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

Public Transportation Returns to Arrowhead on Gamedays

PHILLIPS TALKS LJ
October 9th – 1:43 PM

Typically poor weather isn’t a great setting for an offense seeking improvement to break out. Weather conditions this Sunday at Arrowhead call for temperatures in the 40s with showers throughout the day. As witnessed in last night’s Nebraska/Missouri game in Columbia, those types of conditions can factor into a sloppy ballgame.

One area that the Chiefs are hoping to improve upon is their rushing attack, specifically RB Larry Johnson’s 2.6 average yards per attempt mark. Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, however, isn’t thinking Johnson’s slow start combined with less than desirable weather conditions provide any sort of advantage.

“Larry Johnson is really a top-notch back,” Phillips said. “He has played well in some bad conditions, I can tell you that. He had 100 yards against us (San Diego) one time in Kansas City. Man, he was a warhorse in that game. I know that (secondary coach) Dave Campo said that he had a big game when he was with Jacksonville in bad weather conditions. He plays good all the time and I think, hopefully not against us, that his average will come up.“

For Johnson, the weather conditions don’t matter. He has said that he actually prefers running in wet conditions. Overall, Johnson knows that his offense will have to play a physical ballgame and limit mistakes to be successful.

“I think that trying to be physical this week is going to be the game plan,” Johnson said. “We know that we have to use the weapons that we have on this team to the fullest extent to even have a chance. Dallas has a lot of athletes that are very good at their position, so we have to be a lot more physical than we’ve been the last couple of weeks.“

The Cowboys are considerably smaller defensively than the majority of the teams that the Chiefs have faced in 2009. Wet conditions can equalize speed, but it can’t equalize physicality.

“I think what matters is we go out and play our best,” Chiefs head coach Todd Haley said. “On offense, we get out and eliminate the minus yardage plays and penalties and on defense eliminate explosive plays in run and pass, and in special teams in some areas continue to do what we’re doing and in others make some big plays.”

INJURY NOTES FROM DALLAS (UPDATED)
October 9th – 1:17 PM

While the Chiefs are seemingly entering the weekend injury free (a rarity at this point of the season), the same cannot be said for their coutnerparts to the south.

Dallas WR Roy Williams did not practice for a third-straight day on Friday after suffering three injured ribs last Sunday in Mile High. Although Williams has said throughout the week that he intends on playing, his head coach isn’t so sure.

“We’ll see if (Williams) has a chance to play or not,” Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said. “Right now I’d say no, but that could change. We are going to wait until the last moment. None of those (injured guys) have gotten a lot better.“

As for the Cowboys other injuries, Phillips said that starting center Andre Gurode is the only player who has missed practice time this week to make considerable progress.

“As far as injuries, the only one that has gotten better this week is C Andre Gurode. S Gerald Sensabaugh and RB Felix (Jones) have not gotten a whole lot better. We’re still going to wait and see (on Sunday), but it doesn’t look good for any of those guys.

*UPDATE at 2:24 PM* The Cowboys have officially filed their injury report

Out - CB Michael Hamlin, LB Curtis Johnson, S Gerald Sensabaugh

Doubtful - RB Felix Jones, WR Roy Williams

Questionable - C Andre Gurode

Probable - T Flozell Adams, RB Marion Barber, LB Jason Williams

FRIDAY PRACTICE REPORT (UPDATED)
October 9th – 11:05 AM

Pro Football Hall of Fame QB Troy Aikman and FOX play-by-play man Joe Buck were at the Chiefs Friday practice this morning. Buck and Aikman are broadcasting this Sunday’s game along with sideline reporter Pam Oliver. What Aikman and Buck saw was 51 of 53 active Chiefs practicing outdoors in chilly temperatures.

Yesterday, DE Wallace Gilberry (head) did not participate in practice and G/T Ikechuku Ndukwe was limited (shoulder). They were both on the field with their teammates this morning. Not on the field were QB Brodie Croyle and DE Alex Magee - neither are thought to be injured.

*UPDATE at 12:15 PM* All players on the Chiefs injury report will be listed as probable this week. Croyle and Magee’s absences were related to illness and personal leave.

