tk13
09-20-2004, 01:06 AM
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/football/nfl/kansas_city_chiefs/9708658.htm
At a desperate time, Chiefs mysteriously leave Priest on the sideline
JEFFREY FLANAGAN OVERHEARD AT ARROWHEAD
First things first. Priest Holmes, who was bent back awkwardly with just more than 8 minutes remaining and didn't return, said he was all right after the game.
Then why didn't Holmes return to the action?
“I don't know,” Holmes said. “You'll have to ask the coaches.”
But coach Dick Vermeil was fairly elusive.
“I asked him if he was healthy, and he said he was fine,” was all Vermeil said about why Holmes wasn't in the game toward the end, particularly during the Chiefs' final gasp with just more than 4 minutes left.
That was when the Chiefs were trailing 28-17 and needing a quick score.
But with fourth down and 3 to go from the Carolina 48, the Chiefs called a pitch sweep — not to Holmes, but to Derrick Blaylock.
A curious call, to say the least.
Quarterback Trent Green said it was the play that came in from the sideline.
“We had talked about third-down situations all week about using that play if we had 2 or 3 yards to go,” Green said. “It was a play we had prepared for and were ready to run.”
Even with Blaylock and the Chiefs' slim chances on the line?
“The coaching staff has confidence in Derrick,” Green said.
***
The whole Chiefs' offensive game plan may have seemed a bit strange, considering how the Panthers were dismantled last Monday night by the Packers' ground game.
The Chiefs came out firing, throwing six straight passes. Green threw 20 passes in the first half alone.
“I thought we had a great game plan,” Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “I'm not sure what happened. We started to get a little predictable on third down. But we had some more injuries, too, and that really changes the dynamics of the passing game.
“But I'm confident we'll get it done. We'll get through this.”
***
The X-factor, Dante Hall, was just as silent in the locker room as he was on the field Sunday. Hall waved off reporters and declined to answer questions after the Chiefs' loss.
***
While many Chiefs players were quiet and solemn, one other player, defensive end Eric Hicks, lost his temper.
When Hicks was asked by 61 Sports' Rhonda Moss whether the Chiefs perhaps should have added some defensive personnel during the off-season, Hicks responded angrily, “That's a (ridiculous) question. Why would you ask that question? These are my friends here.
“I don't care. These are all my friends, all my teammates. We're busting our (behinds) out here, and you're asking me if we should have gotten some more help? We all went through training camp together. We all fought hard together.
“We're not trying hard to mess this (stuff) up, OK? We're not trying to mess it up. That's insulting to me to ask me a question about my teammates, about my friends, to ask me if we should have gotten more help. We'll fix this thing … don't ask me that question again.”
Moss tried to soothe the tension, but Hicks added, “You know me. I'm the nicest guy in the world … but that's ridiculous. If we added somebody, that would mean we would have to get rid of somebody, correct? Correct.”
***
One Carolina front-office exec said as he was leaving Arrowhead Stadium, “You know, we do pretty well in Missouri.”
He was referring to January's stunning playoff upset of the Rams in St. Louis, along with Sunday's defeat of the Chiefs.
***
Chiefs defensive tackle Lional Dalton on his performance, which included three tackles: “I thought I did pretty good. But you're never as good as you think you are, and you're never as bad as you think you are. We'll just look at the tape.”
At a desperate time, Chiefs mysteriously leave Priest on the sideline
JEFFREY FLANAGAN OVERHEARD AT ARROWHEAD
First things first. Priest Holmes, who was bent back awkwardly with just more than 8 minutes remaining and didn't return, said he was all right after the game.
Then why didn't Holmes return to the action?
“I don't know,” Holmes said. “You'll have to ask the coaches.”
But coach Dick Vermeil was fairly elusive.
“I asked him if he was healthy, and he said he was fine,” was all Vermeil said about why Holmes wasn't in the game toward the end, particularly during the Chiefs' final gasp with just more than 4 minutes left.
That was when the Chiefs were trailing 28-17 and needing a quick score.
But with fourth down and 3 to go from the Carolina 48, the Chiefs called a pitch sweep — not to Holmes, but to Derrick Blaylock.
A curious call, to say the least.
Quarterback Trent Green said it was the play that came in from the sideline.
“We had talked about third-down situations all week about using that play if we had 2 or 3 yards to go,” Green said. “It was a play we had prepared for and were ready to run.”
Even with Blaylock and the Chiefs' slim chances on the line?
“The coaching staff has confidence in Derrick,” Green said.
***
The whole Chiefs' offensive game plan may have seemed a bit strange, considering how the Panthers were dismantled last Monday night by the Packers' ground game.
The Chiefs came out firing, throwing six straight passes. Green threw 20 passes in the first half alone.
“I thought we had a great game plan,” Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “I'm not sure what happened. We started to get a little predictable on third down. But we had some more injuries, too, and that really changes the dynamics of the passing game.
“But I'm confident we'll get it done. We'll get through this.”
***
The X-factor, Dante Hall, was just as silent in the locker room as he was on the field Sunday. Hall waved off reporters and declined to answer questions after the Chiefs' loss.
***
While many Chiefs players were quiet and solemn, one other player, defensive end Eric Hicks, lost his temper.
When Hicks was asked by 61 Sports' Rhonda Moss whether the Chiefs perhaps should have added some defensive personnel during the off-season, Hicks responded angrily, “That's a (ridiculous) question. Why would you ask that question? These are my friends here.
“I don't care. These are all my friends, all my teammates. We're busting our (behinds) out here, and you're asking me if we should have gotten some more help? We all went through training camp together. We all fought hard together.
“We're not trying hard to mess this (stuff) up, OK? We're not trying to mess it up. That's insulting to me to ask me a question about my teammates, about my friends, to ask me if we should have gotten more help. We'll fix this thing … don't ask me that question again.”
Moss tried to soothe the tension, but Hicks added, “You know me. I'm the nicest guy in the world … but that's ridiculous. If we added somebody, that would mean we would have to get rid of somebody, correct? Correct.”
***
One Carolina front-office exec said as he was leaving Arrowhead Stadium, “You know, we do pretty well in Missouri.”
He was referring to January's stunning playoff upset of the Rams in St. Louis, along with Sunday's defeat of the Chiefs.
***
Chiefs defensive tackle Lional Dalton on his performance, which included three tackles: “I thought I did pretty good. But you're never as good as you think you are, and you're never as bad as you think you are. We'll just look at the tape.”