Kansas City Chiefs Open As 10 Point Underdogs In Baltimore

NFL News - September 9th, 2009 - Written by John

Matt Cassel dropped back in the pocket, took a step left, and then fired right. He watched the pass float away as the Seattle Seahawks' defensive tackle Brandon Mebane collapsed and rolled on his right knee. In an instant went the breath of every person invested in the Kansas City Chiefs. Their $63 million man sat on the turf, clutching his injured knee as he rolled back-and-forth in pain. It was a sprained MCL, doctors confirmed, and although the damage was minor, Cassel would assuredly miss the season opener against Baltimore.

Well, maybe not quite.

Despite the discomfort and limping, the Chiefs are reporting that Cassel is back at practice and has been recovering quicker than expected, just 11 days after the injury that could have sidelined him for 28.

The five-year veteran, who didn't even start an NFL game until Tom Brady split his knee in New England's opener last season, will put a brace on and try to provide the kind of explosiveness Kansas City fans hoped to see when he was acquired. The Chiefs finished 24th in total offense and 20th in passing offense in 2008.

Cassel will have help from first-time head coach, Todd Haley. After all, this isn't the first time he will have to maneuver his offense with a fragile QB. He was the mastermind behind the Arizona Cardinals' improbable trip to the Super Bowl, their first Championship appearance in franchise history, with an equally immobile Kurt Warner at the helm. He will be calling plays in the opener after firing offensive coordinator Chan Gailey last week.

If Cassel is not able to go, it will be back-up Tyler Thigpen who gets the nod, a year after leading Kansas City in passing yards, attempts and completions. However, who gets those completions will be a major concern. Gone is six-time Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez, who signed with the Falcons in the off-season, and the preseason experiment with aged wide out Amani Toomer was a bust.

Regardless who is under center, there will be numerous match-up problems for the Chiefs. The Ravens finished second in total defense last year and only allowed a meager 15.3 points a game, and have made a smooth transition after defensive coordinator Rex Ryan bolted to New York take the head coaching gig with the Jets.

One of the changes new coordinator Cam Cameron plans to make will be using safety Ed Reed at multiple positions throughout the game, Scouts, Inc., reports-the thought there being he will become more of a versatile play maker. Scary, considering he was already one of the best defenders in the league last season, recording 41 tackles and a sack to go with his nine interceptions and 16 pass deflections. He was on of the key reasons Joe Flacco had a terrific freshman season in the league, leading the Ravens to an AFC Championship appearance despite being 18th in total offense. The Ravens spent their first-round pick in hopes of protecting Flacco better, taking Mississippi's Michael Oher with the 23rd overall pick.

Vegas likes the Ravens' defense to be just as good, giving the Chiefs an over/under of 10 1/2 total points.

With the questions surrounding the quarterbacking spot, and with Baltimore's track record at home (the Ravens were 6-2 last year at M&T Bank Stadium ), the Chiefs are 13-point underdogs Sunday, with a payout of -110 either way. A Chiefs win, however, could be profitable. Taking them straight up will deliver a return of +600

All Betting Lines Above Can Be Found At Bodog, Bookmaker and DSI Sportsbooks

To discuss this and other NFL related stories be sure to check out our new forum at:
https://www.usaplayers.com/forums/nfl-news/