NFL Capsules - AFC: Colts seek improved return game
ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) — Brandon James believes he can be a difference maker for the Indianapolis Colts.
The rookie free agent from Florida will return punts on Sunday in the preseason opener against San Francisco. It's an area in which James feels the Colts could use a boost.
"I was told that a return man was definitely needed here," the 5-foot-7 reserve receiver said. "Me following football over the years, watching the Colts, that's one thing they're missing. If they had better field position, their scoring percentage would be a lot better. That's what I'll try to bring."
James also is listed as the backup on kickoff returns. He holds four Southeastern Conference and 11 school records for kickoff and punt returns. Last season, he averaged 26.1 yards on kickoff returns and 7.4 yards on punt returns. He had four punt returns for touchdowns with the Gators.
Sam Giguere tops the depth chart for kickoff returns. He returned five kickoffs for 122 yards last season. Colts coach Jim Caldwell said the 5-foot-11, 215-pound reserve receiver blends speed with power.
"Sam is big, strong, fast," he said. "He's got girth to him, he's got power, he's got speed. We've seen him actually do it."
Caldwell said Anthony Gonzalez is likely to return some kicks in the preseason, but he's more interested in seeing the young players in action on Sunday.
Finding steady kick returners is one of the team's most pressing needs. The Colts ranked 18th in the NFL in kickoff returns last season (22.2 yards per return) and 28th in punt returns (5.2). Last year's top returners, Chad Simpson and T.J. Rushing, are no longer with the team, leaving the return game as one of the only areas where jobs are available. Every defensive starter and all but one on offense returns.
"I think it's key for us," Caldwell said. "We need to get a couple guys who can do it for us. We'll give a couple guys an opportunity to see what they can do. It's going to be a great competition."
James, who is a reserve wide receiver, realizes his best shot to make the team is as a return man. The receiving corps is loaded, with Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, Gonzalez and rookie Blair White ahead of him on the depth chart.
James realizes how important Sunday's game is, but he is trying to downplay it.
"With me coming in, I'm just taking it as a regular game," he said. "I don't look at it as a preseason game. I'm going into it real motivated. Trying to just keep my emotions down a little bit, don't let them get the best of me."
Caldwell likes what he has seen.
"He's learning," he said. "Sunday is certainly going to be a great opportunity for him. He's got good hands, pretty consistent hands, and he's got some quickness. We'll see what happens in live action."
Caldwell suspects that James' learning curve will accelerate on Sunday.
"Every once in a while, they (young players) press a little bit," he said. "They certainly are going to get a feel for the speed in this league. They have not witnessed that yet. That will give them a real good view of exactly how difficult it is to be good in that particular area."
Another Matthews trying to earn job with Titans
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Kevin Matthews says it was a bit intimidating walking past his father's old spot just inside the door at the Tennessee Titans' locker room and being coached by a man who watched him grow up.
Not anymore.
The son of Hall of Fame lineman Bruce Matthews is too busy trying to earn his own NFL job to dwell on how he used to play around the Titans' locker room every Saturday for three years. He's settled in so much he now calls Hall of Fame lineman and offensive line coach Mike Munchak by his nickname "Munch" instead of starting with Mister.
"I'm glad. It's the best situation I could've come into, and I'm just thankful that this opportunity came about for me and that I was able to come to a place where I felt so comfortable," Kevin said.
His father was a first-round draft pick in 1983 by the then-Houston Oilers and played 19 years with the franchise that moved to Tennessee in 1997. Bruce brought his family to Nashville to join him after that first miserable season without them, retired after the 2001 season and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007 with his best friend, Munchak, introducing him.
Kevin didn't hear his name called at all during the draft in April. But the lineman who started the final 25 games of his career at Texas A&M heard from up to seven different teams wanting to sign him as a free agent, including the Houston Texans where his father now is an offensive assistant and the Titans.
The Texans called first, with Tennessee close behind. Kevin discussed his options with his father.
"He thinks Munch is the best offensive line coach in the league, so he said, 'I think you'll really get a great opportunity to contribute and be a part of the team if you go work with him.' ... It really didn't take long for me to make my decision. It was really only going to be down to those two teams," Kevin said.
Bruce also noticed Tennessee didn't draft an offensive lineman, confident in Munchak's ability to groom young players into solid backups.
"I played with Mike for 11 years, and he coached me for another eight. It was a very unique situation, and I feel like there's not much of a better guy you could trust your son to," Bruce said.
"Mike is who he is. He's pretty straight with every guy. In my conversations with Mike, it was that way. I'm not looking for any special treatment for Kevin. And any free agent would like to know that if he makes it, then he deserved it."
At 6-foot-3, 302 pounds, Kevin resembles his father in both mannerisms, work ethic and versatility. Bruce played every position on the offensive line for this franchise, and Kevin has been working at both center and guard. He also long snaps, having listened closely to his father's advice to make himself as valuable at as many positions as possible.
"He has a really good understanding of the game, what's happening, what's around him more so than maybe some kids coming out of college from working with his dad," Munchak said. "Watching his dad, I think, is a big plus for him."
Even though Bruce is busy with the Texans, he is just a phone call away for his son. They talk often after meetings and practices, and Munchak said he knows he's probably telling Kevin the same things about technique and positioning that Bruce does.
"It probably bothers Bruce when he tells him that I told him that, and I'm getting credit for it," Munchak said.
The stakes rise Saturday night when the Titans open the preseason at Seattle. The starting line is set for Tennessee, but at least a couple backup spots are up for grabs.
Both men are all business during practice and meetings, and Munchak also is coaching another lineman whose father once was a teammate in Nick Howell. Pat Howell finished his career with the Oilers between 1983 and 1985. But Kevin is the one Munchak's daughter occasionally asks about, to see how her old friend is faring.
"There are some things that are fun about it. I was around him so much. He grew up with me. It'll be curious to see how it all works out," Munchak said.
-- Teresa M. Walker
Titans sign Raheem Brock to boost banged-up line
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — All Raheem Brock wants is a chance to chase quarterbacks, and he believes the Tennessee Titans will give him his best chance to do just that.
The eight-year veteran signed a one-year contract with Tennessee on Thursday after working out and passing a physical. The Titans had him on the field for practice to help a banged-up unit. Brock had worked out for Houston on Wednesday, but he said Thursday he thinks Tennessee is the best place for someone who spent his career in Indianapolis until now.
"I think I'm in a good situation where I just have to take advantage of it plain and simple," Brock said after practice. "They play a great defensive scheme that fits what I do. Right now I just have to take advantage of it."
The Titans needed the help.
Tennessee lost end William Hayes to a sprained right medial collateral ligament in his knee on Tuesday, and he will miss at least two weeks. Tackle Tony Brown remains on the physically unable to perform list, and top draft pick Derrick Morgan has yet to practice with the full team.
Coach Jeff Fisher said rookie end Marcus Howard suffered a triceps injury and had season-ending surgery, so the Titans waived him and will reach an injury settlement with him. The Titans also signed end Chris Harrington while releasing receiver Phillip Morris.
"This is what sometimes happens at this time of training camp," Fisher said. "You have injuries and you have to move people around so you can get to the preseason games."
The Titans open the preseason Saturday night at Seattle. With four preseason games, Brock and Harrington will have their chance to compete.
"It should be enough so they can show us what they can do," Fisher said.
Brock spent his first eight seasons with Indianapolis and has 28½ career sacks. But he wasn't happy playing inside at tackle in Indianapolis where he won a Super Bowl ring and asked to be released in March. The 32-year-old lineman found himself waiting and waiting for the chance to join another team until the phone really started ringing this week.
He said the wait was frustrating.
"It's a business. It's how it is. ... My boys Dwight (Freeney) and Robert (Mathis), they're out there and they ball just as hard as anybody else. For me, I was just looking for the opportunity to play end and get to that quarterback like they have," Brock said.
