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COPPER AND HALEY SHARE HISTORY

August 12th - 7:35 PM

Yesterday, WR Terrance Cooper was a guy singled out by head coach Todd Haley as a dependable player who teammates can rely on for giving a solid effort each practice. Today, Copper gave us a players perspective about the head coach.

“Coach Haley is a tough coach and I think that a team takes on the personality of its coach,” Copper said after today’s PM practice. ”He’s definitely looking for tough players and guys that are dependable. Just basically tough, dependable guys.”

The two have a history together as Haley was Copper’s position coach during Copper’s first two years in the NFL (Dallas 2004-05). In his second go-around with Haley, Copper knows what his head coach is all about.

“Football is not just about running routes or catching the ball,” Copper said of things that Haley is looking for in his players. ”(Football is also) about special teams, blocking and being mentally tough.”

PM PRACTICE OBSERVATIONS

August 12th - 4:48 PM

The men are back at work this afternoon in shoulder pads and helmets.

5:08 PM - More onside-kick work for the “hands team.” This time the team walked through different scenarios that the “hands team” might face at the end of the game.

5:25 PM - WR Terrance Copper looks to be putting in another solid day of work as he opens blitz period with back-to-back first down grab. The ball is really flying out of QB Matt Cassel’s hand this drill, a critical QB asset when under pressure.

5:32 PM - Some notables from the blitz period included an INT by S Jon McGraw and some nice YAC from TE Tom Crabtree following a short out.

5:55 PM - DE Tyson Jackson is a fun man to watch when the offense tries to block him without a double team. Brute strength and raw power.

6:16 PM - WR Devard Darling has strung together quite a few receptions across today’s PM practice.

6:35 PM - The longest TD of camp was just turned in with a QB Tyler Thigpen/WR Taurus Johnson connection. Johnson turned on the jets to get behind all the defenders on a deep post, and a well placed pass saw Johnson in the end zone 80-yards later.

NFLPA EXECUTIVE CHIEF DEMAURICE SMITH AT CAMP

August 12th - 3:01 PM

DeMaurice Smith succeeded the late Gene Upshaw on March 15th as the new leader of the NFL Players Association. Now charged with guiding the players into a critical era of football that will include negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement with the leagues owners, Smith is making his rounds around NFL training camps. Chiefs camp in River Falls was Smith’s stop this morning.

An extremely impressive man from the point of introduction, Smith is a former Washington-based lawyer with ties to President Barack Obama and previously worked alongside U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. He spent time at practice this morning chatting with general manager Scott Pioli and two Chiefs players with strong NFLPA ties, G Brian Waters and LB Mike Vrabel.

Despite his quick visit and heavy work demands, Smith took time this morning to chat with me following practice. Highlights of our conversation will be featured on kcchiefs.com’s Camp Life later this evening.

HALI PROGRESSING, BOWE TOO

August 12th - 1:42 PM

The progress of LB Tamba Hali making the switch from defensive end to outside linebacker has been a camp story that seems to have flown a bit under the radar. Hali has shown the ability to generate an outside pass rush throughout training camp and he continues to work on perfecting the new elements of football that go along with his new position, such as zone drops and run reads. 

Head coach Todd Haley had some very positive things to say about Hali’s work ethic while learning the new position.

“I think this kid is a hungry kid that wants to be really good,” Haley said of Hali following today’s AM practice. “I think that there isn’t a time that you don’t see him working. In some of the things that you don’t see, I went to the (stair climber machine) and there was a pool of sweat around it the size of a small lake and I knew Tamba had been there.”

“Then you see him (working) after practice,” Haley continued. “You see him before practice. With his own money he has purchased a football station that he can watch tape. He is doing all the things it takes to try and be really good.”

One story that hasn’t flown under the radar has been WR Dwayne Bowe’s position on the unofficial depth chart released on August 10th. Two days have passed since that chart was released and Haley continues to field daily questions about Bowe’s on-field progress. Haley said today that he’s seen some good things out of Bowe over the past 48 hours.

“I thought that he made one of his better plays of camp yesterday,” Haley said referring to Bowe’s juggling catch down the sideline. “He competed for the football and made a play. I thought that today it looked like he was competing to the football and with the football, so I’d say that in the last two days there has been some progress.”

A NEW COACH IN CAMP

August 12th - 12:04  PM

The Chiefs have an extra helping hand guiding their tight ends through Saturday night’s game vs. Houston. Former two-time Pro Bowl TE Mark Bavaro took part in practice as part of the coaching staff this AM.

“(Bavaro) is a guy that I’ve gotten to know over the years and is just one of my favorite football players of all time,” head coach Todd Haley said. “I’m excited to have him in here helping with the tight ends and everyone in general. We showed a little Mark Bavaro highlight tape last night. He exemplifies everything we are look for in players and I just think it was great that he was able to find some time for us.”

