Chiefs @ MindSay

Week 1: at Baltimore
Week 2: Oakland
Week 3: at Philadelphia
Week 4: NY Giants
Week 5: Dallas
Week 6 at Washington
Week 7: San Diego
Week 8: bye
Week 9: at Jacksonville
Week 10: at Oakland
Week 11: Pittsburgh
Week 12: at San Diego
Week 13: Denver
Week 14: Buffalo
Week 15: Cleveland
Week 16: at Cincinnati
Week 17: at Denver

Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson

When word first broke that the Kansas City Chiefs had acquired quarterback Matt Cassel from the New England Patriots, I assumed it would involve the No. 3 overall pick.

So, I was wrapping myself around that concept trying to decide if it was a good deal or not. I could understand the Chiefs giving up the choice for their new franchise quarterback but I still couldn't decide whether it was a good deal or not.

Matt Cassel Quarterback Kansas City Chiefs 2008 STATS YDS CMP% TD INT RAT 3,693 63.4 21 11 89.4

Then I got the press release from the Chiefs explaining the deal: The Chiefs got Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel from the Patriots for their second-round pick, which is the No. 34 overall pick in the April draft.

I needed no more time to come to a conclusion: This was an outstanding deal for the Chiefs.

There really is no risk here. Look, we don't know if Cassel is going to be a superstar player. Yes, he looked good in his time as Tom Brady's replacement in New England. But he had a terrific supporting cast and superb coaching.

It is unclear whether Cassel, who reunites with general manager Scott Pioli in Kansas City, can have the same impact on a much weaker Kansas City team. But he will at least be serviceable and capable of having a big game here and there. And don't discount the possibility of Cassel being outstanding in Kansas City.

The Chiefs have a decent offense and new head coach Todd Haley is known for his success in the passing game. Cassel does have a chance to be just as good he was in New England.

This was a deal Kansas City had to do considering what it gave up. Now, the Chiefs know they have their quarterback question answered and they still have the No. 3 overall pick to upgrade their defense. Right now, a good guess is that Kansas City will take Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry with its first-round pick.

To think the Chiefs can go to training camp with both Cassel and Curry has to be very enticing to the team. It appeared highly unlikely that would be the case.

Because of an expected high price tag on Cassel it was long my stance that the Chiefs should wait on getting a quarterback and stick with Tyler Thigpen for another year. I also thought the Chiefs should stay away from drafting a quarterback in the first round. I figured Thigpen could try to prove himself while the Chiefs, in dire need of help on the defensive side of the ball, draft a defensive player at No. 3.

In one trade, the Chiefs just improved in several areas: They got better at quarterback, backup quarterback, linebacker (in the form of Vrabel) and whichever position they'll use the No. 3 pick on.

There's no denying it. The Chiefs had to make this trade.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Arizona offensive coordinator Todd Haley was hired as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday after helping the Cardinals reach the Super Bowl.

The decision was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the hiring. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement was pending.

Haley takes over a team that went a franchise-worst 2-14 under coach Herm Edwards, who was fired Jan. 23. Edwards lost all but two of his last 25 games and launched a rebuilding project that made the Chiefs the league's youngest team this season.

The Chiefs haven't won a postseason game since an aging Joe Montana was their quarterback in the 1993 season.

Haley, who turns 42 this month, helped shape an offense that carried the Cardinals to an improbable NFC West title and nearly a Super Bowl victory over Pittsburgh.

He did not start calling plays until late in the 2007 season. But this season an Arizona offense led by quarterback Kurt Warner set a franchise record with 427 points, finished third in scoring in the NFL and was second in yards passing.

Leading to the Super Bowl, Haley repeatedly was questioned about Kansas City and when he was expected to join new general manager Scott Pioli at Arrowhead Stadium. Haley and Pioli worked together at the New York Jets, where Haley's father, Dick, was personnel director. It isn't known what other candidates Pioli interviewed.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Scott Pioli, who helped build and lead a dynasty in New England, is now in charge of a Kansas City franchise that hasn't won a playoff game in 14 years.

The 43-year-old Pioli will be introduced on Wednesday as Chiefs general manager, replacing Carl Peterson. Pioli was seen packing up his office Tuesday afternoon, a Patriots source told ESPN's Michael Smith. "He will have complete charge of football operations," Ryan Petkoff, a spokesman for Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, told The Associated Press. "He will report only to Clark."

The decision to hire Pioli likely means Herm Edwards will not be back as Chiefs head coach next season. Among the top candidates to succeed Edwards is New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. A source close to the situation told ESPN.com's Bill Williamson that Edwards sent his assistant coaching staff home to await word on the future in light of the Pioli hiring news. At this point, Pioli is expected to meet with coaches Thursday so a decision on Edwards and his staff's future could be made in the coming days. Pioli, who became vice president of player personnel for the Patriots in 2002 and spent nine years working with head coach Bill Belichick, also interviewed for the general manager vacancy in Cleveland.

He inherits a young team coming off a 2-14 season but is stepping into a situation that seems ripe for a quick turnaround.

Hello everyone, I'm new at this.  The main reason for me to be doing this is it's a way for me to keep in touch with my son and his friends who are away at college.  It's interesting to see how people you' ve known for a while adapt to different colleges.  It would be hard to call them all every week to keep in touch and this seems to be the answer.  I will be writing sometimes maybe about sports.  I am a diehard fqn of UNC, Appalachian State, Atlanta Braves, Oakland A's, Kansas City Chiefs(go figure), Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bulls, Carolina Hurricanes, Tony Stewart, and Jeff Gordon.  The Tarheels, Braves, Chiefs, and Bulls all won the first game I ever watched of each respective sport, so hence they became my favorites.  The same with Richard Petty in NASCAR.  All this over 30 years ago and they are still my favorites.  I learned to like the A's in the early 70's when all the players grew their hair long and grew mustaches just because the league told them they couldn't.  Rebels!!!!!   The Panthers and Hurricanes are favorites because I live In North Carolina, Appalachian State because that is where my son is a student, and what the heck, they do have an awesome football team.  When Richard Petty drove his last race at the Hooters 500 in Atlanta in 1992, Jeff Gordon drove in that race in his first Winston Cup race.  He was already a star driving quarter midgets and in the Busch series and I could see the potential.   By the way, I used to work with NASCAR in a way and I have from that 1992 race a Winston flag that flew over pit road autographed by Petty, Gordon, and 1992 Cup Champion, the late Alan Kulwicki. Tony Stewart shares my last name and he is just a great driver.  I look for him to do great things with his own team starting next year.  As for myself, I'm happily married with a son at Appalachian and a daughter who is a senior at West Forsyth High school In NC wanting to go to UNC-Charlotte.  She is also captain of her high school cheerleading squad.  My wife and I both graduated from the same school as our children which I think is really special.  The whole family is involved at our church, Center Grove Baptist, in different ways and are not ashamed to say that we are Christians.  Anyway, I think this is long enough for the first blog, hope to hear from people!!!