Brock hit the practice field with No. 96, the number that had been worn by Morgan. But the rookie will join Brown in not playing in Seattle as he recovers from a strained left calf. Morgan, the 16th pick overall, said he had been looking to change numbers and now has his sights set on No. 91 and is in negotiations. No. 90, last worn by Jevon Kearse, is another option.
Tackle Jason Jones has worn No. 91 since the Titans drafted him in the second round of the 2008 draft and said he is a little sentimental about that number.
"It might just come down to me keeping it," Jones said.
Notes: Fisher said LB David Thornton, who remains on the PUP list, also will not play in Seattle. CB Cortland Finnegan (hip flexor), S Vincent Fuller (left knee), LB Stanford Keglar (hamstring), CB Tye Hill, S Nick Schommer and WR Damian Williams will be questionable.
-- Teresa M. Walker
Tomlin: Not certain if Roethlisberger will play
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger is permitted to play in all the Pittsburgh Steelers' preseason games before his suspension begins. That doesn't mean he will.
Coach Mike Tomlin wouldn't say Thursday whether Roethlisberger will take a few snaps with the starters during Saturday night's exhibition game against the Detroit Lions — the first time the quarterback will appear before his home crowd since being suspended for six games.
"We're going to make you come to the stadium to check that out," Tomlin said.
Because the starters will play only eight to 12 plays, it is unlikely both Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich will get on the field, unless it's for a few downs apiece. Leftwich will be the starter when the season opens and Roethlisberger's suspension begins.
"I want to play — I want to be out there with the guys. I'd like to play the whole game," Roethlisberger said. "If coach says I'm not going to play, it's his call."
There has been considerable speculation how Roethlisberger will be received in Heinz Field after being accused of sexually assaulting a Georgia college student in March. He was not charged but was suspended by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who is expected to reduce the punishment to four games before the season begins.
While numerous fans said a few months ago they were angered by his behavior and would no longer cheer for him, Roethlisberger is being treated enthusiastically by the thousands of fans who attend training camp daily. As camp progresses, more No. 7 jerseys are evident among the crowd. However, a filled stadium offers more opportunities for any displeased fans to jeer.
Is Roethlisberger nervous about his first game back, just as he was before his first practice last month?
"The fans have been awesome," he said. "I think and hope it will be awesome. ... I want to get back to Heinz, that's my home."
The Steelers could diffuse any anti-Roethlisberger sentiment by holding him out Saturday, especially since their next two preseason games will be on the road. They won't be home again until Sept. 2, the final exhibition game against Carolina in which the starters usually play only a few downs.
Leftwich senses that the fans are ready to focus on the season, so he expects Roethlisberger to be well received.
"I'm quite sure if he's out there playing, they'll welcome him," Leftwich said. "He's trying to move on. It was great the first day he came out here (at camp), seeing the cheers he got. Pittsburgh loves guys who are on their team."
So far, the Steelers have stayed with their prewritten quarterback script, which emphasizes getting Leftwich ready to start while making sure Roethlisberger gets plenty of work before he is barred from practice during his suspension.
"We started with a plan and we were very clear about that," Tomlin said. "We're going to provide Ben enough opportunities to have a productive camp and preseason and at the same time get clarity with our quarterback situation. I think we've stayed true to form thus far and we'll continue with that as we get into the game."
When they opened training camp nearly two weeks ago, Roethlisberger was the first quarterback to work with the regulars. Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians intentionally did that to emphasize that Roethlisberger is the starter, suspension or not.
"So far, so good," Tomlin said. "He's been extremely sharp and I've been pleased with how he's played the position."
Dennis Dixon, who started one game last season when Roethlisberger was hurt, is expected to play most of Saturday's game. Charlie Batch, the longtime backup who fell to No. 4 on the depth chart when Leftwich was signed, could finish up.
Maurkice Pouncey, the first-round draft pick from Florida, will take snaps at center and right guard as the Steelers try to get him comfortable with both positions. Second-round pick Jason Worilds, the outside linebacker from Virginia Tech, probably won't play after missing practice time with a sore hamstring.
Two rookie wide receivers will get tryouts as returners, Emmanuel Sanders on kickoffs and Antonio Brown on punts.
