AFC West

Sporting News, The, Nov 16, 1998

Teams are listed alphabetically

Will latest hook be Grbac's last?

Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer won't decide until mid-week who to start at quarterback against Denver on Monday night, but even Elvis Grbac says he expects it will be Rich Gannon, who replaced him in the second quarter of Sunday's 24-12 loss at Seattle.

In the short run, the Chiefs may have held off locker-room revolt by making the switch, and publicly the team continues to say the right things about its quarterback situation. But Grbac's future in Kansas City is very much in doubt.

One thing the Chiefs can't deny is that the team responds when Gannon is in charge; he is 8-2 as the starter since Grbac cruised into town as a free agent in March 1997.

Schottenheimer held off longer than he could afford to in order to give Grbac a chance, basically mortgaging the season in the process. The Chiefs lost four games while waiting for Grbac to fix his problems.

The Chiefs must use the next seven weeks to determine whether Grbac has a place in the franchise's future. His injuries and inconsistency are working against him, though his relative youth (28) works for him. Also, his short history in Kansas City suggests he is fine if he can stay healthy. He successfully opened the 1997 and '98 seasons, and Schottenheimer believes Grbac can get back to that type of production. Naturally, the coach's opinion will weigh heavily in the decision to keep or jettison Grbac.

Neither Gannon nor Grbac, however, may be able to save the team this year. The Chiefs look suspiciously like toast after the loss to Seattle. There are no excuses to be made for a team that has let injuries, inconsistency and penalties beat it down.

Luciana Chavez

Denver

9-0: 1st

Best move vs. Chiefs: More Brister, less Elway

Expect Bubby Brister to play some more prime-time minutes in relief of John Elway, perhaps even as soon as Monday night at Kansas City. Brister was given his third start of the season Sunday in the ugly 27-10 victory over the Chargers, and given that the Broncos are three games up in the AFC West, it would be silly to use Elway in Arrowhead unless he is dose to 100 percent. Elway aggravated a problem with a rib-cage muscle in pregame warmups, didn't start and then--after trying pain-killing treatment--played only one series. He also left the stadium before the game was over.... Elway's Final play against the Chargers should be a reminder of the possibilities if he faces the Chiefs. On a third-and-11, Elway lost his balance pulling away from center, fell down and took a forearm and a pop while on the ground from Junior Seau. Elway got up in further pain, and that seemed to cement the decision to get him out of the game.

UNDERSTUDY BUBBY: The interception Brister threw on the first drive illustrates one of the hazards of the backup playing after not getting much work during the week. The route required adjustment. Shannon Sharpe went one way and Brister threw the other way--and the pass was intercepted. But Brister went on to have a decent game, especially in the first half, going 20-for-33 for 229 yards and two touchdowns. He also continued to show that veteran's poise, knowing when to move but never panicking. Considering Elway's age and injury problems, Brister should be getting more than token snaps in practice the rest of the season, even if Elway comes back quickly.... The Chargers' top-rated run defense snapped Terrell Davis' string of seven straight 100-yard games. His 69 yards on 20 carries put him on pace for 2,167 yards, and it showed just how consistent he will have to be to break Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season record of 2,105 yards.

GOAL-LINE STAND: Although everyone will deny this, it again seems apparent that leaguewide lobbying and griping about the team's blocking tactics has had an effect on the mind-set--and the eyesight--of the officials. The four holding calls Sunday were crucial in watering down the team's offensive effectiveness. One of the reasons Davis has been so effective is that the receivers are, on balance, terrific blockers. But if the standards are tightened from this point forward, it could be a bit of a problem. It bears watching. --Terry Frei

GRADING OUT
vs. San Diego

OFFENSE C

Running game was
ineffective, in part because
of holding calls.

DEFENSE B

The Chargers were so inept,
and Ryan Leaf so befuddled,
it wasn't much of a test.

SPECIAL TEAMS A-

Jason Elam and Tom Rouen
continued near-perfect;
Darrien Gordon was strong.

STRATEGY B 

Didn't back off passing-game
ambition with Brister,
and went after Leaf.
BRONCOS

PASSING           Att.    Comp.   Pct.    Yds.    Long

Elway             157      94     59.9    1301    50t
Brister           104      63     60.6     790    48

PASSING           TD      Int.    Rate    Sacks

Elway              9       3       97.7     8
Brister           10       3      104.2     5

RUSHING           Att.    Yds.    Avg.    TD

Davis            222     1219     5.5    15
Loville           29       79     2.7     1
Brister           13       55     4.2     0

RECEIVING         No.     Yds.    Avg.    TD

McCaffrey         43      755     17.6    7
R. Smith          43      548     12.7    3
Sharpe            40      487     12.2    5

SCORING           XPM     XPA     FGM     FGA     Pts.

Elam              36      36      12      12      72

PUNTING           No.     Yds.    Avg.    Blk.

Rouen             39      1849    47.4    1

KO RETURNS        No.     Yds.    Avg.    TD

Hebron            23      570     24.8    0

PUNT RETURNS      No.     Yds.    Avg.    TD

Gordon            23      262     11.4    0