Join Chiefs365 | Insider Forum with Josh Looney - Talk it up!

RAIDERS MISSING A FEW SPEEDSTERS
September 18th – 3:18 PM

Out for Sunday’s game are WR Nick Miller (fractured shin) and WR Chaz Schilens. Schilens was touted as one Oakland’s top receivers before he fractured his foot in training camp. Returner Johnnie Lee Higgins is questionable with a shoulder injury.

It appears that the other Raiders listed on the club’s injury report will play on Sunday - DE Greg Ellis, CB Nnamdi Asomugha and LB Kirk Morrison.

The Chiefs just have two players on the injury report heading into Sunday - QB Matt Cassel (knee) and CB Brandon Flowers (shoulder). Both are questionable.

SUNDAY’S DECISION WON’T BELONG TO CASSEL
September 18th – 3:07 PM

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley has said that he takes input from his players about potential schemes that may work against an opponent. Chiefs QB Matt Cassel is likely one of the players in the Chiefs locker room who’s opinion about game strategy is considered the most.

One piece of information that Cassel won’t have a say in, however, is his playing status for Sunday. That decision will rely solely with Haley, general manger Scott Pioli and the Chiefs medical team, and it will be based solely off what Cassel shows, not what he says.

“He makes up his mind on these decisions,” Cassel said. “I know that (Haley) collaborates with the trainers and everybody else. As a player, you won’t always be out there, so even if you’re not at 100% you want to go because of the competitor in you. But at the same time I know that they’re looking out for my best interest as a coaching staff and as a training staff.“

Don’t think that Cassel won’t be pulling on Haley’s sleeve, telling his head coach that he is good to go on Sunday. He probably already has.

THOUGHTS WITH FORMER CHIEF OL KYLE TURLEY
September 18th – 2:25 PM

T Kyle Turley only spent two seasons with the Chiefs (2006-07), but his presence in the club’s locker room could never be ignored. Turley quickly became one of the league’s most prominent figures in becoming a rights activist for former players.

Turley donated a $25,000 game check in 2007 and helped raise $400,000 for the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, which aids The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund. The Gridiron Greats provide hands-on assistance and financial aid to help retired NFL players with some of the hardships they may encounter after football.  Many of these players lack funds, disability coverage or pension benefits. Thus the GGAF focuses on the humanitarian side of these players, treating them with dignity, and addressing the post-football related issues in their lives.

Today, via an article by Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports, we have learned that Turley is experiencing some post-football issues of his own. Per Silver, Turley may be developing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative neurological condition that may have contributed to the deaths of former NFL players Andre Waters and Justin Strzelczyk. You can read about Turley in Silver’s article below.

The thoughts and prayers of the Chiefs Kingdom go out to former Chief Kyle Turley.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-thegameface091809&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

WANT FREE CHIEFS TICKETS?
September 18th – 2:09 PM

If you want free Chiefs tickets to Sunday’s game, make sure you follow me on Twitter @joshlooney - I will be eating lunch at an area HyVee location on Saturday afternoon and the first person to find me after I tweet my HyVee location gets the two tickets.

When you win, don’t thank me, thank HyVee!

HALEY PLAYS IT SAFE WITH PROMISES
September 18th – 2:02 PM

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley will wait until Sunday to announce the playing status of QB Matt Cassel and CB Brandon Flowers. Both players were limited in practice this week and are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

“I think that’s the safest,” Haley said regarding his wait until Sunday to make a playing-status decision on Cassel and Flowers. “If I make a promise now and something doesn’t go according to plan or vice versa. I think both those guys are clearly ahead of where they were last week at this time. So, that’s positive, but i think that this will be a deal where we will have to make sure they’re good to go. We’ll make it probably Sunday morning.“

Haley’s announcement didn’t come as much of a surprise, but he had left the door open to possibly announcing a decision on Cassel/Flowers before this weekend. Inactives will be announced on Sunday 90 minutes prior to kickoff.

CASSEL DECISION WITHIN THE HOUR?
September 18th – 11:22 AM

Chiefs QB Matt Cassel was out at practice this morning once again, moving with better mobility. He continues to wear a wrap and brace on his left knee.

We will be LIVE on kcchiefs.com beginning around 12:05 PM today for head coach Todd Haley’s press conference. Will we have an update then? Come on over and check it out.

CASSEL DECISION COULD COME TODAY
September 18th – 9:33 AM

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley and QB Matt Cassel have hinted throughout the week that a decision on Cassel’s playing status could be made before Sunday. Today is the final day of work for Haley and Cassel to address injuries at the quarterback position before Sunday’s game.

“I am sure we will,” Cassel said when asked if he thought a decision would be made during the week regarding his playing status. “Coach has said that we are going to take it day by dya and see how (I) progress and go from there. Like I said, we’re making a lot of progress, I feel like I’m leaps and bounds ahead of where I was last week at this time.“

Part of those “leaps and bounds” includes going through all of the agility drills that the Chiefs other three quarterbacks partake in each day. Cassel has been shuffling through bags and working on footwork drills all week, something that he took a bit of caution with last week.

“Again, Matt is doing everything he can to be ready and I think we’ll know a little sooner (on his status this week),” Haley said. “Although right now I can’t give a definitive answer. But the player’s doing everything he can to be ready which I’ve said generally speeds the healing process.“

From those words, a decision will likely be made today. Whether or not Haley and Cassel make that decision public knowledge today is another story. However, one thing is for certain, Cassel will give his left knee its final test of Raider week in about 90 minutes.

RED FRIDAY
September 18th – 6:23 AM

Are you wearing red today? You’d better be. I wouldn’t want the office linebacker finding me in the hallway without my red on. Yeah, even those of you abroad in places like Denver or Oakland had better be wearing red also. No excuses!

Happy Red Friday Chiefs fans! Once again, the Chiefs will host their 17th annual Red Friday Pep Rally to kick-start opening weekend at Arrowhead. The party starts right here at the Chiefs practice facility at 6:00 PM. Best of all, it’s FREE!

Don’t live in the Kansas City area? Don’t sweat it. If you can’t make it in person, swing over to kcchiefs.com as we stream the event LIVE on kcchiefs.com starting at 6:10 PM.

Surely you will (or already have) run into former Chiefs players, a Red Coater or over 600 military personnel on one of 60 street corners around town this morning handing out Red Friday magazines. As soon as I finish posting this blog entry, I’m heading straight to the Plaza to buy my magazine from Chiefs President Denny Thum, former Chiefs Larry Marshall and Keith Cash, as well as Chiefs Cheerleaders Heidi and Shanna.

Good people. Good Info. A good cause. The magazines are $2 and directly benefit three charities represented by LB Derrick Johnson, T Branden Albert and P Dustin Colquitt - Wounded Warrior Transition Battalion in Fort Riley, Kansas; Love Fund for Children & Children’s Mercy Hospital; TLC for Children and Families.

You won’t want to miss this year’s event as the Chiefs are bringing out all of the big names. In addition to players like LB Derrick Johnson, T Braden Albert and P Dustin Colquitt signing autographs and taking pictures with fans, Chiefs Chairman Clark Hunt and GM Scott Pioli will be in attendance as well.

Hunt and Pioli will both address the crowd and “Voice of the Chiefs” Mitch Holthus is set to emcee. As always, KC Wolf and the Chiefs Cheerleaders will be available for photos and chatter among live music, free food and most importantly, Chiefs fans!

Best of all though, everything revolves around beating Oakland on Sunday. See you tonight!