jAZ
08-14-2005, 05:53 PM
Below is the article from the Star just before the game... each of these guys were named as players which the preseason were "huge".
For those who got to watch, how did these guys do?
Craphonso Thorpe
Jeris McIntyre
John Booth
Richard Smith
Kevin Sampson
Marc Boerigter
Chris Horn
Scott Fujita
Benny Sapp
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/football/nfl/kansas_city_chiefs/12367398.htm
Preseason opener huge for many Chiefs
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
MINNEAPOLIS — For proof that preseason games mean different things to different players, check out tonight’s meeting between the Chiefs and Vikings at the Metrodome.
For established Chiefs like Trent Green and Eric Hicks, the game is like crossing a minefield. They want to get to the other side without a significant injury.
For many others, it’s so much more, such as the chance to win a job.
Tonight’s game, the preseason opener, provides the Chiefs with their first opportunity at player evaluation against outside competition. They declined their customary joint practice session with the Vikings this year.
Coach Dick Vermeil is less interested in team achievements and more interested in individual accomplishments.
“We’ve got to see them play in a live situation, tackle full speed, catch the ball full speed,” Vermeil said. “That’s what the preseason games are for, to execute the fundamentals in an intense environment. Whether you win the game or not doesn’t make that much difference.”
The competition for jobs is intense at a few positions, wide receiver in particular. Rookie Craphonso Thorpe and other players with little or no NFL experience — Jeris McIntyre, John Booth and Richard Smith — are trying to win a roster spot.
The Chiefs have been encouraged by their play at training camp, but that’s meaningless if they fail tonight.
“I want to see that in a game,” Vermeil said. “None of these guys have been hit. Some kids, young in this league, in the first preseason game or two are a little bit timid. Some of them don’t know what it means to play the game fast when they’re not the so-called primary receiver. They think they’re not going to get the ball, and all of a sudden the quarterback reads the coverage and throws the ball, and he’s going half-speed.
“Chances are you won’t stay here very long doing that. You see this sometimes under pressure better than you do on your own practice field.”
Tonight’s game is crucial for other Chiefs as well:
■ Kevin Sampson. Vermeil awarded the vacant starting right tackle spot to Sampson, who has given the Chiefs every reason to believe he can handle the job. But there’s plenty of time to switch to Jordan Black if Sampson doesn’t play well tonight and in the subsequent three exhibition games.
His opponent tonight should be defensive end Kenechi Udeze, Minnesota’s first-round draft pick last year. Udeze, who had five sacks as a rookie, will provide Sampson a strong test.
■ Marc Boerigter. The Chiefs and Boerigter, a wide receiver, believe he is back to where he was last year before tearing up his knee during the preseason. But he won’t know for sure until he gets back in a game.
“The big thing for me will be the preseason games,” he said. “Going back in there and taking hits will be a big step. I feel comfortable about taking hits. I’m not tentative with my knee. It’s healthy. It’s just a matter of getting back into that live action.
“For my own piece of mind, it will probably take a game to know for sure. But I feel I’m there. My speed is definitely back. You always feel fast but you never know until you see yourself on film. I squashed that pretty much the first day.”
■ Chris Horn. Like Boerigter, Horn can go a long way toward cementing a spare receiving job with a strong preseason. He doesn’t have ideal speed, but Horn is the Chiefs’ best pure receiver.
He is also the ultimate underdog after coming from first tiny Rocky Mountain College and then the Arena League. Vermeil has a soft spot for players like Horn.
“For someone to replace Chris Horn, they’re going to have to do it the old-fashioned way,” he said. “It’s hard to replace a veteran who’s been doing a good job. The way a lot of young kids do it is to be just outstanding on special teams and still be productive or a guy you feel secure about playing a position in a game.”
Some game snaps should be available for spare receivers. The Chiefs don’t plan to make a full-time player of starter Samie Parker. Some of that work will go to Dante Hall, some to Boerigter, Horn or others who might make the roster.
■ Scott Fujita. The emergence of several young linebackers could squeeze Fujita, a former starter, out of a job. He could still persuade the Chiefs to keep him, but time is running low.
He had arthroscopic surgery in April, and that makes his mission more difficult.
“It’s been about four months post-op now,” he said. “They said it would probably be four, five months before I really started to notice a difference. There are certain areas where I’m not quite there yet.
“It’s just the first preseason game, so I have some time. But there’s always a sense of urgency to get back on the field.”
■ Benny Sapp. The Chiefs have Sapp playing as their third cornerback rather than either of two accomplished veterans, Ashley Ambrose and Dewayne Washington. He got off to a slow start in camp but has played better lately.
