KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs signed linebacker Brandon Siler to a one-year contract extension after he missed all of this season because of a torn Achilles tendon.

Siler’s agent, David Canter, confirmed the deal Saturday in a text to The Associated Press.

Siler was expected to compete for time at middle linebacker alongside Pro Bowl selection Derrick Johnson after spending last season with the San Diego Chargers. He had a good start to training camp but was hurt in late August, and had surgery to repair his Achilles a few days later.

Canter said that “rehab’s going well” and Siler is looking forward to August.

The former Florida linebacker made 12 starts in 58 games over five seasons with San Diego. He had 38 tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced safety during the 2010 season.

The deal came one day after news broke that the Chiefs had signed kicker Ryan Succop to a five-year extension worth $14 million. Succop’s deal includes a $2 million signing bonus.

General manager Scott Pioli still has several decisions to make in the coming weeks.

Cornerback Brandon Carr, who has been a stalwart opposite Brandon Flowers in a talented Chiefs defensive backfield, will become a free agent after this season. So will Dwayne Bowe, who made the Pro Bowl last season and has quietly put together another outstanding year despite a carousel of starting quarterbacks. Bowe has 75 catches for 1,066 yards and five touchdowns.

Pioli may also try to re-sign Kyle Orton, who will start his third straight game Sunday at Denver. The veteran quarterback, who will also be a free agent, was claimed off waivers when Matt Cassel went down with a season-ending injury to his throwing hand.

The Chiefs also will need to address their offensive and defensive lines.

Longtime center Casey Wiegmann is considering retirement after a season in which he acknowledged spending more time in the training room. Offensive tackle Barry Richardson has struggled much of the year, and veteran defensive tackle Kelly Gregg has been playing on a one-year deal.

Siler’s signing solidifies the linebacker unit.

Johnson was chosen to his first Pro Bowl after setting a single-season franchise record with 172 tackles heading into Sunday’s game at Denver. He’ll be joined in Hawaii by outside linebacker Tamba Hali, who has racked up 12 sacks despite facing repeated double teams.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—The Kansas City Chiefs signed linebacker Brandon
Siler to a one-year contract extension after he missed all of this season
because of a torn Achilles tendon.

Siler’s agent, David Canter, confirmed the deal Saturday in a text to The
Associated Press.

Siler was expected to compete for time at middle linebacker alongside Pro
Bowl selection Derrick Johnson after spending last season with the San Diego
Chargers. He had a good start to training camp but was hurt in late August, and
had surgery to repair his Achilles a few days later.

Canter said that “rehab’s going well” and Siler is looking forward to
August.

The former Florida linebacker made 12 starts in 58 games over five seasons
with San Diego. He had 38 tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced safety
during the 2010 season.

The deal came one day after news broke that the Chiefs had signed kicker
Ryan Succop to a five-year extension worth $14 million. Succop’s deal includes a
$2 million signing bonus.

General manager Scott Pioli still has several decisions to make in the
coming weeks.

Cornerback Brandon Carr, who has been a stalwart opposite Brandon Flowers in
a talented Chiefs defensive backfield, will become a free agent after this
season. So will Dwayne Bowe, who made the Pro Bowl last season and has quietly
put together another outstanding year despite a carousel of starting
quarterbacks. Bowe has 75 catches for 1,066 yards and five touchdowns.

Pioli may also try to re-sign Kyle Orton, who will start his third straight
game Sunday at Denver. The veteran quarterback, who will also be a free agent,
was claimed off waivers when Matt Cassel went down with a season-ending injury
to his throwing hand.

The Chiefs also will need to address their offensive and defensive lines.

Longtime center Casey Wiegmann is considering retirement after a season in
which he acknowledged spending more time in the training room. Offensive tackle
Barry Richardson has struggled much of the year, and veteran defensive tackle
Kelly Gregg has been playing on a one-year deal.

Siler’s signing solidifies the linebacker unit.

Johnson was chosen to his first Pro Bowl after setting a single-season
franchise record with 172 tackles heading into Sunday’s game at Denver. He’ll be
joined in Hawaii by outside linebacker Tamba Hali, who has racked up 12 sacks
despite facing repeated double teams.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Romeo Crennel wants another chance to be a
head coach in the NFL. He may have the opportunity with the Kansas
City Chiefs if he can hold together a franchise in disarray over
the next three weeks.

Crennel spoke Tuesday for the first time since he was appointed
interim coach, telling reporters on a conference call that he wants
to be considered for the permanent job in Kansas City. Crennel will
lead the Chiefs through the end of the season after Todd Haley was
fired on Monday.

