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12-08-2004, 02:11 AM | |
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Carter: These kids are all right
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/10363451.htm
These kids are all right Chiefs' young players have stepped up By IVAN CARTER The Kansas City Star If the Chiefs and Titans were in the NFC, they'd enter Monday night's matchup with dreams of a playoff run still dancing in their heads. However, because both squads are in the AFC, they'll be playing for something else: the future. When the Chiefs' season officially hit the skids with a loss at New Orleans three weeks ago, coach Dick Vermeil made it clear that he wouldn't usher in a youth movement just for the future's sake. Still, the Chiefs are heading in that direction anyway. Injuries have created playing time for fresh faces like running back Larry Johnson, who rushed for a career-high 118 yards in Sunday's victory at Oakland, safety Willie Pile, who finished second on the team with six tackles in the victory, and offensive lineman Jordan Black, who despite having not played right tackle since high school, filled in ably at that spot when Chris Bober went down in the third quarter. Also, rookie defensive end Jared Allen played almost the entire game and picked up his sixth and seventh sacks of the season while first-year kicker Lawrence Tynes, who missed an extra point during crunch time of a loss at Jacksonville on Oct. 17, looked deep into the heart of the Black Hole and nailed a key 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. As the Chiefs celebrated the victory in the visiting locker room on Sunday, some of the visibly happy players were youngsters like Johnson, Pile, Black, Allen and Tynes. “We just got a real taste of what the Chiefs-Raiders rivalry is all about,” said Pile, whose clutch fourth-quarter tackle on Ronald Curry may have prevented a touchdown. “We all know about it from watching the older guys, but it's a situation where you really can't understand what it's like until you're out there in the game. It feels real good as a young player to come out in a game like this and help us get a win.” Pile, who was a seventh-round pick out of Virginia Tech in the 2003 draft, is one of 12 rookie or first-year players on the Chiefs' active roster. Another seven players, including Johnson, Black, defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson and middle linebacker Kawika Mitchell, are in their second seasons. As the season winds down, more of the team's young players will get a chance to show what they can do. Specifically, rookie tight end Kris Wilson continues to make progress after re-aggravating a leg injury a few weeks ago and could see action against the Titans on Monday night and rookie offensive tackle Kevin Sampson, a seventh-round draft choice who was one of the pleasant surprises of training camp, could see action at right tackle. Other rookies, like linebacker Keyaron Fox, linebacker Rich Scanlon and cornerback Benny Sapp, were active and participated on special teams Sunday. Yet another, wide receiver Samie Parker, dressed but did not play. Allen continues to stand out as a playmaker. He needs three sacks in the final four games to reach 10 for the season, an accomplishment that would match Derrick Thomas' sack total as a rookie in 1989. The last Chiefs defensive lineman to reach double digits in sacks was Eric Hicks, who totaled 14 in 2000. The Chiefs haven't had a double-digit sack total come out of the right defensive end position — key because that is the blind side of most quarterbacks — since Thomas racked up 12 in 1998. Listed at 6 feet 6, 265 pounds, Allen is sometimes driven off the line of scrimmage by offensive tackles much larger than him, and he's had more than one pass rush conclude with him on the ground. But he counters a lack of bulk with an explosive first step and a motor that never quits. Allen also has played the role of team comedian. To celebrate Halloween and Vermeil's birthday, Allen showed up for a team meeting sporting nothing more than a black Speedo swimsuit, goggles and six gold medals a la Olympic champion Michael Phelps. “His progress has exceeded where I thought it would be 12 weeks into the season,” Vermeil said. “I thought he'd be a player, I think we all did when we drafted him. … The number one thing a kid like Jared Allen brings to a team is a passion to play. It doesn't matter if it's on the practice field or pregame warmup or the last snap of the fourth quarter, he has a passion to compete and play the game equivalent to anyone on our roster.” Vermeil, his coaching staff and the Chiefs' front office will continue to evaluate the team's young players over the course of the next four weeks. A few of them already have carved out a place for themselves next season and beyond while others, like Wilson and Parker, are looking forward to getting that chance. “There are some kids that love to play and don't mind working hard and have really taken the time to evaluate the Will Shieldses, the Eric Hickses, Tony Gonzalezs, the Johnnie Mortons and Eddie Kennisons,” Vermeil said. “They've watched how they work and how they prepare. Those guys are great examples and (the young) players can learn from them.” |
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12-08-2004, 12:43 PM | #31 | |
Don't Tease Me
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Quote:
this year our defense is all the field sooooooooo long that the "hustle" sacks are bound to turn up.
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12-08-2004, 12:59 PM | #32 | |
Banded
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Conversation would be vastly improved by the constant use of four simple words: I do not know. |
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12-08-2004, 01:00 PM | #33 | |
MVP
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12-08-2004, 01:24 PM | #34 | |
Time For Your Wake Up Call !!!
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Just think, If Eric (the road grader ) Downing was here, that would be 3 Cuse players on the roster.
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12-08-2004, 01:27 PM | #35 | |
Defense Homer
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What he said...
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That makes a lot more sense to me. xoxo~ Gaz Would think a very good secondary made a DEs life easier until the PI rules were changed. |
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