Chiefs Team Report

INSIDE SLANT

Addition by subtraction: That’s the unspoken method to the madness of general manager Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley as they search for the right players to remake the Kansas City Chiefs in their image.

At times, that means getting rid of talented players because their personality or style of play does not fit what Pioli/Haley are seeking. There are nine members of the 2008 Chiefs playing for other teams in the NFL. Two of those players are starters, tight end Tony Gonzalez(notes) (Atlanta) and safety Bernard Pollard(notes) (Houston), at positions where the Chiefs have had some problems during the 2009 season.

“You’re trying to find the right mix that gives you the best chance to win,” said Haley. “I think that’s what we try to do on a daily basis and whether we were 10-0 right now or 3-7 we would still be doing those same types of things - trying to get better.

“I just think when you’re a better team it’s generally happening with the bottom end of the roster. When you’re trying to become a good team it may be happening in the bottom to the middle and sometimes even in the top.”

With the ’09 Chiefs, there has been churning at all levels of the roster, highlighted most recently by the release of running back Larry Johnson(notes). Since the day before they left for training camp, the Chiefs have added 13 players to their 53-man roster. When healthy, four of those players are starting: guard Andy Alleman(notes), tackle Ryan O’Callaghan(notes), tight end Leonard Pope(notes) and wide receiver Chris Chambers(notes).

Some of that roster churn was dictated by injury, as the team has added four players to the injured-reserve list since the start of the regular season.

“I would say we’re trying to get better and do the things necessary to get better as a team and that doesn’t always have to do with players,” Haley said. “It has to do with how we run the building, how we operate, and little things, trying to do all the little things all the time.

“When it has to do with the players it’s trying to get as many players as we can on board that are here. As we’ve moved along it’s become clear that we’re finding more and more guys who are in. Sometimes it’s a guy that we’ve picked up midway through the year that shows signs pretty quickly that he wants to be a part of what we want to do.

“We knew this was a big job and we’re in the beginning of the process.”

Series History:   99th regular-season meeting. Chiefs lead series 50-47-1. The Chargers have won four straight, including a 37-7 victory in October at Arrowhead Stadium. The last time the Chiefs beat the Chargers was Sept. 30, 2007 in San Diego, 30-16.

NOTES, QUOTES

It was just less than a month ago that Chris Chambers walked out of the office of Chargers head coach Norv Turner unsure what the future held for his football career.

“My playing time was shrinking and that was a sign, but I wasn’t expecting what happened,” Chambers said of his release by the Chargers on Nov. 2. “My minutes were getting cut here and there and didn’t get a lot of encouragement.”

About 36 hours later, Chambers was in his new football home: Arrowhead Stadium, as the Chiefs claimed him on waivers.

As the Chiefs head to San Diego to face the Chargers, Chambers’ part in the team’s offense continues to grow. In three games, he’s caught 10 passes for 249 yards and he has a pair of touchdown catches.

“I’m definitely playing with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder because of the way things ended in San Diego,” said Chambers. “I’m just looking to prove to myself and my teammates that I can help them win games.”

Chambers has already shown he can help them win games, as he did last Sunday against the Steelers. His 47-yard catch set up the tying touchdown, and then the 61-yard catch and run in overtime made the winning FG possible.

“Chris Chambers has done a great job creating another element of big play possibilities for us that we really didn’t have early on in the season,” said quarterback Matt Cassel(notes).

• The Chiefs have lost four straight to the Chargers; the last time they dropped five in a row was 20 years ago, during the 1987-89 seasons. San Diego’s longest winning streak in the series began in 1979 when they won six in a row.

• At Qualcomm Stadium, the Chiefs are 1-4 in the last five years, losing by seven, eight and 11 points. Last year they dropped a 20-19 decision. Their victory was in 2007, when they won 30-16 on a big day by then rookie WR Dwayne Bowe(notes) (164 yards receiving).

• In the previous 98 games between the Chiefs and Chargers, the final outcome was decided by a single point in 12 games, including both played last year. Since 1960, no other series in the NFL has had as many one-point outcomes. The Chiefs are 3-9 in those dozen games.

• As the league is celebrating the birth of the American Football League 50 seasons ago, the Chiefs and Chargers were each other’s first opponents in the new league back on September 10, 1960 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The Chargers were the Los Angeles Chargers at the time, and the Chiefs were the Dallas Texans. The Chargers won this first encounter 21-20.

• Over his time with the Chargers, the Chiefs have been able to keep QB Philip Rivers(notes) from having a big day. In three starts against KC, Rivers is 2-1, but he’s thrown two TD passes to six interceptions and has a 55.9 passer rating and he’s completed just 55.4 percent of his passes.

By The Numbers:   59—At the current pace, that’s how many sacks the Chiefs will allow this year. That number would break the franchise record for most sacks in a season at 57 in the 1980 season.

Quote To Note:   “We still are what we are after beating Pittsburgh. We are not out of the mud. We are fighting to get better every day.”—Chiefs head coach Todd Haley after beating the Steelers for their second consecutive victory.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

The Chiefs continue to keep a steady pipeline of players headed to the injured reserve list. On Wednesday they ended the season of DB Maurice Leggett(notes) because of a shoulder injury he suffered in last Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh. Leggett is facing surgery on the shoulder; that’s the second season in a row that he’s ended the year on IR and faced surgery on a shoulder.

The injury hurts because Leggett contributed on both defense and special teams. He had been working more and more at safety, after playing last year as a rookie at cornerback. Leggett is the second safety on the Chiefs’ list, as Jarrad Page(notes) season ended a month ago because of a calf injury.

Player Notes  

• OLB Andy Studebaker(notes) will get his second NFL start on Sunday against San Diego, replacing Mike Vrabel(notes). Studebaker was the defensive player of the game against Pittsburgh, with two interceptions, five tackles and he shared a sack. Vrabel continues to recover from a left knee injury that will likely make him inactive for the second consecutive week.

• G Wade Smith(notes) will get his second consecutive start at right guard when the Chiefs play the Chargers in San Diego. Smith opened last week’s victory against Pittsburgh in place of Andy Alleman, who is recovering from a knee injury.

• CB Travis Daniels(notes) is the newest player to step into the nickel back role for the Chiefs. He worked that spot in last Sunday game against Pittsburgh. He’s the fourth cornerback in 10 games to hold that role. Because of the shoulder injury that ended the season for Maurice Leggett, Daniels is also getting some practice time at safety.

• TE Leonard Pope is now working with the No. 1 offense and he caught his first touchdown pass in a Chiefs uniform against Pittsburgh. Pope has primarily worked as a blocker, as the Chiefs have gone to more max pass protections to help QB Matt Cassel.

• WR Lance Long(notes) will be adding some duties as a kick and punt returner, along with his role as a slot receiver when the Chiefs go with three wideouts. Long’s 30-yard catch on a big third down play in the fourth quarter sparked the comeback against Pittsburgh. He’s filled in for Jamaal Charles(notes) on kick returns and with Maurice Leggett gone for the season, Long will likely become the No. 2 punt returner after Bobby Wade(notes).

• DB Maurice Leggett was placed on the injured-reserve list Wednesday because of a shoulder injury. Leggett was covering a punt against Pittsburgh when he suffered the injury. It’s the second time in two years that he finished the schedule on the IR list because of a shoulder problem.

• RB Dantrell Savage(notes) appears to be very questionable to return to action Sunday in San Diego because of the ankle injury he suffered on Nov. 15. Savage missed the game against Pittsburgh and tried to practice this week, but ended up back in the team’s rehab area.

• RB Kolby Smith(notes) has practiced on a limited basis this week and looks like he’ll be ready to play against San Diego. Smith sprained an ankle in last weekend’s game against Pittsburgh. The injury limited him to one carry in the game.

• G Andy Alleman is back practicing on a limited basis as he recovers from the knee injury that kept him out of last Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh. Alleman was not working with the No. 1 offensive line, as Wade Smith worked at the starting right guard position.

Game Plan:   When the Chiefs and Chargers played in late October in Kansas City, the game was no contest. San Diego came out and slapped the Chiefs hard, scoring two first-quarter touchdowns and leading 20-0 at halftime as the Chargers cruised to a 37-7 victory. Getting a fast start is something the Chiefs must improve, especially on offense. Against Pittsburgh, they started out fast with a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Jamaal Charles. But in 10 games this season, they’ve produced points on the first offensive possession only once.

Matchups To Watch:   Chiefs OTs Branden Albert(notes) and Ryan O’Callaghan vs. Chargers OLBs Shawne Merriman(notes) and Shaun Phillips(notes). The first time these teams played, the Chargers had five sacks of Chiefs QB Matt Cassel and the Chiefs finished with just 82 net passing yards. Albert and O’Callaghan have struggled this season, although at left tackle Albert seems to making weekly improvement.

Chiefs WR Chris Chambers vs. Chargers CBs Antonio Cromartie(notes) and Quentin Jammer(notes). For the last several years, all these guys went head-to-head in Chargers practices. Now, Chambers has become the big-play receiver for the Chiefs and Cromartie and Jammer are going to have to slow him down. Their job is made easier by the absence of Dwayne Bowe, who is serving a four-game NFL suspension. Cassel looks for Chambers, especially in the fourth quarter.

Injury Impact:   The Chiefs will likely be without starting OLB Mike Vrabel (knee), so that means second-year man Andy Studebaker steps in. Last week against Pittsburgh, Studebaker had two interceptions, half a sack and finished the game with five tackles. The injured knee of Andy Alleman will likely keep him out of the starting lineup at right guard; Wade Smith will start there for the second week in a row.

The loss of DB Maurice Leggett will force some shuffling at the safety position, as the Chiefs have only three on their roster. Rookie Ricky Price(notes) is a candidate to come off the practice squad at least for this week.