‘There were no conditions to this,” Crennel said. ‘I want to try
to be helpful in this situation, and I knew one of the ways I could
be helpful was to be the interim coach.”

Long considered one of the game’s brightest defensive minds,
Crennel has spent the past two seasons as the Chiefs’ defensive
coordinator, presiding over a unit that has been their biggest
strength. His track record includes five Super Bowl rings as an
assistant coach.

Crennel received his first chance to be a head coach in
Cleveland, where he had mixed results in five seasons. He took over
a moribund franchise and went 10-22 his first two years, but had
the Browns on the cusp of the playoffs after finishing 10-6 in
2007. Crennel received a contract extension, but the team slipped
to 4-12 the following year and Crennel was let go.

‘You know what? When I left Cleveland, one of the things I felt
was that my competitive nature, my competitive energy that I have,
I would like to be a head coach again and show I could get it
done,” Crennel said. ‘I know how to get it done and I think the
experience will make me better.”

Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli said Monday that Crennel will
be given the opportunity to interview for the full-time job, though
he’s by no measure a certainty.

Potential candidates could include Rams offensive coordinator
Josh McDaniels, who worked with Pioli in New England, and Iowa
coach Kirk Ferentz, who has rebuffed every overture from the NFL in
recent years. It’s unclear whether Pioli has even begun to
formulate a wish list.

‘I know the respect Romeo commands in the locker room,” said
Pioli, who was New England’s personnel director when Crennel was
the Patriots defensive coordinator. ‘We talked with Romeo and I
think he’s someone we’re definitely going to be talking to.”

Crennel said that he doesn’t plan to make wholesale changes to
the way the team operates through the end of the season, especially
with the unbeaten Green Bay Packers coming to town Sunday.

He’ll continue to call the plays on defense, though he’ll
delegate some of the game planning to assistants Emmitt Thomas and
Gary Gibbs. Offensive coordinator Bill Muir will continue to call
plays on that side of the ball, though Crennel said he’ll offer his
input when it’s warranted.

‘I will tell them what I think, what’s important, and they will
use that as a framework to develop a plan that gives us a chance,”
Crennel said. ‘If I don’t think plays are good, I’ll say, ‘Let’s
not run this play. Have you thought about this as a
possibility?’”

Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said he’s convinced that
Crennel can keep the team together after only the second in-season
firing of a head coach in franchise history.

‘Coach Crennel is a great guy, a great coach. Very
well-respected,” Johnson said. ‘He’s a guy who knows what he’s
doing. He’s a proven leader in this league, and for this three-game
season, he’s going to do the best he can.”

“There were no conditions to this,” Crennel said. “I want to try to be helpful in this situation, and I knew one of the ways I could be helpful was to be the interim coach.”

Long considered one of the game’s brightest defensive minds, Crennel has spent the past two seasons as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator, presiding over a unit that has been their biggest strength. His track record includes five Super Bowl rings as an assistant coach.

Crennel received his first chance to be a head coach in Cleveland, where he had mixed results in five seasons. He took over a moribund franchise and went 10-22 his first two years, but had the Browns on the cusp of the playoffs after finishing 10-6 in 2007. Crennel received a contract extension, but the team slipped to 4-12 the following year and Crennel was let go.

“You know what? When I left Cleveland, one of the things I felt was that my competitive nature, my competitive energy that I have, I would like to be a head coach again and show I could get it done,” Crennel said. “I know how to get it done and I think the experience will make me better.”

Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli said Monday that Crennel will be given the opportunity to interview for the full-time job, though he’s by no measure a certainty.

Potential candidates could include Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who worked with Pioli in New England, and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who has rebuffed every overture from the NFL in recent years. It’s unclear whether Pioli has even begun to formulate a wish list.

“I know the respect Romeo commands in the locker room,” said Pioli, who was New England’s personnel director when Crennel was the Patriots defensive coordinator. “We talked with Romeo and I think he’s someone we’re definitely going to be talking to.”

Crennel said that he doesn’t plan to make wholesale changes to the way the team operates through the end of the season, especially with the unbeaten Green Bay Packers coming to town Sunday.

He’ll continue to call the plays on defense, though he’ll delegate some of the game planning to assistants Emmitt Thomas and Gary Gibbs. Offensive coordinator Bill Muir will continue to call plays on that side of the ball, though Crennel said he’ll offer his input when it’s warranted.

