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KC's defense piles up numbers
Edwards cautions:'We don't know how good we are yet' on defense
By Tully Corcoran
The Capital-Journal
It's probably safe to say, at this point, Herman Edwards is the last remaining human unimpressed with the Kansas City Chiefs defense.
The Chiefs are No. 3 in total defense. They haven't allowed a touchdown in 10 quarters. They have allowed just one 100-yard rusher since 2004.
Sunday they held the NFL's No. 3 offense to 165 yards.
But converting Edwards to the Chiefs' defense is like converting David Wells to salads.
"It's sad when you're a defensive-minded coach because they never get any credit," Edwards said. "It was kind of that way when I was a player, I always assumed that you had to play a little bit better and do a little bit more. These guys understand that."
If the season's first three games are any indication, the Chiefs defense understand the demands Edwards places on it. Perhaps more accurately, the Kansas City defense finally has the personnel capable of replicating the defensive units of the '90s.
Pair of elite cornerbacks? Ty Law and Patrick Surtain -- acquired in 2005 and this year, respectively -- have been to a combined seven Pro Bowls.
Pass rush from the defensive line? Rookie end Tamba Hali had 1 1/2 sacks on Sunday and bookend Jared Allen has 21 sacks in the first 34 games of his career.
Athletic outside linebacker named Derrick? Second-year outside linebacker Derrick Johnson made 110 tackles last season and was brilliant on Sunday with nine tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, two pass deflections and a forced fumble.
The defense combined for five sacks and two interceptions against the 49ers.
"That's what this defense is about, making big plays," linebacker Kawika Mitchell said. "If you continue to do that, you'll play with a lot of energy. The crowd gets into the game. We feed off each other."
The physical beating the Chiefs inflicted in a 41-0 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday would have been a perfect example of Edwards' coaching philosophy, if the darned offense hadn't scored so many points.
"I think it was important for us to establish that again," Edwards said. "If you play that type of football where you're a tough team, a physical team, you have a chance to win. You're gonna be in every ballgame."
As a buzz circulates the league over the KC defense (Hali predicted the game film from Sunday would serve as a warning to the rest of the NFL), Edwards is hoping to avoid the statistical hoopla that surrounded the Chiefs offense in past, playoff-less, seasons.
"What they are going to have to realize is don't get distracted," he said. "Don't get outside what we are trying to do. All of that doesn't matter unless you continue to win and you are consistent.
"We don't know how good we are yet."
Injury update
The Chiefs' two biggest injuries -- to Trent Green's head and tackle Kyle Turley's back -- may keep both players out again Sunday.
Trent Green still is expected to be out for Sunday's game at Arizona, though Edwards didn't close the door entirely.
"We'll see as the doctors let him progress we can see where he is at, but I would assume that Damon Huard is our quarterback this week," Edwards said.
Turley is receiving treatment on his back, injuries to which forced him out of football the last two years. Edwards said he didn't know if Turley would play Sunday.
http://cjonline.com/stories/100406/chi_dfence.shtml
Edwards cautions:'We don't know how good we are yet' on defense
By Tully Corcoran
The Capital-Journal
It's probably safe to say, at this point, Herman Edwards is the last remaining human unimpressed with the Kansas City Chiefs defense.
The Chiefs are No. 3 in total defense. They haven't allowed a touchdown in 10 quarters. They have allowed just one 100-yard rusher since 2004.
Sunday they held the NFL's No. 3 offense to 165 yards.
But converting Edwards to the Chiefs' defense is like converting David Wells to salads.
"It's sad when you're a defensive-minded coach because they never get any credit," Edwards said. "It was kind of that way when I was a player, I always assumed that you had to play a little bit better and do a little bit more. These guys understand that."
If the season's first three games are any indication, the Chiefs defense understand the demands Edwards places on it. Perhaps more accurately, the Kansas City defense finally has the personnel capable of replicating the defensive units of the '90s.
Pair of elite cornerbacks? Ty Law and Patrick Surtain -- acquired in 2005 and this year, respectively -- have been to a combined seven Pro Bowls.
Pass rush from the defensive line? Rookie end Tamba Hali had 1 1/2 sacks on Sunday and bookend Jared Allen has 21 sacks in the first 34 games of his career.
Athletic outside linebacker named Derrick? Second-year outside linebacker Derrick Johnson made 110 tackles last season and was brilliant on Sunday with nine tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, two pass deflections and a forced fumble.
The defense combined for five sacks and two interceptions against the 49ers.
"That's what this defense is about, making big plays," linebacker Kawika Mitchell said. "If you continue to do that, you'll play with a lot of energy. The crowd gets into the game. We feed off each other."
The physical beating the Chiefs inflicted in a 41-0 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday would have been a perfect example of Edwards' coaching philosophy, if the darned offense hadn't scored so many points.
"I think it was important for us to establish that again," Edwards said. "If you play that type of football where you're a tough team, a physical team, you have a chance to win. You're gonna be in every ballgame."
As a buzz circulates the league over the KC defense (Hali predicted the game film from Sunday would serve as a warning to the rest of the NFL), Edwards is hoping to avoid the statistical hoopla that surrounded the Chiefs offense in past, playoff-less, seasons.
"What they are going to have to realize is don't get distracted," he said. "Don't get outside what we are trying to do. All of that doesn't matter unless you continue to win and you are consistent.
"We don't know how good we are yet."
Injury update
The Chiefs' two biggest injuries -- to Trent Green's head and tackle Kyle Turley's back -- may keep both players out again Sunday.
Trent Green still is expected to be out for Sunday's game at Arizona, though Edwards didn't close the door entirely.
"We'll see as the doctors let him progress we can see where he is at, but I would assume that Damon Huard is our quarterback this week," Edwards said.
Turley is receiving treatment on his back, injuries to which forced him out of football the last two years. Edwards said he didn't know if Turley would play Sunday.
http://cjonline.com/stories/100406/chi_dfence.shtml