KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Poked, prodded and asked about his starting quarterback just about every way possible, Chiefs coach Todd Haley had the same answer every time: Tyler Palko is the guy.
That doesn't mean Kyle Orton won't take the majority of the snaps Sunday at Chicago.
Haley said before practice Wednesday that Palko would receive about 60 percent of the repetitions with the first-team offense this week. Orton, who was claimed off waivers from the Denver Broncos one week ago, will take the remaining 40 percent as he tries to learn the playbook and his new teammates.
"Tyler's our starter. We're getting Kyle ready to play," Haley said. "He's not like a guy who's been here a couple of years. It's a different situation. So we're getting him ready to play."
Orton didn't arrive in Kansas City until Friday, two days after he was claimed, which kept him from having a chance to play last Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Orton was inactive for the game, and Palko threw three interceptions and fumbled a snap in a disheartening 13-9 loss.
Palko took the first set of repetitions in quarterback drills during the few minutes of practice that the media was allowed to observe Wednesday. Orton took the second series.
"It's not a perfect world. It's not going to be perfect," Orton said afterward. "You just make do the best you can, prepare yourself the best you can. That's something that I've always prided myself on, being the best prepared on the field every week."
Orton said that, contrary to some rumors, he wasn't hoping to land in Chicago, which also was looking for a quarterback after losing Jay Cutler to a thumb injury, possibly for the season. The Bears put in a claim on Orton, but the Chiefs got him because they had the priority by virtue of their worse win-loss record.
"That's out of the players hands. I know a lot was made of it," said Orton, who also denied any notion that he contemplated not reporting to Kansas City. "I didn't say anything about that. I think people try to connect the dots and say, you know, he would love to go there."
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
