ESPN's Len Pasquarelli says the problem was the incentives in the original deal. It's important to look at the fine points before signing.
Quarterback Matt Leinart, the former Southern California star and the 10th overall selection in the 2006 draft, on Monday night reached an agreement with the Arizona Cardinals on a six-year contract that ESPN.com has learned includes a maximum value of $50.8 million.
The basic six-year deal averages about $6.75 million per season and includes $14 million in guarantees. The value of the contract, negotiated by agents Tom Condon and Ken Kremer of CAA, will increase if Leinart reaches predetermined playing time levels that will then trigger so-called escalators in the latter years of the deal.
In fact, it was a battle over escalators that stalled the progress in negotiations, even as late as Monday afternoon. Only a few hours before the agreement, both sides appeared solid in their respective stances, and it appeared the talks might break off. Clearly, there was plenty of high-stakes bargaining Monday evening.
In the end, Cardinals officials agreed to an escalator package similar to the one featured in the contract of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich, a first-round choice in the 2003 draft. That contract, also negotiated by Condon and Kremer, stipulates that the escalators were triggered if Leftwich participated in 55 percent of the Jaguars' offensive snaps for two seasons, or 70 percent of the snaps in one season.
Under the Arizona proposal sent to Condon on Sunday, Leinart could have played every snap in his first three seasons, been injured in his fourth year and unable to play, and would not have realized any of the escalators in the deal. That proposal would have made the escalator thresholds the most difficult to reach of any quarterback chosen in the top 10 since 1993.
Escalators are critical in any first-round contract, but particularly for quarterbacks, because they reward the player for becoming a starter.
The deal on Monday evening came after nearly a full a week of inertia in which the two sides did not engage in substantive negotiations. Leinart's representatives had agreed nearly a week ago to accept the six-year contract, the maximum term allowed for a player chosen in the top half of the first round, even though they preferred a five-year deal.
It is believed that the Cardinals made about three to four different proposals to Leinart before altering their stance with a Sunday offer that got the two sides talking again.
The 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, Leinart, who posted a brilliant 37-2 record as the USC starter, is now expected to battle two-year veteran John Navarre for the backup job behind starter Kurt Warner. Navarre threw a pair of interceptions in Saturday's preseason opener. The consensus is that the Cardinals chose Leinart to groom him as the team's quarterback of the future.
During his celebrated college career, Leinart completed 807 of 1,245 passes for 10,693 yards, with 99 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions.
It is expected that Leinart will report to camp as quickly as possible. He had been in the Phoenix area two weeks ago, just before the Cardinals reported for camp, and was throwing with his new teammates. But when the talks broke down, and camp opened without him, Leinart returned to Los Angeles.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Oakland Raiders Offense Looks Terrible; Raiders Top Vikings 16-13
It's time to question just what offensive coordinator Tom Walsh is doing with this offense, and before it's too late.
NFL.com wire reports
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 14, 2006) -- Randy Moss wanted so badly to make a triumphant return to Minnesota.
He wanted to put on a show for the fans who supported him so steadfastly during his seven years here, and greeted him so warmly Monday in his first game at the Metrodome since the Vikings traded him to Oakland before last season.
Instead, Moss endured a frustrating night and voiced his displeasure with both coach Art Shell for the way he benched the receiver and the Vikings organization that shipped him away.
Moss had one catch for 16 yards and Aaron Brooks looked ragged again in the Raiders' 16-13 preseason victory.
"I just wanted to come in and see the fans and give them something really to scream about because I've had my fun here in this Metrodome and they've had theirs, too," Moss said. "That's one thing I really just wanted to come back and just give back to the fans. The organization? To hell with them."
Moss, who lit up the Metrodome in the first seven years of his career, started the night with a feet-stomping tantrum after Brooks didn't see him wide open in the end zone. He said he was angry because Brooks got flushed to the right while Moss was on the left and didn't fault the quarterback for not getting him the ball.
After making his only catch against second-team cornerback Dovonte Edwards in the second quarter, Moss was pulled. Moss stormed off the field and threw his helmet in disgust, stewing on the bench for the rest of the game.
"I was just more ticked because I've never in my career been taken out of a game, preseason, during a drive," Moss said with a puzzled tone. "It's funny to me. I don't call the shots. I guess I just go back to the drawing board."
That's a good plan for the entire Raiders offense.
Brooks finished 1-for-6 for 16 yards and was sacked twice by the new-look defense, which held the Raiders to no first downs and just 15 yards in one quarter of work.
Brad Childress made his debut as Vikings coach, and the West Coast offense he brought from Philadelphia is the antithesis of what Minnesota fans saw when Moss was in purple. Those teams lived off the big play, while the new Vikings will rely on short passes and a ball-control running game.
Brad Johnson was 5-of-6 for 32 yards for the Vikings, who scored their only TD in the first quarter on new fullback Tony Richardson's 3-yard run. Ryan Longwell added two field goals, but missed a 55-yarder that would have tied it in the fourth period.
Fourth-string quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan drove the Vikings to the Oakland 22 in the closing seconds and Childress elected to go for the win. Hiram Eugene intercepted O'Sullivan's desperation heave into the end zone to clinch Oakland's victory.
"I've gotten nervous before every game I've ever coached, and this was no different," said Childress, who has never been a head coach at any level. "It's nice to look out at that panorama, but you have to get right back on task."
The night was all about Moss, who made the Vikings one of the most dangerous offensive teams from the minute he arrived in 1998. Those Vikings were defined by the deep pass to Moss, which helped them reach an unprecedented level of popularity in the state.
His tenure was hardly perfect. He left the field with 2 seconds left in a regular-season loss to Washington two years ago; got in a minor scrape with a traffic enforcement officer in 2002; and verbally abused corporate sponsors on a team bus in 2001.
Not to mention his infamous "I play when I want to play" comment.
Nevertheless, plenty of fans wore his purple No. 84 jersey on Monday night, and still more donned his black No. 18.
"It makes me feel good to know that I'm still loved here, no matter what the bad blood that kind of built when I left," Moss said. "I think that they, the people in the stands with the 84s on and whatnot, I think they understand now that I'm a Raider and there's no coming back, and I don't really want to come back."
New Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin brought his version of the cover-2 defense from Tampa Bay, a scheme specifically geared toward stopping Moss' specialty, the big play.
Brooks, still looking uncomfortable in silver and black, took one shot downfield to Moss in the first quarter, but Moss caught the ball out of bounds.
Signed as a free agent from New Orleans, Brooks is just 2-for-9 for 28 yards, one TD and one interception in Oakland's first two preseason games.
"Obviously we'd like to have some more productivity out on the field, but it's still preseason, and it's a new system for pretty much all of us," Brooks said. "It's going to take time. I have patience."
Sebastian Janikowski's three field goals, including a 55-yarder in the first quarter, helped the Raiders overcome nine penalties.
The Raiders finally got into the end zone midway through the second quarter in Moss-like fashion. Andrew Walter hooked up with Johnnie Morant on a 67-yard touchdown pass for a 13-7 lead. Walter (10-for-19 for 148 yards and two interceptions) hit Morant in stride with a perfect pass down the left sideline.
Notes: Morant had five catches for 108 yards and the touchdown. ... Raiders WR Jerry Porter, who missed the opener with a calf injury, came out for warmups, but didn't feel ready to go.
NFL.com wire reports
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 14, 2006) -- Randy Moss wanted so badly to make a triumphant return to Minnesota.
He wanted to put on a show for the fans who supported him so steadfastly during his seven years here, and greeted him so warmly Monday in his first game at the Metrodome since the Vikings traded him to Oakland before last season.
Instead, Moss endured a frustrating night and voiced his displeasure with both coach Art Shell for the way he benched the receiver and the Vikings organization that shipped him away.
Moss had one catch for 16 yards and Aaron Brooks looked ragged again in the Raiders' 16-13 preseason victory.
"I just wanted to come in and see the fans and give them something really to scream about because I've had my fun here in this Metrodome and they've had theirs, too," Moss said. "That's one thing I really just wanted to come back and just give back to the fans. The organization? To hell with them."
Moss, who lit up the Metrodome in the first seven years of his career, started the night with a feet-stomping tantrum after Brooks didn't see him wide open in the end zone. He said he was angry because Brooks got flushed to the right while Moss was on the left and didn't fault the quarterback for not getting him the ball.
After making his only catch against second-team cornerback Dovonte Edwards in the second quarter, Moss was pulled. Moss stormed off the field and threw his helmet in disgust, stewing on the bench for the rest of the game.
"I was just more ticked because I've never in my career been taken out of a game, preseason, during a drive," Moss said with a puzzled tone. "It's funny to me. I don't call the shots. I guess I just go back to the drawing board."
That's a good plan for the entire Raiders offense.
Brooks finished 1-for-6 for 16 yards and was sacked twice by the new-look defense, which held the Raiders to no first downs and just 15 yards in one quarter of work.
Brad Childress made his debut as Vikings coach, and the West Coast offense he brought from Philadelphia is the antithesis of what Minnesota fans saw when Moss was in purple. Those teams lived off the big play, while the new Vikings will rely on short passes and a ball-control running game.
Brad Johnson was 5-of-6 for 32 yards for the Vikings, who scored their only TD in the first quarter on new fullback Tony Richardson's 3-yard run. Ryan Longwell added two field goals, but missed a 55-yarder that would have tied it in the fourth period.
Fourth-string quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan drove the Vikings to the Oakland 22 in the closing seconds and Childress elected to go for the win. Hiram Eugene intercepted O'Sullivan's desperation heave into the end zone to clinch Oakland's victory.
"I've gotten nervous before every game I've ever coached, and this was no different," said Childress, who has never been a head coach at any level. "It's nice to look out at that panorama, but you have to get right back on task."
The night was all about Moss, who made the Vikings one of the most dangerous offensive teams from the minute he arrived in 1998. Those Vikings were defined by the deep pass to Moss, which helped them reach an unprecedented level of popularity in the state.
His tenure was hardly perfect. He left the field with 2 seconds left in a regular-season loss to Washington two years ago; got in a minor scrape with a traffic enforcement officer in 2002; and verbally abused corporate sponsors on a team bus in 2001.
Not to mention his infamous "I play when I want to play" comment.
Nevertheless, plenty of fans wore his purple No. 84 jersey on Monday night, and still more donned his black No. 18.
"It makes me feel good to know that I'm still loved here, no matter what the bad blood that kind of built when I left," Moss said. "I think that they, the people in the stands with the 84s on and whatnot, I think they understand now that I'm a Raider and there's no coming back, and I don't really want to come back."
New Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin brought his version of the cover-2 defense from Tampa Bay, a scheme specifically geared toward stopping Moss' specialty, the big play.
Brooks, still looking uncomfortable in silver and black, took one shot downfield to Moss in the first quarter, but Moss caught the ball out of bounds.
Signed as a free agent from New Orleans, Brooks is just 2-for-9 for 28 yards, one TD and one interception in Oakland's first two preseason games.
"Obviously we'd like to have some more productivity out on the field, but it's still preseason, and it's a new system for pretty much all of us," Brooks said. "It's going to take time. I have patience."
Sebastian Janikowski's three field goals, including a 55-yarder in the first quarter, helped the Raiders overcome nine penalties.
The Raiders finally got into the end zone midway through the second quarter in Moss-like fashion. Andrew Walter hooked up with Johnnie Morant on a 67-yard touchdown pass for a 13-7 lead. Walter (10-for-19 for 148 yards and two interceptions) hit Morant in stride with a perfect pass down the left sideline.
Notes: Morant had five catches for 108 yards and the touchdown. ... Raiders WR Jerry Porter, who missed the opener with a calf injury, came out for warmups, but didn't feel ready to go.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Cincinnati Bengals Top Wash Redskins 19-3; Clinton Portis Hurt - NFL.com
And to add insult to injury, the Bengals used a flea-flicker in preseason.
Bengals stop Redskins; Portis injured
NFL.com wire reports
CINCINNATI (Aug. 13, 2006) -- Clinton Portis didn't even want to be on the field for the first preseason game. Now, the dependable running back isn't sure if he can be on the field when it counts.
The Washington Redskins' revamped offense took a significant jolt Sunday night when Portis partially dislocated his left shoulder during a 19-3 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, leaving him sidelined indefinitely.
"Right now, it's tough to say," coach Joe Gibbs said. "Obviously, it's going to be a while."
Portis ran for a club-record 1,516 yards last season, when Washington made the playoffs as a wild-card team, and was counted on to steady an offense retooled by assistant coach Al Saunders in the offseason.
Instead, Washington is wondering how long it will be without its best running back -- something Portis can't comprehend.
Portis opened the game with an 8-yard carry, then blocked for Mark Brunell's passes. When Brunell's sixth throw was intercepted by cornerback Keiwan Ratliff, Portis ran him down and reached to make the tackle.
His left arm was extended when he hit Ratliff, momentarily knocking the bone part of the way out of the shoulder socket. An MRI confirmed the injury.
"After that 8-yard run, I was like, 'Get me out of that game,"' Portis said. "That's what I was thinking. It's football. It can happen to anyone. It happened to me."
Standard treatment involves rest and strengthening exercises. Portis had the left arm in a blue sling after the game, when he lobbied for regulars to play less in the preseason.
"For whoever's watching: Let's get rid of some of these games," Portis said. "Four games is ridiculous. Then you play a 16-game season and the playoffs behind that."
Gibbs planned to keep Portis and his other starters in the game for only a short time.
"We wanted to have one good drive," Gibbs said. "We didn't want him to carry the ball more than one or two times."
Mark Brunell threw an interception while under pressure. Clinton Portis was injured making the tackle on the return.
Without Portis, the running game will depend upon backup Ladell Betts, who ran for 338 yards last season and missed four games because of a knee injury.
"Who knows what it is?" Portis said of his injury. "Even if it's not serious, to be nicked up for the first week of the season ..."
For Cincinnati, the opener was a chance to gauge what the offense will look like if Carson Palmer isn't ready to start the season. Palmer stood on the sideline in a white Bengals T-shirt and gray sweat pants, watching newcomer Anthony Wright make a lackluster debut.
The Bengals failed to get a first down on their first three series behind Wright, a free-agent quarterback signed less than four months ago. He was sacked twice and looked indecisive in those three drives.
He finally got going with the help of a flea-flicker -- a trick play seldom used in preseason -- that surprised the Redskins. T.J. Houshmandzadeh was unguarded downfield for a 52-yard catch, setting up Wright's 12-yard touchdown pass to Chris Henry.
"I think overall it was a good start, for the first time," Wright said. "There's a lot of complications to this offense."
Wright was 9-of-16 in the first half for 101 yards, more than half of them on the one trick play. Doug Johnson went 11-of-14 for 128 yards with a touchdown and three sacks in the second half, when both teams played their backups.
Palmer tore ligaments in his left knee during a playoff loss to Pittsburgh in January and had reconstructive surgery. He's not expected to play until at least the third preseason game, leaving his status unclear.
Bengals Pro Bowl receiver Chad Johnson showed up with a new look -- his mohawk was dyed blond -- but didn't catch a pass in limited action. Johnson had shaved his head for games in the past.
Receiver Chris Henry, one of six Bengals either arrested or suspended in recent months, had six catches for 61 yards. Henry is scheduled to go on trial on a gun charge in Florida later this month.
Brunell played only two series, going 4-of-9 for 66 yards with the interception by Ratliff that was Portis' final play. Backup Todd Collins finished the first half, going 6-of-13 for 68 yards with an interception. Collins also was called for intentional grounding in the end zone, resulting in a safety.
Bengals stop Redskins; Portis injured
NFL.com wire reports
CINCINNATI (Aug. 13, 2006) -- Clinton Portis didn't even want to be on the field for the first preseason game. Now, the dependable running back isn't sure if he can be on the field when it counts.
The Washington Redskins' revamped offense took a significant jolt Sunday night when Portis partially dislocated his left shoulder during a 19-3 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, leaving him sidelined indefinitely.
"Right now, it's tough to say," coach Joe Gibbs said. "Obviously, it's going to be a while."
Portis ran for a club-record 1,516 yards last season, when Washington made the playoffs as a wild-card team, and was counted on to steady an offense retooled by assistant coach Al Saunders in the offseason.
Instead, Washington is wondering how long it will be without its best running back -- something Portis can't comprehend.
Portis opened the game with an 8-yard carry, then blocked for Mark Brunell's passes. When Brunell's sixth throw was intercepted by cornerback Keiwan Ratliff, Portis ran him down and reached to make the tackle.
His left arm was extended when he hit Ratliff, momentarily knocking the bone part of the way out of the shoulder socket. An MRI confirmed the injury.
"After that 8-yard run, I was like, 'Get me out of that game,"' Portis said. "That's what I was thinking. It's football. It can happen to anyone. It happened to me."
Standard treatment involves rest and strengthening exercises. Portis had the left arm in a blue sling after the game, when he lobbied for regulars to play less in the preseason.
"For whoever's watching: Let's get rid of some of these games," Portis said. "Four games is ridiculous. Then you play a 16-game season and the playoffs behind that."
Gibbs planned to keep Portis and his other starters in the game for only a short time.
"We wanted to have one good drive," Gibbs said. "We didn't want him to carry the ball more than one or two times."
Mark Brunell threw an interception while under pressure. Clinton Portis was injured making the tackle on the return.
Without Portis, the running game will depend upon backup Ladell Betts, who ran for 338 yards last season and missed four games because of a knee injury.
"Who knows what it is?" Portis said of his injury. "Even if it's not serious, to be nicked up for the first week of the season ..."
For Cincinnati, the opener was a chance to gauge what the offense will look like if Carson Palmer isn't ready to start the season. Palmer stood on the sideline in a white Bengals T-shirt and gray sweat pants, watching newcomer Anthony Wright make a lackluster debut.
The Bengals failed to get a first down on their first three series behind Wright, a free-agent quarterback signed less than four months ago. He was sacked twice and looked indecisive in those three drives.
He finally got going with the help of a flea-flicker -- a trick play seldom used in preseason -- that surprised the Redskins. T.J. Houshmandzadeh was unguarded downfield for a 52-yard catch, setting up Wright's 12-yard touchdown pass to Chris Henry.
