Guru
08-31-2007, 02:29 AM
Rams end Chiefs’ misery
By JASON KING
The Kansas City Star
ST. LOUIS | At least now it’s over.
At least now — after Thursday’s 10-3 loss to the Rams — the focus will be on what these Chiefs can become instead of what they’ve been throughout this winless preseason.
“Hard to watch,” was how coach Herm Edwards described a setback at Cleveland a few weeks ago. From there it only got worse.
The Chiefs scored a combined 32 points and a measly three touchdowns in four preseason losses — and one of those was on a fumble return. Brodie Croyle was so inconsistent that Damon Huard won the starting quarterback job despite hardly taking the field. At times, Kansas City looked better defensively. Other times it looked worse.
Still, despite their struggles, the Chiefs seemed upbeat and energized as they left the Edward Jones Dome on Thursday. For them, the regular-season opener at Houston can’t come fast enough.
“Nobody has seen the Kansas City Chiefs play yet,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “Nobody has. We’re a better football team than we were a year ago.”
Some would argue that their preseason performance suggests otherwise — but the Chiefs don’t care. It’d be foolish, they said, to read too much into the dismal statistics that seem to worsen with each defeat.
Especially considering their most potent offensive weapon played just one series in four games.
A contract holdout kept All-Pro running back Larry Johnson off the field until Thursday, when he carried on three straight plays during the Chiefs’ first offensive possession.
Two yards, 7 yards, 3 yards. First down.
“It was good to get in the game,” Johnson said. “That’s the toughest adjustment, getting back in the speed of the game and getting your timing down with your offensive linemen. I need to experience that again.”
That was all the action Johnson received, though, as Edwards pulled him from the game for to avoid injury. Heck, some of the Chiefs’ top players — Huard, Gonzalez, Ty Law, Patrick Surtain Donnie Edwards, Eddie Kennison — didn’t even suit up for the same reason.
That’s why the Chiefs didn’t take Thursday’s loss — or any of them, for that matter — all that hard.
“You haven’t seen the total package,” fullback Boomer Grigsby said. “All the wheels were never turning at once. We’ve got one of the best running backs in the league, and he only played three plays in the preseason. Part of our entire offense is putting pressure on the defense (with Johnson).
“There’s a plan behind everything. We’re not out to give away preseason games, but there’s more to the preseason than just winning.”
Namely developing younger players. A large chunk of the Chiefs who played the final three quarters of Thursday’s game will be hard-pressed to make the squad. Edwards noted that the team entered training camp last month with 42 first-year players or rookies.
“The purpose of the preseason is to evaluate players,” Edwards said. “Now we’ve got a good idea of (what they can do). When it comes time to make these cuts, we’ve got them on tape. We can evaluate it. We can see it. Some guys got better, some guys stayed the same.”
Those who improved the most have a chance to be on the 53-man, opening day roster. Edwards must cut 22 players by Saturday. After that, the Chiefs will begin channeling their attention toward Houston.
“We’ve got some guys that have won some football games,” Edwards said.
“They have to lead this team now.”
Kansas City’s players will have the weekend off before resuming practice Monday.
“You can’t dwell on the preseason record too much,” fullback Kris Wilson said. “When you do you either go into the season overconfident or not believing in yourself enough. I know a lot of teams in the past that went 4-0 in the preseason but didn’t end up doing well in the regular season.
“I feel good about the direction we’re going. Coming into work Monday, we’ll have a totally different mind-set. Guys will be totally focused on the objective at hand, and that’s to win the game. Plain and simple.”
Gonzalez is confident that will happen.
When talking about the Chiefs’ progress, Gonzalez cited roster additions such as linebacker Napoleon Harris, defensive tackle Alfonso Boone and offensive lineman Damion McIntosh.
He reminds you of Huard’s success in a relief role last season and talks about lineman Kyle Turley getting back to his normal weight.
Then there are veterans such as Johnson, Kennison, Law, Edwards, Surtain — and Gonzalez himself.
“All these guys haven’t even been on the field together yet,” Gonzalez said. “We’ve been very vanilla on offense and defense. We haven’t shifted, we haven’t moved, we haven’t motioned. We haven’t even gone with our top five plays.
“I think we’re a better football team than we were last year. I don’t care what anyone says. That’s what I think. All these critics that are predicting us to go four-and-whatever … they’re going to be in for a surprise.”