“I will tell them what I think, what’s important, and they will use that as a framework to develop a plan that gives us a chance,” Crennel said. “If I don’t think plays are good, I’ll say, ‘Let’s not run this play. Have you thought about this as a possibility?’”

Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said he’s convinced that Crennel can keep the team together after only the second in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history.

“Coach Crennel is a great guy, a great coach. Very well-respected,” Johnson said. “He’s a guy who knows what he’s doing. He’s a proven leader in this league, and for this three-game season, he’s going to do the best he can.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Romeo Crennel wants another chance to be a head coach in the NFL. He may have the opportunity with the Kansas City Chiefs if he can hold together a franchise in disarray over the next three weeks.

Crennel spoke Tuesday for the first time since he was appointed interim coach, telling reporters on a conference call that he wants to be considered for the permanent job in Kansas City. Crennel will lead the Chiefs through the end of the season after Todd Haley was fired on Monday.

“There were no conditions to this,” Crennel said. “I want to try to be helpful in this situation, and I knew one of the ways I could be helpful was to be the interim coach.”

Long considered one of the game’s brightest defensive minds, Crennel has spent the past two seasons as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator, presiding over a unit that has been their biggest strength. His track record includes five Super Bowl rings as an assistant coach.

Crennel received his first chance to be a head coach in Cleveland, where he had mixed results in five seasons. He took over a moribund franchise and went 10-22 his first two years, but had the Browns on the cusp of the playoffs after finishing 10-6 in 2007. Crennel received a contract extension, but the team slipped to 4-12 the following year and Crennel was let go.

“You know what? When I left Cleveland, one of the things I felt was that my competitive nature, my competitive energy that I have, I would like to be a head coach again and show I could get it done,” Crennel said. “I know how to get it done and I think the experience will make me better.”

Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli said Monday that Crennel will be given the opportunity to interview for the full-time job, though he’s by no measure a certainty.

Potential candidates could include Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who worked with Pioli in New England, and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who has rebuffed every overture from the NFL in recent years It’s unclear whether Pioli has even begun to formulate a wish list.

“I know the respect Romeo commands in the locker room,” Pioli said. “We talked with Romeo and I think he’s someone we’re definitely going to be talking to.”

Crennel said that he doesn’t plan to make wholesale changes to the way the team operates through the end of the season, especially with the unbeaten Green Bay Packers coming to town Sunday.

He’ll continue to call the plays on defense, though he’ll delegate some of the game planning to assistants Emmitt Thomas and Gary Gibbs. Offensive coordinator Bill Muir will continue to call plays on that side of the ball, though Crennel said he’ll offer his input when it’s warranted.

“I will tell them what I think, what’s important, and they will use that as a framework to develop a plan that gives us a chance,” Crennel said. “If I don’t think plays are good, I’ll say, ‘Let’s not run this play. Have you thought about this as a possibility?’”

Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said he’s convinced that Crennel can keep the team together after only the second in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history.

“Coach Crennel is a great guy, a great coach. Very well-respected,” Johnson said. “He’s a guy who knows what he’s doing. He’s a proven leader in this league, and for this three-game season, he’s going to do the best he can.”

Read More: Tamba Hali (LB – KAN), Justin Houston (LB – KAN), New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs

The New York Jets are probably well aware that both sides of their offensive line will be tested today against the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s something that could not have been said much earlier in the year, when only Tamba Hali represented the Chiefs’ pass rush options and Justin Houston had yet to understand what it took to succeed at the pro level. Now he’s definitely clued in.

“At a time when some rookies are wilting, Justin Houston is emerging,” writes Dan Pompei. “The Chiefs linebacker has made steady progress all season and the coaching of Gary Gibbs and Romeo Crennel is starting to pay off. Houston had three sacks—his first three of the season—last week, but he has been getting close to the quarterback in recent weeks, so Kansas City coaches were not surprised by the third round pick’s breakout game in Chicago.”

The Chiefs put up 7 sacks total last week on the Bears ridiculously porous front line, so they shouldn’t expect similar numbers today against the Jets, but even if Houston can help hurry Mark Sanchez in the pocket or flush him out for linebackers like Derrick Johnson, they might stand a good chance today on the road.

However remote it may be.

Kansas City managed to slip past the Chicago Bears 10-3 on Sunday, the lone touchdown coming when Dexter McCluster hauled in a deflected desperation pass at the end of the first half. It was the first time the offense had scored in 56 drives, and of course it would be in the most improbable of ways.

Chiefs coach Todd Haley couldn’t help but smile on Monday, though. Kansas City counted out so many times all season, is just two games back in the AFC West and still has games to play against both teams it trails in the standings.

“If we can figure out a way to win — pretty, ugly or indifferent — we have a chance,” Haley said.

Ugly seems to be modus operandi at the moment.

The offense still struggles to get out of its own way, managing just 252 yards total against the Bears. The Chiefs had a fourth of that total — 60 yards — in penalties. And their 3.1 yards per carry would be bad enough if not for the fact that the passing game has been a disaster since Matt Cassel went down with a season-ending injury to his throwing hand.

Tyler Palko’s numbers looked respectable against Chicago: 17 of 30 for 157 yards and a touchdown without an interception. They look even better when you consider he had seven turnovers in his first two starts, including three in a span of three plays last week against the Steelers.

But that doesn’t hide the fact that the offense still can’t find some traction.

“We know what happens if we lose,” wide receiver Steve Breaston said. “We have to take one game at a time. I know everybody says that, but that’s extremely important with the situation we’re in.”

It helps that a defense so maligned earlier in the season, when it allowed more than 40 points in back-to-back games against Buffalo and Detroit, has emerged as the team’s biggest strength.

Kansas City had seven sacks against the Bears, three of them by rookie linebacker Justin Houston, who has come on as the biggest bright spot out of this year’s draft. Linebacker Derrick Johnson also had a sack, continuing a breakthrough season with a performance that caught the attention of Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, who made a point of telling Haley how impressed he was.

“We’re being more consistent. We’re being aware of our season’s situation,” Johnson said. “We need to play good. It’s a lot of pressure, but it’s positive pressure.”

Jon McGraw had one of three interceptions for the defense, and the only reason he’s playing so much is because Pro bowl safety Eric Berry went down for the season in the opener. McGraw’s pick of a deflection in the end zone prevented a potential Bears touchdown.

Chicago wound up going 0 for 11 on third down and failed on both of its fourth-down tries. The offense managed just 181 yards, and quarterback Caleb Hanie’s rating was just 23.8.

“We expect to do good when you go out on the field,” Johnson said. “That’s when you get success, when you expect to do good. We didn’t expect them to be 0 for 11 on third downs, but it works. We know we need to play good every week. We do that we’ll have a chance to win.”

Haley said even he was a bit surprised by the way the defense has played, not just on Sunday, but in the last few weeks. It gave Kansas City (5-7) a chance to beat Denver in a 17-10 loss a few weeks ago, and did so again in a 13-9 loss to Pittsburgh just over a week ago.

On Sunday, the offense finally did enough to make sure it wouldn’t go to waste.

“We’re coming on at the right time,” Haley said.

Just in time. Maybe.

The Chiefs still have a brutal stretch of games awaiting them, starting on the road Sunday against the Jets. Then it’s home against the defending Super Bowl champion Packers, who are chasing a perfect season, before division rivals Oakland and Denver to finish out the regular season.

But at least they’re in a position to keep playing for something.

“It felt really good to get a win,” wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin said. “Now, we can’t get sidetracked. We just have to keep executing and go from there.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—The way this season has gone for the Kansas City
Chiefs, it figured that Kyle Orton(notes) would hurt his finger on his first play with
his new team.

The Chiefs have been waylaid by injuries, in-fighting and inconsistency.
Their best players have been bruised, battered and beaten down. The losses have
been stunning routs, the victories by the narrowest margins, and yet somehow
they still have a chance to make the playoffs.

However remote it may be.

Kansas City managed to slip past the Chicago Bears 10-3 on Sunday, the lone
touchdown coming when Dexter McCluster(notes) hauled in a deflected desperation pass at
the end of the first half. It was the first time the offense had scored in 56
drives, and of course it would be in the most improbable of ways.

Chiefs coach Todd Haley couldn’t help but smile on Monday, though. Kansas
City counted out so many times all season, is just two games back in the AFC
West and still has games to play against both teams it trails in the standings.

“If we can figure out a way to win—pretty, ugly or indifferent—we have
a chance,” Haley said.

Ugly seems to be modus operandi at the moment.

The offense still struggles to get out of its own way, managing just 252
yards total against the Bears. The Chiefs had a fourth of that total—60 yards
— in penalties. And their 3.1 yards per carry would be bad enough if not for the
fact that the passing game has been a disaster since Matt Cassel(notes) went down with
a season-ending injury to his throwing hand.

Tyler Palko’s(notes) numbers looked respectable against Chicago: 17 of 30 for 157
yards and a touchdown without an interception. They look even better when you
consider he had seven turnovers in his first two starts, including three in a
span of three plays last week against the Steelers.

But that doesn’t hide the fact that the offense still can’t find some
traction.

“We know what happens if we lose,” wide receiver Steve Breaston(notes) said. “We
have to take one game at a time. I know everybody says that, but that’s
extremely important with the situation we’re in.”

It helps that a defense so maligned earlier in the season, when it allowed
more than 40 points in back-to-back games against Buffalo and Detroit, has
emerged as the team’s biggest strength.

Kansas City had seven sacks against the Bears, three of them by rookie
linebacker Justin Houston(notes), who has come on as the biggest bright spot out of
this year’s draft. Linebacker Derrick Johnson also had a sack, continuing a
breakthrough season with a performance that caught the attention of Bears
linebacker Brian Urlacher(notes), who made a point of telling Haley how impressed he
was.

“We’re being more consistent. We’re being aware of our season’s
situation,” Johnson said. “We need to play good. It’s a lot of pressure, but
it’s positive pressure.”

Jon McGraw(notes) had one of three interceptions for the defense, and the only
reason he’s playing so much is because Pro bowl safety Eric Berry(notes) went down for
the season in the opener. McGraw’s pick of a deflection in the end zone
prevented a potential Bears touchdown.

Chicago wound up going 0 for 11 on third down and failed on both of its
fourth-down tries. The offense managed just 181 yards, and quarterback Caleb
Hanie’s(notes) rating was just 23.8.

“We expect to do good when you go out on the field,” Johnson said.
“That’s when you get success, when you expect to do good. We didn’t expect them
to be 0 for 11 on third downs, but it works. We know we need to play good every
week. We do that we’ll have a chance to win.”

Haley said even he was a bit surprised by the way the defense has played,
not just on Sunday, but in the last few weeks. It gave Kansas City (5-7) a
chance to beat Denver in a 17-10 loss a few weeks ago, and did so again in a
13-9 loss to Pittsburgh just over a week ago.

On Sunday, the offense finally did enough to make sure it wouldn’t go to
waste.

“We’re coming on at the right time,” Haley said.

Just in time. Maybe.

The Chiefs still have a brutal stretch of games awaiting them, starting on
the road Sunday against the Jets. Then it’s home against the defending Super
Bowl champion Packers, who are chasing a perfect season, before division rivals
Oakland and Denver to finish out the regular season.

But at least they’re in a position to keep playing for something.

“It felt really good to get a win,” wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin(notes) said.
“Now, we can’t get sidetracked. We just have to keep executing and go from
there.”

The Kansas City Chiefs finally put together another decent performance on both sides of the ball in 2011. They defeated the Chicago Bears by a score of 10-3 on Dec. 4. Here’s a look at five players who shone for the Chiefs during that game.

Tyler Palko(notes)

Former backup quarterback Tyler Palko has started three games now in place of the injured Matt Cassel(notes). His performance against the Bears was the best yet in terms of ball control. He threw 17 completions out of 30 passes, which isn’t his best percentage. However, he didn’t have any interceptions which was a key problem in his other starts. Palko also got his first career touchdown pass on a Hail Mary at the end of the second half, so he deserves kudos for that.

Jon McGraw(notes)

The sure hands of Jon McGraw ended up with the ball after Caleb Hanie’s(notes) receiver couldn’t get a handle on the ball. Had the interception and subsequent touchback not occurred, the game very well could have turned out differently.

Dexter McCluster(notes)

Dexter McCluster had the lone touchdown in the game, a 38-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired. He also had the longest run of the day with a 32-yard scamper that led to Ryan Succop’s(notes) field goal in the third quarter. McCluster had 61 yards rushing and 46 receiving for 107 all-purpose yards. The second-year player is developing nicely into a well-rounded addition to Kansas City.

Justin Houston(notes)

Justin Houston was the star on defense with seven tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble. The Chiefs had seven sacks of Hanie on the day, and nearly half of them were from one person. If the defense can play like this for the rest of the season, an AFC West title is not out of the realm of possibility. Houston is a rookie and this was his coming out party as well as the biggest game of his young career.

Derrick Johnson

Derrick Johnson also deserves a mention with seven tackles and a sack. Between him, Houston and Tamba Hali(notes), they made Hanie rush his throws all day. There were several tackles for little or no gain, the most important of which might have been the hit Johnson had that knocked running back Matt Forte(notes) out of the game with a sprained knee .