"I think overall it was a good start, for the first time," Wright said. "There's a lot of complications to this offense."
Wright was 9-of-16 in the first half for 101 yards, more than half of them on the one trick play. Doug Johnson went 11-of-14 for 128 yards with a touchdown and three sacks in the second half, when both teams played their backups.
Palmer tore ligaments in his left knee during a playoff loss to Pittsburgh in January and had reconstructive surgery. He's not expected to play until at least the third preseason game, leaving his status unclear.
Bengals Pro Bowl receiver Chad Johnson showed up with a new look -- his mohawk was dyed blond -- but didn't catch a pass in limited action. Johnson had shaved his head for games in the past.
Receiver Chris Henry, one of six Bengals either arrested or suspended in recent months, had six catches for 61 yards. Henry is scheduled to go on trial on a gun charge in Florida later this month.
Brunell played only two series, going 4-of-9 for 66 yards with the interception by Ratliff that was Portis' final play. Backup Todd Collins finished the first half, going 6-of-13 for 68 yards with an interception. Collins also was called for intentional grounding in the end zone, resulting in a safety.
Matt Leinart Demands Arizona Cardinals Hold Training Camp At His House - Onion Sports
PHOENIX—Arizona Cardinals first-round draft pick quarterback Matt Leinart has stunned the team by not only holding out on signing his rookie contract but demanding that training camp be moved to the more convenient location of his house.
"I don't see why we have to go to all the way up to Flagstaff for camp. What do we need? A pool? Because I've got a pool. And some weights, and a 72-inch plasma television for, like, film study," the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback told coach Dennis Green Wednesday.
"And, oh, I just got this huge dining-room table that'd be great for drawing up plays, or even just, you know, chowing down." Football experts consider it unlikely that Cardinals management will accommodate Leinart, especially after strongly considering but ultimately rejecting his previous suggestion that the team play all its home games in Los Angeles.
Reggie Bush' 44-Yard Run - Video
In this video, New Orleans Saints Running Back Reggie Bush shows the speed that made him Heisman Trophy Winner and the second pick in the first round of the NFL Draft, during his first preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.
Raiders Tyler Brayton Moved To Defensive End - Oakland Tribune
Coach Art Shell reshapes the Oakland Defense.
Raiders LB experiments have mixed results
Irons finds himself a new home, while Brayton returns to defensive end spot
By Bill Soliday, STAFF WRITER - Oakland Tribune
NAPA — When last visited, Oakland Raiders defensive ends Tyler Brayton and Grant Irons were being reinvented into linebackers — one willingly, one if not unwillingly, with at least a degree of skepticism.
One switch worked. One didn't, and change is in effect.
Brayton is back at defensive end, the position at which he was drafted in the first round in 2003. Irons, an undrafted rookie that same year, is still plying his trade as a linebacker.
Both are delighted. And, in Brayton's case, there is no longer need for defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to tell his player to keep his thoughts to himself and just play ball.
"Sometimes you have certain needs, and people have to adapt to those needs," Ryan said by way of explaining originally switching Brayton.
There has been speculation that the move took the heart out of Brayton, who was drafted largely because of his nonstop motor. Ryan would disagree.
"Tyler has always been a team player," he said. "Right now, he is working down at defensive end, and obviously that's where we think it's best for the team.
"With him, you always get hard work, and you always get 100 percent. That's all you can ask from a guy."
Irons had an impressive debut in last weekend's exhibition opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, living up to the nickname coaches and teammates have bestowed upon him — "Game Ready."
He administered a sack, forcing Jeff Garcia to fumble and threw running back Bruce Perry for a 5-yard loss.
"This is my fifth year in the NFL," Irons said, explaining that his goal is to play with what he calls aggressivefrom Sports 1
passion. "Each and every year there is more to learn, and I want to improve and get better. It's all been a learning experience and a great journey."
"He's been doing a great job," Ryan said. "He has really improved. He's another smart guy. He has great talent. His abilities really help us on defense. He can make plays. We like those kinds of guys."
There wasn't much to Brayton's first game back at end. He had one tackle, and it would be a stretch to say the starting line distinguished itself.
However, if happiness is the measure of a man's potential, Brayton's future looks bright indeed.
It was during the off-season that Brayton learned he was being reinstalled at end.
"It was still on the fence going into the off-season," he said. "I just kind of took it upon myself. I got in the weight room ... put on a few pounds. I just put it in my mind that's where I was going to be, and it turned out that's where coaches told me to be. Once I found that out, I knew I was going in the right direction."
Coach Art Shell broke the news to Brayton.
"I said 'Tyler, you're a defensive end,'" Shell recounted. "He said, 'Thanks a lot, coach. I really appreciate it. I'll show you what I can do from that position.'"
For the most part, Brayton toed the company line when he had been asked to play in the up position. However, on occasion he acknowledged the strangeness of it all.
"I had played my entire career with my hand on the ground," he said.
However, if he was fighting it, he kept it to himself.
"It was one of those deals where I'm going to do whatever they ask me to do the best I can," he said. "You can't sit there and complain about anything. My (approach) was it wasn't a position, it was a disposition. So, outside linebacker, defensive end — there wasn't a ton of difference. But it's definitely a lot more comfortable being a defensive end."
Brayton refuses to say the experiment was a total loss.
"Playing outside linebacker has given me a whole new perspective," he said. "You get to see the whole field. You know what everybody does on the defense. You understand what we're trying to accomplish with every blitz and every movement, in every defense.
"Sometimes, when you play defensive line, you get locked in and think 'I need to be here or here,' and that's it. You don't really understand why. Understanding helps you get the job done that much better.
"I don't think it was a waste at all."
Brayton wants to play at 270 pounds. Although he was being fashioned as a linebacker carrying 10 fewer pounds, the team believes he is stout enough to play on goal-line situations.
"I think 270 is an ideal weight for me," he said. 'It's just a matter of getting used to getting my pads down again, getting underneath blockers."
Getting used to being at home.
