Post by lazarus on Sept 16, 2005 11:51:06 GMT -5
Posted on Fri, Sep. 16, 2005
Chiefs aren't same when Roaf sidelined
By ELIZABETH MERRILL
The Kansas City Star
As he lumbered to the showers late Thursday, Willie Roaf said he’s feeling better and, if things go well, he might be back for the “Monday Night Football” game Sept. 26 at Denver.
Cue the collective sighs.
Roaf doesn’t toss a football, but he can throw a pretty mean block. When Roaf, a 10-time Pro Bowl tackle, left the game because of a hamstring injury Sunday, Priest Holmes had just dived into the end zone for the Chiefs’ second touchdown of the first quarter. The offense was humming. The Chiefs had piled up 170 yards in their first two series, and Roaf’s blocking was key on both of the drives.
Then he took a seat at the end of the bench, and things weren’t quite the same. To some, the offense looked as buttoned-up as a Wayne Newton concert.
“I think we played conservatively,” said Jordan Black, who replaced Roaf at left tackle. “But at the same time, we did as a team and an offensive line what we’re capable of. It’s not like we started running plays that we knew weren’t going to be successful. Regardless of what happens with the offensive-line situation, we’re still successful.
“We rushed for (198) yards. Conservative or not, we still put up the numbers, and we still won the game.”
Excuse Black if he’s a tad protective. It has not been a good week to be an offensive lineman in Kansas City. First came Roaf’s injury, which was initially thought to be a popped hamstring but is now labeled a strain. Then Black came down with the flu Thursday and had to be sent home. Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters didn’t practice Thursday, either, because of back problems.
It left Pro Bowler Will Shields, who’s been bothered by arthritic knees and back issues, as one of the healthiest linemen. But Waters scoffs at the notion that the Chiefs will change their game plan or hold back because of an injured player, especially on an offensive line that is considered one of the best in the NFL.
“It just doesn’t work that way in our offense,” Waters said.
Here’s how the Chiefs’ offense worked Sunday in the 27-7 win over the Jets: They bolted out to a 17-0 halftime lead and had a near-50-50 run-pass balance with 232 first-half yards. They leaned to more two tight-end sets in the second half, ran the ball more and used formations with just one receiver.
Quarterback Trent Green hit his first seven passes. He completed just eight of his last 19.
Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders, who’s not known to hold back, said the play calling changed because of the score and the way the defense was playing.
“We altered some things we were doing because we had two new tackles in the game,” Saunders said. “We have such volume in our offense, we always make contingencies for those kinds of things happening. You’d like to have all your starters available, but teams that are successful teams can cope with those changes, either expectedly or unexpectedly.”
Asked what Roaf’s absence means to the offense this Sunday at Oakland, Saunders coyly said, “Well, it means we’ll have Jordan Black at left tackle and Chris Bober at right tackle.”
This time, at least, they’ll have more than a few minutes’ notice. Black has spent much of the week working with the No. 1s at left tackle, an adjustment, he said, that is harder than most people think. There are different blocking assignments and techniques. The left tackle is going against a different type of player.
On Sunday, he faced one of the league’s better pass rushers in John Abraham, who had the Jets’ only sack of the game. Black knows that this Sunday, the Raiders might try to exploit his inexperience at left tackle.
“Of course,” Black said. “That’s what I would do if I was a defensive coordinator.”
Both Saunders and coach thingy Vermeil praised Black’s composure in an unusual situation. Roaf had started 48 straight games since coming to Kansas City.
Black said nobody can step in for Roaf and play on his level. He just wants to do the best he can and put the Chiefs in a position to win. And that would be good enough.
“You don’t take Willie Roaf out of the lineup without losing something,” Vermeil said. “There are very few, if any, explosive Willie Roafs in the National Football League other than Willie Roaf. So we do lose a little, but we think we can still function very well. We didn’t do too bad the other day.”
With or without Willie
Willie Roaf was injured on the Chiefs’ 15th play Sunday, which was Priest Holmes’ touchdown with 3:12 left in the first quarter. How the Chiefs fared with Roaf in and out of the game over the next 48-plus minutes:
First 12 mins. Category Last 48 mins.
