Tribal Warfare
10-16-2008, 11:02 PM
Former Titans backup quarterback helps Chiefs prepare (http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/844904.html)
By JEFFREY FLANAGAN
The Kansas City Star
With the Titans coming to town, one would expect that Chiefs backup quarterback Ingle Martin has been the man every Chiefs coach, especially Gunther Cunningham, has been talking to.
Martin, picked up from the Titans, just might have a few secrets that could help the Chiefs’ cause, right?
Well, maybe. Maybe not.
“The coaches are in the NFL for a reason,” Martin told me. “They pick up a lot of stuff on their own. The biggest thing for them is getting their players to respond to the things they’ve picked up.
“I don’t know if it helps all that much, the information I can bring from having been there.”
Hasn’t there been something about the Titans’ offense that Martin has shared with his teammates?
“You can tell everyone what you know,” Martin said, “but then the coaches still have to be able to translate that to the players, whether it’s Brandon Flowers or Donnie Edwards. It’s still about coaching and getting your guys ready.
“Every team in the league runs the same routes as we do, the same out routes, corner routes, whatever. That doesn’t help a coaching staff. And it doesn’t help to tell them what the (Titans) plays are called because it’s not like any of the guys on our defense can hear them being called.
“Yeah, there are some things I think I can help with. But really, I can’t just tell you what they are. Their coaches read (the newspapers) and you can’t let them in on what you know.”
The No. 1 way to beat the Titans, Martin said, is to show up ready to play physical football.
“Jeff Fisher gets the guys to play hard week in and week out,” Martin said. “They try to knock your head off on offense and defense. You better be ready for a physical game.”
Young the backup
Hard to believe that someone as physically gifted as Vince Young is now reduced to a backup role with the Titans.
“It’s a learning process for me, but I am over that,” Young told The Tennessean. “It has made me a stronger black man and made me a stronger competitor. When I do get a chance to be back out there, it is going to be a whole other Vince Young.’
Young said despite rumors to the contrary, he is fully behind starter Kerry Collins.
“A lot of people were saying that I’m not supportive of Kerry and I’m not asking him for advice,” Young said. “I don’t know why that’s been going around, but that’s my man, that’s my guy. We have a lot of respect for each other and not just football. He helps me out with accounting and all that kind of things. I want to get that out there right now.
“Right now, No. 5 is the man, he’s hot and I am being supportive of him, just like he was with me.”
CBS crew
The Chiefs-Titans will get the CBS announcing crew of Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker.
By JEFFREY FLANAGAN
The Kansas City Star
With the Titans coming to town, one would expect that Chiefs backup quarterback Ingle Martin has been the man every Chiefs coach, especially Gunther Cunningham, has been talking to.
Martin, picked up from the Titans, just might have a few secrets that could help the Chiefs’ cause, right?
Well, maybe. Maybe not.
“The coaches are in the NFL for a reason,” Martin told me. “They pick up a lot of stuff on their own. The biggest thing for them is getting their players to respond to the things they’ve picked up.
“I don’t know if it helps all that much, the information I can bring from having been there.”
Hasn’t there been something about the Titans’ offense that Martin has shared with his teammates?
“You can tell everyone what you know,” Martin said, “but then the coaches still have to be able to translate that to the players, whether it’s Brandon Flowers or Donnie Edwards. It’s still about coaching and getting your guys ready.
“Every team in the league runs the same routes as we do, the same out routes, corner routes, whatever. That doesn’t help a coaching staff. And it doesn’t help to tell them what the (Titans) plays are called because it’s not like any of the guys on our defense can hear them being called.
“Yeah, there are some things I think I can help with. But really, I can’t just tell you what they are. Their coaches read (the newspapers) and you can’t let them in on what you know.”
The No. 1 way to beat the Titans, Martin said, is to show up ready to play physical football.
“Jeff Fisher gets the guys to play hard week in and week out,” Martin said. “They try to knock your head off on offense and defense. You better be ready for a physical game.”
Young the backup
Hard to believe that someone as physically gifted as Vince Young is now reduced to a backup role with the Titans.
“It’s a learning process for me, but I am over that,” Young told The Tennessean. “It has made me a stronger black man and made me a stronger competitor. When I do get a chance to be back out there, it is going to be a whole other Vince Young.’
Young said despite rumors to the contrary, he is fully behind starter Kerry Collins.
“A lot of people were saying that I’m not supportive of Kerry and I’m not asking him for advice,” Young said. “I don’t know why that’s been going around, but that’s my man, that’s my guy. We have a lot of respect for each other and not just football. He helps me out with accounting and all that kind of things. I want to get that out there right now.
“Right now, No. 5 is the man, he’s hot and I am being supportive of him, just like he was with me.”
CBS crew
The Chiefs-Titans will get the CBS announcing crew of Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker.