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Official Chiefs vs. Falcons Game Day Thread 9-9-12
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Notable Quotables
Chiefs: "The challenge in this business is every week everybody has fire power and you have to go out and get your guys to play at a high level so that you can perform."
—Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel.
Falcons: "They are big and they can run. They are sound. They are well-coached and they are physical. It will be a challenge. They've got a number of returners and they hit it. They have a change-up. They have a young guy who's got a lot of speed and they've got a second-year guy in (Javier) Arenas, who can really hit you. He's a physical returner. We're going to have to do everything in our ability to get him on the ground."
—Special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong on the Kansas City Chiefs.
Spread: Atlanta by 3
ESPN Preview
Atlanta Falcons vs. Kansas City Chiefs - Preview - September 09, 2012 - ESPN
Tony Gonzalez is returning to face the Kansas City Chiefs, beginning what figures to be his last season to try to finally win a playoff game.
Matt Ryan and coach Mike Smith have more time but also must be wondering when the Atlanta Falcons will break through.
Gonzalez will play as a visitor at Arrowhead Stadium for the first time Sunday when the Falcons look to begin their recovery from another postseason disappointment as they meet the banged-up Chiefs.
The 12-time Pro Bowler has never played against his former team and will likely get a hero's welcome, back at the home of the franchise with which he holds team records in receptions (916), receiving yards (10,940) and touchdown catches (76).
"It's going to be a little weird being in a different locker room and coming out of that tunnel when we first come in," Gonzalez told the Chiefs' official website. "It's going to be a little weird, but I'm looking forward to it."
Gonzalez was traded to Atlanta before the 2009 season for a 2010 second-round pick that the Chiefs used on defensive back Javier Arenas. Kansas City was in a rebuilding mode, and Gonzalez wanted to play for a contender.
He went 0-3 in the playoffs with Kansas City and now has defeats the last two years with Atlanta. The Falcons fell 24-2 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants in a wild-card game after a 10-6 season in 2011.
Gonzalez has indicated he will likely retire after this year, and still believes the Falcons can get over the hump.
"I realize we have an opportunity to go to the playoffs, win a playoff game, and that's what I want," the future Hall of Famer said. "I've been playing my whole career for a chance to go to the Super Bowl and I feel we have as good a chance as anybody."
Ryan and Smith have been together for a franchise-record four straight winning seasons, but their 0-3 postseason mark has the Falcons still looking for their first playoff win since the 2004 season.
Atlanta is confident it can take the next step in 2012.
"I think this is probably the most talented group we've had up to this point," receiver Roddy White said. "We can all run. I think our team's fast. I think we play fast. I think it can be special."
The Falcons certainly have plenty of talent, with the NFC's leading returning rusher in Michael Turner and top receivers in White and Julio Jones. Ryan threw for a career-high 29 touchdowns last year, including 20 in the final nine regular-season games against four interceptions.
There are new coordinators on both sides of the ball, with Dirk Koetter on offense and Mike Nolan on defense.
Nolan will likely use more schemes with three cornerbacks than with three linebackers. That's because Atlanta added four-time Pro Bowler Asante Samuel to a unit that includes fellow corners Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson.
"The (Falcons) secondary in general is an outstanding secondary, probably one of the best secondaries we'll go up against all year," Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel said.
Cassel was limited to nine games a year ago due to a hand injury as he enters his fourth season with Kansas City, which went 7-9 after winning the AFC West the previous season.
A tumultuous season saw Romeo Crennel take over as coach for Todd Haley for the final three games. The Chiefs won two of them, handing the Packers their lone regular-season defeat in Crennel's debut and helping him earn the permanent job.
Crennel, however, faces a new set of problems with his defense. The unit will be without linebacker Tamba Hali, suspended for the opener for violating the league's policy on substance abuse.
Linebacker Derrick Johnson is bothered by a bad ankle, cornerback Brandon Flowers has a bum heel, safety Kendrick Lewis is dealing with a shoulder injury and backup cornerback Jalil Brown has been trying to recover from a groin strain.
If Flowers and Brown do not play, veteran Jacques Reeves could be called upon to shadow either White or Jones. It's also hard to know what to expect from safety Eric Berry, a Pro Bowler in his 2010 rookie season who is coming back from a torn ACL.
"Other guys have to step up and they have to be relentless," Crennel said. "Like Eric Berry, he's going to be relentless with or without Tamba. I think other guys will have to play the same way."
There could be a greater urgency to get snaps for first-round draft pick Dontari Poe, a defensive tackle the Chiefs hoped to use as a situational pass rusher but now could be starting.
