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Chiefs 'D' isn't dominant, but it's also not desperate

Sporting News, The, Sept 23, 2005 by Adam Teicher

Scrawled in big black letters on a grease board in the Chiefs' defensive staff room is a simple two-word mantra that coordinator Gunther Cunningham has stressed the past eight months: "Culture change."

It defined every move the Chiefs made to repair a woeful defense, from the acquisition of several new defenders to Cunningham's planned game-day move from the press box to the sideline.

The early results speak well for their defensive changes. The Chiefs throttled the Jets, 27-7, in the opener, a shutout intact until 29 seconds remained in the game.

The Chiefs, though, were far from dominant. The Jets dropped three touchdown passes, had a field-goal attempt blocked and generally were inept on offense.

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Still, the game was encouraging for a Chiefs defense desperate for success. Nowhere were the changes more dramatic than at linebacker, where the Chiefs have struggled for years.

Outside linebacker Kendrell Bell, who was signed from the Steelers as a free agent, gives the Chiefs a nasty, physical presence they formerly lacked. The other outside linebacker, Derrick Johnson, who was the team's first-round draft pick, has great speed. Against the Jets he had a sack, forced a fumble and chased down several plays that could have gone for long gains.

Holdover middle linebacker Kawika Mitchell is a much different player than in the past two seasons. He is a better playmaker and is more physical. Cunningham and linebackers coach Fred Pagac have been working at changing Mitchell's approach from passive to aggressive.

"They want an ornery son of a gun there," coach Dick Vermeil says. "Some kids aren't naturally ornery. That doesn't mean they aren't tough. (Cunningham and Pagac) were very demanding, probably more demanding on him than any player on our football team in this training camp.

"They put the pressure on him as the (middle) linebacker to become the leader of the defense. They didn't give him much room to (fail). He's always been a self-motivated kid. But he needed a lot of work. A lot of things just didn't come naturally to him. It's taken some time."

Problems loom this Sunday against Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and the Raiders, particularly if the Chiefs are without cornerback Patrick Surtain, who left the opener with a concussion after returning an interception 53 yards and previously recovering a fumble. The Jets proceeded to go after his replacement, Dewayne Washington, with much success.

Still, the Week 1 performance was a step in a different direction for a much-beleaguered defense. "I wouldn't want anybody to buy tickets to Detroit right now," says Vermeil, referring to this season's Super Bowl site. "But you can't get started until you win the first one."

Chiefs 'D' isn't dominant, but it's also not desperate

Sporting News, The, Sept 23, 2005 by Adam Teicher

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