Teicher: Weis says Chiefs offense will bring its game on Sunday

[Tribal Warfare]

Weis says Chiefs offense will bring its game on Sunday
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

Charlie Weis was in a corner with his back to the wall. Crowded by reporters wanting answers, Weis stood against the retaining wall near the tunnel at Arrowhead Stadium and did the only thing he could.

He came out battling.

Weis, the veteran offensive coordinator, indicated he was embarrassed by the way the Chiefs played in last week’s 31-10 loss to Oakland. But he also said he didn’t believe the Chiefs would play that way in Sunday’s first-round playoff game against Baltimore at Arrowhead Stadium.

“Every game is a different set of encyclopedias,” Weis said Friday in his weekly news conference. “The game last week really has no bearing on the game this week, other than the fact (the Ravens) get to watch that. If I was them, I’d be encouraged about what I watched on tape. I probably would have enjoyed it.

“But the flip side is those players are watching that and saying, ‘Oh, we’re going to get after them and we’re going to get to them.’ I think you’ll see a different (Chiefs) team show up.”

Weis’ situation could have had something to do with the Chiefs’ inconsistency. Last week, word leaked that Weis had accepted the job as offensive coordinator at the University of Florida.

In an interview with the Kansas City Star after Sunday’s game, Weis indicated the Chiefs had put in as much time and prepared for the Raiders as fastidiously as they do for any other game.

As if to prove he was concentrating on the Baltimore game, Weis wouldn’t answer questions about Florida or why he’s leaving and got feisty when reporters persisted.

“Let’s just worry about the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday at noon,” Weis said. “That’s what we’re here for.”

Weis also became frustrated with questions about the Ravens, who feature four Pro Bowl defensive players: defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs and safety Ed Reed.

Asked whether the Chiefs would be in awe of their opponents Sunday, Weis snapped back.

“We’re well past that stage,” he said. “It’s really about what we’re going to do against them and not what they’re going to do against us. That’s the way you have to approach it as an offensive player and staff. If not, you’re going to end up on the defensive instead of attacking.”

Weis didn’t agree with suggestions that the offensive line was mainly at fault last week against the Raiders. Chiefs quarterbacks were sacked a season-high seven times.

“I don’t think it was just the offensive line,” Weis said. “Our offense struggled. It was across the board from me right on down. I think that was not our best performance. I think that will be different this week.”

Weis has plenty of experience preparing for playoff games. He was the offensive coordinator for New England during each of the Patriots’ three Super Bowl championship seasons.

The Chiefs have some veterans with playoff experience, but not as many as the Ravens. So Weis said he felt compelled to share some of his wisdom with the players.

“You have to really be tunnel-visioned into one game at a time,” he said. “If you think about the big picture, if you think about down the road, then you’re going to end up going home early. Just as long as the focus stays on the game at hand … we might have a chance of playing again next week.

“We have plenty of guys that have played in playoff games here. We have plenty of coaches that have coached in playoff games here. There will be no shortage of excitement with our group come Sunday at 12 o’clock.”