Kansas City, Mo. – Here’s a switch: The Kansas City defense is apologizing for being imperfect, not for being awful.
The Chiefs’ revamped defense – the product of a busy, wheeling-and-dealing offseason – came within 29 seconds of handing the New York Jets their first shutout in almost 10 years.
A 27-7 victory Sunday over the mistake-prone Jets proved a major pick-me-up for a defense that has never finished higher than 29th the past three years.
“We really wanted that shutout at the end. I know our fans did, too,” said defensive end Eric Hicks, who blocked a field-goal attempt when rookie Mike Nugent slipped. “I’m sorry we couldn’t get it for them.”
Kansas City started fast on offense, too – Larry Johnson rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, and Priest Holmes added 85 yards and a touchdown.
Spurred by newcomers Sammy Knight, Patrick Surtain and Derrick Johnson, the new-look defense forced seven fumbles and recovered two. Chad Pennington was sacked three times and intercepted once.
Curtis Martin was held to 57 yards on 20 carries – 139 fewer than he had in last year’s season opener against Cincinnati en route to the NFL rushing title.
“There’s nothing like having talent,” coach Dick Vermeil said. “Our draft and free agency were good, and then the maturity of the kids that were already here blended together.
“Talented athletes make more tackles than average athletes.”
Backup Jay Fiedler enabled the Jets to avoid their first shutout since Dec. 24, 1995, when he hit Chris Baker on a 23-yard touchdown pass with 29 seconds to go.
“I wish we could have made more of a game of it, but it wasn’t,” Jets coach Herman Edwards said. “They took us behind the woodshed and whupped us.”
On their first three possessions, the Chiefs had touchdown drives of 75 and 95 yards and a 41-yard field goal. Holmes had a 35-yard run on the first drive, then Johnson, who is challenging him for playing time, finished it off with a 35-yard dash into the end zone.
Pennington, coming off shoulder surgery, also had several passes dropped, including one by Laveraneus Coles that might have gone for a touchdown in the first half.
“The opportunity was there to get the momentum going in our favor, and I pretty much let the team down,” Coles said.