That trend must continue tonight if the Chiefs stick with Sapp rather than make the move to one of the veterans.
For those who got to watch, how did these guys do?
Craphonso Thorpe
Jeris McIntyre
John Booth
Richard Smith
Kevin Sampson
Marc Boerigter
Chris Horn
Scott Fujita
Benny Sapp
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/football/nfl/kansas_city_chiefs/12367398.htm
Preseason opener huge for many Chiefs
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
MINNEAPOLIS — For proof that preseason games mean different things to different players, check out tonight’s meeting between the Chiefs and Vikings at the Metrodome.
For established Chiefs like Trent Green and Eric Hicks, the game is like crossing a minefield. They want to get to the other side without a significant injury.
For many others, it’s so much more, such as the chance to win a job.
Tonight’s game, the preseason opener, provides the Chiefs with their first opportunity at player evaluation against outside competition. They declined their customary joint practice session with the Vikings this year.
Coach Dick Vermeil is less interested in team achievements and more interested in individual accomplishments.
“We’ve got to see them play in a live situation, tackle full speed, catch the ball full speed,” Vermeil said. “That’s what the preseason games are for, to execute the fundamentals in an intense environment. Whether you win the game or not doesn’t make that much difference.”
The competition for jobs is intense at a few positions, wide receiver in particular. Rookie Craphonso Thorpe and other players with little or no NFL experience — Jeris McIntyre, John Booth and Richard Smith — are trying to win a roster spot.
The Chiefs have been encouraged by their play at training camp, but that’s meaningless if they fail tonight.
“I want to see that in a game,” Vermeil said. “None of these guys have been hit. Some kids, young in this league, in the first preseason game or two are a little bit timid. Some of them don’t know what it means to play the game fast when they’re not the so-called primary receiver. They think they’re not going to get the ball, and all of a sudden the quarterback reads the coverage and throws the ball, and he’s going half-speed.
“Chances are you won’t stay here very long doing that. You see this sometimes under pressure better than you do on your own practice field.”
Tonight’s game is crucial for other Chiefs as well:
■ Kevin Sampson. Vermeil awarded the vacant starting right tackle spot to Sampson, who has given the Chiefs every reason to believe he can handle the job. But there’s plenty of time to switch to Jordan Black if Sampson doesn’t play well tonight and in the subsequent three exhibition games.
His opponent tonight should be defensive end Kenechi Udeze, Minnesota’s first-round draft pick last year. Udeze, who had five sacks as a rookie, will provide Sampson a strong test.
■ Marc Boerigter. The Chiefs and Boerigter, a wide receiver, believe he is back to where he was last year before tearing up his knee during the preseason. But he won’t know for sure until he gets back in a game.
“The big thing for me will be the preseason games,” he said. “Going back in there and taking hits will be a big step. I feel comfortable about taking hits. I’m not tentative with my knee. It’s healthy. It’s just a matter of getting back into that live action.
“For my own piece of mind, it will probably take a game to know for sure. But I feel I’m there. My speed is definitely back. You always feel fast but you never know until you see yourself on film. I squashed that pretty much the first day.”
■ Chris Horn. Like Boerigter, Horn can go a long way toward cementing a spare receiving job with a strong preseason. He doesn’t have ideal speed, but Horn is the Chiefs’ best pure receiver.
He is also the ultimate underdog after coming from first tiny Rocky Mountain College and then the Arena League. Vermeil has a soft spot for players like Horn.
“For someone to replace Chris Horn, they’re going to have to do it the old-fashioned way,” he said. “It’s hard to replace a veteran who’s been doing a good job. The way a lot of young kids do it is to be just outstanding on special teams and still be productive or a guy you feel secure about playing a position in a game.”
Some game snaps should be available for spare receivers. The Chiefs don’t plan to make a full-time player of starter Samie Parker. Some of that work will go to Dante Hall, some to Boerigter, Horn or others who might make the roster.
■ Scott Fujita. The emergence of several young linebackers could squeeze Fujita, a former starter, out of a job. He could still persuade the Chiefs to keep him, but time is running low.
He had arthroscopic surgery in April, and that makes his mission more difficult.
“It’s been about four months post-op now,” he said. “They said it would probably be four, five months before I really started to notice a difference. There are certain areas where I’m not quite there yet.
“It’s just the first preseason game, so I have some time. But there’s always a sense of urgency to get back on the field.”
■ Benny Sapp. The Chiefs have Sapp playing as their third cornerback rather than either of two accomplished veterans, Ashley Ambrose and Dewayne Washington. He got off to a slow start in camp but has played better lately.
That trend must continue tonight if the Chiefs stick with Sapp rather than make the move to one of the veterans.