Waters Still Runs Deep … Tuesday Cup O’Chiefs

It happened during the Chiefs first practice of training camp in Wisconsin.

Brian Waters had worked very hard in the weeks leading up to the late July start of camp to get into the type of physical shape desired by head coach Todd Haley.

Waters was dueling with one of the Chiefs defensive linemen in a drill when he twisted his left foot and ankle. He didn’t just sprain it; he really ripped it up. There were torn ligaments on the left side of his foot at his ankle. Waters had turned the ankle completely over, to the point where his ankle touched the ground on the twist.

Trainers walked Waters off the field that day. But he was back to practice within 24 hours. While some of his workload was scaled back, he didn’t miss a practice. Not in camp, or not during the season, even though at least twice he twisted the ankle again. Only when he pulled a hamstring late in the year did Waters not practice.

Even as he put the cap on the Chiefs 2009 season, the ankle and foot were still sore, still a bother.

After everything that happened with Waters before training camp even started, why did he practice every day? Why didn’t he take some time off and let it heal?

“Pride,” Waters said. “I wanted to be out there. It was something I could deal with most of the time.”

That he was available every day was a badge of honor with Haley.

“There are a lot of guys who wouldn’t be able to play, let alone practice with that injury,” Haley said. “He earned everyone’s respect.”

Especially that of the head coach. Reportedly the first meeting between Haley and Waters did not go well. That’s the time when supposedly Haley told Waters he could win two games with 22 guys off the street. Neither Haley nor Waters have ever confirmed that moment actually took place, but it’s now part of the urban legend of the Chiefs and is perceived as fact.

There’s no doubt there was a disconnect between the most tenured Chiefs player and the new regime. Waters chose to say home in Texas rather than take part in the off-season conditioning program or OTA sessions. He attended the team’s mandatory mini-camp and no more.

But very quickly, Haley and his staff found out Waters was their kind of guy. He was available, dependable and tough, both physically and mentally.

“Everyone had to get used to one another,” Waters said. “There was a longer feeling out period than normal. But all and all we grew to accept one another’s talents and abilities to do what we do. ”

So how does Waters feel Haley handled himself and his team in his first season as a head coach?

“I think he did all right, under the circumstances,” said Waters. “I think we’ve all learned throughout this process.”

It was a mixed bag in ‘09 with the Chiefs offense, and it all started with the decision to fire Chan Gailey as the coordinator and Haley basically revamping the whole offensive plan and attack

“It affected us greatly,” Waters said of all the changes. “We would be lying to ourselves if changing the offense two weeks before the season started didn’t harm what we had already gotten going. That’s the head coach’s prerogative and as players, we need to do our job no matter the changes that are made.”

The offensive line was a mixed bag all season, struggling at times, but coming together as the season reached the final month

“It was definitely a season of some ups and downs, but some growth,” Waters said of the Chiefs offensive line. “We became a little more familiar with each other as the season wore on. ”

In fact, Waters thinks there’s been too much negative light falling on the Chiefs blocking unit.

“I think some of the eyes that have been judging my teammates are unqualified eyes,” said Waters said. “A number of my teammates have taken unfair criticism.”

So why has there been obvious improvement in the production of the offense line, with the rushing numbers up and the sacks down.

“We finally got comfortable in what we were trying to do,” he said. “The idea of what we want to do from game to game has changed a lot and I think we’ve settled on this is who we are”

And there was the breakthrough half-season of Jamaal Charles, who has impressed everyone especially the guys blocking for him.

“I don’t think I’ve played with anybody as talented as he is, with the explosive ability that he has,” Waters said of Charles. “With him there is the possibility that a five-yard run can become a 50-yard run. He still has a long way to go.

“I know people are going to hold him up to be the next great thing. He’s a young running back and he has a ways to go before he’s a complete back that we can count on for 16 games. That’s something he has to work on this off-season to take it to the next level.

“He’s what we want to get to, that type of speed, that type of explosiveness. We want to be a more explosive group. He’s the prototype that we are looking for, guys that can make a small play into a big play.”

THE SCHEDULE FOR THE 2010 PLAYOFFS

Saturday, Jan. 9 – New York Jets at Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m. on NBC; Philadelphia at Dallas, 7 p.m. on NBC.