Bavaro enjoyed an NFL career that spanned across nine-years (1985-94) with the N.Y. Giants (1985-90), Cleveland (1992) and Philadelphia (1993-94). He finished his career with 351 receptions for 4,733 yards (13.5 avg.) and 39 TDs. Bavaro was part of the N.T. Giants squads that claimed victories in Super Bowls XXI and XXV.

HALEY NOT NEGLECTING THE SMALL THINGS ON SATURDAY NIGHT

August 12th - 11:37 AM

Everything will be new to the Chiefs on Saturday night. The administration, the coaches, the plays, the schemes, the players and the Arrowhead experience…it’s all different this year. There are a million-and-one things for a new head coach to be occupied with the first time out, right down to the smallest of things.

“Getting through pregame without incident,” Haley said referring to one of the small things that has his attention heading into Saturday night. “Getting lined up for stretching. Those are the things we’re going through right now as a staff that have me worried to start with.”

Every team around the league handles its pre-game, in-game, halftime and post-game routines differently. Most of these players and some of these coaches have never gone through an NFL game alongside Haley. These seemingly small, but impactful things are just another important element of the preseason schedule as the Chiefs prepare for the regular season.

“The pregame warmup in the preseason is one of the most chaotic things you’ll ever be a part of,” Haley expained. “Just to be able to get eveyone organized, because (the players) are nervous and (the coaches) are nervous. You’ve got to remember that this is the first time aligning our coaches, where they are going to be and who is in the box. There are a lot of things you’re trying to do on top of getting ready for practice every day out here and trying to get the team better.”

“Every part of Saturday night is going to be a stepping stone for us and for me personally,” Haley concluded.

AM PRACTICE OBSERVATIONS

August 12th - 9:07 AM

Another morning of two-a-days here in River Falls and yet another morning of full pads. This team is now in practice session #16 and has yet to go an entire day without wearning full pads. This team will be ready to hit on Saturday night.

9:23 AM - We’ve seen onside kick work for the first time this camp…looks like the coaches are leaving no stone unturned heading into Saturday.

9:48 AM - The same five as yesterday remain in the rehab zone (#21, #65, #38, #74 and #55). TE Jake O’Connell isn’t practicing this AM either.

9:55 AM - WR Amani Toomer drew some praise from Coach Haley yesterday and he made another two solid grabs this morning. The highlight was an outstanding grab in traffic on a deep crossing route, while being well covered. These are the types of things that Haley said he wants his receivers to take pride in.

10:05 AM - QB Matt Cassel seemed to have a nice red zone 7-on-7 period, finding the end zone on several occations (two to WR Terrance Copper and one to WR Devard Darling).

10:18 AM - Red zone work continues as the team has devoted nearly 20 minutes to the red zone passing game.

10:28 AM - Practice concludes a bit earlier this AM with a competitive 11-v-11 two-minute period. The first-team defense won the day’s first battle when CB Brandon Carr knocked down a pass in the end zone. During second-team drills, WR Amani Toomer made his third nice grab of the day coming down with a jump ball between two defenders.

WINNING IN THE PRESEASON

August 12th - 8:39 AM

The preseason is a different animal for each team across the league. Teams with a roster full of veterans may place an emphasis on keeping their key contributors injury-free. Teams with a load of youngsters may place a heavy focus on game experience and evaluation. Finally, teams that have struggled through their previous season may place their emphasis on winning the exhibition matches in order to build momentum for the regular season.    

Almost everything done during the preseason hinges between of balance of winning and evaluation, but how much of each element does the team want to employ? Chiefs head coach Todd Haley wants both this preseason.

“I think winning has got to be important around here all the time because we need to learn how to win again,” Haley said yesterday. “That will be something of an emphasis we will put on, but at the same time, the most important thing has to get done is evaluation. While we want to win, we have to do it with whatever group we need in there to get a full evaluation of the team.”

So how do you win in the preseason? One way to almost ensure victory is to play your starters the entire game. Cross that one off. Not an option.

Another way to win during the preseason is to gameplan your opponent. Unlike the regular season, teams don’t scheme their opponent in full for each game of the preseason. Scheming may pick up for the fourth and final preseason contest, but it’s uncommon for a team to specifically perpare for an early preseason opponent. Scheming is an option, but the downside is that it can take away valuable camp time used towards perfecting your base offensive and defensive concepts.

The preseason is a very grey area for a new head coach. Finding a way to focus on winning the game without sacrificing preseason development is a difficult task. For Haley, the strategy starts with the head coach and focuses on shifting a winning mindset from him to each of the 80 players on the Chiefs preseason roster.

“I think I have to coach the game to win,” Haley said of Saturday’s first preseason game vs. Houston. “You’re not going to bring certain guys back that have been out, but you have to have the entire group ready to go with the mindset that we are going to find a way to win this game.”

Another factor is creating a winning environment lays with the NFL’s best fans packing Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night. Kickoff is only three days away. Are you ready?

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