Focus groups shape the future of the corridor

Preston Park Elementary celebrated the kick-off to Red Ribbon Week on Friday.

A controversial roughing-the-passer penalty just before halftime of the Las Vegas Raiders’ game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night delivered another blow to the NFL and its beleaguered officiating crew.

This year’s NFL draft has the chance to be unlike any other in recent years with a possible long wait before any of the players who throw, catch or run with the ball coming off the board.

Carson Wentz threw a pair of touchdown passes, Jonathan Taylor ran for 108 yards and the banged-up Indianapolis Colts continued their late-season surge with a gritty 22-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night.

The Chiefs trotted out what amounted to three rookies to help protect their half-billion dollar investment at quarterback Saturday.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz is expected to miss 5 to 12 weeks because a broken left foot.

Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich will miss the start of training camp after testing positive for COVID-19.

The Indianapolis Colts believe they'll accomplish more over the next two weeks than they would during a traditional three-day June mini-camp.

The Chiefs have acquired Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown from the Ravens for a package of draft picks.

The Kansas City Chiefs already have spent the offseason rebuilding an offensive line ravaged by injuries and then dominated by Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl.

(AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman, File)If it seemed as if NFL teams have been shedding contracts nearly as fast as signing them in recent weeks that’s because it’s almost true. “I think the unprecedented part being, for the first time in modern era, the cap decreases instead of increases,” Rams general manager Les Snead said. Adoree Jackson got a three-year deal worth a reported $39 million from the Giants after Tennessee refused to pay his $10.24 million fifth-year option. In one of the more curious cases, Miami cut Kyle Van Noy one year into his four-year, $51 million deal, leaving about $36 million unpaid. Van Noy then returned to New England on a two-year, $12 million deal and the Patriots will also get a fourth-round compensation pick in next month’s draft based on the deal Van Noy signed last March.

– The Kansas City Chiefs released starting offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz on Thursday as they sought to squeeze under the salary cap. Fisher and Schwartz were instrumental in helping the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers for their first Super Bowl title in 50 years. Fisher tore his Achilles tendon in the AFC title game and Schwartz missed half the season with a back injury. AdThe Chiefs signed the 31-year-old Schwartz in 2016 to bookend with Fisher on a revamped offensive line. Now, the Chiefs intend to rebuild their offensive line without Fisher and Schwartz factoring in.

Now, the Chiefs will have to take a much different tact if they want to make their third consecutive Super Bowl. While their core group is signed for the next several years, the Chiefs have a raft of important contributors that are due to hit free agency. Ad“Like all teams, we'll get busy here going down the road,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday. “Every year is different because of your cap situation and what you have and what you need,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. WELCOME BACKThe Chiefs should get some help from guys that were injured or opted out of this past season.

The Buccaneers didn't even give him time to skim their defense in the Super Bowl. He was 26 of 49 for 270 yards and two interceptions in a 31-9 blowout that denied the Chiefs back-to-back titles. “They had a good game plan,” said Mahomes, whose quarterback rating of 52.3 was by far the worst of his career. The first-half numbers were striking: Mahomes was 9 of 19 for 67 yards, while Tampa Bay counterpart Tom Brady had dominated the Chiefs defense for 140 yards passing and three TDs in staking the Buccaneers to a 21-6 lead. “To the last snap,” Reid said, “he was trying to win that football game.”It was just that kind of night for Mahomes.

TAMPA, Fla. – Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have touched down at the Super Bowl. The AFC champions arrived in Tampa on Saturday, flying into town a day before they defend their title against the hometown Buccaneers. After spending the week at home, they’ll stay Saturday night at the team hotel — as they usually do for home games. The team had no further comment Saturday after releasing a statement Friday night saying it was in the information-gathering process. Ad“We’re going to be ready to roll come Super Bowl day,” safety Tyrann Mathieu said.

Kansas City Chiefs Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins (14) catches a pass during NFL football practice Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 55. (Steve Sanders/Kansas City Chiefs via AP)TAMPA, Fla. – The Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will head into the Super Bowl on Sunday relatively healthy. Tampa Bay did not list anybody as out on the final injury report. AdThe Buccaneers listed wide receiver Antonio Brown and tight end Cameron Brate as questionable.