6-6 Comp.-Att. 9-20
87 Pass yards 104
83 Run yards 115
2-2 3rd downs 2-8
Chiefs aren't same when Roaf sidelined
By ELIZABETH MERRILL
The Kansas City Star
As he lumbered to the showers late Thursday, Willie Roaf said he’s feeling better and, if things go well, he might be back for the “Monday Night Football” game Sept. 26 at Denver.
Cue the collective sighs.
Roaf doesn’t toss a football, but he can throw a pretty mean block. When Roaf, a 10-time Pro Bowl tackle, left the game because of a hamstring injury Sunday, Priest Holmes had just dived into the end zone for the Chiefs’ second touchdown of the first quarter. The offense was humming. The Chiefs had piled up 170 yards in their first two series, and Roaf’s blocking was key on both of the drives.
Then he took a seat at the end of the bench, and things weren’t quite the same. To some, the offense looked as buttoned-up as a Wayne Newton concert.
“I think we played conservatively,” said Jordan Black, who replaced Roaf at left tackle. “But at the same time, we did as a team and an offensive line what we’re capable of. It’s not like we started running plays that we knew weren’t going to be successful. Regardless of what happens with the offensive-line situation, we’re still successful.
“We rushed for (198) yards. Conservative or not, we still put up the numbers, and we still won the game.”
Excuse Black if he’s a tad protective. It has not been a good week to be an offensive lineman in Kansas City. First came Roaf’s injury, which was initially thought to be a popped hamstring but is now labeled a strain. Then Black came down with the flu Thursday and had to be sent home. Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters didn’t practice Thursday, either, because of back problems.
It left Pro Bowler Will Shields, who’s been bothered by arthritic knees and back issues, as one of the healthiest linemen. But Waters scoffs at the notion that the Chiefs will change their game plan or hold back because of an injured player, especially on an offensive line that is considered one of the best in the NFL.
“It just doesn’t work that way in our offense,” Waters said.
Here’s how the Chiefs’ offense worked Sunday in the 27-7 win over the Jets: They bolted out to a 17-0 halftime lead and had a near-50-50 run-pass balance with 232 first-half yards. They leaned to more two tight-end sets in the second half, ran the ball more and used formations with just one receiver.
Quarterback Trent Green hit his first seven passes. He completed just eight of his last 19.
Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders, who’s not known to hold back, said the play calling changed because of the score and the way the defense was playing.
“We altered some things we were doing because we had two new tackles in the game,” Saunders said. “We have such volume in our offense, we always make contingencies for those kinds of things happening. You’d like to have all your starters available, but teams that are successful teams can cope with those changes, either expectedly or unexpectedly.”
Asked what Roaf’s absence means to the offense this Sunday at Oakland, Saunders coyly said, “Well, it means we’ll have Jordan Black at left tackle and Chris Bober at right tackle.”
This time, at least, they’ll have more than a few minutes’ notice. Black has spent much of the week working with the No. 1s at left tackle, an adjustment, he said, that is harder than most people think. There are different blocking assignments and techniques. The left tackle is going against a different type of player.
On Sunday, he faced one of the league’s better pass rushers in John Abraham, who had the Jets’ only sack of the game. Black knows that this Sunday, the Raiders might try to exploit his inexperience at left tackle.
“Of course,” Black said. “That’s what I would do if I was a defensive coordinator.”
Both Saunders and coach thingy Vermeil praised Black’s composure in an unusual situation. Roaf had started 48 straight games since coming to Kansas City.
Black said nobody can step in for Roaf and play on his level. He just wants to do the best he can and put the Chiefs in a position to win. And that would be good enough.
“You don’t take Willie Roaf out of the lineup without losing something,” Vermeil said. “There are very few, if any, explosive Willie Roafs in the National Football League other than Willie Roaf. So we do lose a little, but we think we can still function very well. We didn’t do too bad the other day.”
With or without Willie
Willie Roaf was injured on the Chiefs’ 15th play Sunday, which was Priest Holmes’ touchdown with 3:12 left in the first quarter. How the Chiefs fared with Roaf in and out of the game over the next 48-plus minutes:
First 12 mins. Category Last 48 mins.
6-6 Comp.-Att. 9-20
87 Pass yards 104
83 Run yards 115
2-2 3rd downs 2-8
