Chiefs relish facing Leinart - CJ Online
 

Published Thursday, October 5, 2006

Chiefs relish facing Leinart

KC's defense likely to throw blitzes at rookie
By Tully Corcoran
The Capital-Journal

KANSAS CITY, Mo. --That smell wafting into the Arrowhead locker room is not Arthur Bryant's, but it smells just as good to the Kansas City Chiefs.

It's the pleasant aroma of a rookie quarterback, in this case the Cardinals' Matt Leinart. The rookie and former Heisman Trophy winner from USC will make his first career start this week at home against the Chiefs.

"You always want to be in the game where the rookie that everybody looks at gets to start," linebacker Derrick Johnson said. "It's gonna be his first game starting against a pretty good defense."

The NFL's No. 3 defense, to be exact, a defense which Johnson leads in both tackles (24) and sacks (1 1/2, tied with Tamba Hali).

Though the Chiefs are being evasive with regard to their defensive game plan, two things seem highly likely, if not certain:

1. Kansas City will blitz the living daylights out of Leinart. Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham is known as a blitzer anyway, and the Chiefs are facing an inexperienced quarterback.

2. Leinart will see coverages he never faced in the Pac-10.

"For him, there will be a lot of different coverages," linebacker Kawika Mitchell said. "He'll have to do his homework."

Safe to say Sunday's test will be tougher than the one in Leinart's ballroom dancing class his senior year at USC.

"His strengths are his ability to get rid of the ball, he has a quick release, he is a very smart quarterback," Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said. "He reminds me a little bit of (Jets QB) Chad Pennington in the fact that he understands where his receivers are. I think he's pretty good at reading his coverages. Now the speed of the game is a little bit different here then it is in college. I think what you try to do is you try to give him some different looks."

Edwards figures the sold-out crowd at University of Phoenix Stadium could give Leinart and the Cardinals a boost.

"Fans are excited," Edwards said of Leinart's start. "They've got a sold-out stadium at home. All that weighs in their favor."

Nonetheless, you get the impression the Chiefs would rather face Leinart than two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner, who Cardinals coach Denny Green benched last week. Leinart took over and went 5-for-8 for 49 yards and an interception in a 32-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

It was Leinart's only regular-season exposure.

"He was pretty good in college," Mitchell said. "Haven't seen too much of him in the NFL. Hopefully we can welcome him in a good way."

Leinart has a holster full of weapons around him in receivers Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, plus running back Edgerrin James. But a weak offensive line has grounded the red birds.

Edwards expects the Cardinals' offensive line, which has taken a beating in the Arizona media, to respond Sunday.

"People are saying their offensive line has struggled," he said. "They're gonna play their best game ever on Sunday ... because they're professionals."

Leinart may need it.

"We'll mix it up a little bit," Johnson said. "We've got some things to put on him."

NOTE -- Chiefs left tackle Kyle Turley is questionable again this week with the back problem that kept him out of the Chiefs lineup against the 49ers last week. If Turley doesn't practice today or Friday, Edwards said he wouldn't play Sunday.

Other injuries are to backup running back Michael Bennett, who also didn't play last week with a lingering hamstring injury, and cornerback Benny Sapp. Sapp's knee injury will force him out for 4-6 weeks. Bennett is out indefinitely.

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Were gonna smother our D-ong in relish and make Whinert take a bite.

the start of the article should have been "chiefs relish facing leinart and the cards are in a pickle."

As much as I agree with the sentiments, I'd rather not give Leinhart and the Cards ammo to get fired up with.

Just keep quiet until you step out on the field.

I'd never heard of CJ online before today.

Why do you gotta go n' be so level-headed again? :)

ballroom dancing-jeez I hate this guy-what a bundle of sticks

according to Peter (sucker) King he will complete 70%.

Lienert will get officially welcomed to the NFL this week.
I don't think he'll like it much.

No disrespect to our corners. But is blitzing a good idea against the Cards? Especially with those receivers?

I think we're better off with zone. Rush 4 down lineman.

If we do blitz, Im hoping we do it effectively, and we get to Leinart in a hurry.

Excellent. Let them all keep doubting the Chiefs D!! :grr:

:shrug:

CJ Online = Topeka (KS) Capital-Journal's website.

Well, it depends on what offensive formations they are in as well.

There's also that loading everyone (except CB's) on the LOS, and then when it's about to be snapped, everyone bails out except the D-Line to force him thinking a hot read to a inside WR for a slant during the showing blitz.

I think DJ needs to blitz often-noone can handle his speed. If Matt gets outside the pocket DJ will run him over.