THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2006
SPORTS
3B
NFL
Bengals return to fight Chiefs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — If Marvin Lewis is mad at the Kansas City Chiefs, he's not letting on. Leave that to Rudi Johnson.
Still fresh in the mind of Cincinnati's star running back are bitter memories of KC holding a 30-3 lead in the final three minutes but still chucking passes into the end zone, and hitting one.
"It left a bad taste in our mouth," said Johnson. "Nobody's forgotten that game."
Now eight months later and buoyed by Carson Palmer's remarkable recovery from reconstructive knee surgery, the Bengals will open the season Sunday in the very stadium and against the very team that mailed them 37-3 in last year's regular-season finale.
The Chiefs had already been shut out of the playoffs because of Pittsburgh's victory that day over Detroit. But in Dick Vermeil's final game as head coach, they wanted to see Trent Green get 4,000 yards passing and Larry Johnson erase the team rushing record.
So they kept pouring on the fire and, at the Bengals' expense, both did. Green's 4,014 yards made him the fourth quarterback in NFL history to post three consecutive 4,000-yard seasons. Johnson had 201 yards and three TDs and a team-record 1,750 yards.
"We've had this game marked on our calendar for a year," said Johnson. "We're looking forward to going out there and putting on a great show."
Nonsense, says Lewis.
"They're a different football team coached by a different person than last year," said the Bengals coach. "We're a different team. They're a different team. This is a new season."
In Kansas City's defense, the Bengals had already wrapped up their first playoff berth since 1990 and Palmer and many other starters played only a few series.
Nevertheless, it stung.
"They scarred us for 200 yards," said defensive end Bryan Robinson. "We know what they did to us last year."
But as Chiefs defensive end jared Allen points out, Vernell has been replaced by Herm Edwards and Edwards that day was not within 1,000 miles of Kansas City.
"That has nothing to do with us" he said. "That's the coach's decision. He's the one calling plays. We're out here to win."
Palmer, injured in the first few minutes of the Bengals' playoff loss to Pittsburgh, thrilled Cincinnati's fans the way he rebounded from an injury that some felt might end his career. A perfect 4-0 preseason record, Cincinnati's first, also has fans looking forward to a second straight division title.
The Bengals, for the third straight year, also return every offensive starter. Acquisitions of massive defensive tackle Sam Adams and safety Dexter Jackson could strengthen a defense that gave up almost 400 yards a game.
Under Edwards, the Chiefs have also made a big effort to shore up a leaky defense. The offense that led the league from 2001-05 with 30,470 yards and 262 touchdowns probably will not be the same, either. Gone are several key operatives, including left tackle Willie Roaf, running back Priest Holmes and fullback Tony Richardson.
Associated Press
Jayhawks defeat Cougars
Vanessa Pearson/KANSAN
(above) Emily Brown, junior setter, hits the ball towards the Brigham Young University's court during Thursdays home game in the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. Brown had 20 kills and lead the Jayhawks to a victory over BYU 3-0.
(left) Katie Martinicich, freshman setter, sets the ball for Savannah Noyes, sophomore middle blocker during Thursday's game against Brigham Young University. Kansas won the match, 3-0.
FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
Last Saturday's announced attendance of 44,025 was the largest opening-day crowd in 12 years.
Mangino, who has traditionally greeted students in the first few rows of the student section before games, said the number of students was the first thing he noticed Saturday.
"It was packed, and it seems like it's getting bigger," Mangino said. "I've said all along that part of the college experience for students is football games on Saturday afternoons on your campus. It's all part of the college experience."
He credited the students' support as part of the reason his team was riding a seven-game home-winning streak. A victory on Saturday would tie the program record of eight straight home wins, set during the 1951 and 1952, and 1967 and 1968 seasons.
"Good crowds, if you have a couple of bad breaks, they just keep going." Mangino said. "Our fans are starting to do that now. They realize that when things aren't going right, they've got to jump in and be a factor."
Aside from the pregame atmosphere, Mangino said he'd noticed Kansas fans becoming more football-smart. Instead of begging for noise to help his defense get a key third-down stop, Kansas fans are beginning to rise to the occasion on their own.
In his first game back on the sidelines at the stadium, Bill
The crowd has certainly been a factor in a number of memorable wins in Mangino, including the 2004 victory against Kansas State and in last season's streak-busting game against Nebraska.
Whittemore, former Jayhawk quarterback and now graduate assistant coach, estimated 20,000 more fans attended Saturday's game than the number attending his first game in 2002.
"It's night and day," Whittemore said. "When we came out, thered be no one in the first 10 to 15 rows. Now, it's just amazing to see all the students there when we were warming up."
Riding just a few rows back from Mangino on the bus filled with offensive players on Saturday, freshman running back Jake Sharp made sure to take in the atmosphere on the way to his first collegiate game. The blue-clad fans crowding into the yards and parking lots surrounding the stadium, Sharp said, provide added motivation for the team.
Kansan senior sportswriter Ryan Schneider can be contacted at rschnier@kansan.com.
“On your way to the battle, you see all the fans there,” Sharp said. “It kind of reminds you why you play.”
— Edited by Shanxi Upsdell
Big 12 Conference Home Winning Streaks
Kansas will look to extend its home streak to eight wins this weekend against Louisiana-Monroe. No. 2 Texas will be put to the test in its game against No. 1 Ohio State in Austin, Texas Saturday night.
1. Texas, 16
Texas, 16
2. Texas Tech, 10
3. Kansas, 7
4. Oklahoma, 6
5. Missouri, 4
6. Iowa State, 3
7. Kansas State, 2
8. Oklahoma State, 2
9. Nebraska, 2
10. Texas A&M, 1
11. Colorado, 0
11. Baylor, 0
Source: School Media Guides
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