FEATURE STORIES

Aug. 10, 2006

By Jude Harder
UW-RF Public Affairs

The Kansas City Chiefs will kickoff their preseason schedule with a Saturday evening tilt with the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Chiefs Head Coach Herm Edwards and Houston Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak will make their sideline debuts with their new teams.

Kubiak inherits a team that showed promise in 2004 after going 7-9 under former Head Coach Dom Capers in only their third year of existence. With high hopes for 2005, the Texans disappointed, finishing with a league worst 2-14 record. Capers was fired after the dismal season and was replaced by Kubiak.

Hiring offensive guru Kubiak should help an offensive unit that struggled under Capers, who specialized in defense. Kubiak, like Edwards, enjoyed a long and productive playing career in the NFL. He played quarterback for the Broncos from 1983-1991 and then became the team's offensive coordinator in 1995 and remained in that position until leaving this off-season to head the Texans. His offensive knowledge should help a very young and talented offensive group that includes quarterback David Carr, wide receiver Andre Johnson and running back Domanick Davis.

The team struggled mightily on both sides of the football, but it was apparent at the end of the 2005 season that the lines, both offensive and defensive, needed a complete makeover. In the draft and in free agency the Texans were able to do just that.

With the first pick in this year's NFL draft the Texans selected defensive lineman Mario Williams out of North Carolina State. The move was a bit of a surprise to many because the team passed on running back Reggie Bush, the heavy favorite to be selected with the first pick. The Texans heavily felt they needed to build a strong defensive line and by selecting Williams they took a huge step in doing that. Another reason the Texans chose not to select Bush is because they are very high on fourth-year running back Davis, who has amassed 3,000 yards in just three seasons for the Texans.

In an off-season trade with the Buffalo Bills the Texans were able to bring in veteran wide receiver Eric Moulds, who should not only ease the load off of young wide out Andre Johnson but also serve as his mentor.

Former Packers center Mike Flanagan was brought in as a free agent and tackles Eric Winston and Charles Spencer were taken in the draft to help shore up the offensive line. The new-built line should receive a heavy dose from the suddenly very strong Chiefs defensive front.

By getting Williams in the draft and adding former Baltimore Raven defensive end Anthony Weaver through free agency, the Texans now have a pair of solid bookends on the defensive line to go with their new 4-3 alignment. They should prove a good test for the Chiefs offensive tackles on Saturday night.

The Chiefs have a group of offensive lineman battling for the starting right tackle position. They will all get a good workout trying to keep Williams form quarterback Trent Green on Saturday.

Kick returner Jerome Mathis, the Texans version of Dante Hall is expected out until mid-October. Last year as a rookie the speedy Mathis was second in the league with a 28.6 kick return average and had two games in which he accumulated 266 return yards. The Texans have a handful of players vying for the vacated position.

This off-season has brought both huge smiles and disheartening subtractions to the Chiefs faithful. Edwards takes the helm looking to instill a tough and tenacious defense and to infuse a no quit, hard work attitude on the team as a whole. On Saturday, that attitude should be on full display.

Bringing in three-time Super Bowl champion, cornerback Ty Law and drafting defensive end Tamba Hali in the first round of the draft, displayed the Chiefs newfound devotion to building a stellar defense.

Also drafted this year were hard-hitting safeties Bernard Pollard and Jarrod Page. Expected to back up starting safeties Sammy Knight and Greg Wesley, these two young and athletic defensive backs are expected to play a large role on defense and special teams this season.

Cornerback Patrick Surtain and the newly acquired Law give the Chiefs one of the most feared cornerback tandems in the league. Nickel back Benny Sapp has looked impressive in camp and should receive an abundance of playing time this season. It should be fun watching the Texans receivers battling with the Chiefs secondary on Saturday.

The Chiefs linebacker corps appears to be as strong as it's been in years. Middle linebacker Kawika Mitchell has been a jaw-dropper thus far in camp. Right-side linebacker Kendrell Bell is hoping to live up to high expectations he received last season after coming over a high profile free agent acquisition from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The second-year left-side linebacker is showing a lot of promise after being selected by the Chiefs in the first-round of the NFL draft last year.

Hali and right defensive end Jared Allen give the Chiefs a pair of solid bookends themselves. Defensive tackle Ryan Sims appears to have a fire under him at camp this year. Defensive line coach Tom Krumrie has really gotten the most out of Sims and defensive tackle Lional Dalton. They, along with the rest of the Chiefs rebuilt defense should be a treat to watch on Saturday.

While the defense has taken some very significant steps forward, the offense has taken a few steps backwards. The retirements of some huge bodies on the offensive line, losing fullback Tony Richardson to free agency and the uncertainty of running back Priest Holmes' health has left new offensive coordinator Mike Solari with a few hoops to jump through.

On the bright side, hopes are sky-high for Chiefs running back Larry Johnson, after coming off an incredible 2005 campaign in which he rushed for a Chiefs single-season record of 1750 yards in just nine starts. With Holmes' future in doubt, Johnson has stepped in and taken a lead role with both his teammates and with the fans. He has shown incredible hustle and work ethic in drills and has also shown excellent appreciation for his fans. He has become the new face of the Chiefs offense. Johnson should pose as a great test for Texans rookie Williams in Saturday's preseason game.

Running back Michael Bennett was added a few days into camp in a trade with the New Orleans Saints. With Holmes' on the mend, Bennett provides the team with a good change of pace back to help ease the workload Johnson is expected to endure.

Trent Green has been a great leader in camp and doesn't appear to be too fazed by some key off-season subtractions from their offense. Rookie quarterbacks Casey Printers and Brodie Croyle have looked god in camp and should get a long look in Saturday's preseason tip-off against the Texans.

The tackle position is a bit of a question mark heading into the season with the retirements of both of last year's starting tackles; John Welbourn and Willie Roaf. Kyle Turley has impressed coaches and fans alike and appears to be penciled in at left tackle. The right tackle position battle appears to be a battle between tackles Kevin Sampson, Will Svitek and Jordan Black.

Fullback Ronnie Cruz seems to have gelled right into his role as a replacement for the departed Richardson. Tight end Tony Gonzalez hopes to get familiar with the end zone on Saturday. After only recording two touchdown passes last season, Gonzalez is set to get back to being the tight end that caught 50 touchdown passes on five seasons for the Chiefs.

The Texans will have their work cut out for themselves trying to contain speedy kick returner Dante Hall. He, like Gonzalez is hoping to rebound from a sub-par season in which his stats weren't quite as gaudy as they've been in years past.

With losses come opportunities, and for many Chiefs players Saturday will serve as the beginning of their chance to prove to the coaches that they're ready to step up and take on the vacated seat and help alleviate the loss of some key players.