Improvement in a running game that wasn't very productive last season would help keep the injury-plagued defense off the field. The Chiefs led the league with 2,627 rushing yards in 2010 only to fall to 15th with 1,893 yards one year later while finishing with an AFC-low 20 touchdowns.
Jamaal Charles, however, is back after being limited to two games due to a torn ACL while the Chiefs also added former 1,000-yard back Peyton Hillis from Cleveland.
Ryan was a rookie the last time these teams met nearly four years ago. He threw a 70-yard TD pass to White, and Turner gained 104 yards and scored three times in the Falcons' 38-14 victory.
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I most hope for an injury free game. Forecast looks to be perfect weather, a day for some Arrowhead magic.
Lots of optimisim tonight lets hope we look more like we did against the Cards than we have recently.
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LOVE to see Roy making these threads again GO CHIEFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
TopekaRoy
Oops! I just noticed that I misspelled "Chiefs" in the thread title! Can a mod fix it and then delete this post?
great googly moogly!!:D
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
AkChief49
great googly moogly!!:D
Thanks a lot, AkChief49. Now when it gets fixed everyone is still gonna know what a dufus I am!:lol:
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You get a pass this time Roy since its the first game and you missed the preseason. :chiefs:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
TopekaRoy
Oops! I just noticed that I misspelled "Chiefs" in the thread title! Can a mod fix it and then delete this post?
I fixed it for you.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
AkChief49
great googly moogly!!:D
Just had to youtube that commercial!!! Classic awesomeness!!:D
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
#58ChiefsFan
You get a pass this time Roy since its the first game and you missed the preseason. :chiefs:
Unlike the players, I don't NEED preseason.
... Come to think of it, maybe I do! :lol:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
TopekaRoy
Thanks a lot, AkChief49. Now when it gets fixed everyone is still gonna know what a dufus I am!:lol:
Sorry Roy, I am not going to edit all the posts, so you are outed, all will know now that you are! Just like all of us.:yahoo:
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First game of the 2012 season, High emotions, anticipation, heated words, all will happen, I as a mod just ask you as members of the Home of The Chiefs, the Chiefs Crowd! Follow the rules of the site, and be a true Chief, a fan of the Chiefs! Now start the War Drums! Start the Chant!
Tomahawk Chop Song - YouTube
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this is gonna be so upsetting..
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Ready to see if the coaches have the players prepared for this game, and season. Hopes, and spirits are high and I'm ready for some Chiefs football. Go Chiefs!!
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Bad news Flowers wont play
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I see I was late on that one.
Not good.news at all.
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Yea flowers out.. hopefully we dont give up more then 250yds passing..I fear more lile 325plus.
This pre-season crappy play has me very worried.
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Lets go Chiefs Start this season off right Off to the bar :toast2: yea 10 am a bit early Not on tv (Stream not today) Have to have big screen for this one.:chiefs:
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Guys on defense are going to step it up today. If a day like today was going to happen with being without flowers and hali week 1 is the best week as the Falcons won't be hitting there peak most likely on week 1 Lets get the job done.
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It's up to the Chiefs OFFENSE to carry the day with the Chiefs Defensive backfield missing 2 starters....plain and simple.
They have to move the ball and put points on the scoreboard, every time they get their hands on the ball.
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anyone have a link the one of first row seems to be showing the saints game
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No flowers makes me very nervous. Here's to a great showing by the rest of the Chiefs!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
matthewschiefs
anyone have a link the one of first row seems to be showing the saints game
yeah same here man
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Ok it now switched all is well
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moving the ball on us like it's nothing
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Not a good start way to many 3rd down conversions
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wow. just like that touchdown atl
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They made that look way to easy. If they had that kind of pressure on Cassel it would have been a three and out ... He would have folded like a cheap suit. Looks like it could be a long day.
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Reeves is going to loose the game for us. He cant cover jones. We ok everywhere else but there going to pick on reeves all day if we dont adjust. Everyone knew where they were going on that td pass.
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They've got to stop them on 3rd down. Or it's going to be a long day.
Don't send Berry on any more f#$%ing blitzes -- he never gets to the QB, ever. Let him stay back in coverage.
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they need to do something quick or this will get out of control. Move berry to corner or something cause they will continue to pick on reeves cause he's horrible
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hi friends, looks like its that time of year again. and after that opening drive... feels like last year all over again. lets see what O can do now, eh?
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good start - i like it so far! good to see some familiar faces in action