AN UNLIKELY CANDIDATE
October 9th – 6:23 AM

The Chiefs are certainly getting their mileage out of TE Sean Ryan. He may be the most unlikely candidate in the NFL to be leading his respective team in receiving. In fact, statistically, Ryan has already turned in a “career year” after just four games.

Ryan signed with the Chiefs this offseason as an unheralded “journeyman.” In Kansas City, Ryan had just signed with his sixth team in six years. He had been a serviceable NFL player since entering the league as a fifth-round pick with Dallas in 2004, but his primary role had been as a blocker. That was likely the case in Kansas City as well, since TE Tony Gonzalez was still on Kansas City’s roster at the time Ryan inked his contract.

By the time training camp opened, Gonzalez was in Atlanta and Ryan was in a “wide open” battle with Brad Cottam to claim the Chiefs starting tight end post. That’s when the whispers began. Ryan turned in a very impressive training camp, churning out big catch after big catch during seemingly each practice session. He was one of those guys that had fans searching their pocket rosters in the River Falls stands, “this new guy, #89 – Ryan, he might be something.”

The good times continued to roll for Ryan who turned in what was the Chiefs longest play of the preseason at the time, a 40-yard reception in St. Louis. He then won Kansas City’s starting tight end job and scored his first career TD on Opening Day at Baltimore. Last Sunday vs. the Giants he led the Chiefs in receiving, catching a 43-yard pass that set up a TD and also got into the end zone for a second time this season.

Ryan entered 2009 with just 12 catches over 43 career NFL contests. He’s already tallied 11 receptions through the Chiefs first four games this season. Right now, his 11 catches and two TDs are enough to lead the Chiefs.

“No,” Ryan said laughing when asked if he expected to be Kansas City’s leading receiver after four games. “Not at all. It’s funny how things have worked out, but obviously we have to get our passing game going a little bit if I’m our leading receiver.”

So there’s another nice trait about Ryan; the guy has perspective. He knows that it’s a bit of a double-edged sword when he’s leading the team in receiving. Sure, the team is more than pleased to get this kind of production out of Ryan, but the leading receiver should be…well…a receiver.

“Throughout my career I’ve kind of been the second tight end type of guy,” Ryan said. “That’s the guy who kind of does more of the blocking. I played behind Pro Bowl TE Jason Witten for a while in Dallas and then Chris Baker in New York. So, obviously the second guy comes in and does a lot of blocking. That’s a role that I was raised in and I enjoy doing it. Obviously my role has now changed a little bit here and I’m happy to do it.”

Like many of the players the Chiefs have brought in to Kansas City this offseason (and regular season for that matter), Ryan has a previous relationship with head coach Todd Haley or general manager Scott Pioli. Ryan played for Haley during his first two NFL seasons from 2004-05 in Dallas. He played in nine games, making two starts, but that version of Ryan didn’t log any receptions.

However, even though the statistics are different this season, Haley still sees the same Sean Ryan at the core.

“I’ve had experience with Sean in the past,” Haley said. “We actually tried to get him to Arizona and he went to San Francisco at the last minute which I still haven’t quite forgiven him for. He’s a bring-his-lunch-bucket-to-work guy. You know you’re going to get a full day’s work from Sean. When the practice is over he’s beat up, he’s usually bleeding, there’s a new scar every day and when the game goes on it’s the same thing.

“I like those kinds of guys,” Haley continued. “I like those kinds of players. You know you’re going to get a full fight from Sean Ryan and that’s the type and attitude we’re looking for.”

The way Haley describes Ryan is about what Kansas City thought they were getting when they inked him; a hardnosed player, ready to work hard and do his part. Even Haley admits that he is a bit surprised at Ryan’s early offensive totals.

“Probably more than I thought,” Haley said when asked if Ryan was giving the Chiefs more contribution than originally expected. “But I always kind of held out hope that Sean would become a starting-type player in the league, even way back when I first got to know him. He’s a guy that’s worked really hard in all areas all the time. I think those types of guys you need on your team.”

As Ryan sat at his locker yesterday, answering questions about his early season success and goals going forward, he wanted to make one thing clear…

“I’m not Tony Gonzalez,” Ryan said. “Tony is the greatest receiving tight end of our generation, maybe in the history of the league. Coach teaches us to find the holes in the defenses and I’ve been able to find those holes. I’ll take it.”

The Chiefs will take it too.