20B • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
MONDAY,AUGUST 19,2002
Penalties contribute to Texans' loss Chiefs hopefuls see preseason opportuni
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This is the way expansion teams are supposed to play.
The Houston Texans, in their third game, were called for more than 100 yards in penalties Saturday night and had numerous dropped passes and missed assignments as the Kansas City Chiefs handed them a 19-9 exhibition loss.
"Until tonight, I'd been proud of the way our football team has played from the standpoint of going out and not being a heavily penalized team," Houston coach Dom Capers said.
"But for whatever reason, we did just the opposite. It's a great example of that you don't have a chance to win in the National Football League if you go and get penalized 18 or 19 times."
When the first-teammers were in for Houston (1-2) most of the first half, they were penalized nine times for 45 yards. Then in the second half when things got really sloppy, the Texans ran their penalty total to 19 for 101 yards.
"You don't have a chance if you drop passes, miss tackles, make mental errors. We did all the things that football teams do to beat themselves," Capers said.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, got
another onencouraging game from Trent Green, the NFL's most intercepted quarterback of 2001 who is spotless so far in 2002.
Playing into the second quarter, Green was 7-of-10 for 73 yards and led Kansas City on a 64-yard scoring drive on its first post.
on its first possession.
"Trent did a pretty good job." Chiefs coach Dick Vermell said. "When he's in there, we're pretty efficient."
Vermeil, who took a tumble in the fourth quarter when Houston quarterback Mike Quinn was knocked into him, called it "a typical preseason game."
"We actually did a few things halfway decent early in the ball game," he said. "Later, we got sloppy."
Green, who throw 24 interceptions in his first season back from major knee surgery, also directed a TD drive in his only appearance in the exhibition opener a week ago. He's 12-of-16 for 113 yards altogether in what the Chiefs are hoping to be a strong rebound season for their 32-year old quarterback
The Chiefs (2-0) also got an encouraging game from 21-year vet.
erun Morten Andersen, who kicked four field goals.
David Carr, the No. 1 overall draft pick last spring, was 8-of-15 for 123 yards. Thirty-seven yards came on a loss to running back James Allen, who broke through the center of the Chiefs defense.
On their second possession, Carr connected with Jermaine Lewis for 36 yards. A roughing-the-passer penalty on Eric Hicks tacked 15 yards onto the play and set up Kris Brown's 30-yard field goal.
Priest Holmes, the 2001 NFL rushing champion, capped an 11-play, 64-yard drive on the Chiefs' opening possession with a 10-yard TD run around the left end. Holmes carried 6 times for 20 yards.
Andersen, who turns 42 on Monday, had field goals of 44, 32, 32 and 37 yards and is a 5-for-5 in two exhibition games. His 37-yarder was set up by Richard Jordan's interception of Kent Graham's pass in the third quarter.
"As the game went on, I was able to strike the ball quite a bit better. I'm a work in progress." Andersen said. "I'll just keep trying to keep on and improve on this field and on this Bermuda grass. It's a beautiful playing surface. With repetition, I'll get better."
The Texans' scoring came on field
goals of 50, 42 and 20 yards by Dow. Jonathan Wells, a fourth-rank pick
out of Ohio State who's been vying for a starting spot in the Texans' backfield, averaged a shade under 5 yards on nine carries, including an 11-yard gain.
Things got especially ragged in the final quarter with all the first-teamers out of the game. A 27-yard pass from Jonathan Quinn to Dante Hall put the Chiefs in scoring position. But Quinn's pass bounced off Kirk Rogers' hands in the end zone and was intercepted by Jacoby Shepherd.
A moment later, R-Kal Trulock forced a Houston fumble that was recovered by Jordan, a four-year NFL veteran who signed as a free agent. But Lawrence Tynes missed a 42-yard field goal attempt.
With about 10 minutes left, Frank Moreau's fumble was recovered by Houston's Billy Granville on the Kansas City 9. But the Texans had to settle for Brown's 26-varder.
The Chiefs then recovered an onside kick on the Houston 25. A pass interference penalty on Toya Jones on the third down gave the Chiefs a first down. A 12-yard pass to J.J. Moses put the ball on the 7, but 'Tynes' 29-yard attempt was blocked by Uhuru Hamiter.
Tynes also had a field goal blocked.
"It was a low kick," said Vermell.
"A pappar could have blocked it."
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY Mo. — For players like J.J. Moses, R-Kal Truluck and Lawrence Tynes, the final score of Kansas City's preseason win over Houston had little meaning.
For the record, the Chiefs beat the expansion Texans 19-9 on Saturday night, led by starters Trent Green, who completed 70 percent of his passes, and Priest Holmes, who scored the game's only touchdown.
out for the players who aren't starters, those without a place on the final roster all but assured, the exhibition game provided a chance to show what they can do—and maybe, just maybe, win a job.
Moses, a shifty but undersized wide receiver and kick return made the
"Every time, I just go out and work hard, and I'll let the Lord handle that," said Moses, who is in his second Chilts camp in as many years. "I'm just thankful to be in this situation. All I can do is control the way I play on the football field."
most of his chance. So did Truluck, a defensive end who led the Arena Football League in sacks this year.
