Tribal Warfare
09-15-2008, 11:21 PM
Questions surround Chiefs’ QB situation (http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/798716.html)
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star
Oakland’s Thomas Howard put Chiefs quarterback Damon Huard down hard Sunday. Huard left in the first quarter because of what’s been described as a head or neck injury.
T yler Thigpen found out that Damon Huard had been injured when everyone else did: two quarters after it happened. The Chiefs’ next secret could be which of the two quarterbacks will start Sunday at Atlanta — and Thigpen doesn’t know the answer to that one, either.
Then again, he has been out of the loop on a few important bits of information recently.
Huard’s injury occurred in the first quarter of Sunday’s 23-8 loss to Oakland. Other than a few plays in which Marques Hagans lined up at quarterback, Thigpen — who had been told he would play some — played until the end.
That’s about the time a confused Thigpen walked up to Huard on the sideline and wondered why the veteran hadn’t returned.
“I asked him, ‘What’s going on?’ ” Thigpen said Monday. “He was like, ‘I ended up hurting my neck,’ or whatever it was.
“I don’t know what’s going on with Damon.”
Few do. Other than high-ranking Chiefs insiders and Huard himself, few at Arrowhead Stadium know the specifics of Huard’s mysterious injury. Even a day after the so-called head or neck injury, Huard wouldn’t discuss specifics and wouldn’t elaborate on who might start Sunday.
“We haven’t talked a whole lot about next week,” he said.
Coach Herm Edwards said the Chiefs hadn’t decided between Huard and Thigpen. They’ll decide that Wednesday, Edwards said. He wouldn’t say whether Huard would start if he’s healthy, or if Thigpen is the starter regardless.
“We’re going to look at it,” Edwards said.
Edwards did say the Chiefs are moving forward with Huard, Thigpen and Ingle Martin as their available quarterbacks. For now, Kansas City will not be looking at acquiring an additional passer to help the Chiefs until starter Brodie Croyle can return from a separated right shoulder.
“We’re standing pat for right now,” Edwards said.
Which means Sunday’s starter, barring a new twist to the Chiefs’ latest mystery, will be Thigpen or Huard. The men stood on opposite sides of Kansas City’s locker room Monday and said similar things: They have no idea who’ll start against the Falcons.
Thigpen said it could depend on Huard’s health, and Huard kept trying to explain what exactly was wrong with his health. This is about all the Chiefs can agree on: Huard was injured while being sacked in the first quarter Sunday.
The Chiefs said after the game that Huard suffered a head injury. Edwards said Huard was lifted because of dizzy spells. Huard then said his neck had been hurt.
Huard stuck with the neck injury story Monday, twisting his torso to address reporters and minimizing movement of his neck, but then suggested he might have suffered a concussion — which is a brain injury.
“There might have been a little bit of that,” Huard said. “I watched it today for the first time, and my head was yanked pretty good. There were a few symptoms.
“Certainly my neck is really stiff.”
Huard said he hadn’t been treated Monday for a concussion.
Thigpen, meanwhile, isn’t waiting for any more last-minute updates. He said he’s preparing this week as if he’ll be the starter. He reiterated Monday that he needs to “improve as a player,” which he said begins with seeing the field better and looking off defenders before making passes.
Thigpen completed 14 of 33 passes for 151 yards with one touchdown and an interception Sunday. He started three for 13, and many of his early passes were close to being intercepted. Thigpen said he knows that has to stop or the Chiefs won’t need this much time to decide who’s not their quarterback.
In the meantime, the rest of the Chiefs are just waiting to see how coaches end the most recent story line at Arrowhead.
“It’s up to us, whatever they call, we have to make it work,” center Rudy Niswanger said. “We just have to trust that the coaches know what they’re doing.”
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star
Oakland’s Thomas Howard put Chiefs quarterback Damon Huard down hard Sunday. Huard left in the first quarter because of what’s been described as a head or neck injury.
T yler Thigpen found out that Damon Huard had been injured when everyone else did: two quarters after it happened. The Chiefs’ next secret could be which of the two quarterbacks will start Sunday at Atlanta — and Thigpen doesn’t know the answer to that one, either.
Then again, he has been out of the loop on a few important bits of information recently.
Huard’s injury occurred in the first quarter of Sunday’s 23-8 loss to Oakland. Other than a few plays in which Marques Hagans lined up at quarterback, Thigpen — who had been told he would play some — played until the end.
That’s about the time a confused Thigpen walked up to Huard on the sideline and wondered why the veteran hadn’t returned.
“I asked him, ‘What’s going on?’ ” Thigpen said Monday. “He was like, ‘I ended up hurting my neck,’ or whatever it was.
“I don’t know what’s going on with Damon.”
Few do. Other than high-ranking Chiefs insiders and Huard himself, few at Arrowhead Stadium know the specifics of Huard’s mysterious injury. Even a day after the so-called head or neck injury, Huard wouldn’t discuss specifics and wouldn’t elaborate on who might start Sunday.
“We haven’t talked a whole lot about next week,” he said.
Coach Herm Edwards said the Chiefs hadn’t decided between Huard and Thigpen. They’ll decide that Wednesday, Edwards said. He wouldn’t say whether Huard would start if he’s healthy, or if Thigpen is the starter regardless.
“We’re going to look at it,” Edwards said.
Edwards did say the Chiefs are moving forward with Huard, Thigpen and Ingle Martin as their available quarterbacks. For now, Kansas City will not be looking at acquiring an additional passer to help the Chiefs until starter Brodie Croyle can return from a separated right shoulder.
“We’re standing pat for right now,” Edwards said.
Which means Sunday’s starter, barring a new twist to the Chiefs’ latest mystery, will be Thigpen or Huard. The men stood on opposite sides of Kansas City’s locker room Monday and said similar things: They have no idea who’ll start against the Falcons.
Thigpen said it could depend on Huard’s health, and Huard kept trying to explain what exactly was wrong with his health. This is about all the Chiefs can agree on: Huard was injured while being sacked in the first quarter Sunday.
The Chiefs said after the game that Huard suffered a head injury. Edwards said Huard was lifted because of dizzy spells. Huard then said his neck had been hurt.
Huard stuck with the neck injury story Monday, twisting his torso to address reporters and minimizing movement of his neck, but then suggested he might have suffered a concussion — which is a brain injury.
“There might have been a little bit of that,” Huard said. “I watched it today for the first time, and my head was yanked pretty good. There were a few symptoms.
“Certainly my neck is really stiff.”
Huard said he hadn’t been treated Monday for a concussion.
Thigpen, meanwhile, isn’t waiting for any more last-minute updates. He said he’s preparing this week as if he’ll be the starter. He reiterated Monday that he needs to “improve as a player,” which he said begins with seeing the field better and looking off defenders before making passes.
Thigpen completed 14 of 33 passes for 151 yards with one touchdown and an interception Sunday. He started three for 13, and many of his early passes were close to being intercepted. Thigpen said he knows that has to stop or the Chiefs won’t need this much time to decide who’s not their quarterback.
In the meantime, the rest of the Chiefs are just waiting to see how coaches end the most recent story line at Arrowhead.
“It’s up to us, whatever they call, we have to make it work,” center Rudy Niswanger said. “We just have to trust that the coaches know what they’re doing.”