Sunday, Jan. 10 – Baltimore at New England, noon on CBS; Green Bay at Arizona, NBC

Saturday, Jan. 16 – Saints host Cardinals/Packers/Eagles at 3:30 p.m. FOX. Colts host Bengals/Jets/Ravens at 7:15 p.m. on CBS.

Sunday, Jan. 17 – Vikings will host Cowboys/Cardinals/Packers at noon on FOX. Chargers host Patriots/Bengals/Jets. CBS.

SIGNINGS, INJURIES, FIRINGS & MOVEMENT ARND THE LEAGUE

• BENGALS – placed DT Pat Sims on the injured-reserve list (forearm); signed CB Keiwan Ratliff.
• BILLS – have fired their entire coaching staff.
• CHIEFS – signed five reserve/future free agents: CB Jackie Bates, DE Bobby Greenwood, OL Jermail Porter, WR Chandler Williams and RB Kestahn Moore.
• GIANTS – fired defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan.

FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY

On January 5, 1991, the Chiefs fell to the Miami Dolphins 17-16 in an AFC Wild Card Game in the 1990 NFL playoffs. The Chiefs jumped to a 3-0 lead and actually held the advantage at half time 10-3 and at 16-3 after three quarters. The Chiefs touchdown came on a 26-yard pass from QB Steve DeBerg to WR Stephone Paige. K Nick Lowery hit three FGs. But the fourth quarter belonged to Dan Marino and the Dolphins, as he completed touchdown passes of one yard to FB Tony Paige and 12 yards to WR Mark Clayton. The last TD pass came with three minutes, 28 seconds to play. Stephone Paige had eight catches for 142 yards, while RB Christian Okoye ran 13 times for 83 yards. DE Neil Smith had a pair of sacks. A 52-yard field-goal attempt by Lowery was short at the end of the game. It would have give the Chiefs the victory

On January 5, 1992, the Chiefs were smashed by the Buffalo Bills 37-14 in a Divisional Game in the 1991 AFC Playoffs. Some 80,182 fans filled Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York and watched their Bills jump out to a 17-0 half-time lead and controlled the rest of the game. The Chiefs got touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters, as RB Barry Word ran for three yards and QB Mark Vlasic hooked up with WR Fred Jones on a 20-yard TD pass. The Chiefs managed just 213 offensive yards and turned the ball over on four Vlasic interceptions. The KC Defense got three interceptions of Buffalo QB Jim Kelly, as LB Lonnie Marts, S Deron Cherry and CB Eric Everett got the picks. LB Derrick Thomas had a sack. Bills RB Thurman Thomas ran for 100 yards and WR Andre Reed caught four passes for 100 yards.

SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY …

Born on January 5, 1938 in Schulenburg, Texas was LB Emil Joe Holub (left), otherwise known as E.J. or by his college nickname, “The Beast.” The Dallas Texans selected him in the first round of the 1961 AFL Draft out of Texas Tech University. Holub played 10 seasons for the Texans-Chiefs (1961-70), appearing in 127 games. In his first seven seasons he played at linebacker and then finished his career with three years as a center. He was selected to p lay in five AFL All-Star games. Holub was selected for the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1976 and the College Football hall of Fame in 1986.

Born on January 5, 1957 in Enid, Oklahoma was QB Steve Fuller. He was selected in the first round of the 1979 NFL Draft out of Clemson University. Fuller played four seasons with the Chiefs (1979-82), appearing in 52 games with 31 starts. In those starts, the team’s record was 13-18. Throwing the ball he completed 465 of his 817 passes for 5,333 yards, with 22 TD passes and 32 interceptions. Fuller was a mobile quarterback and ran 139 times for 712 yards and five touchdowns. He left the Chiefs after the ‘82 season and by ‘84 he signed with the Chicago Bears, where he played three seasons.

Born on January 5, 1958 in Shawnee, Oklahoma was OT Roger Taylor. He was selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 1981 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma State. Taylor played in just that rookie season with the Chiefs, appearing in 13 games. It was his only taste of NFL action.

Born on January 5, 1967 in Dallas, Texas was CB Ray Crockett. He joined the Chiefs as a veteran free agent before the 2001 season. Crockett spent two seasons with the Chiefs (2001-02), appearing in 29 games with 27 starting assignments. He had three interceptions. Overall, Crockett played 14 NFL seasons, with 214 games and 36 interceptions.