KANSAS CITY CHIEFS CONFERENCE CALLS
 OCTOBER 11, 2006

 

HEAD COACH HERM EDWARDS

What's wrong with the Steelers?

 

What's wrong with them? I don't know if anything is wrong with them. They just haven't won as many games as people anticipated to this point. When I look at tape, they played in games they could have won. Every coach says that, but looking at the tape they played in games that they could have won. It's a play here and a play there and you don't win. Everyone is playing them a little different since they wont he Super Bowl. Everybody is keyed up to play them. That's a lot of energy. Every week teams are playing the Super Bowl champions and that's tough.

 

Did you go through some early season troubles?

 

Yeah, we did. We lost a couple times. The Cincinnati game, we turned the ball over way too many times and gave them field position that they took advantage of. The Denver game was similar to Monday night. Our game was 6-6 in overtime. They beat us 9-6, but we had the ball at the end and had to go 25 yards to get into field goal range and we didn't do it. We didn't make plays there. They did and it got into overtime, and they beat us. The last two games, the one at home, turnovers were the key early in the game. We got on top of San Francisco. It's hard playing on the road when you're playing from behind. We won that one. Arizona was the opposite really. We got behind early in the first quarter. The only saving grace was that it was in the first five minutes of the first quarter. It happened so fast, I don't think we realized what had happened. Then we just kept playing. At the end we made some plays, held them to three points in the second half and scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to win it.

 

Why hasn't Larry Johnson met expectations?

 

He's the guy with the bullseye on his chest with what he did last year, not playing the whole year. Then you lose your quarterback. The first couple games they weren't respecting (Damon Huard) beating you with the pass. They put a lot of guys in the box. We haven't been real clean running the ball either. We were never too well in spring and preseason with our offensive linemen. We've been changing tackles. Brian (Waters) got hurt in training camp and he was out. He hardly played in the preseason. We weren't in-sync running the ball. That's how it's been. We have to try to improve that.

 

Has Huard surprised you with his efficiency?

 

Yeah, for him to win two games and play the way he did in Denver, he's played very, very well for us. That's what you ask your backup to do, just basically play the game and don't lose the game. He's played good enough for us to win and that's all you can ask the guy to do. We're playing together as a team. We know there are certain limitations that we have. We're trying to stay away from those and play to our strengths. He's done a good job of managing the team. He's made some throws that he's had to make. He made some throws last week when we were behind, and he did that, so that's good for us.

 

When do you expect Trent Green back?

 

That's a good question. He gingerly started working out a little bit, not in pads or anything. He's starting to run and do exercises on the machines. He's day-to-day, week-to-week. When the doctors clear him, then he's got to start practicing again. He hasn't even gotten close to that yet.

 

The last couple years the Kansas City defense wasn't that good?

 

Yeah, it wasn't that good. You won't hurt my feelings.

 

How did you get things turned around?

 

Well, I don't know. Gun(ther Cunningham) has been here before. We hired some new coaches. They've done a great job. We've changed the face of it. There are actually 23 new players on the football team. We changed that face a little bit. We're doing some things different on defense. That was the key for us to become a better defensive football team. Pittsburgh is one of those. When you play good defense, don't turn the ball over, and can run the ball, and be a physical football team, you can win anywhere, and you always have a chance to win. I think these guys understand that. They're buying into it. We're starting to learn how to play better defense. As the season goes on we have to continue to improve.

 

What did you know about Johnson before you took this job?

 

I don't buy a whole lot of what other people say. I have my own opinions about certain players. Sometimes you hear things, but I just put in the back of my mind. When you arrive you have to form relationships with your players. He's been very good with me. There's a lot of pressure on him. He's been predicted run for all these yards and every time he touches the ball people expect him to run for a touchdown, and that's not so in this league. It's tough. He had a great year last year. It's hard to do that two years in a row. We know that. He's growing. Now he's the starter, there are a lot of things put on him, a lot of pressure. He's starting to learn how to handle that. He's been good. He's done what we've asked him to do. He's gotten better and he needs to continue to get better as a football player.

 

How has Ty Law been?

 

He's playing pretty good. Last year he played on a bad foot and got 10 interceptions. This year he has two already. He's learning a new system. He knows some things because we did some of these things in New York. We've always had a good relationship, Ty Law and myself, even when he came out of college. I was scouting him when he came out. He'd always visit when I was in Tampa when we played him, same in New York. It was good to get him up in New York. It was a one-year deal and he had an option to go to some other places. He chose to come here, which is good for us. He's a solid player, a very good player. He's got 48 interceptions now, almost 50. He's a guy that helps you, no doubt about it. He's a big play guy. He knows how to make plays.

 

Has he talked about coming home this week?

 

Oh yeah, he's talking about his ticket requests. It's probably around the 30s or 40s knowing him. He's excited to come home, there's no doubt about that. I know his mom is too.

 

How has Kendrell Bell progressed?

 

He really has. He was dinged up last year and in a new system. Now, he's in a new system again. He's done a really good job for us. He made a big play last week, taking them out of field goal range with a big sack in the third quarter. That really helped us. He's done a good job for us.

 

Are you looking for a back to spell Johnson?

 

Yeah, we really are. It was Michael Bennett. He had a hammy but he's starting to get well. He's the guy to take some pressure off Larry, so he doesn't have to carry the load by himself. Once he gets well, we feel we have a good football player.

 

How has Kris Griffin done?

 

He's done a good job. He was in the world league this year and did a good job there. Now, he's on special teams. He's a good football player. He's got a bright future. We like him. He's starting to learn how to play better. The experience in the world league helped him. Now he's one of our special teams guys and he's doing a good job.

 

Why have most teams gone to a RB rotation? Is it just to give a rest or to use two different styles?

