. Not hard to figure why Gonzalez was happy to see him, but not sure what Pioli had to smile about involving that April ’09 trade.

5:47 p.m. - First player for the Chiefs on the field completely dressed in his uniform is K Ryan Succop.

5:45 p.m. – Tony Gonzalez and Brian Waters are having a long conversation at the 40-yard line. Both are dressed as if they’ll play, but we can’t imagine either one getting a lot of playing time in this game, especially on this turf. The Georgia Dome is not known to have one of the league’s better playing surfaces.

5:40  p.m. – Not expected to play tonight for the Falcons because of injury are:  MLB Mike Peterson, CB Dunta Robinson, S William Moore, S Matt Giordano, RB Jerious Norwood, DT Peria Jerry, CB Brian Williams and WR Harry Douglas. Peterson, Robinson and Jerry are starters in the Atlanta defense.

5:35 p.m. – A lot of familiar faces in the press box among the scouts. Former personnel department types at Arrowhead in the box include Mitch LaPoint, who is now with the Dallas Cowboys, Terry Murphy who is with the Miami Dolphins and Matt Littlefield, who is scouting the game for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.

5:32 p.m. – Offensive line coach Bill Muir in a long conversation with Brian Baldinger, who handles the color commentary for Falcons pre-season games on TV.

5:30 p.m. – Head coach Todd Haley and QB Matt Cassel on the field talking with offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, who is walking without his cane and his scooter is nowhere in sight. Weis will be in the coaching box for tonight’s game.