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

A Hail Mary pass from Chiefs quarterback Tyler Palko to wide receiver Dexter McCluster let Kansas City take a 7-3 halftime lead.

The team never looked back and won 10-3.

Palko got yanked from the game – and possibly saved his job.

Palko shook off two miserable starts and threw for 157 yards and a touchdown even though he briefly got lifted for Kyle Orton, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat Chicago 10-3 Sunday on a day when the Bears lost Matt Forte to a right knee injury.

Orton came on to start the second quarter and immediately left the game after injuring a finger on his right hand. Reports were he dislocated a finger on his throwing hand.

Palko then came in and tossed a Hail Mary pass just before halftime. Palko connected with Dexter McCluster on the wild 38-yard pass to end the first half on a ball that got deflected by Brian Urlacher and Chris Conte, giving the Chiefs a 7-3 lead and their first touchdown in three games.

Kansas City (5-7) got a 21-yard field goal from Ryan Succop in the third quarter to make it a seven-point game, and Jon McGraw intercepted struggling backup Caleb Hanie in the end zone in the fourth.

The Chiefs also recorded seven sacks – three by Justin Houston – and intercepted Hanie three times while snapping a four-game losing streak.

The Bears dropped their second straight after winning five in a row, but the biggest loss Sunday came in the first quarter.

Forte took a hit to the right knee from Derrick Johnson on a run for no gain deep in Chicago territory, another big blow for a team contending in the NFC.

Quarterback Jay Cutler was already out indefinitely after breaking his right thumb against San Diego on Nov. 20, and now, they might have to make do without the league’s third-leading rusher.

In the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, Forte has been one of the Bears’ most valuable players. He has also been durable during his career, starting all 60 games since he entered the league in 2008, but that run could be in jeopardy.

Forte stayed on the ground while being tended to by medical personnel and walked to the sideline on his own power after that hit to the knee. He remained there for several minutes before heading to the locker room.

Orton, a former Bear, didn’t last long in this one.

On his first play since he was claimed off waivers from Denver, he was hit in the hand by Major Wright as he tossed an incomplete pass.

Palko immediately came back in and wound up completing 17 of 30 passes without an interception. It was a big improvement for a quarterback who got picked off three times in each of his first two starts after Matt Cassel suffered a season-ending hand injury.

Hanie was 11 of 24 in his second start for Cutler. He had completed four straight passes to put the ball on the Chicago 13 after connecting on just one in the second half before that when Roy Williams juggled a throw. The ball hit off several defenders before a diving McGraw picked it off in the end zone with just over 4 minutes left.

The Chiefs got all the points they needed at the end of the first half.

With 2 seconds left, Palko heaved the ball to the end zone, and in one dramatic sequence, the Chiefs got their first touchdown since the third quarter against Denver on Nov. 13.

A leaping Urlacher got both hands on the ball, but Conte went up over the top of him and knocked it to McCluster, sending the Chiefs to the locker room with the lead.

Besides Forte, the Bears also lost safety Major Wright to a shoulder injury. Chiefs safety Kendrick Lewis injured a knee in the first half.

Neither Chiefs Coach Todd Haley nor Orton would discuss Orton’s injury after the game.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press and KCTV5. All rights reserved.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jerheme Urban hasn’t been playing a whole lot of wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs lately. He has only one catch all season, and that was in the opener.

He might as well play quarterback for the Denver Broncos.

Or at least try to imitate it.

You see, Urban stands 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, and he has some experience at quarterback from his younger days, not to mention experience in track. He’s an unusual athlete, which makes him a natural fit to mimic the Broncos’ Tim Tebow, who runs a read-option offence that NFL teams just don’t see very often.

It’s been Urban who has been battered by the Kansas City defence in practice this week as it tries to figure out the best way shut down Tebow, the former Heisman Trophy winner they will face in an AFC West showdown Sunday.

“I can only judge Tim as an opposing coach getting ready to defend him,” Chiefs coach Todd Haley said Wednesday. “The guy’s a winner and has won everywhere he’s been, and he’s shown that now in the NFL. I think he’s a heck of a player.”

He certainly creates some unique challenges.

There are plenty of running quarterbacks in the league, guys like Michael Vick who are a threat to take off from the pocket at any moment. But few teams script option-style plays more likely to be seen in college for a quarterback who often resembles a battering ram.