Raiders LB experiments have mixed results
Irons finds himself a new home, while Brayton returns to defensive end spot
By Bill Soliday, STAFF WRITER - Oakland Tribune
NAPA — When last visited, Oakland Raiders defensive ends Tyler Brayton and Grant Irons were being reinvented into linebackers — one willingly, one if not unwillingly, with at least a degree of skepticism.
One switch worked. One didn't, and change is in effect.
Brayton is back at defensive end, the position at which he was drafted in the first round in 2003. Irons, an undrafted rookie that same year, is still plying his trade as a linebacker.
Both are delighted. And, in Brayton's case, there is no longer need for defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to tell his player to keep his thoughts to himself and just play ball.
"Sometimes you have certain needs, and people have to adapt to those needs," Ryan said by way of explaining originally switching Brayton.
There has been speculation that the move took the heart out of Brayton, who was drafted largely because of his nonstop motor. Ryan would disagree.
"Tyler has always been a team player," he said. "Right now, he is working down at defensive end, and obviously that's where we think it's best for the team.
"With him, you always get hard work, and you always get 100 percent. That's all you can ask from a guy."
Irons had an impressive debut in last weekend's exhibition opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, living up to the nickname coaches and teammates have bestowed upon him — "Game Ready."
He administered a sack, forcing Jeff Garcia to fumble and threw running back Bruce Perry for a 5-yard loss.
"This is my fifth year in the NFL," Irons said, explaining that his goal is to play with what he calls aggressivefrom Sports 1
passion. "Each and every year there is more to learn, and I want to improve and get better. It's all been a learning experience and a great journey."
"He's been doing a great job," Ryan said. "He has really improved. He's another smart guy. He has great talent. His abilities really help us on defense. He can make plays. We like those kinds of guys."
There wasn't much to Brayton's first game back at end. He had one tackle, and it would be a stretch to say the starting line distinguished itself.
However, if happiness is the measure of a man's potential, Brayton's future looks bright indeed.
It was during the off-season that Brayton learned he was being reinstalled at end.
"It was still on the fence going into the off-season," he said. "I just kind of took it upon myself. I got in the weight room ... put on a few pounds. I just put it in my mind that's where I was going to be, and it turned out that's where coaches told me to be. Once I found that out, I knew I was going in the right direction."
Coach Art Shell broke the news to Brayton.
"I said 'Tyler, you're a defensive end,'" Shell recounted. "He said, 'Thanks a lot, coach. I really appreciate it. I'll show you what I can do from that position.'"
For the most part, Brayton toed the company line when he had been asked to play in the up position. However, on occasion he acknowledged the strangeness of it all.
"I had played my entire career with my hand on the ground," he said.
However, if he was fighting it, he kept it to himself.
"It was one of those deals where I'm going to do whatever they ask me to do the best I can," he said. "You can't sit there and complain about anything. My (approach) was it wasn't a position, it was a disposition. So, outside linebacker, defensive end — there wasn't a ton of difference. But it's definitely a lot more comfortable being a defensive end."
Brayton refuses to say the experiment was a total loss.
"Playing outside linebacker has given me a whole new perspective," he said. "You get to see the whole field. You know what everybody does on the defense. You understand what we're trying to accomplish with every blitz and every movement, in every defense.
"Sometimes, when you play defensive line, you get locked in and think 'I need to be here or here,' and that's it. You don't really understand why. Understanding helps you get the job done that much better.
"I don't think it was a waste at all."
Brayton wants to play at 270 pounds. Although he was being fashioned as a linebacker carrying 10 fewer pounds, the team believes he is stout enough to play on goal-line situations.
"I think 270 is an ideal weight for me," he said. 'It's just a matter of getting used to getting my pads down again, getting underneath blockers."
Getting used to being at home.
New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick's Concerned About Defense and "Reaction Plays"
Here's what may be a chnk in the armor of the New England Patriots defense: how they play against what Heach Coach Bill Belichick calls "reaction plays" like screens, boolegs, and draws.
The Coach expressed this concern in the Saturday press conference after the game against the Falcons.
As bootleg passes are becoming the norm in NFL 2006, the Patriots defense is going to have a hard time this year if they don't correct that problem.
But considering they play a 3-4, those plays will be a constant thorn in the side of the New England Defense.
Vikings Coach Brad Childress Puts Clamps On Hazing Of Rookies - ESPN
MANKATO, Minn. -- Fred Smoot couldn't wait to get rookie cornerback Cedric Griffin to training camp.
Entering his sixth NFL season, Smoot has become an expert in the time-honored tradition of rookie hazing.
"When we first got here, Smoot and some of those guys were talking about shaving my eyebrows off, cutting my dreadlocks, shaving people's legs, pouring water on me when I go to sleep," said Griffin, a second-round draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings.
There was a time when hazing was as much a part of Vikings training camp as two-a-days in the August heat. But new coach Brad Childress put a stop to that this year, issuing a no-hazing edict that has made life easier for his first-year players.
"Awwww, never!" Smoot recalled saying when he first heard about the rule. "But he did it. He really wanted us to focus on winning, and I respect that. I just wish he was my coach my rookie year."
Smoot was drafted by Washington in 2001, coming to a team loaded with veterans like Bruce Smith and Darrell Green who knew how to make a rookie's life miserable.
"My first practice they made me tackle everybody, then they taped me to the goal post and poured some water on me and left me there for about two hours," Smoot said. "Then ... I make it to my room and my mattress was thrown out the window. So I had to sleep with no mattress and no alarm clock. They had stole my TV and my alarm clock out of my room for like four or five days."
Ever since that tough initiation, Smoot has relished returning the favor.
Not under Childress's watch. The no-nonsense coach sees hazing not as harmless fun, but as a potentially divisive force.
"You better be inclusive," Childress told his players. "You better pull people into the pile, because if that guy can help you win and you're a seven-year player and you think that doing something to him or making him get up and sing or alienating him is going to help you, no, it's not."
Childress isn't the only one to feel that way. Across the nation, stories of hazing incidents gone wrong have grabbed headlines, most notably at the college level.
In June, Northwestern's women's soccer coach resigned and several players were suspended after photographs appeared on a Web site allegedly showing members of the team clad only in T-shirts and underwear, some blindfolded and others with their hands tied behind their back.