-- Alan Robinson
Jets' Ryan apologizes for 'Hard Knocks' profanity
CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) — Rex Ryan's mother has already scolded him. A little soap might be next for the New York Jets' foul-mouthed coach.
After a Rex-pletive-filled appearance in the premiere episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks" on Wednesday night, Ryan got a call from Mom. And, then, like a good son, he said he was sorry.
"Sometimes you get rolling and that's what happens," the usually brash Ryan said Thursday. "I don't know why. I apologize if I offended more people than I usually offend."
Not that he'll be cutting down on the colorful language anytime soon. Whether Mom's watching or not.
"That's just the way it is," Ryan said, "but, I'm going to be myself."
Swearing is nothing new for NFL coaches — or coaches in other sports, for that matter. It's just rare for fans to hear it on national TV. "Hard Knocks" is an uncensored look at the Jets through training camp.
"You don't even realize you're saying it," said Ryan, whose father, Buddy, was known to toss around a choice word or two during his NFL coaching career.
"My Mom's the only one really disappointed that I care about."
It didn't bother any of the players, who said that's just who Ryan is.
"Skip the F-bombs and everything else," defensive lineman Sione Pouha said. "You can really feel that this guy is passionate about what he does and is passionate about his players."
The curses aside, some viewers may have been more offended by some explicit scenes in the HBO vampire series "True Blood," which aired just before "Hard Knocks."
"Can't blame that one on me," Ryan said, laughing.
The first episode of the five-part "Hard Knocks" series touched on several topics, including star cornerback Darrelle Revis' holdout, the team's newest stars, players trying to hook on and playful banter between the coaches and the players.
"I watched it in my dorm room," Pouha said. "Had a couple of brownies — that's probably a $5 fine — but watched it in the room and the encore as well. It was quite entertaining."
Veteran pass rusher Jason Taylor, one of the newest Jets, was one of a handful of players who didn't watch.
"We're living it," he said. "We go through training camp all day. The last thing you want to do is watch training camp on TV."
One of the more entertaining scenes included Ryan going up against general manager Mike Tannenbaum in a punt-pass-kick competition. Tannenbaum went head-over-heels while unsuccessfully trying to field a punt.
"There's some people who probably watched it over and over," a smiling Ryan said — likely referring to Revis' agents.
"I don't know if people get used to seeing coaches and the GM having fun," linebacker Bart Scott said. "You're not used to seeing fun. So, we like to have fun. I think (people) get a greater appreciation of how we go about our business."
NOTES: C Nick Mangold sat out practice after he was smacked in the temple by Pouha on Wednesday. Ryan said it's not a concussion, and the team is just being cautious. ... CB Drew Coleman was wide right on a field-goal attempt of 40-plus yards that would have given the team a movie night instead of meetings. Ryan said the players would still get their movie night, but wouldn't tell them until they gather for the meeting.
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
AP source: Browns' Jackson could be back in month
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — There's another new, gaping hole in the middle of the Browns' defense.
They may actually be able to plug it this time.
Starting inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, who initially feared he might be lost for the season, will be sidelined for at least a few weeks with a strained right pectoral muscle, the second chest muscle injury the dependable four-year veteran has sustained in less than a year.
On Thursday, Jackson got positive news on the injury when he got a second opinion from the surgeon who reattached his left pectoral muscle in October. Dr. Frank Cordasco agreed with the diagnosis by Cleveland's medical staff and determined Jackson will not need surgery, said a person familiar with the injury who spoke on condition of anonymity because of medical privacy laws.
Jackson will begin rehab and should be back within 3 to 7 weeks, the person said. If he doesn't have any setbacks, Jackson could return for the Sept. 12 opener at Tampa Bay.
When he got hurt on Tuesday, Jackson, who missed Cleveland's final 10 games last season with the chest injury, left the field dejectedly and was visibly upset when he returned to watch the final 30 minutes.
The temporary loss of Jackson will force the Browns to shuffle their linebacking group, a unit the club strengthened during the offseason by signing free agent Scott Fujita, who won a Super Bowl ring with New Orleans, and acquiring Chris Gocong, a three-year player with Philadelphia, in a trade.