Running an offence similar to what he excelled in at Florida, Tebow generally has three options after taking the snap: throw it down field, pitch it to Willis McGahee or one of the other running backs, or simply keep the ball himself and scamper down field.

It didn’t work very well two weeks ago in a 45-10 loss to Detroit, when the Broncos were still trying to figure out what they were doing. But it worked much better last week.

Befuddling a stingy Raiders defence, Tebow managed to pass for 124 yards and two touchdowns while also running for 118 yards. The attention that Oakland paid him created holes for McGahee, who ran for loose for 163 yards and two scores in the 38-24 victory.

Haley said the Broncos’ offence is similar to the wildcat formation in vogue around the league, with one significant difference: Tebow can throw the ball, too, despite what his critics say.

“You got a quarterback running the option,” Haley said, “and that makes it a triple threat.”

Veteran linebacker Derrick Johnson said he hasn’t faced an option-style offence since his college days at Texas.

“That’s definitely a college game plan when you do so much option,” he said. “How ever you can get a win. It may not be the traditional way, standing in the pocket, delivering, you know, certain routes and all that stuff. As long as you win it doesn’t really matter.”

It’s clear the Chiefs understand what Tebow brings to the field.

Figuring out how to stop it is another matter entirely.

“You got to get to him,” defensive end Wallace Gilberry said. “He’s a real tough guy, a powerful runner. You see guys hit him at the knees almost getting knocked out.”

Gilberry said it’s not just the yards and points that Tebow is responsible for that dictates how valuable he’s been. It’s the fact that the Broncos, after a slow start to the season, have rallied around him. They’ve won two of the three games he’s started.

“The whole team is feeding off him,” Gilberry said. “They’re riding behind him.”

That makes the job that the guys in practice are doing imitating Tebow that much more important. It’s hard enough defending a style of offence that you only see from one team, but it’s even more difficult if you’re not able to replicate it throughout the week.

That responsibility isn’t falling only on Urban, either.

Backup quarterback Tyler Palko is a left-hander, like Tebow, and an athletic guy in his own right. So Haley has called on him to line up opposite the Chiefs’ defence. But unlike Urban, Haley refuses to let the Chiefs put a hit on their No. 2 quarterback in practice.

“It’s good we’ve got a lefty quarterback in Tyler who’s extremely athletic, but at the same time — though he doesn’t want this — I don’t want our backup quarterback have something happen there,” Haley said. “Tyler’s not happy about that — he thought I was questioning his toughness. I had to let him know that I had to look out for the team, and he’s the No. 2 quarterback.”

Trying his best to play the part of Tebow, the Broncos’ clear No. 1.

“He’s a heck of a player,” Haley said of the former first-round draft pick. “They tried to kill him last week. Physically, Oakland sent bodies at him from everywhere, and it’s pretty clear this guy won’t back down in the face of pressure, and that’s always good to have.”

When the Denver Broncos roll into town this week to face the Kansas City Chiefs they will bring with them one of the most celebrated quarterbacks in the nation. The name Tim Tebow(notes) is being discussed by every football fan across the league, and so far he has done very little to prove that he deserves it. He has moments of greatness, where he looks like he truly may be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but he also has had moments where it appears he has no right to play in the NFL.

Tim Tebow
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As a Chiefs fan it is this inconsistency that has me worried. There are clearly two very different Tim Tebow’s playing in Denver. Which one shows up for the game on Sunday may mean the difference between and win for KC and a loss. With first place on the line in a division that may go to an 8-8 team, the stakes are pretty high.

Just who are the two Tebows and what causes one to show up of the other?

The Bad Tebow

The bad Tebow is the pocket Tebow. When forced to use his arm and his ability to read the field Tebow makes poor choices and the defense comes out as the winner. With players such as Flowers roaming the secondary a bad Tebow could lead to a win on par with the pounding the Chiefs put on the raiders a couple of weeks ago.

This would be the obvious ideal situation for Kansas City.

The Good Tebow

When Tebow gets moving big things happen. He has the same game changing abilities as a Michael Vick(notes) or a Warren Moon. He can move well and the defense must respect his feet. This could spell trouble for a team such as the Chiefs.

Kansas City has proven this year that they cannot put pressure on a quarterback. Outside of Tamba Hali(notes) Kansas City does not have a single proven pass rusher, and young players such has Justin Houston(notes) have yet to prove themselves at the professional level. Tim Tebow may have all day long to pass or look for running lanes. If Kansas City can’t hit a flat footed backup quarterback like Matt Moore(notes), they sure are not going to get to Tebow.

