Tribal Warfare
09-01-2008, 10:24 PM
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/777315.html
Chiefs feel good about themselves as they head into opener
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
With 15 rookies on their opening-day roster, the Chiefs are a team in need of years. They might prefer to turn the calendar to 2009 or 2010, when Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert, Brandon Flowers and their many other young players have the wisdom that only playing experience can bring.
They are not, unlike at this point in each of the last two seasons, a team in need of days and weeks. While their 2-2 preseason was not as successful as they hoped, neither was it as disjointed as it was in either of the two other seasons under Herm Edwards.
Then, the Chiefs entered the regular season a team in need of more preparation time. They didn’t get it and were clobbered in their season opener two years ago by Cincinnati and last year by Houston.
They’ve had easier opening-day assignments than this, having to go to New England to play the defending AFC champion Patriots. But, the quality of their opponent notwithstanding, they feel better able to get off to a quick start.
“We definitely don’t need any more time,” safety Jarrad Page said. “We’ve got everything in place. I can’t speak for the offense, but for the defense, having more time wouldn’t do anything for us at this point.
“This year we’re at a point where everybody on the squad is a lot more comfortable with just who we are as a football team. Instead of worrying about what (opponent) we’ve got coming up, guys are more certain about themselves and what we are and how good we can be.
“We’re ready to go.”
While the Chiefs might prefer to begin their season at Arrowhead Stadium or anywhere but against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, a game like this so early in their rebuilding process has one advantage.
They will get to see, for better or for worse, how they measure up against the best.
“It’s probably the best way for us to start,” Edwards said. “We get a barometer of where you’re at right now. There’s no guessing. When it’s over, you can look at your football team and go, ‘OK, this is where we’re at.’ That’s the good thing about playing a team that’s this good.
“You’re going to get something out of it either way. You’re going to find out a lot about your team and the earlier you know, the better.”
The Patriots scored 30 or more points in 12 of their regular-season games last year, so the chances are that the Chiefs will be discouraged by what they learn. Still, they’ll have every right to believe better days are ahead.
With so many young players, the Chiefs can almost count on making some progress as the season goes on. That won’t help them in New England.
One reason Edwards played the starters so much in the preseason is that he wanted them as ready as possible when the real season began.
“Playing so much in the preseason is going to help us,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “I played more in the preseason than I have since my rookie year. That’s a good thing. We needed to work together. We needed to play together because we’re learning a new system.
“I do believe we’ll start out better offensively. We haven’t had guys going out and coming back in. That’s been different than the last couple of years. We’ve been together. We’ve had only one injury and that’s Branden Albert.
“So it’s coming along. I’d say we’re right about where we want to be.”
On defense, linebacker Donnie Edwards was the only starter to miss extended time. He returned for the final preseason game against St. Louis and should be available to play against New England.
In his absence, the Chiefs made three lineup changes, promoting linebacker Pat Thomas and defensive linemen Tank Tyler and Turk McBride to regulars. While those switches were made with the bigger picture in mind, the Chiefs made them early in camp so the new players would be ready by Sunday.
“I don’t remember having this feeling last year when we were getting ready to start the season,” Page said. “I didn’t get the vibe that everybody was on the same page and that they had a guy at every position that they really liked and could do what they want to do.
“We’re going to play what we want to play. We’re going to come out and play man-to-man and we’re going to play zone, whatever we feel we need to run to get a win, and we’re very comfortable with the guys we’ve got lined up, that they could play all the coverages. It didn’t feel like things we’re going in that direction last year.”
Chiefs feel good about themselves as they head into opener
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
With 15 rookies on their opening-day roster, the Chiefs are a team in need of years. They might prefer to turn the calendar to 2009 or 2010, when Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert, Brandon Flowers and their many other young players have the wisdom that only playing experience can bring.
They are not, unlike at this point in each of the last two seasons, a team in need of days and weeks. While their 2-2 preseason was not as successful as they hoped, neither was it as disjointed as it was in either of the two other seasons under Herm Edwards.
Then, the Chiefs entered the regular season a team in need of more preparation time. They didn’t get it and were clobbered in their season opener two years ago by Cincinnati and last year by Houston.
They’ve had easier opening-day assignments than this, having to go to New England to play the defending AFC champion Patriots. But, the quality of their opponent notwithstanding, they feel better able to get off to a quick start.
“We definitely don’t need any more time,” safety Jarrad Page said. “We’ve got everything in place. I can’t speak for the offense, but for the defense, having more time wouldn’t do anything for us at this point.
“This year we’re at a point where everybody on the squad is a lot more comfortable with just who we are as a football team. Instead of worrying about what (opponent) we’ve got coming up, guys are more certain about themselves and what we are and how good we can be.
“We’re ready to go.”
While the Chiefs might prefer to begin their season at Arrowhead Stadium or anywhere but against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, a game like this so early in their rebuilding process has one advantage.
They will get to see, for better or for worse, how they measure up against the best.
“It’s probably the best way for us to start,” Edwards said. “We get a barometer of where you’re at right now. There’s no guessing. When it’s over, you can look at your football team and go, ‘OK, this is where we’re at.’ That’s the good thing about playing a team that’s this good.
“You’re going to get something out of it either way. You’re going to find out a lot about your team and the earlier you know, the better.”
The Patriots scored 30 or more points in 12 of their regular-season games last year, so the chances are that the Chiefs will be discouraged by what they learn. Still, they’ll have every right to believe better days are ahead.
With so many young players, the Chiefs can almost count on making some progress as the season goes on. That won’t help them in New England.
One reason Edwards played the starters so much in the preseason is that he wanted them as ready as possible when the real season began.
“Playing so much in the preseason is going to help us,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “I played more in the preseason than I have since my rookie year. That’s a good thing. We needed to work together. We needed to play together because we’re learning a new system.
“I do believe we’ll start out better offensively. We haven’t had guys going out and coming back in. That’s been different than the last couple of years. We’ve been together. We’ve had only one injury and that’s Branden Albert.
“So it’s coming along. I’d say we’re right about where we want to be.”
On defense, linebacker Donnie Edwards was the only starter to miss extended time. He returned for the final preseason game against St. Louis and should be available to play against New England.
In his absence, the Chiefs made three lineup changes, promoting linebacker Pat Thomas and defensive linemen Tank Tyler and Turk McBride to regulars. While those switches were made with the bigger picture in mind, the Chiefs made them early in camp so the new players would be ready by Sunday.
“I don’t remember having this feeling last year when we were getting ready to start the season,” Page said. “I didn’t get the vibe that everybody was on the same page and that they had a guy at every position that they really liked and could do what they want to do.
“We’re going to play what we want to play. We’re going to come out and play man-to-man and we’re going to play zone, whatever we feel we need to run to get a win, and we’re very comfortable with the guys we’ve got lined up, that they could play all the coverages. It didn’t feel like things we’re going in that direction last year.”