The Buccaneers will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55. He wants his young teammates to embrace the moment and understand that regardless of how talented they are, the road back to another Super Bowl will not be easy. Super Bowl is not promised for next year,” Pierre-Paul said. To this day he’s still happy and joyful, and happy I am in another Super Bowl,” Pierre-Paul said. It makes no difference to me,” said Remmers, a ninth-year veteran who has been with eight different organizations and will start his 10th career playoff game, including a second Super Bowl.

“He was determined to get it by any means, wouldn’t let failure be an option,” Barrett recounted. Barrett will have a starting — and maybe starring — role in Super Bowl 55 when the Buccaneers (14-5) face Mahomes and the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs (16-2) Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. Barrett had a monster debut in Tampa, collecting an NFL-best 19½ sacks, forcing six fumbles and earning his first Pro Bowl nod in 2019. Mahomes remembers Barrett in Denver as a player who never let quarterbacks exhale whenever Miller or Chubb tapped out for a breather. He’s got great speed, he’s got great power, he’s got a ton of moves,” Remmers said.

Tampa Bay gets another shot at Hill and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021. It was the second and most impressive of three scores for Hill, who was the star of Kansas City’s 27-24 victory at Tampa Bay in Week 12. Tampa Bay gets another shot at Hill and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl next Sunday, the first rematch in the NFL finale in nearly a decade. Davis was burned repeatedly, including on consecutive TD passes from Patrick Mahomes to Hill (75 and 44 yards) in the first quarter. Down three with 4:10 to play, Tampa turned to its defense to get a stop and get Brady the ball back.

Kansas City Chiefs guard Stefen Wisniewski celebrates at the end of the AFC championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs were supposed to have a talented lineup of millionaires, each a seasoned veteran of the rough-and-tumble NFL, protecting their half-billion dollar quarterback as they defended their Super Bowl title this season. Instead, they'll have a motley cast of late-round draft picks, journeymen and castoffs making up their offensive line. Austin Reiter was the expected center with Laurent Duvernay-Tardif at right guard and Mitchell Schwartz, also a former All-Pro and one of the league's most durable players, handling right tackle. Get it to my playmakers in space and let them make some good things happen.”___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

(AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)For Tom Brady, another trip to the Super Bowl — but this time, in a Tampa Bay uniform. “Whoever would've thought a home Super Bowl for us? It gave New England its third straight trip to the Super Bowl, and Brady's last of nine as a member of the Patriots. He's leading the Buccaneers to only their second Super Bowl; the Bucs won on their first trip, back in 2002. But nobody would mistake Johnson for Brady, who could join Peyton Manning as the only other quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two franchises.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after the AFC championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. – It took the Kansas City Chiefs five frustrating decades to make their third Super Bowl appearance. That’s not how you’re supposed to play football.”It capped a bitter night for the Bills, who had reached their first AFC title game since beating Kansas City at home on Jan. 1, 1994. You don't beat Kansas City by kicking field goals from the 3-yard line, though. He’s fast.”Any hopes the Bills had of a comeback were dashed when Rashad Fenton picked off a tipped pass deep in Kansas City territory.

The Kansas City Chiefs won their first NFL title since 1970 when they beat San Francisco in last year's Super Bowl. What we get Sunday is a matchup of dynamic offenses and overlooked defenses, the top two teams in the conference. Kansas City (15-2) has the confidence of a reigning champion and a charisma few NFL teams can match. That could provide an edge over Bills rookie Tyler Bass — except that Bass has been very reliable all season. Buffalo punter Corey Bojorquez and Kansas City rookie Johnny Townsend were two of the most dependable in the AFC.

Five different players caught at least four passes, led by wide receiver Sammy Watkins with seven grabs and tight end Travis Kelce with six. Four different players caught the TD passes, including fullback Anthony Sherman, who grabbed what amounted to an underhanded shovel pass. In all, Mahomes tried to connect with 11 different players during the 34-20 rout of the defending AFC North champions. Watkins was so magnanimous in the offseason that he restructured his contract to help the Chiefs free up some cap space. Those are definitely coming in every game, a different one — ones that we haven't practiced.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) jumps to pass the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, in Baltimore. The common thread was that just about everything he did worked for the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, who rolled past the Baltimore Ravens 34-20 on Monday night. He stepped up big," Kansas City coach Andy Reid said. Kansas City followed with a three-and-out, but Baltimore simply could not contain Mahomes for long. A 49-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Mecole Hardman put the Chiefs up by 17 at halftime.