Moses left the Texans scrambling to catch up with him on a couple of punt returns, including one in which he reversed his field and turned an ovalardie situation into a 23-yard return.
Truluck, who played in Canada for three seasons before going indoors in 2001, had two sacks and forced a fumble late in Saturday night's game.
But while Truluck and Moses performed well, kicker Lawrence Tynes — already a long shot at best to beat out offseason acquisition Morten Andersen — didn't.
Andersen almost missed his first field goal attempt, but bounced the 44-yarder off the crossbar and through for a 10-3 lead in the second quarter. He also hit twice from 32 yards and once from 37.
Tynes, whose field goal in overtime gave Kansas City a 17-14 win over the 49ers, missed both of his attempts on Saturday night. He was wide right from 42 yards and had a 29-yard blocked.
Chiefs resemble Cowboys of early '90s
The Associated Press
RIVER FALLS. Wis.- Trent Green knows people compare the 2002 Kansas City Chiefs' offense to his old team, the St. Louis Rams. But he said the Chiefs remind him of a different Super Bowl team from a previous decade.
"Our team is much more molded like the Dallas teams of the early '90s," he said. "They had (Jay)
Novacek and we have (Tony) Gonzalez, two of the better tight ends in the history of the game. With Emmitt Smith), obviously Priest has to do it back-to-back-to-back years to get it to Emmitt's level. There's (fullback) Daryl Johnston and obviously Tony Richardson, then with the additions
of Johnnie Morton and Eddie Kennison, hopefully they can get to that level where I think we'd be much more comparable to that team than we are to St. Louis."
That is, if Green can fill the role played in Dallas by Iroy Aikman, and if Tony Gonzalez ends his holdout and rejoins his teammates in time for the start of the season.
As for the first point, Green said this is the best he's felt since throwing 23 touchdown passes for the Redskins in 1998. As for point No. 2, he said he's sure Gonzalez will be back and ready to play soon, and was encouraged by the tight end's visit to the Chiefs' locker room before the game last Saturday in San Francisco.
"I think that was great on his part because as hard as it is for him not to be there, it also takes a toll on the guys." Green said. "It was good to see him there and let everybody know.
- riley, look at me. I'm in shape. I've been working out; I'm ready to go. It's just this business part of it we've got to get taken care of but you guys can count on me once it's taken care of.' I think that really went a long way with the guys in the locker room."
Green said he even thinks the Chiefs' offensive line compares favorably with that of the Cowboys.
"Bringing Willie Roaf in has been a great addition, he brings an attitude not only to the left tuck spot but to the overall offensive line." Green said. "He brings an intensity to the position that carries over to the whole offensive line. And you've got to remember, that's a pretty solid offensive line to begin with."
Green said the only similarity he sees between this year's Chiefs team and the Rams is the Chiefs' new-found depth at wide receiver.
"Last year at this time we didn't
know who our starting wide receivers were going to be with all the injuries we had," he said. "Johnnie (Morton) and Eddie (Kennison), they're both playing really well. Now Dante Hall has grown over the last couple of weeks and hopefully we'll continue to grow toward the regular season. The rest of the receivers, there's great competition for that four five, six spot, and there's probably six guys vying for those spots."
As the Chiefs prepared to break training camp Friday, Green said his teammates share his optimism about the upcoming season.
"It's definitely an attitude where guys aren't focusing on the fact that we were 6-10 last year." he said. "We're focusing on the fact that we have a year in the system.
Better play needed says Chiefs Vermeil
The Associated Press
"Every position has got to be played better for us to win," he said.
RIVER FALLS. Wis. — Dick Vermeil takes a simple approach to improving the Kansas City Chiefs.
With just two days left before the team breaks training camp. Vermeil is still looking for the right mix to reach that goal. And while he's happy with the upgrade of talent at spots like wide receiver, he's concerned about other positions, such as the interior defensive line.
Vermeil said he's been very impressed with defensive end Eric Hicks. The coach said Hicks, who signed with the Chiefs as a free agent out of Maryland in 1998, is looking more like the player who recorded 14 sacks in 2000.
"He demonstrated that in the ball game the other day." Vermeil said about Hicks' performance in the
Chiefs' first pre-season game. "He's coming around that corner. To me, he shows a little more burst than I've seen him in the past."
While Hicks has shown indications of leading a strong outside pass rush for the Chiefs, Vermiliel said he's still looking for someone to step up and provide pressure inside. First-round draft pick Ryan Sims was expected to help the Chiefs in that area, but with the defensive tackle still not in camp, the inside pressure has been lacking.
"Duane Clemons (Tuesday) really was flashing, and John Browning has flashed, but we haven't had anyone flash inside as a pass rusher." Vermeil said, adding the Chiefs would likely move Browning inside in their nicked defense.
The Chiefs are hoping rookie Eddie Freeman and veterans Derrick Runsom and Eric Downing can give the line the push it needs inside.
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