San Diego Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Three Bold Predictions

Mediocrity and the San Diego Chargers seem to go hand in hand.
At times, the Chargers look dominant and ready to take control of the AFC West.
However, there are other times when the seat really heats up for Norv Turner.
Last week's drubbing by the hands of Atlanta 27-3, makes us sports fans really scratch their heads.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs were dead in the water trailing 24-6 against New Orleans, but they came alive and roared back winning that game in overtime.
Is Jamaal Charles really back from his injury? He looked the part last Sunday.
Here are three bold predictions.
Bold Prediction No. 1: The Chargers will throw the ball  -- A LOT
Look for San Diego to exploit the Chiefs' undersized secondary on Sunday. Kansas City’s best cover corner, Brandon Flowers, is only 5-10, so look for Philip Rivers to utilizes his taller receivers to get their offense going.
Kansas City’s pass defense is ranked 12^th in the league, which isn’t bad, but the Chargers' receivers are way more athletic and Norv Turner is excellent at spreading the ball around. After three games, Rivers' numbers aren’t impressive 688 passing yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, but I expect those numbers to get a major boost in Kansas City.
Rivalry games bring out the best in great players, and Rivers will deliver.
But will it be enough for the win? Rivers' stat line: 27 for 41 360 yards, 3 touchdowns 1, interception.
Bold Prediction No. 2: Feed the Beast -- Charles will keep running, and running and running
Jamaal Charles leads the NFL in rushing with 323 yards and averaging six yards per carry. Charles ran for 233 yards against the Saints including that spectacular 91-yard touchdown so the Chiefs will live and die with the running game.
The Chargers are no slouch against the run. They are giving up 67 yards per game which is fourth in the NFL. Expect Chargers linebackers, Takeo Spikes and Donald Butler, to really play close attention to Charles and contain him early. However, as we found out last week, Charles can explode at any time. Charles' stat line: 23 carries 98 yards.  
Bold Prediction No. 3: Cassel will struggle, but the Chiefs find a way to win at home
Matt Cassel's numbers have not been impressive. In fact, he is borderline to be replaced if he keeps playing that way. Throwing four interceptions with a talented offensive cast surrounding him is not acceptable.
However, the Chiefs are playing at home in front of a rabid home crowd so I expect his numbers to mirror that of Rivers. With Jamaal Charles emerging as one of the NFL’s best running backs, the pressure is off of Cassel a bit. All he needs to do is to get the ball into the hands of Dwayne Bowe and Dexter McCluster and get out of the way.
KC has a potent three-headed monster attack, so look for the home crowd to will the Chiefs to a victory over their rival.

Watching Jamaal Charles Is Watching Greatness

Greatness in sports is a funny thing. A lot of the time, people mistake longevity for greatness. They see a guy who has been "good" for years and say, "Hey that guy must be great!" There are a million examples of that phenomenon (stares hard in the direction of Thomas Jones and John Stockton, two players who were never top three at their position at any given time yet get remembered as great).

Almost as often, people mistake team success with individual greatness. Yeah, the Dallas Cowboys were a great team for a long time. But I'll say it flat-out: Troy Aikman was NOT a great quarterback (yes, I'm fully prepared to be flamed by people who disagree. He wasn't. I have spoken!).

What does make a player "great?" I believe that it's not just a matter of longevity (although that's certainly a relevant aspect) and team success (again, a factor to consider, but not the end-all-be-all), nor is it simply a matter of impressive stats (for example, despite his incredible stats, I have a hard time calling Terrell Davis "great" when other, lesser RB's saw success in the same system. Well, OK, maybe he was. But who cares? He was a Bronco!).

At the end of the day, I have to go with the legendary Supreme Court definition of hardcore porn... I might not be able to define it, but I know it when I see it.

And I'm seeing it right now, happening before our very eyes. And if we so much as blink, we might be unfortunate enough to miss it. Yeah, I'm talking about our "scatback" (remember that one?), Jamaal Charles.

We all know that JC is the man around here. But have you ever noticed that when most talk of JC there's always a "but?" (quit snickering, Tarkus)

"Yeah, Jamaal Charles is a stud, BUT he'll never hold up long enough."

"JC's the man, BUT he's always had to share carries. Not a true workhorse"

"Charles has played like an All Pro, BUT he was hurt in 2011 so he's got a lot to prove."

"Yeah he's a great player, BUT players at his position don't matter as much anymore."

Kansas City Chiefs vs. New Orleans: Five Things We Learned

Week 3 brought us a match-up between two teams desperately in search of their first win. The New Orleans Saints played host to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday. After losing by at least two touchdowns in their first games of the season, the Chiefs found themselves in the same predicament well into the third quarter against the Saints.
However, Kansas City found a swing of momentum that would propel them to a 27-24 overtime victory. After watching the two teams play for 68:33, I've gathered some things worth sharing.
Let's take a glimpse at five things we're able to take away from this game.
Saints’ Defense
The Saints ended last season with the 24th ranked defense. However, when your offense is ranked No. 1 overall, poor defensive play can get overlooked. Well the Saints offense hasn't been as potent to start this season, as they've been in years past; bringing more attention to the fact that the defensive problems are just that -- a problem.
The Saints defense fell eight spots since last season, from the 24th ranked to the 32nd, which in turn, makes them dead last. Although we're only three weeks into the season, this is never where you want to see yourself as a team or a coaching staff.
With Jonathan Vilma suspended, then reinstated, then put on the PUP list, the Saints are missing him more than ever. His play surely, but more so his leadership and presence on the field. Defensive captains are put into place to make sure the team stays in sync while on the field, and without Vilma, the Saints look lost at times. More often than any member of the "WhoDat Nation", would ever care to admit.
Steve Spagnuolo: Change Must Take Place
If Steve Spagnuolo would like to stay in New Orleans, he needs to change the culture of their defense quickly. I'm sure after these first few weeks he's asked himself had he gone back to St. Louis. There has to be changes immediately, for the Saints are facing both Aaron Rodgers and Phillip Rivers in the next two weeks.
My pre-season analysis would've led me to believe that these are both games that are well within reach of the Saints. With Aaron Rodgers being an elite quarterback, and Phillip Rivers off to the great start that he is, I can't see the Saints winning either of these without a tremendous change in the culture of their defense.
At this point, the Saints don't strike fear into anyone, especially not veteran quarterbacks.
I realized this early in the week via a conversation with a colleague. I had the option of starting DeMarco Murray (Cowboys standout running back) or Jamaal Charles. Although I'm a die-hard Cowboys fan, this was an easy decision. Charles it was. And although Murray had a fantasy projection of 20 points; Charles' projection of 11 points was never a deterrent.
The difference, I knew that Kansas City was looking to give Charles more carries this week, and they were going to do so against a team who couldn't stop the run. Needless to say, Charles got me over 30 points.
Coach Spagnuolo, the pressure is on! Feel it and make a difference, because this is a bad start that can quickly get worse.

Kevin Boss Among A Few Chiefs Unlikely To Play In Saints Game

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel talked to the media today and he ran down the list of injuries as he usually does. He doesn't have to list players as probable, questionable or doubtful until Friday but he said at least three players would likely be doubtful to practice today and doubtful to play in the game.

Those players he called doubtful are Kevin Boss, who had a head injury last week, Devon Wylie, who has had a hamstring injury the last two weeks, and Jacques Reeves, who suffered a hamstring injury.

That means Tony Moeaki, who saw an increase in snaps last week, should expect the same this week. Wylie isn't part of the regular rotation, only depth, so his likely absence won't affect much. Reeves only played special teams last week after playing every snap in Week 1 when Brandon Flowers was injured.

Kendrick Lewis and Anthony Toribio have missed both games this year and don't see all that likely to play this weekend. Allen Bailey, who has been out both games as well, is now a full participant in practice.

Bob Fescoe Has Epic Radio Rant About The Kansas City Chiefs

Bob Fescoe is a radio host in Kansas City so you know that he loves his Kansas City Chiefs. Well, you can say that he loved them at one point. This team is awful right now and Fescoe had an epic rant about them on Monday.

If you do not want to listen to that, I have the quote transcribed for you below. It is quite the doozy.

    Stop embarrassing yourselves! You’re embarrassing your mother. You’re embarrassing your father. You’re embarrassing the city. You’re embarrassing your wifeand your children. … You’re an embarrassing trainwreck to the 2.5 million people that call this metro area home. You’ve let down all the old ladies that are on life support, rooting for you, trying to pull out another day. You give people nothing to live for. You suck.

