Haley faces challence

Chiefs report | Haley faces a challenge
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star

Maybe there is a way to challenge officials’ calls without burning a
coach’s challenge. Coaches could simply ask the officials to huddle up
and overrule a call if one of them had a better look at the play.

That’s what happened in the Chiefs’ preseason game Friday night at
Baltimore when the officials conferred and overruled a sack of Ravens
quarterback Joe Flacco and called it an incomplete pass. That spared
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh from tossing his red flag on the field and
challenging the original call.

Might Chiefs coach Todd Haley try that tactic sometime?

“That’s assuming they listen to you,” Haley said of the officials. “They listen to the red flag.”

At the time of the third-quarter play in question, Haley was out of
challenges because he had used two, and the second challenge was
unsuccessful. He was surprised at the timing of the officials’ huddle
because the Ravens had already sent out their punt team.

“Generally you don’t see a huddle by the officials that late in the
process,” Haley said. “I thought there was a chance (Harbaugh) could
challenge it, and I saw him holding his red flag … that’s when I asked
the official on our side, ‘Was this a challenge?’ And he said, ‘No they
huddled …’ which I’m all for, and I believe in and think, ‘Hey guys,
let’s get it right,’ and that helps the game. They got it right.”

Not entirely. The officials re-spotted the ball after the incompletion
at the Baltimore 28 instead of the previous line of scrimmage, the 32.

So the Ravens still lost 4 yards on the play.

Colbert’s comeback

Veteran wide receiver Keary Colbert, who has been out of the NFL since
2008, caught two passes for 14 yards in his Chiefs debut at Baltimore.

“It was good being back out there,” said Colbert, a former second-round
pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2004. “I had that itch to get back and
get out there and compete and play. I decided to train and see if I
could get an opportunity to earn a spot on a team, and here’s my
opportunity.”

Colbert’s best NFL season was his rookie year when he caught 47 passes
for 754 yards and five touchdowns with Carolina. He spent four seasons
there, split 2008 with Denver, Seattle and Detroit; a season in the
United Football League and served as a graduate assistant coaching tight
ends last year at his alma mater, USC, where he finished his college
career as the school’s all-time leader with 207 career receptions.

Colbert, 29, cited former USC wide receiver Mike Williams, now with
Seattle, as an example of a player who sat out two years before resuming
a productive NFL career.

“I’m still trying to get into the flow a little bit, but I’m out here
competing every day, and at the end of the day, rust or not, you’ve got
to make plays,” said Colbert, who is being tried as a slot receiver.

Bailey on Miami vice

Chiefs rookie defensive lineman Allen Bailey, a third-round draft pick
from Miami, shed little insight on the football program that has been
rocked by allegations of NCAA violations involving a booster, Nevin
Shapiro.

“I really don’t know what’s going on there right now, but I still take
pride in everything I did down there,” said Bailey, who has been
impressive in preseason in the Chiefs’ nickel defense and on special
teams.

Asked whether he had any dealings with Shapiro, Bailey said: “I was a
freshman. As a freshman, you’re not paying attention … I never really
saw him.”

Bailey said he was never offered anything by Shapiro.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW about:

THE OFFENSE

Jamaal Charles fumbled a pitch Monday on a sweep right … Matt Cassel,
from the shotgun, hit Dwayne Bowe on a deep pattern on third and long …
Cassel connected with Steve Breaston inside the 12 … Terrance Copper
dropped a deep corner pass from Tyler Palko … Palko hooked up twice with
backup tight end Cody Slate. … A fourth-and-goal pass from Cassel went
off the hands of Tony Moeaki … Ryan Succop worked on directional
kickoffs inside the 10 so they would have to be returned.

THE DEFENSE
The coverage was so good on a second and 10, Cassel threw the ball into
the ground in disgust. … Cornerback Travis Daniels made a diving
interception of a Cassel pass intended for Bowe after tipping the ball
to himself and catching it while on the ground. … Tyson Jackson batted
down a pass by Cassel … Eric Berry broke up a pass for Moeaki.

INJURY REPORT
WR Jonathan Baldwin (below), C Darryl Harris, OT Ryan O’Callaghan, TE
Jake O’Connell, and LBs Eric Bakhtiari and Gabe Miller did not practice.
CB Brandon Flowers and OT Jared Gaither took part in practice but left
for treatment.

THE DAILY BATTLE
The thumb injury to Baldwin is opening some opportunities for others,
including recently signed veteran Keary Colbert, who caught two passes
at Baltimore, his first two NFL receptions since 2008; Verran Tucker,
who caught three; and Jeremy Horne.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE
The team will practice at 8:50 a.m. at the Chiefs’ practice facility. It is closed to the public.

88 Monday’s high temperature in Kansas City; today’s expected high is 93.

2-0 The Rams’ preseason record going into Friday night’s Governors’ Cup game.

0-2 The Chiefs’ preseason record.