"Hazing is something that happened in high school, it happened in college," said Chad Greenway, the Vikings' first-round pick. "I was guessing something would happen here, but Coach Childress has been strong in that we won't have any of that and it's nice to hear as a rookie."
It's yet another stark contrast between Childress and his predecessor, Mike Tice, who in some respects was more like a bullying older brother to his players than a coach.
Under Tice, rookies had to stand up during lunch and sing their college fight song and put on a "talent show" later in camp.
Most of it was the kind of good-natured fun found at many NFL stops, including when defensive end Erasmus James had his clothes stolen out of his locker, dipped in cold water and thrown outside on a frigid December afternoon to freeze solid.
But the prank infuriated James, which is just what Childress is hoping to avoid.
"We're not a team that hazes because, hey, we want all hands on deck," Childress said. "If there's four [rookies] who can contribute, or three, we want them there if they can help us win."
Offensive lineman Chris Liwienski said his fellow veterans initially were disappointed with the policy, but they have been understanding.
"The league is competitive, and if we need rookies to step in and make plays for us then we need to start embracing them as teammates as early as we can and not alienate them," said Liwienski, who was taped to the goal post and covered in shaving cream as a rookie.
It's just one less thing to worry about for Griffin. While rookies across the league lie awake at night wondering when the vets are coming for them, Griffin dozes off peacefully.
"I'm happy about the situation," the former Texas Longhorn said. "I can actually go to sleep at night without being afraid about who is coming to get me."
Entering his sixth NFL season, Smoot has become an expert in the time-honored tradition of rookie hazing.
"When we first got here, Smoot and some of those guys were talking about shaving my eyebrows off, cutting my dreadlocks, shaving people's legs, pouring water on me when I go to sleep," said Griffin, a second-round draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings.
There was a time when hazing was as much a part of Vikings training camp as two-a-days in the August heat. But new coach Brad Childress put a stop to that this year, issuing a no-hazing edict that has made life easier for his first-year players.
"Awwww, never!" Smoot recalled saying when he first heard about the rule. "But he did it. He really wanted us to focus on winning, and I respect that. I just wish he was my coach my rookie year."
Smoot was drafted by Washington in 2001, coming to a team loaded with veterans like Bruce Smith and Darrell Green who knew how to make a rookie's life miserable.
"My first practice they made me tackle everybody, then they taped me to the goal post and poured some water on me and left me there for about two hours," Smoot said. "Then ... I make it to my room and my mattress was thrown out the window. So I had to sleep with no mattress and no alarm clock. They had stole my TV and my alarm clock out of my room for like four or five days."
Ever since that tough initiation, Smoot has relished returning the favor.
Not under Childress's watch. The no-nonsense coach sees hazing not as harmless fun, but as a potentially divisive force.
"You better be inclusive," Childress told his players. "You better pull people into the pile, because if that guy can help you win and you're a seven-year player and you think that doing something to him or making him get up and sing or alienating him is going to help you, no, it's not."
Childress isn't the only one to feel that way. Across the nation, stories of hazing incidents gone wrong have grabbed headlines, most notably at the college level.
In June, Northwestern's women's soccer coach resigned and several players were suspended after photographs appeared on a Web site allegedly showing members of the team clad only in T-shirts and underwear, some blindfolded and others with their hands tied behind their back.
"Hazing is something that happened in high school, it happened in college," said Chad Greenway, the Vikings' first-round pick. "I was guessing something would happen here, but Coach Childress has been strong in that we won't have any of that and it's nice to hear as a rookie."
It's yet another stark contrast between Childress and his predecessor, Mike Tice, who in some respects was more like a bullying older brother to his players than a coach.
Under Tice, rookies had to stand up during lunch and sing their college fight song and put on a "talent show" later in camp.
Most of it was the kind of good-natured fun found at many NFL stops, including when defensive end Erasmus James had his clothes stolen out of his locker, dipped in cold water and thrown outside on a frigid December afternoon to freeze solid.
But the prank infuriated James, which is just what Childress is hoping to avoid.
"We're not a team that hazes because, hey, we want all hands on deck," Childress said. "If there's four [rookies] who can contribute, or three, we want them there if they can help us win."
Offensive lineman Chris Liwienski said his fellow veterans initially were disappointed with the policy, but they have been understanding.
"The league is competitive, and if we need rookies to step in and make plays for us then we need to start embracing them as teammates as early as we can and not alienate them," said Liwienski, who was taped to the goal post and covered in shaving cream as a rookie.
It's just one less thing to worry about for Griffin. While rookies across the league lie awake at night wondering when the vets are coming for them, Griffin dozes off peacefully.
"I'm happy about the situation," the former Texas Longhorn said. "I can actually go to sleep at night without being afraid about who is coming to get me."
Deion Branch Ready To Sit Out Most Of Season - Pats Blog
According to this post -- click title -- from Patriots blog, WR Deion Branch is prepared to sit out the majority of the season to get the contract he feels he deserves. I personally think Branch is right to do this, and the Pats are perhaps playing this in an unwise fashion.
Deion Branch's value to the organization is obvious by the role he's played in their games. From the outside looking in, this seems to be less a business decision and more of a "who's the boss" approach -- that kind of negotiating style's not only unintelligent, but serves no one well at all.
Because of it, Branch sits out, and the Pats receiver corps quality stuffers.
San Diego Chargers Philip Rivers Goes 15 for 21; LaDainian Tomlinson Sits Out - Chargers Beat Packers 17-3
I'm still not convinced Rivers is the best choice over Drew Brees. This is just the first game of preseason.
Rivers impresses as Chargers top Packers
NFL.com wire reports
SAN DIEGO (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer has high expectations for new quarterback Philip Rivers.
Rivers didn't disappoint in his debut, throwing for 169 first-half yards and leading two early scoring drives in a 17-3 victory over Green Bay in Saturday night's preseason opener for both teams.
"I thought he played excellent," Schottenheimer said. "He played pretty much like I expect him to."
The Chargers showed their faith in Rivers, a third-year pro, by letting Drew Brees leave for New Orleans during the offseason.
Cool in the pocket and crisp with his passes, Rivers completed 15-of-21 while playing the entire first half except for the final play. He connected on a 22-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson on the Chargers' opening series to cap a 64-yard drive, then engineered an 18-play, 86-yard scoring march the first time they had the ball in the second quarter.
Philip Rivers looked in control of the Chargers offense.
"He was standing in the pocket, stepping into his passes like he's been doing his whole life," said Keenan McCardell, San Diego's leading wide receiver last season.
"Nobody in the huddle had any doubt. He gave you all what you wanted to see," added McCardell, who had two receptions for 22 yards in the victory.
Rivers took the game in stride.
"We threw a lot of completions, threw a touchdown pass," Rivers said. "It was a good start. We had some things we didn't do well, but it's early. It's just what you want to do in the first preseason game."
Packers quarterback Brett Favre, pressured by the San Diego defense for most of the four series he played, was unable to generate much. The loss spoiled the head coaching debut of Green Bay's Mike McCarthy.
The 36-year-old Favre, who pondered retirement in the offseason but decided to return, completed 5 of 10 passes for 66 yards and was sacked twice on consecutive plays in the first quarter. He came out of the game early in the second.
"We've got a long way to go," Favre said. "We weren't very good."
McCarthy wasn't pleased with his first game at the helm.
"We leave here with a sense of reality of how we started our preseason," said McCarthy, a former assistant under Schottenheimer at Kansas City. "This isn't about me. This is about where we are as a team, and we didn't play the way we're capable of playing.
"It starts with me. I have to get prepared."
In the first half, before both coaches began wholesale substitutions, the Chargers defense held the Packers to 89 yards while San Diego's offense churned out 204 yards.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay's first pick in the 2005 draft and Favre's heir apparent, was 9-of-11 for 124 yards while playing nearly half the game.
The 24-year-old Rivers, a former North Carolina State standout, threw for more yards -- and equaled his touchdown total -- in the first half of the exhibition victory than he had during his four career appearances in the NFL regular season combined.
As Brees' backup the past two years, Rivers was 17-of-30 for 148 yards, with one touchdown.
Rivers came to San Diego after he was drafted No. 4 by the New York Giants in 2004. The Chargers took Eli Manning with the first pick, then swapped him to the Giants for Rivers because Manning did not want to play for San Diego.
The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Rivers completed a variety of passes against the Packers.
After Jackson caught a perfectly thrown ball in full stride in the end zone for an apparent 17-yard touchdown 4 minutes into the game, the Packers called for a video replay, and the pass was ruled incomplete because Jackson stepped out of bounds.
No problem for Rivers. After a 5-yard penalty moved the ball back to the 22, the Chargers' quarterback lofted another pass to a diving Jackson in the end zone for an undisputed TD.
San Diego built its lead to 17-0 on a 23-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding late in the third quarter. Green Bay's Billy Cundiff finally put the Packers on the board with a 23-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
San Diego All-Pro running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who rarely plays during the preseason, sat out the game.
Rivers impresses as Chargers top Packers
NFL.com wire reports
SAN DIEGO (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer has high expectations for new quarterback Philip Rivers.
Rivers didn't disappoint in his debut, throwing for 169 first-half yards and leading two early scoring drives in a 17-3 victory over Green Bay in Saturday night's preseason opener for both teams.
"I thought he played excellent," Schottenheimer said. "He played pretty much like I expect him to."
The Chargers showed their faith in Rivers, a third-year pro, by letting Drew Brees leave for New Orleans during the offseason.
Cool in the pocket and crisp with his passes, Rivers completed 15-of-21 while playing the entire first half except for the final play. He connected on a 22-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson on the Chargers' opening series to cap a 64-yard drive, then engineered an 18-play, 86-yard scoring march the first time they had the ball in the second quarter.
Philip Rivers looked in control of the Chargers offense.
"He was standing in the pocket, stepping into his passes like he's been doing his whole life," said Keenan McCardell, San Diego's leading wide receiver last season.
"Nobody in the huddle had any doubt. He gave you all what you wanted to see," added McCardell, who had two receptions for 22 yards in the victory.
Rivers took the game in stride.
"We threw a lot of completions, threw a touchdown pass," Rivers said. "It was a good start. We had some things we didn't do well, but it's early. It's just what you want to do in the first preseason game."
Packers quarterback Brett Favre, pressured by the San Diego defense for most of the four series he played, was unable to generate much. The loss spoiled the head coaching debut of Green Bay's Mike McCarthy.
The 36-year-old Favre, who pondered retirement in the offseason but decided to return, completed 5 of 10 passes for 66 yards and was sacked twice on consecutive plays in the first quarter. He came out of the game early in the second.
"We've got a long way to go," Favre said. "We weren't very good."
McCarthy wasn't pleased with his first game at the helm.
"We leave here with a sense of reality of how we started our preseason," said McCarthy, a former assistant under Schottenheimer at Kansas City. "This isn't about me. This is about where we are as a team, and we didn't play the way we're capable of playing.
"It starts with me. I have to get prepared."
In the first half, before both coaches began wholesale substitutions, the Chargers defense held the Packers to 89 yards while San Diego's offense churned out 204 yards.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay's first pick in the 2005 draft and Favre's heir apparent, was 9-of-11 for 124 yards while playing nearly half the game.
The 24-year-old Rivers, a former North Carolina State standout, threw for more yards -- and equaled his touchdown total -- in the first half of the exhibition victory than he had during his four career appearances in the NFL regular season combined.
As Brees' backup the past two years, Rivers was 17-of-30 for 148 yards, with one touchdown.
Rivers came to San Diego after he was drafted No. 4 by the New York Giants in 2004. The Chargers took Eli Manning with the first pick, then swapped him to the Giants for Rivers because Manning did not want to play for San Diego.
The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Rivers completed a variety of passes against the Packers.
After Jackson caught a perfectly thrown ball in full stride in the end zone for an apparent 17-yard touchdown 4 minutes into the game, the Packers called for a video replay, and the pass was ruled incomplete because Jackson stepped out of bounds.
No problem for Rivers. After a 5-yard penalty moved the ball back to the 22, the Chargers' quarterback lofted another pass to a diving Jackson in the end zone for an undisputed TD.