Gocong has been playing alongside Jackson in the interior of Cleveland's 3-4 alignment during camp. With Jackson out, Eric Barton likely will slide into the middle, a spot he owned until injuring his neck and sitting out the Browns' final eight games last season.
Linebacker is the one position where the Browns can claim to have some depth. They're about to find out how strong it really is.
"This will be a test," Gocong said following the first of two practices Thursday as the Browns got ready for their exhibition opener Saturday in Green Bay. "We're definitely going to move guys around and see what fits where. We're going to have to move some guys around."
Along with Fujita, Gocong and Barton, the Browns could use David Bowens, Kaluka Maiava and Jason Trusnik in the middle.
"We've got a lot of guys who can do a lot of things," Trusnik said.
Coach Eric Mangini has a comfort level with Barton, who was leading the Browns in tackles when he got hurt last season. Mangini and Barton spent three years together in New York, and the coach trusts his knowledge in coordinator Rob Ryan's attacking system and ability to make the right calls.
Mangini knows nothing can replace hands-on experience.
"It's nice to have the guys that we have with the experience that we have here," Mangini said. "Eric Barton has started over 100 games through the course of his career, and Chris with his experience and David Bowens with this experience, Kaluka (Maiava) got some time last year as a young guy, right on down the line. I think it does help."
On paper, Cleveland's defense looks better than last season's group, which finished ranked 31st overall, 28th against the run. Ryan and Mangini are optimistic that his defense will be vastly improved, but they won't know for certain until the season kicks off.
Meanwhile, the Browns will miss more than Jackson's tackling. One of the team's most respected players, he impressed his teammates with a strong offseason of conditioning. Disappointed that the Browns would not sign him to a long-term contract, Jackson signed a one-year tender worth $1.76 million.
He was counting on a big year to parlay into a big, free agent contract next winter. Now, he faces an uncertain future.
"He's not thinking negative about it," said safety Abram Elam, who spoke with Jackson on Wednesday. "He's trying to bring some positive into it. He's optimistic. Last year when we lost D'Qwell, we had to come together and it gave other guys opportunities. We have to do it again."
Notes: CB Eric Wright was back after missing two days with a leg injury. ... Punter Dave Zastudil has returned to Ohio after visiting his knee surgeon in Colorado. Mangini said there are no immediate plans for Zastudil to have surgery. He had a torn patellar tendon repaired in his right (plant) leg in December after missing eight games in 2009. ... Mangini plans to play QBs Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace one quarter each on Saturday. ... CB Brandon McDonald practiced after missing two days with a tender ankle. ... RT John St. Clair was carted off after cramping up during post-practice sprints in the swampy heat.
-- Tom Withers
Dolphins' Marshall says he might try out for NBA
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall says he has a fallback plan if NFL teams lock out players next year: He'll try out for the NBA.
Marshall said he would audition for the Miami Heat or Denver Nuggets as a shooting guard.
"Right now I'm rusty," he said after Dolphins' practice Thursday. "Right now I'm no good. If I try out right now they'll be saying, 'What is this guy thinking?' But after some training I'll be fine. I'll be right back where I used to be."
The 6-foot-4 Marshall lettered in basketball three times at Lake Howell High School in Winter Park, Fla.
"I'm an outside shooter," he said. "But it's funny — I use the 3-ball to set up my penetration game. It's a little backward."
Marshall was a Nuggets fan while playing for the Broncos. He said he would try to get a workout with them, and would also be interested in joining LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Heat.
"Probably the better situation for me may be the Heat," Marshall said. "They got those high salaries. I'll come in and play (for the) minimum. ... I just need minimum. Not for free. Minimum."
The Pro Bowl receiver said he has a vertical leap of 37 inches, which makes him an inviting target for quarterbacks. But he doesn't expect to be playing football next year at this time.
"As players, we want football," he said. "Unfortunately, owners opt out, and there's a lot of concern there. I think the question now is how long would a lockout be?"
