Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. ó With two games to go, the Kansas City Chiefs will dodge an unofficial and very unwelcome NFL record only if they can ó pardon the expression ó hold on.
After dropping 10 passes in last week’s bitter loss to Cleveland, KC’s butterfingered receiving corps leads the league in balls that strike hands before striking turf.
Whether a pass is dropped or merely uncatchable is sometimes open to debate. So the NFL does not keep official records of that particular mistake.
But according to STATS LLC, the most dropped passes by any team in the past 17 years was 54 by the 1992 Dolphins.
By the unofficial count of STATS, the Chiefs have dropped 46. Head coach Todd Haley, fuming with frustration, puts the number at 49.
SAINTS
METAIRIE, La. ó When Drew Brees threw for five touchdowns in New Orleans’ 38-17 victory over New England late last month, it appeared the star quarterback and the Saints’ offense could do anything they pleased.
The past three weeks have shown otherwise, though Brees maintains he’s not worried.
“We have so many weapons and I feel like we’ve been together long enough now that we operate at a very high level,” Brees said. “We’ve seen enough ways that defenses have tried to stop us or slow us down or take something away or whatever it might be that I think we just have an ability to adjust.”
Although the Saints continue to lead the NFL with about 420 yards and 34.5 points per game, they are coming off of their worst game of the season. Their 336 yards of total offense in a 24-17 loss to Dallas was about 90 yards below their season average coming into that game, and their point total was a season low.
A week earlier at Atlanta, the Saints had a below-average 391 yards and 26 points, their second-lowest point total.
No longer is New Orleans on pace to break the 2007 Patriots’ scoring record of 589 points. To do so now, the Saints would have to average 54 points in their last two games.BILLS
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. ó Buffalo safety Jairus Byrd will require surgery to repair a groin injury, putting an end to the rookie’s sensational season.
Byrd, who leads the NFL with nine interceptions, was placed on injured reserve, becoming the 18th Bills player this year to go on the season-ending list.
n ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. ó An ankle injury prevented Bills starter Ryan Fitzpatrick from practicing on Wednesday, opening the possibility for third-stringer Brian Brohm to make his NFL debut at Atlanta this weekend.
EAGLES
PHILADELPHIA ó Michael Vick’s peers appreciate his tough journey back to the NFL.
Vick won the Ed Block Courage Award, voted on by his teammates on the Philadelphia Eagles. The once-disgraced star quarterback returned to the league after spending 18 months in a federal prison for his role in a dogfighting ring.
“It means a great deal to me,” Vick said Wednesday. “I was voted unanimously by my teammates. They know what I’ve been through. I’ve been through a lot. It’s been great to come back and have an opportunity to play and be with a great group of guys. I’m just ecstatic about that and I enjoy every day.”
STEELERS
PITTSBURGH ó Troy Polamalu didn’t practice again Wednesday because of his injured left knee ligament and doesn’t expect to play Sunday against Baltimore.
RAIDERS
ALAMEDA, Calif. ó Oakland quarterback Charlie Frye has been cleared to play after sustaining a concussion against Denver last week and will start Sunday’s game against his former team, the Cleveland Browns.
CARDINALS
TEMPE, Ariz. ó Arizona have placed starting left tackle Mike Gandy on injured reserve after he underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia.