Camp Practice Update 8/3 P.M.

From River Falls, Wisconsin

Under sunny skies and warm temperatures with just a hint of a breeze blowing across the fields, the Chiefs got practice No. 5 in Monday afternoon.

Not surprisingly considering the five practices in three days the team also had its first fight. OT Herb Taylor tangled with an unidentified defensive lineman and ended up on his back with a pile ofplayers on top of him.

Todd Haley answered the fight by making the entire team run to the opposite end zone and back. “We are not going to beat ourselves,” Haley told his players.

There was plenty of extra running for jumpy defensive linemen who just can’t seem to understand they are going to be penalized now if they go offsides. During the practice, DE Alfonso Boone, DE Dion Gales and NT Derek Lokey all jumped and had a penalty run.

On the injury and participation front there were eight players not practicing. Rookie TE Jake O’Connell returned to work after missing the first four practices. Those not participating were: TE Brad Cottam (right ankle), TE Tony Curtis (left ankle), LB Derrick Johnson (right hamstring), RB Kolby Smith (right knee), DE Glenn Dorsey (left shin), LB Demorrio Williams (unknown leg injury), G Edwin Harrison (right knee) and S DaJuan Morgan (unknown injury).

During practice, ILB Wes Dacus left with a right foot or ankle injury. He was wearing a boot when he finally got to the cafeteria Monday night for dinner.

Here are some observations and nuggets from the afternoon work:

- There was another session of RB pass protection against blitzing linebackers off the edge. The first time they did this drill, the offense struggled. Not so this time, as they put together a much better performance. Larry Johnson was especially good, as he battled Mike Vrabel to a standstill and later was able to direct Tamba Hali’s rush outside. FB Jed Collins picked up two victories as well, while Jackie Battle got a victory and two draws.

- There was a great deal of work on kick returns and kick coverage in the session. Special teams coach Steve Hoffman fielded this first kickoff coverage unit (from left to right): Bernard Pollard, Brandon Carr, Jovan Belcher, Jackie Battle, Ryan Succop, Terrance Copper, Mike Brown, Andy Studebaker, Brandon Flowers and Jarrad Page.

- During practice there were six players that took turns returning kickoffs: Taurus Johnson, Rodney Wright, Jackie Bates, Maurice Leggett, Londen Fryar and Ricky Price. Then after practice no less than 14 players were catching kicks off the ball machine: all the above and Copper, Quinten Lawrence, Donald Washington, Jamaal Charles, Jackie Battle Dantrell Savage, Ricardo Colclough and Javarris Williams.

- Succop drew the ire of Haley on his first kickoff when he sent a short scattershot down the middle of the field that was picked up at the 10-yard line. “Come on Ryan, that’s what you are here for (kickoffs),” yelled Haley. After that, Succop’s kicks landed at the goal line, the minus-2, the one-yard line and the goal line.

- In the team work portion of practice, QB Matt Cassel was two of three, missing on a deep ball to WR Devard Darling that was overthrown and should have been caught by Leggett for an interception. Tyler Thigpen went with the second offense and hit three of four. The incompletion should have been intercepted, as he threw the ball directly at Colclough. The receiver came back and broke up the INT. Brodie Croyle was two of three, with a nice bootleg right pass that O’Connell caught downfield.

- Former American Football League head coach and NFL defensive coordinator Joe Collier watched practice. His son Joel is the assistant general manager of the Chiefs.