The possibility of a lockout next season looms while the NFL and NFLPA try to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement.
A work stoppage would mean a big financial hit for Marshall. After the Dolphins traded two second-round draft picks to Denver in April for the talented wideout, they gave him a four-year contract extension worth an average of about $10 million a year through 2014.
In Denver, Marshall caught at least 100 passes each of the past three years.
Kyle Orton quietly shines amid Tebowmania
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — When the Denver Broncos' practice at Invesco Field was over, thousands of fans who had been incessantly chanting Tim Tebow's name pushed toward the railings to beg for his autograph.
They clicked photos of the hideous haircut that linebacker Wesley Woodyard had buzzed into his head that afternoon in a rookie ritual, the friar-like images, like everything Tebow, going viral on the Internet.
Female fans fawned over Brady Quinn, the ruggedly handsome quarterback who arrived in Denver just ahead of Tebow's selection in the first round of the NFL draft this spring.
Kyle Orton? He slipped out a side exit almost unnoticed.
Nothing new there — at the team's headquarters in suburban Denver, the boisterous cheers from Tebowmaniacs begin the second the former Florida star steps out onto the football field to start stretching. They don't end until he's done meeting and greeting his fixated fans, which, during two-a-days, can be just before darkness descends upon Dove Valley.
Usually drawing quite the crowd himself is Quinn, the former first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns.
Orton, meanwhile, doesn't rate a single display jersey at the satellite trailer the Broncos team store is operating inside the parking lot at the club headquarters, where dozens of Tebow jerseys — already the top seller in the NFL — are going fast.
Many days, Orton can slip past the media horde hanging on Tebow's every word and head right into the locker room without breaking stride, nobody bothering the starting quarterback for his thoughts.
This for an incumbent who is so far ahead of the others in both understanding and execution of Josh McDaniels' intricate offense that the real intrigue has been relegated to this: Who will serve as Orton's backup in 2010?
Even if the more-experienced Quinn gets that nod, Tebow figures to see plenty of action in special packages such as the Wildcat formation or in the red zone, cameo appearances that will have to satisfy the Tebowmaniacs while Orton quietly leads the Broncos offense.
Almost nowhere else in the NFL is the starting quarterback so stealthy, solitary or secluded as Orton is in Denver, where he signed a one-year, $2.621 million tender as a restricted free agent this offseason because the Broncos weren't willing to give him a long-term deal despite his 29-19 record as a starter in Chicago and Denver.
So, where's the love for Kyle Orton?
"I don't need love," Orton insisted. "I just need wins."
Orton doesn't seem the least bit fazed by the hoopla surrounding Tebow or the lack of devotion he's getting from the fans or the front office.
"I come out here every day and try to get the team and the offense to where we can win games. That's really my main focus," Orton told The Associated Press.
For those actually paying attention, Orton has been worth noticing during training camp. His comfort level and accuracy of his throws are way ahead of Tebow and Quinn. His teammates look at him as their unquestioned leader, with co-captain Champ Bailey declaring, "He's my guy."
McDaniels' too.
Ever since bringing in Quinn and Tebow, McDaniels has insisted Orton is still the starter — but that he'd have to fend off his rivals in training camp.
While Tebow blows away the competition in post-practice wind sprints, Orton's doing the same at quarterback, even if Broncos fans aren't paying close attention.
"He's not under the radar on our team, I know that," McDaniels said. "He's started off extremely well. He's accurate. There's nothing in our scheme that he can't execute. He gets us in the right play 99 out of 100 or 100 out of 100 times and the ball's going to the right place."
It's not just a mental leap but a physical one.
Orton is more mobile in the pocket and is stepping into throws with the good mechanics and proper footwork that eluded him almost all last season.
"Physically, I'm healthy finally," Orton said. "When I came over from Chicago I was still battling my right ankle and never really got that right. Then we got into the season and I did my left ankle and I was playing on two flat tires, basically. That's no fun. I'm just happy I'm feeling good for the first time. When you're a quarterback and you're not playing with your feet it's a tough situation. You're using a lot of arm and poor mechanics and all that stuff."