Strong words from Mr. Fescoe on the state of the team.  I really can not disagree with his premise.  The Chiefs do not look like a good football team this year.  They really have not looked like a good team in awhile.  The talent just doesn’t seem to work together.  There are good pieces there but they just can’t put anything together.

I imagine that a lot of fans feel this same way.  The KC fans are loyal but they have a pretty bad team to watch.  It has to be painful for them to see this performance.  Maybe it will improve soon, but if not, we can look forward to more rants.

TE Kevin Boss done for day

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Chiefs tight end Kevin Boss will be re-evaluated after being knocked woozy with a blow to the head in Kansas City's 35-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Coach Romeo Crennel provided the update, but didn't have any further details on Boss' injury following the game. Crennel added that cornerback Javier Arenas also hurt his neck.

Boss was hurt after making a 29-yard catch over the middle in the second quarter. Stumbling backward, Boss was falling down when Buffalo safety Da'Norris Searcy's forearm hit the back of Boss' head. The tight end's head then hit the ground hard.

Boss stayed down for a few minutes before walking off the field under his own power. He sat on the bench for a few minutes, and was then escorted to the locker room before half time.

Searcy was penalized for unnecessary roughness for the hit.

The Chiefs are off to an 0-2 start for the sixth time in seven seasons, and next play at New Orleans next weekend.

Bills coach Chan Gailey had no significant injuries to report following the game.

He said defensive tackle Marcell Dareus continued playing despite hurting his shoulder. Safety George Wilson returned to play in the second half after sustaining a blow to the head while trying to tackle Boss in the second quarter.

Kansas City Wizards Ready To Rewrite History

It doesn't take a genius to read much into the Kansas City Wizards facebook announcement that a "major Kansas City Soccer Announcement" will take play on Wednesday.

Notice the oh so clever lack of the word "Wizards" and the rampant rumors that the team will undergo a rebranding leading up to the opening of their new stadium.

Andy Edwards of the Daily Wiz has put 1+1 together and come up with the seemingly obvious answer:

    Not much is to be said about the event itself, because well, this has been about as terribly kept of a secret as Thierry Henry-to-New York Red Bulls was. It's long been known that the ownership group OnGoal was looking to rebrand, and that Sporting KC had become the front runner for the new name.

Supposedly, this is just part of a larger effort to expand the brand beyond soccer. We can probably expect to see "Sporting KC" to encompass teams in other sports, which would give some legitimacy to the name.

There have been plenty of people decrying this particular name. The main criticism is that this is just another attempt by a MLS team to appeal to European soccer fans by picking a name that sounds more old country.

In their defense, there seems to be little harm in the move. A name like "Sporting" lends itself to assigning a separate nickname and you can bet they'll still be called the Wizards by lots of people. The only difference is that it won't be plastered across their shirts and other merchandise.

In a bigger sense, OnGoal is obviously intent on starting a new era for their soccer team. There are few ways to accomplish that more clearly than by changing the team's name.

Of course, whether or not this is a success will be determined by fans of the team, not by pundits opining from afar. You can bet that a new stadium, re-energized efforts to reach out to supporters and, ideally, a winning team will go much farther toward accomplishing that goal than any name could.

Chiefs report: Kansas City needs big game from Hali

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Chiefs need a strong game from outside linebacker Tamba Hali when they play Sunday at Buffalo. Hali didn’t play in the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons because of a one-game NFL suspension and the pass rush suffered without him.
Hali played as much as the other starters during the preseason, so a week’s absence from practice and the game shouldn’t affect him much. Hali’s greatest gift as a pass rush is his relentlessness. He’s produced many sacks over his career because he’s refused to give up on a play.
Even with Hali’s return, the Chiefs won’t have all their pass rushers against the Bills. Allen Bailey, a middle rusher in obvious passing situations, has a sore ankle and is unlikely to play at Buffalo.
Once Bailey returns to full health, the Chiefs should have a competitive pass rush. The other outside linebacker, Justin Houston, is, like Hali, capable of putting up double-digit sacks.
INJURIES: A rash of injuries is playing havoc with the special teams lineup and it cost the Chiefs in last week’s game against Atlanta. Rookies Tysyn Hartman and Devon Wylie, playing because of injuries to others, were caught out of position while covering a kickoff and the Chiefs allowed a 77-yard return by Atlanta’s Jacquizz Rodgers. Given the way the Chiefs are struggling on defense, they probably need to win in the kicking game in order to beat the Bills.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Three Bold Predictions

The Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs begin their season at Arrowhead stadium on Sunday, September 9^th.
Since 1990, the Chiefs have had a 25-9 record against NFC opponents at home. However this could be a game that goes Atlanta’s way.
Here’s what to expect Sunday.

Cornerbacks Brandon Flowers and Stanford Routt vs. wide receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White:
The Chiefs' top cornerback, Brandon Flowers, has been missing in action since the start of training camp and didn’t play at all in preseason. He was working with the first-team in practice this week and will play, but will probably not be at 100 percent.
Stanford Routt was brought in to replace Brandon Carr who went to Dallas because the Chiefs didn’t want to pay his price tag. He looked pretty good keeping Victor Cruz quiet on Wednesday. Routt is average at best, and the reserve cornerback, Jalil Brown, is still trying to find his way.
Jones is a premier receiver in the making. White is a savvy veteran. The Falcons are expected to favor a 60/40 pass to run this year on offense. Expect at least one of these guys to score Sunday.

Running backs Jamal Charles and Peyton Hillis vs. the Atlanta Falcons' defensive line:
On paper Charles and Hillis maybe the Chiefs' best one-two punch since Christian Okoye and Barry Word from the early Marty Schottenheimer Polka Days. Charles is back from a 2011 early season knee injury. He looks strong in the preseason. The entire nation outside of Kansas City has forgotten about him. Expect Charles to have a big run or two on Sunday, he has a lot to prove.
Peyton Hillis is a goal-line crusher, and with an upgraded run-friendly offensive line featuring Eric Winston, the Chiefs will run the ball successfully on Sunday. Atlanta did have a top 10 run defense in 2011. Jon Abraham and Ray Edwards are solid players, but they will have their hands full trying to slow these guys down.

Kansas City offensive coordinator Brian Daboll vs. Atlanta defensive coordinator Mike Nolan:
Both of these guys were working together just last year for the Miami Dolphins. However after a poor start to last season, the Dolphins decided to make changes in 2012.
Faster than coach Tony Sparano could get his home on the market, Daboll and Nolan split and found jobs in Kansas City and Atlanta.
Nolan is a defensive guru. Along with being the head coach of the 49ers, he has lead successful defenses in Baltimore, Denver, and the New York Jets.
The younger Brian Daboll coordinated the Browns to a 32^nd and 30^th ranked offense in his past job experiences. He did get Miami to a 20^th rank last year. These guys know each other well, but you have to give the nod to the more experienced Nolan.
Unless Daboll and Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel can throw in some successful surprise tweaks, expect the more experienced Nolan to get the best of Daboll’s run-first, throw later, old-school offensive play-calling.
No one will want to score more on Sunday than Falcon tight end Tony Gonzalez as he returns to Arrowhead for the first time since he left Kansas City. The Todd Haley Chiefs of 2011 let tight end Scott Chandler catch two touchdowns in the home opener at Arrowhead last year, as the Bills embarrassed the Chiefs.
Gonzalez will want his number called in the red zone. Look for quarterback Matt Ryan and the Falcons to win this game.

Sign In Register News Media Vault Gameday Team Charger Girls Tickets Fan Zone Community Español Fantasy Pro Shop Week 1 at Oakland 9/10/12 7:15PM - 10:15PM PDT My Chargers Account Newsletter Forums Watch Games News Share Print Email RSS San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders

The San Diego Chargers kick off the 2012 regular-season in a nationally televised game on ESPN’s Monday Night Football against the Oakland Raiders at the O.co. Coliseum in Oakland.  The Chargers own a 30-22 lifetime record in season openers, and are 3-2 under head coach Norv Turner.  The team is also 12-11 in season openers against the AFC West and 4-1 when the first game of the year airs on national television.

A Look Back At the Preseason

The Chargers finished the exhibition season with a 3-1 record, winning their first three games before falling in the finale at the San Francisco 49ers. Philip Rivers appeared in three of those contests, completing 24 of 30 passes for 235 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions.  Micheal Spurlock led the way with 10 receptions for 135 yards while Antonio Gates chipped in with six catches for 63 yards.  Defensively, first round pick Melvin Ingram led the team with two sacks in just three games, while Donald Butler paced all starters with 14 tackles and an interception.

