Archives for November 18, 2002

‘Green’s 9-yard touchdown run gave the Chiefs a precarious 17-16 lead, and his 12-yard scramble on third and 6 with just more than 2 minutes remaining preserved it.’

‘”The Chiefs did a good job knowing that we’ve got some big playmakers on the edges, and those are the areas we can counter by running the football and trying to get us some single coverage and big plays down the field. We had a few shots; we didn’t make the play today.”‘

‘He never said a word. Priest Holmes doesn’t talk in the huddle. All game long, he never once said, “Man, I’m tired,” or “Block for me, guys,” or “Give me the ball,” or “I can’t feel my left arm.” He never said a word. He never does. “This is you again, Priest,” Chiefs quarterback Trent Green said.’

‘You wouldn’t blame the Buffalo Bills for seeing red after Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs.’

‘The Bills tried an onside kick in the second quarter after kicking a field goal that cut their deficit to 7-3. They were rewarded for their boldness when Charles Johnson recovered. Buffalo used the resulting field position to move for another field goal. The Bills went after Lyle West, who retreated too quickly from his position on the right side of the Chiefs’ front. “I went down a couple steps and tried to come back, but by that time it was too late,” West said. “It was a good call on their part.’

‘Trailing 16-10 and needing to win to remain on the edge of the playoff picture, the Chiefs drove 78 yards — aided by 44 yards on two controversial penalties against the Bills — to score the winning touchdown with 4:53 remaining.’

‘The most maligned player on the NFL’s most criticized defense came through with a game-breaking play to help keep the playoff hopes alive for the Kansas City Chiefs.’

‘Replays and referees were hardly helpful to the visiting Buffalo Bills in their 17-16 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday in Arrowhead Stadium.’

‘”What they did is they went man-to-man underneath and we had it isolated over there,” Green said. “They ended up doubling Tony (Gonzalez) and Dante (Hall) was one-on-one and was going to come underneath and the guy just grabbed him. I came back backside and looked for my check-down with Priest and they were on him one-on-one and so there was just a lane for me to go.”‘

‘”The Buffalo Bills defensive backs did a wonderful job supporting the run,” said Holmes, who finished with 104 yards on 31 carries. “But when you have a good running game, you’re always running downhill at those guys and they revert to who they really are. They like to defend the pass and not the run.”‘

‘”I sensed the play when he came off and how they lined up,” Warfield said. “They put it on the other side of the field. When he came off with his release, I knew he was going back to the post. It was exact same play I had broken up earlier.”‘

‘After Price caught a 9-yard pass, he and Warfield traded barbs. Price was upset with Warfield and pushed him from behind. That resulted in a penalty, which played to Warfield’s advantage. “He actually shoved at me, just because I said a few words to him,” Warfield said. “If you can get inside someone’s head then that’s good, then that’s what you want to do. Just knowing him and how he reacts to certain situations, I just made an attempt to go up and say something to him and like I said he responded the way I thought he would.”‘

‘”When I turned it loose,” Bledsoe said, “I really thought I might have overthrown it. The wind held it up. In retrospect, I should have brought Peerless across the field more than I did, rather than taking it straight up the field. That guy made a great play on the ball.”‘

‘The Chiefs, who had the ball only nine minutes in the first half, kept the potent Bills offense off the field in the final 4:14 after maligned cornerback Eric Warfield’s interception to preserve a 17-16 victory at Arrowhead Stadium.’

‘And while Moorman and Gammon were easily found in their respective locker rooms — despite the fact that Moorman was surrounded by TV cameras before being whisked away — two other Pittsburg State grads were hard at work. Buffalo defensive line coach John Levra — an Arma native — began his pro career in 1980 with the Canadian Football League’s British Columbia Lions, and has worked at New Orleans, Chicago, Denver and Minnesota before moving to Buffalo in 1998. Also, Kansas City Chiefs head athletics trainer Dave Kendall’s job was just starting as the other Kendall — Gammon — was getting ready to hit the showers. Dave Kendall also is a PSU grad. But all-in-all, the impromptu PSU reunion was a success.’