Which will it be?

The Chiefs only hope to stopping him will be to put a linebacker on Tebow duty. Someone such as Derrick Johnson will need to mirror Tebow and take away his ability to get down the field. Wherever Tebow roams, he must have a shadow waiting for his arrival.

Luckily for the Chiefs they have that ability. Derrick Johnson is a beast of a linebacker, who does not miss. Hali is also a quick end and is able to keep up in the open field which will make getting outside tougher. If Tebow is able to scramble some the Chiefs hard hitting secondary will also make Tebow think twice about scrambling again. It’s the physical hard hitting play of the Chiefs that may be the great equalizer in this game. As long as they can keep him in the pocket, the Chiefs have the ability to force the bad Tebow to show up and win the game.

Of course, if they can’t keep him from running and good Tebow arrives, its game over.

More from this author:

Is Dexter McCluster Being Misused, or is he Over Hyped?

Where does Matt Cassel rank with the All-Time great Chiefs quarterbacks?

Jacob was born and raised in Kansas City. He has been a die hard Kansas City Chiefs fan his entire life. He now lives in Gladstone, Mo. where he is raising the next generation of Chief’s fans.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

OAKLAND — In the end, it didn’t much matter whether Kyle Boller or Carson Palmer played quarterback for the Oakland Raiders. The Kansas City Chiefs had their way with both.

Kendrick Lewis and Brandon Flowers returned interceptions for touchdowns and the Chiefs took advantage of rusty quarterback play from Boller and Palmer to beat the Oakland Raiders 28-0 on Sunday.

Boller became the first Raiders quarterback in 13 years to throw three interceptions in the first half, including Lewis’ 59-yard score on the first drive of the game for Oakland (4-3). Palmer relieved in the second half and threw three more interceptions, including one that Flowers returned 58 yards to give the Chiefs a 28-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Javier Arenas and Le’Ron McClain each added touchdown runs for the Chiefs (3-3) on a day the Kansas City offense didn’t have to do much at all.

After being outscored 89-10 in lopsided losses to Buffalo and Detroit to open the season, the defending AFC West champion Chiefs have won three straight to get back into contention in the division race. While the wins came against cellar dwellers Minnesota and Indianapolis and a banged-up Raiders team missing its leading passer, scorer and rusher for most of the game, the Chiefs aren’t apologizing.

The Raiders promising season was jolted last week when starting quarterback Jason Campbell was knocked out with a broken collarbone. Coach Hue Jackson moved quickly to get a replacement by trading for Palmer on Tuesday.

Palmer had been in retirement because he refused to play with Cincinnati anymore and had been working out on his own in Southern California. Because of his rust and unfamiliarity with his teammates and the playbook, Palmer did not start in his debut.

It didn’t end up mattering because neither quarterback was able to do much besides throwing interceptions. Boller was 7 for 14 for 61 yards and became the first Raiders quarterback to throw three interceptions in the first half since Donald Hollas in 1998 against Miami. Palmer went 8 for 21 for 116 yards with the three interceptions.

This marked the first time the Raiders had thrown six interceptions in a game since that 1998 game against the Dolphins and the Chiefs had their first six-interception game since 1984 against Seattle.

This was also the sixth time the Raiders have been shut out at home, with five coming since the start of the 2006 season.

Jackson was coy all week about whether Boller or Palmer would start at quarterback in Oakland’s first game since Jason Campbell broke his collarbone. With star running back Darren McFadden leaving in the first quarter with an injured right foot, it didn’t much matter.

Oakland moved into Kansas City territory on its first drive and tried to run a trick play on third-and-1 that backfired. Third quarterback Terrelle Pryor lined up at receiver and went in motion to behind the center and took a quick snap for a keeper. The Raiders were called for a false start because Pryor was not set for a second.

On the next play, Boller threw an out pass to Jacoby Ford that Lewis stepped in front off and returned 59 yards for the touchdown to give the Chiefs a 7-0 lead.

The boos of Boller started but Palmer remained on the sideline with a baseball hat. Boller threw his second interception on a deep pass to Denarius Moore that Flowers caught. The Chiefs then drove 61 yards for a score Le’Ron McClain’s 1-yard run.

Boller finally got the Raiders moving with some good runs by Michael Bush before Derrick Johnson stuffed him on fourth down at the 1 when Jackson called for a direct snap to the running back.

The Raiders drove to the Chiefs 36 late in the first half before Boller underthrew Darrius Heyward-Bey and was intercepted by Brandon Carr.