What to Watch For…

On Offense for the Chargers

Rivers, the franchise’s all-time leader for career completion percentage and passer rating, leads the way for the potent Bolts attack. In last year’s season finale against the Raiders, he had an outstanding game, completing 19 of 26 attempts for 310 yards, three touchdowns and a passer rating of 135.1, so look for him to replicate that performance in the opener. His favorite target, Antonio Gates, also had a memorable game in Oakland last year, catching five balls for 106 yards and a score.

On Offense for the Raiders

Carson Palmer helms the Raiders offense. He started nine games in 2011, completing 60.7% of his attempts for 2,753 yards, 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. The Raiders lost last season’s leading rusher, Michael Bush, to free agency, but the dangerous Darren McFadden returns after a 614-yard, four-touchdown season in which he was limited to seven games due to injury. The Raiders top two receivers are Darrius Heyward-Bey (64 catches, 975 yards and four touchdowns) and Denarius Moore (33-618-5).

On Defense for the Chargers

New defensive coordinator John Pagano takes over a unit that was headed by safety Eric Weddle and linebacker Takeo Spikes in 2011. Weddle set a career high and tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions, while Spikes led the way with 119 tackles, his 11th-career 100-tackle season. New to the defense are this year’s top draft choices Melvin Ingram and Kendall Reyes, who combined for 3.5 sacks in the preseason.

On Defense for the Raiders

Oakland’s top three tacklers from last season return in safety Tyvon Branch (109 tackles), linebacker Rolando McClain (99) and safety Matt Girodano (70).  Tommy Kelly led all Raiders with eight sacks last year while veteran Richard Seymour chipped in with six of his own.

Series History

Monday’s match marks the 106th all-time meeting between the Chargers and Raiders, with Oakland leading the series 58-45-2. The Chargers won the last meeting, 38-26, in the 2011 season finale and have won 14 of the last 17, including a stretch of 13-straight wins from 2003-09.

By the Numbers

In the preseason, the Chargers ranked 28th in total offense (262.5 yards per game), 15th in passing (103.8 ypg), 32nd in rushing (68.8 ypg) and 25th in points (16.0). The Raiders ranked 21st in total offense (287.8 ypg), 26th in passing (176.0 ypg), 16th in rushing (111.8 ypg) and 26th in points (15.2).

Defensively, the Bolts ranked 23rd in total defense (345.2 ypg), 27th in passing (243.0 ypg), 11th in rushing (102.2 ypg) and 18th in points allowed (19.5).  Oakland ranked fourth in total defense (259.8 ypg), third in passing (158.0 ypg), 10th in rushing (101.8 ypg) and 17th in points allowed (18.8).

Poetry helped Eric Berry get through last season

After suffering a torn ACL last season, Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry used poetry to get through the struggle of missing an entire season.

“I really leaned on my poetry and my writing throughout the whole process,” he said. “You do a lot of sitting up by yourself … a lot of looking at the ceiling. That’s what I did in my spare time between playing video games … I wanted to get my thoughts on paper.”

Something as simple as the moon helped Berry.

That’s how he discovered the beauty of the moon. While injured, Berry, who played every defensive snap as a rookie during his Pro Bowl season of 2010, felt lost and in the dark when not part of a team. He wondered when the misery was going to end, when he saw a full moon,” wrote Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star.

“Even as a kid, the full moon always intrigued me,” he said. “I looked up at the full moon, contemplated it and wondered if it sees me, and knowing what I’m going through and knowing all my struggles.”

“I went through so many different stages …” he said of his rehab process. “I wrote the poem about the moon on one of my days when I was like, ‘Damn, when is it going to stop?’ I happened to look up at the moon, and it was a full moon in a time of darkness.

“In times of darkness, when things are going wrong, just like when night falls and you can’t see your way, the full moon always has light to guide your way. The moon borrows light from the sun. Everybody knows the sun is going to shine, right? But the moon is so special, it takes some of the light from the sun and gives it to people who can’t see in the dark.”

Whenever an athlete suffers an injury as severe and traumatic as a torn ACL, the recovery process is so rigorous that it can be discouraging and depressing. He clearly used the poetry to get him through the hardest times.

I hope Berry comes back stronger than ever this season.