 

Both of those, it keeps the other guy fresh. If they're different styles, that always helps you. Bennett is a different style from Larry. That helps you. You need two. If you think about teams that run the ball, that want to run the ball, you're going to run the ball 500, 525, 550 times. Let's say you get 1,000 plays on offense. Some teams may pass 600 times, but if you're balanced then you're going to run it 500 times. There's no back in history that can carry 500 times in one season. You're going to kill that guy. So you need two backs. You don't know when a guy is going to get nicked. For me, you need three backs, because you don't know when a guy is going to get nicked. You need three guys that can play football at running back. Sometimes you lose sight of that. That's the combination. Your starter is going to carry the ball 250, 280 times. Your backup guy is going to carry some. That's how you go about doing it.

 

Does Johnson want 400 or 500 carries?

 

He'd only play about two more years and be done. You can't carry that many times in a season.

 

Is Bennett ready to go this week?

 

He's getting close. We'll see where he's at by the end of the week.

 

 

RUNNING BACK LARRY JOHNSON

How's your neck?

 

Fine. Good.

 

Any doubt that you'll play Sunday?

 

No, I'm playing.

 

Have you ever been tackled like that before?

 

I've had it before but not as severe. It was not a horse-collar; it was more facemask-collar.

 

What have you seen from the Steelers defense?

 

Ever since I've known the Steelers defense, ever since Bill Cowher's been there, even when I was at Penn State, they've always been the same defense, same championship defense since I've been in Pennsylvania. They play everyone tough.

 

Are defenses stacking the line of scrimmage more this year?

 

Yeah, guys are putting eight in the box which is something I'm prepared for, and something I'm still getting used to as far as everyone putting that eighth player in the box. It really doesn't bother me because every time they put eight in the box it gives Damon (Huard) an opportunity to make plays. Even though I haven't done much on the ground, I have 100-yards receiving. Running is only one aspect of my game.

 

How different was going into this season knowing that you were the starter?

 

It's the same situation when Eric McCoo left and I knew I was going to be the only guy back there. You just take it one step at a time and let your talent, and what you can do on the field, speak for itself.

 

How frustrating was it to sit the first couple of years?

 

It was frustrating. It's something that any good player goes through. If you think you shouldn't be playing then you shouldn't be getting a paycheck. You should just quit, retire and do something else. Every good player wants to play.

 

Can you handle taking all the carries?

 

I think the more I can carry the ball, the more I can do things with the ball in my hands, it gives the team an opportunity to put points on the board. I don't want to be put in a situation where a backup has to come in and do my job. They're there for when the game is out of hand or we're winning by big, big points. That makes sense to rest me and let him wind that clock down, but never let the backup come in and have to do what I have to do.

 

 

 

 

How has the offensive line been?

 

They're stepping up and doing a good job. Those guys still have to do the same things I'm doing and do it for 16 games. They're all learning and trying to get better with each practice and each game.

 

Will Dante Hall play?

 

I don't know Dante's injury. I'm not supposed to talk about other player's injuries, just mine.

 

Does that give you an extra burden if he can't go?

 

Dante's special teams aspect is something that, if he's not back there, you're always going to want to know who's going to be back there. Those guys have to carry the torch regardless if he's back there or not.

 

Are you coming in early to catch the Penn State-Michigan game?

 

I can't. We have to go by our schedule. I'm getting ready for Pittsburgh, not Michigan. I wish I could be there at the pep rally and all that. It's one of those games I'll have to watch on TV.

 

Were you concerned when Joe Paterno left the field?

 

No, I wasn't concerned. I've seen Joe go through worse than the flu. With New York when 9/11 happened, he still went through the whole season even though he had a lot of family in New York, and he was from New York. I know he can fight through anything.

 

What's your relationship with Joe like now?

 

Me and Joe never clashed. It's fine. It's cool. I come back to practice and he'll come over and talk to me about some things and I talk to him. It's a real good relationship. My father still works there. It's always been good for me to come back. For him coaching a dozen players and still find time to talk, he's cool with me.

 

Did you hear about being another bust Penn State RB?

 

I didn't hear that because I didn't play enough to be a bust. To be a bust you have to play. I just wasn't playing. All those other running backs played; they had opportunities to start and play. Whatever happened to them, happened to them. I wasn't in that situation.

 

Were you aware that Penn State RBs struggled?

 

Everyone thought the aspect would be the same ideals as what they saw in me. I made it my thing to change that. How I run, the way I run, trying to change minds that I was just another running from Penn State. I wasn't.

 

 

 

 

Would you have liked to play for the Steelers?

 

Who wouldn't. I played at Penn State. Who wouldn't want to stay at home and play in front of their own family and fans. Everyone knows Pennsylvania is Penn State central. Everyone loves Penn State in Pennsylvania. Even Philadelphia, I would love to play for both of them because I'm at home. I'm comfortable, the same weather I played in school. That's what everybody wants to do is stay at home and be where you have a fan base since you were in high school.

 

Did you know the Steelers showed interest in you?

 

I didn't know that. I was hyped that Coach Cowher came to my workout, March 20^th, when I was coming out. I enjoyed that. Those other coaches, Carl Peterson was there and he was a GM (general manager). A GM coming to see you work out, that was more special to me. All things happen for a reason.

 

Was that workout at Penn State?

 

Yeah.

 

You weren't a fulltime starter until your senior year?

 

Yeah.

 

What was your reaction being drafted by Kansas City and knowing you would be behind an All-Pro back?

 

I said it before, it was something that happened. No matter how much you know the situation could happen again, you never prepare yourself for it. It happened again. It was the same thing I did in Penn State. What I did at Kansas City was change minds and come out on my own.