David Bell
Chiefs Get Rest and Recuperation Time
It’s an excellent time to heal up. During Wild Card Week, the Chiefs have a bye. The injury list is not extensive, but some healing time comes at a time when if it’s needed, the players get time to heal any little nicks or bruises.
For example, last week:
• WR Skyy Moore sat out of the Raiders game due to a hand laceration incurred during the Seahawks game in week 17.
• CB L’Jarius Sneed suffered a hip pointer in the Seahawks game, but started against the Raiders.
• LOG Joe Thuney had an apparent mild ankle sprain, but he started at Vegas.
• PK Harrison Butker had back spasms, but was ready to roll on Saturday.
• Lastly, WR Mecole Hardman had a pelvic injury and was moved to the active roster, but was not made active during the trip to Las Vegas.
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Also, Frank Clark sustained an injury in the Raiders game and went to the bench, but Andy Reid indicated it was the only new injury, saying:
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“We came out pretty clean on it. It looks like Frank [Clark], after his MRI, the groin looks like it’s more of a mild one. He should be [able to] return after a little rest that we have here. We’ll give the guys a few days off and then reconvene here later.”
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For the next three days, the team will have plenty of time to have the healing process further advanced for Rick Burkholder and the training staff. I believe the Chiefs will be in near-perfect shape for all players as the week turns to practice time later this week.
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Too Soon To Think About the Next Game
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Andy Reid commented on this topic in his presser on Monday. He observed that rest/recuperation time was allowed the first couple of days, and then it would be back to practice so the players could stay sharp and focused since the next opponent won’t be determined until the Wild Card round is complete.
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I listened to the presser questions, including QB Patrick Mahomes and S Justin Reid:
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Unfortunately, I learned little from that expert “Coach and Player speak.” At least Justin Reid didn’t open his mouth and insert an 8-hour boot.
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We now have learned what the opponent list for the 2023 Season looks like. See the home and away lists below:
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Take into consideration that one of the Home Games may be in another country.
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Monday NFL News
· Bronco’s head Coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired two weeks ago.
· Sean Payton has permission to interview with the Broncos–after the 17th
· Texan HC Lovie Smith was fired by Cal McNair (which I predicted)
· Cardinal HC Kliff Kingsbury was fired at Arizona, and GM Steve Keim stepped down, citing health reasons
· Earlier HC Firings include Frank Reich (Colts) and Matt Rhule (Panthers)
I am sure there will be more to discuss as the off-season looms. An example of this is going to be Rams HC, Sean McVay! He needs to determine whether he should stick with it or departs. The Rams are facing a rebuilding year, so that has to be a question that McVay considers. Like the Broncos, the team traded draft picks to accomplish 2022 goals. In neither case did the results meet the cost-analysis profile of most analysts? The Raiders benched their long-time QB Derek Carr, so he is on the way out, apparently. Jarrett Stidham was given the two remaining starts vs. the 49ers and Chiefs. Stidham performed well in both cases, but his results against KC were not as successful.
Last January, Dave Ziegler was hired as GM of the Raiders. Ziegler had extensive experience with the New England Patriots, the team that drafted Stidham, who came to the Raiders from the Patriots, when head coach Josh McDaniels was signed, a few months later, so was Stidham. This is a likely reason for Stidham being given the last two starts. In addition, Carr had an abysmal season. The team record was the death knell of his time with the men in Silver and Black. The Raiders also invested heavily in player acquisitions, such as former Packer Davante Adams (a 5-year, $140M deal).
Meanwhile, Green Bay saw Adams move on, and the Chiefs signed away Marques Valdez-Scantling from them as well. One of the net results for the Packers was underwhelming play by the team. They still had a shot at making the playoffs but lost their game this past Sunday Night versus the Lions, 20-to-16. Rodgers’s last pass of 2022 was a pick, and as I understand it, he’s deliberating about his future, and the possibly of retirement. Rodgers had contemplated retiring last season as well so he’s become the focus of other team fanatics and has probably earned some criticism about his leadership. I can see him frown and shake his head when a pass goes awry, and it is often the case that the pass was errant and not the receiver’s fault when it fell incomplete. Since the Pack is the team I follow from the NFC, I feel safe in this opinion. My son, Ian, is a Cheesehead. He observed the same thing about Rodgers’s on-the-field antics. We’ll have to wait and see how that turns out. In truth, I appreciated Brett Favre’s fire over the latter Packer seasons with Rodgers.
Why are these outside of Arrowhead reports Important to the Chiefs?
Sean Payton is a top-notch coach. I don’t want him to go to Denver. At the same time, I doubt Denver will give up a top draft pick (and more) to obtain his services. I thought the Frank Reich and Matt Ruhle firings were off-base. I don’t doubt that Kingsbury deserves blame for the Cardinal’s performance and record. At the same time, he may do far better if he gets another shot with another NFL Team. Rodgers? He should stick it out another year. I hope the Packers don’t treat him as they did Favre. The Chiefs handled the ascent of Patrick Mahomes and the departure of Alex Smith well. At the same time, I view Smith’s history with two organizations as the worst they could dish out. It’s another reason I have ill feelings about Jim Harbaugh. I feel that Smith was treated poorly by the 49ers and the WFT (I just can’t call them the “Commanders”).
The Rodgers saga and that of Alex Smith educate me about our QB Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs and, Chiefs fans, are fortunate to have Mahomes as QB, and they were fortunate to start the current Reid era with Alex Smith as Reid’s QB.
Veach Wheelhouse Player Acquisition: WR John Ross
Ross was a first-round draft pick in 2017 by the Bengals.
The next pick in that draft? –> Patrick Mahomes.
Injuries have plagued Ross, but his YPC is outstanding: 15.4 YPC. Ross has 4.22 – 40 speed with a 37″ Vertical.
Summation
No news is current with the Chiefs until later in the week. However, if the Chiefs play “Chiefs football” they will win their Divisional round game, no matter who it is.
Oh, Damar Hamlin went home from the Hospital on Tuesday.
In an otherwise pretty messed up world, I think someone hit PAUSE bc Damar Hamlin walked out of the hospital in Cincinnati got on a plane, and flew home to Buffalo
— woo_who2 boo hoo 🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃 (@boohoo62410193) January 10, 2023
thank goodness 💖💖💖 pic.twitter.com/t6uIx4kNtm
Travesties Abound
One more travesty is the NFL changing the rules. The AFC Championship game should be played in a team’s stadium and in front of its fans. Unfortunately, the NFL made the neutral site decision, which was the wrong choice. For this article, naturally, I did not want to start looking at the offseason and draft… yet. Hence, the rambling.
David Bell – ArrowheadOne