Chiefs vs. Packers: 5 Players to Watch in Tonight's Preseason Matchup

After the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2010 season, their first winning season since 2006, hope sprung eternal for a resurrection of exciting football in the Midwest’s home for jazz and Gates’ BBQ.

Then the preseason started, and Arrowhead Stadium might as well have hung a sign reading “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.”

To call the Chiefs’ performance in their first three preseason games "lackluster" would be like saying Charlie Sheen has "a couple issues."

Their predominately abysmal play so far this year has crushed Kansas City fans’ optimism with a soft run defense, porous offensive line, and Matt Cassel’s 44% completion percentage.

But the whole "doom and gloom" of preseason football shouldn’t apply to tonight’s game, even if it pits Kansas City against the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.

Todd Haley should open up Kansas City’s playbook for tonight’s game as the Chiefs make their final decisions on their roster and look for some momentum heading into the regular season.

Kansas City has a number of bright points on their roster, even if they didn’t necessarily shine the last three games. Look for them to impress more heading into tonight’s matchup.

Dexter McCluster

The dynamic and electric Dexter McCluster shocked Kansas City with his blazing speed and fluid agility. Originally listed as a running back/wide receiver hybrid, McCluster now works solely as a running back and looks to build on his solid but injury-shortened rookie season.

McCluster has already seen a number of turns in the Chiefs’ offense this preseason. After the debacle of an opener against Tampa Bay, McCluster touched the ball a combined 13 times for 112 yards.

Haley will likely strive for a balance in McCluster’s time on the field during this last preseason game. More time handling the ball will help evaluate how much McCluster will impact the team’s offensive capabilities.

However, his 5’8”, 170-pound frame doesn’t absorb impacts very well, as evidenced by the five games he missed last season. Keeping McCluster healthy will be an important part of maintaining Kansas City’s offensive weapons.

When Haley gives McCluster the ball, though, look out. His big-play capability should be on display tonight and certainly in the coming regular season.

Matt Cassel

Chiefs fans can’t be happy with the two-game, 27-attempt performance Matt Cassel displayed the last couple of weeks.

His first game was comprised of only a handful of handoffs and one botched snap, which didn’t help matters when Cassel completed only 12 of those 27 attempts.

Compare this to last year’s 3,116 yard, 27 touchdown performance and the lack of veteran competition in training camp, and the stage is set for discontent among fans who are desperate for better days in Kansas City.

Fans shouldn’t count Cassel out already for this season, though.

Last year, his numbers didn’t start coming around until Week 3 against San Francisco. And while Cassel started slow, he dominated through the bulk of the season, surpassing a 100 quarterback rating seven times in 15 games.

The competition facing Cassel is tougher this season, but so are the weapons at his disposal. With free agent Steve Breaston and rookie Jonathan Baldwin (once he heals after his scrape with Thomas Jones) added to a roster already loaded with options, Cassel should rise to the occasion.

Look for Cassel to see more time under center as Haley helps him shake off the early rust against Green Bay.

Wide Receivers

All right, so this part isn’t about one player as much as it's about one position group, but there’s plenty to watch for in tonight’s game among the second-tier receivers.

Wide receiver received (no pun intended) the most attention this offseason. After drafting Jonathan Baldwin in the first round and signing Steve Breaston in free agency, the first few slots on the final roster filled up even before training camp began.

Dwayne Bowe is a given for the starter role, and Jerheme Urban quickly locked up his spot after returning from last year’s injury. That leaves precious few openings with plenty of options.

Incumbents Terrance Copper and Verran Tucker both contribute on special teams, and have a couple solid receptions to date this preseason. Tucker might possess the slight edge over Copper only by virtue of being six years younger.

Jeremy Horne is likewise in the mix. A project for the Chiefs, Horne flashes solid receiving skills and would be tough for Kansas City to jettison.

Then there’s Keary Colbert. After an absence from the NFL, Colbert drew Kansas City’s attention after his agent sent a practice video to the front office.

Though he has yet to bring in a reception this year, he’s had a strong training camp and should get a long look in this final preseason game.

The Chiefs face some tough decisions with these players as they finalize their roster, which is a welcome change from 2010. Kansas City started veteran Kevin Curtis in their playoff loss to Baltimore just days after signing him as a free agent.

Rodney Hudson

The heir apparent to ironman Casey Wiegmann, Hudson possesses all the tools to anchor the center of Kansas City’s offensive line for years to come.

At present, however, he needs to adjust to the speed of the game at the professional level.

Hudson’s inexperience showed most in the first preseason game against Tampa Bay. He looked out of position more than once and demonstrated why Wiegmann’s re-signing was essential for the Chiefs this season.

Hudson could find himself thrust into the game on a regular basis ahead of schedule, though. Already lacking depth at guard, Hudson will start on the left side in place of the injured Ryan Lilja.

Hudson projected at both guard and center in the 2011 NFL Draft, so covering the position isn’t that big of a stretch in theory. How he performs tonight, though, will likely resolve the question of whether or not Kansas City hits the waiver wire in earnest for another guard after Saturday.

Linebackers

Linebacker represents another tight race for roster spots.

Standouts Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson already hold two of the starting roles. The other middle linebacker position looks to be Jovan Belcher’s to lose, while rookie Justin Houston presses incumbent Andy Studebaker for the other outside linebacker role.

Second-year player Cory Greenwood already made a strong case for his place on this team, as has veteran Demorrio Williams.

However, the roster gets a little fuzzy from there.

Two other second-year players, Micah Johnson and Justin Cole, both looked good in preseason. Cameron Sheffield, recovered from last year’s neck injury, shows a strong motor and seems to be a favorite for one of the reserve pass rushers.

Most of Kansas City’s special teams players come from the linebacker ranks, which bodes well for those players on the bubble. The Chiefs will likely keep a larger number of linebackers on the roster just for that reason.

Kansas City’s performance on special teams will be especially telling for their final cuts.