By JASON KING
The Kansas City Star
ST. LOUIS | At least now it’s over.
At least now — after Thursday’s 10-3 loss to the Rams — the focus will be on what these Chiefs can become instead of what they’ve been throughout this winless preseason.
“Hard to watch,” was how coach Herm Edwards described a setback at Cleveland a few weeks ago. From there it only got worse.
The Chiefs scored a combined 32 points and a measly three touchdowns in four preseason losses — and one of those was on a fumble return. Brodie Croyle was so inconsistent that Damon Huard won the starting quarterback job despite hardly taking the field. At times, Kansas City looked better defensively. Other times it looked worse.
Still, despite their struggles, the Chiefs seemed upbeat and energized as they left the Edward Jones Dome on Thursday. For them, the regular-season opener at Houston can’t come fast enough.
“Nobody has seen the Kansas City Chiefs play yet,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “Nobody has. We’re a better football team than we were a year ago.”
Some would argue that their preseason performance suggests otherwise — but the Chiefs don’t care. It’d be foolish, they said, to read too much into the dismal statistics that seem to worsen with each defeat.
Especially considering their most potent offensive weapon played just one series in four games.
A contract holdout kept All-Pro running back Larry Johnson off the field until Thursday, when he carried on three straight plays during the Chiefs’ first offensive possession.
Two yards, 7 yards, 3 yards. First down.
“It was good to get in the game,” Johnson said. “That’s the toughest adjustment, getting back in the speed of the game and getting your timing down with your offensive linemen. I need to experience that again.”
That was all the action Johnson received, though, as Edwards pulled him from the game for to avoid injury. Heck, some of the Chiefs’ top players — Huard, Gonzalez, Ty Law, Patrick Surtain Donnie Edwards, Eddie Kennison — didn’t even suit up for the same reason.
That’s why the Chiefs didn’t take Thursday’s loss — or any of them, for that matter — all that hard.
“You haven’t seen the total package,” fullback Boomer Grigsby said. “All the wheels were never turning at once. We’ve got one of the best running backs in the league, and he only played three plays in the preseason. Part of our entire offense is putting pressure on the defense (with Johnson).
“There’s a plan behind everything. We’re not out to give away preseason games, but there’s more to the preseason than just winning.”
Namely developing younger players. A large chunk of the Chiefs who played the final three quarters of Thursday’s game will be hard-pressed to make the squad. Edwards noted that the team entered training camp last month with 42 first-year players or rookies.
“The purpose of the preseason is to evaluate players,” Edwards said. “Now we’ve got a good idea of (what they can do). When it comes time to make these cuts, we’ve got them on tape. We can evaluate it. We can see it. Some guys got better, some guys stayed the same.”
Those who improved the most have a chance to be on the 53-man, opening day roster. Edwards must cut 22 players by Saturday. After that, the Chiefs will begin channeling their attention toward Houston.
“We’ve got some guys that have won some football games,” Edwards said.
“They have to lead this team now.”
Kansas City’s players will have the weekend off before resuming practice Monday.
“You can’t dwell on the preseason record too much,” fullback Kris Wilson said. “When you do you either go into the season overconfident or not believing in yourself enough. I know a lot of teams in the past that went 4-0 in the preseason but didn’t end up doing well in the regular season.
“I feel good about the direction we’re going. Coming into work Monday, we’ll have a totally different mind-set. Guys will be totally focused on the objective at hand, and that’s to win the game. Plain and simple.”
Gonzalez is confident that will happen.
When talking about the Chiefs’ progress, Gonzalez cited roster additions such as linebacker Napoleon Harris, defensive tackle Alfonso Boone and offensive lineman Damion McIntosh.
He reminds you of Huard’s success in a relief role last season and talks about lineman Kyle Turley getting back to his normal weight.
Then there are veterans such as Johnson, Kennison, Law, Edwards, Surtain — and Gonzalez himself.
“All these guys haven’t even been on the field together yet,” Gonzalez said. “We’ve been very vanilla on offense and defense. We haven’t shifted, we haven’t moved, we haven’t motioned. We haven’t even gone with our top five plays.
“I think we’re a better football team than we were last year. I don’t care what anyone says. That’s what I think. All these critics that are predicting us to go four-and-whatever … they’re going to be in for a surprise.”