This summer, his passes are precise, as are his reads.
"Everybody plays through injuries and a quarterback is no different," Orton said. "Hopefully, I can get through this season on two good wheels and move around and throw the ball well."
Despite his ankle injuries, Orton had the best statistical season of his career last year. But the Broncos collapsed after a 6-0 start and instead of the long-term deal he coveted, Orton got Quinn and Tebow.
Embracing the opportunity to once again prove his worth, Orton has only solidified his grip on the job.
"Being healthy and technically sound, that's a really good combination for a quarterback to have," McDaniels said. "And he knows where to go, too. So, there's a lot of good things. I think that's why he's got so much confidence right now. I think our players have a lot of confidence also, and I think it's helping our entire offense."
-- Arnie Stapleton
Stop the drops: Chiefs use outhouse to get a grip
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Many fans were probably disheartened when Kansas City coaches hauled a mobile outhouse onto the practice field and told pass catchers to go in, have a seat and close the door.
Wasn't the team that led the NFL in dropped passes a year ago supposed to be getting its aerial game out of the toilet?
As it turned out, the Porta Potty was used for a unique kind of pass-catching drill that players, suppressing a laugh, hailed as effective in developing some quick hand-eye coordination.
Assistant head coach Maurice Carthon, who introduced the Chiefs to the Porta Potty drill, stood about 10 feet away and shouted to another coach when to fling open the door. The second the door opened, Carthon fired the pass and it was on the player to hang on.
"It teaches you hand-eye coordination," receiver Dexter McCluster said.
Carthon learned it from New York Giants tight ends coach Mike Pope when they worked together in New England.
"I haven't done it in a while but it's a good concentration drill, I think, for hands, eyes and getting the ball and getting your hands up quick," he said.
Who can blame the Chiefs for pulling out all the stops? No team had more dropped passes last year than Kansas City's frightful 48. It was a big factor in the 4-12 record in their first year under Todd Haley, who broke into the NFL tutoring receivers.
The preseason opener in Atlanta on Friday will be the first chance to see if the Chiefs are headed back in the right direction. With new personnel and stepped-up training camp emphasis on pass-and-catch, they believe they are.
"We're taking it upon ourselves to be a good catching team," wide receiver Chris Chambers said. "Nobody is always perfect. It's a mindset. When you miss a pass, you have to get it out of your head and make the next one."
Among Chiefs receivers and quarterbacks, it's not considered polite to bring up last year.
"I'm tired of talking about all that. I'm tired of talking about dropped passes," Chambers said. "It's time to move on."
Determined to do just that, the Chiefs have moved past several fronts.
Mark Bradley and Bobby Wade, who each had nine of the 48 drops, have cleaned out their lockers and made room for McCluster and fellow rookie Tony Moeaki.
McCluster, a quick and versatile second-round pick from Mississippi, appears ready to provide more speed at the wide receiver spot. Moeaki is being counted on at tight end, a position that's been a virtual wasteland since perennial Pro Bowler Tony Gonzalez was traded to the Falcons.
Back, and so far declining to talk to reporters, is wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. He led the Chiefs and everybody else in the NFL with 11 drops in 2009. But Haley says the former first-round pick is working hard and getting better.
Nevertheless, camp-watchers have noticed quite a few drops in routine drills. Bowe, repeating a career-long pattern, seems to be catching a few and then dropping one or two.
Everyone knows Haley will be quick to run out of patience.
"I don't think you're going to have success if you're dropping a lot of balls," he said. "That is something our coaches and players are very cognizant of, and I think you'll see them continue to work on that."
Haley was particularly frustrated by all the drops that helped ruin the 2009 season.
"You are talking to a longtime receivers coach. We could have a long dissertation here on catching the ball," he said. "It is a unique subject because a big part of catching the football is mental and has to do with confidence and things. I think everybody coaches it different. What you do need to be doing is catching a lot of balls, before practice, after practice, during practice. You always have to emphasize technique and how you want the players to catch the ball."
Starting Friday, Haley will get to see if his players have caught on.
-- Doug Tucker
