Tribal Warfare
10-14-2009, 10:13 PM
Chiefs notebook: Albert’s playing status uncertain (http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/1509347.html)
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs dressed only seven offensive linemen for last week’s game and two of them, starting left tackle Branden Albert included, didn’t practice.
Albert has a sore ankle and his playing status is uncertain for Sunday’s game at Washington.
“His mindset is right, that he wants to make it back,” coach Todd Haley said. “He’s doing everything in his power to be back and I wouldn’t bet against him.”
Reserve lineman Andy Alleman also missed Wednesday’s practice as did starting safety Jarrad Page. Each has an injured shoulder.
Wade Smith replaced Albert for the end of the Dallas game and is at the head of a short line to start against Washington if Albert isn’t ready. The only other option is Ikechuku Ndukwe, but he was not only benched after starting the season’s first three games at right tackle, but he didn’t even dress for the last two games.
Still, Haley said he was seeing progress from the offensive line.
“We had a patchwork deal at the end of the game and we were able to have probably one of our best drives of the game,” Haley said. “I’m encouraged. We’ll find a way.
“We’ve made progress offensive line-wise from a depth standpoint. That’s obviously an area we have to be very good at to be a good team. I feel like at least we have some options.”
Chiefs add linebacker
In a move aimed at least immediately at strengthening their special teams, the Chiefs signed linebacker Justin Rogers. They placed running back Jackie Battle on the injured-reserve list and Haley said Battle would have surgery to repair a damaged shoulder.
Rogers was a sixth-round pick by the Patriots in 2007 but was released after training camp and picked up by the Cowboys. He played two seasons in Dallas and while he rarely got on the field on defense, he was among the team leaders in special teams tackles.
No belts from Portis this time against KC
When Clinton Portis played for the Broncos, he rushed for 218 yards and five touchdowns in a 2003 game against the Chiefs. Afterward, he held up a boxing title belt signifying he had defeated the NFL’s reigning heavyweight running back, the Chiefs’ Priest Holmes.
Portis, now with Washington, said he won’t be holding up any belts if his current team beats the Chiefs and Larry Johnson on Sunday. But that’s as much a statement about 2-3 Washington as it is the 0-5 Chiefs and Johnson.
“I would love to pull out the belt,” said Portis, who is 10th in the league in rushing. “I would love to have a game where I could pull out the belt. But around here that’s the furthest idea from my mind. Finding a way to win first is really the concern.”
Each week of the season, Washington has played against a team that at the time had yet to win a game. But Washington lost to Carolina and Detroit and narrowly defeated Tampa Bay and St. Louis. Washington opened the season losing to the Giants, who are undefeated.
“It keeps you on your toes because teams feel like, ‘We can get it here,’ when they see us on the schedule,” Portis said. “For us, we’re playing down to our competition. I think if we played the Giants and Patriots and Steelers and the top echelon teams every week, we’d go out and run around and compete, compete, compete. We have the most favorable schedule in the NFL and we really haven’t gotten it done.
“We’re sitting at 2-3 so that doesn’t say much about us. We’re playing teams that haven’t won games.”
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs dressed only seven offensive linemen for last week’s game and two of them, starting left tackle Branden Albert included, didn’t practice.
Albert has a sore ankle and his playing status is uncertain for Sunday’s game at Washington.
“His mindset is right, that he wants to make it back,” coach Todd Haley said. “He’s doing everything in his power to be back and I wouldn’t bet against him.”
Reserve lineman Andy Alleman also missed Wednesday’s practice as did starting safety Jarrad Page. Each has an injured shoulder.
Wade Smith replaced Albert for the end of the Dallas game and is at the head of a short line to start against Washington if Albert isn’t ready. The only other option is Ikechuku Ndukwe, but he was not only benched after starting the season’s first three games at right tackle, but he didn’t even dress for the last two games.
Still, Haley said he was seeing progress from the offensive line.
“We had a patchwork deal at the end of the game and we were able to have probably one of our best drives of the game,” Haley said. “I’m encouraged. We’ll find a way.
“We’ve made progress offensive line-wise from a depth standpoint. That’s obviously an area we have to be very good at to be a good team. I feel like at least we have some options.”
Chiefs add linebacker
In a move aimed at least immediately at strengthening their special teams, the Chiefs signed linebacker Justin Rogers. They placed running back Jackie Battle on the injured-reserve list and Haley said Battle would have surgery to repair a damaged shoulder.
Rogers was a sixth-round pick by the Patriots in 2007 but was released after training camp and picked up by the Cowboys. He played two seasons in Dallas and while he rarely got on the field on defense, he was among the team leaders in special teams tackles.
No belts from Portis this time against KC
When Clinton Portis played for the Broncos, he rushed for 218 yards and five touchdowns in a 2003 game against the Chiefs. Afterward, he held up a boxing title belt signifying he had defeated the NFL’s reigning heavyweight running back, the Chiefs’ Priest Holmes.
Portis, now with Washington, said he won’t be holding up any belts if his current team beats the Chiefs and Larry Johnson on Sunday. But that’s as much a statement about 2-3 Washington as it is the 0-5 Chiefs and Johnson.
“I would love to pull out the belt,” said Portis, who is 10th in the league in rushing. “I would love to have a game where I could pull out the belt. But around here that’s the furthest idea from my mind. Finding a way to win first is really the concern.”
Each week of the season, Washington has played against a team that at the time had yet to win a game. But Washington lost to Carolina and Detroit and narrowly defeated Tampa Bay and St. Louis. Washington opened the season losing to the Giants, who are undefeated.
“It keeps you on your toes because teams feel like, ‘We can get it here,’ when they see us on the schedule,” Portis said. “For us, we’re playing down to our competition. I think if we played the Giants and Patriots and Steelers and the top echelon teams every week, we’d go out and run around and compete, compete, compete. We have the most favorable schedule in the NFL and we really haven’t gotten it done.
“We’re sitting at 2-3 so that doesn’t say much about us. We’re playing teams that haven’t won games.”