Training Camp Practice #22 Report

From St. Joseph, Missouri

Under the lights at Spratt Stadium and in front of a crowd placed at more than 3,000 fans, the Chiefs took another step towards wrapping up their training camp stay at Missouri Western State University. The two-hour night practice was the next to last workout on campus.

The Chiefs will practice Thursday afternoon, then will do a walkthrough on Friday morning before hitting the road back to Kansas City to catch a flight to Tampa for Saturday’s pre-season game No.2 against the Buccaneers.

It was a nice crowd, but certainly the smallest of the three events that were staged inside Spratt Stadium. After a very physical morning practice, Todd Haley slowed the pace down a little bit in the evening practice, as they worked hard on situations.

Here are some observations from the practice:

– Not taking part in the workout were the same names as those held out of the morning practice – QB Brodie Croyle, RB Kestahn Moore, FS Jon McGraw and G Darryl Harris.

– Working on the nickel defense Wednesday night, rookie OLB Cameron Sheffield was working with first group instead of Andy Studebaker. In the Wednesday A.M. practice Studebaker looked like he banged up his shoulder. But he’s dressed and on the field and worked in other drills. Sheffield continues to show an explosive pass rush off the edge.

– But Studebaker was out of the placement protection team, where he is usually the right wing. He was replaced by TE Cody Slate. Here’s the whole blocking group that protects K Ryan Succop and holder Dustin Colquitt – TE Leonard Pope, C Rudy Niswanger, OT Ryan O’Callaghan, G Lemuel Jeanpierre, long snapper Thomas Gafford, OT Colin Brown, OT Branden Albert, G Jon Asamoah and Slate.

– With head coach Todd Haley standing three yards away and waving a hat in his field of vision, K Ryan Succop made a 51-yard field goal with five yards to spare. He also hit from 37 and 41 yards.

– Kicking from deep out of his end zone P Dustin Colquitt was on fire. He hit a pair of 60-yard punts against a heavy rush and with near five-second hang time. On a third punt he hit one 68 yards in the air with a hang time of 5.2 seconds.

– Rookie TE Tony Moeaki seems to have recovered from the ankle injury that kept him out for 10 days. He got free down the middle of the field, caught a 30-yard throw from QB Matt Cassel with his finger tips, kept his balance and outran S Donald Washington to the end zone. It was the catch of the day

– When the Chiefs offense went to a two-tight end alignment, it was Moeaki who joined Pope.

– Cassel hit WR/RB Dexter McCluster on a pass down the seam. The pass was right on the money and McCluster took off down the field and outran SS Eric Berry, who has plenty of speed.

– In just his third practice with the team, QB Bill Stull looked very comfortable running the offense and he’s been very accurate throwing the ball. Haley won’t commit to Stull playing Saturday night in Tampa.