San Diego built its lead to 17-0 on a 23-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding late in the third quarter. Green Bay's Billy Cundiff finally put the Packers on the board with a 23-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
San Diego All-Pro running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who rarely plays during the preseason, sat out the game.
Dallas Cowboys Tony Romo Gies 19-25; Cowboys Beat Seattle Seahawks 13 to 3
I think too much is made of Drew Bledsoe sitting out. There are three more games and a lot of time for him to get work. This was a good move by Cowboys Coach Bill Parcells to get his backup ready.
Tony Romo goes the distance in Cowboys' win
NFL.com wire reports
SEATTLE (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Dallas coach Bill Parcells wanted to see Tony Romo play, and the quarterback was happy to oblige.
Drew Bledsoe's backup played the entire game and completed 19 of 25 passes for 235 yards and one touchdown in the Terrell Owens -less Cowboys' 13-3 win over the sloppy Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night.
Owens, who stayed back in training camp with other injured Cowboys, may or may not have watched from Oxnard, Calif. Dallas' newest star is recovering from a strained hamstring.
Bledsoe watched from the sidelines wearing a full uniform and a blue baseball cap, simply because Parcells wanted to see Romo play.
And he did. Impressively.
Romo was especially sharp in the first half, going 12-of-15 for 154 yards on scoring drives of 12 and 15 plays.
He also mimicked his veteran coach afterward. When asked about Romo shining, Parcells said, "Why don't we start on the other end? He fumbled two snaps. You can't do that."
Romo's initial assessment of his most -- and most successful -- playing time since he was a Division I-AA national player of the year at Eastern Illinois in 2002?
"Honestly, I think more about the things I didn't do," said Romo, who didn't throw a pass in the regular season in his first three years in the NFL. "Two fumbled snaps ... that stuff sticks with me after a game."
Tony Romo guided the Cowboys offense to two first-half scores.
After his first dropped snap on Dallas' mistake-filled opening drive, Romo completed 12 passes in a row. Six were on Dallas' 15-play, 89-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown throw to Patrick Crayton late in the opening quarter.
Crayton ran past Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu and in front of safety Mike Green, who was starting while Michael Boulware recovers from offseason knee surgery. Two other Seahawks defensive starters were out with injuries.
Crayton limped off at halftime with a sprained right ankle and did not return. Parcells said he doesn't think the injury was too serious.
Romo completed five more in row with the second-team offense on Dallas' second scoring drive. Three of those completions came in succession against Seattle's top draft pick, rookie Kelly Jennings, who is battling veteran Kelly Herndon for the starting left cornerback job.
Crayton's 33-yard juggling reception and run against Jennings set up Mike Vanderjagt's 21-yard field goal late in the first half.
Jamaica Rector made a spinning, leaping catch behind Jennings for 18 yards on a third-quarter drive. That ended with backup kicker Shaun Suisham plunking a 34-yard field goal off the center of the crossbar.
"I've got to work on that underthrown fade route," Jennings said.
Reigning league MVP Shaun Alexander rushed six times for 13 yards before leaving with the rest of the defending NFC champions' starting offensive backs and receivers early in the second quarter. Matt Hasselbeck was 4-of-6 for 43 yards passing.
His backup, Seneca Wallace, played until midway through the fourth quarter and was 11-of-17 for 117 yards. He was sacked four times.
Seattle's first-team offense, which led the league in scoring last season, gained 56 yards on 14 plays and scored three points.
"That wasn't us out there," Hasselbeck said.
Coach Mike Holmgren said: "On the whole, I thought we were a little bit sloppier than we have been in other first preseason games.
"I was a little disappointed, to be honest."
Anthony Fasano, Dallas' second-round pick in the draft, started at H-back. A Romo pass sailed high through his hands to end the opening drive.
That play included Seattle safety Ken Hamlin 's first true hit since he fractured his skull in an October street fight -- a first that Holmgren had acknowledged he was anxious to see. Hamlin came in late on Fasano and pushed his hands and head at the rookie's face.
"I'm all right," Hamlin said. "I was fooling around, having fun. This was just a tease for the regular season."
Tony Romo goes the distance in Cowboys' win
NFL.com wire reports
SEATTLE (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Dallas coach Bill Parcells wanted to see Tony Romo play, and the quarterback was happy to oblige.
Drew Bledsoe's backup played the entire game and completed 19 of 25 passes for 235 yards and one touchdown in the Terrell Owens -less Cowboys' 13-3 win over the sloppy Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night.
Owens, who stayed back in training camp with other injured Cowboys, may or may not have watched from Oxnard, Calif. Dallas' newest star is recovering from a strained hamstring.
Bledsoe watched from the sidelines wearing a full uniform and a blue baseball cap, simply because Parcells wanted to see Romo play.
And he did. Impressively.
Romo was especially sharp in the first half, going 12-of-15 for 154 yards on scoring drives of 12 and 15 plays.
He also mimicked his veteran coach afterward. When asked about Romo shining, Parcells said, "Why don't we start on the other end? He fumbled two snaps. You can't do that."
Romo's initial assessment of his most -- and most successful -- playing time since he was a Division I-AA national player of the year at Eastern Illinois in 2002?
"Honestly, I think more about the things I didn't do," said Romo, who didn't throw a pass in the regular season in his first three years in the NFL. "Two fumbled snaps ... that stuff sticks with me after a game."
Tony Romo guided the Cowboys offense to two first-half scores.
After his first dropped snap on Dallas' mistake-filled opening drive, Romo completed 12 passes in a row. Six were on Dallas' 15-play, 89-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown throw to Patrick Crayton late in the opening quarter.
Crayton ran past Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu and in front of safety Mike Green, who was starting while Michael Boulware recovers from offseason knee surgery. Two other Seahawks defensive starters were out with injuries.
Crayton limped off at halftime with a sprained right ankle and did not return. Parcells said he doesn't think the injury was too serious.
Romo completed five more in row with the second-team offense on Dallas' second scoring drive. Three of those completions came in succession against Seattle's top draft pick, rookie Kelly Jennings, who is battling veteran Kelly Herndon for the starting left cornerback job.
Crayton's 33-yard juggling reception and run against Jennings set up Mike Vanderjagt's 21-yard field goal late in the first half.
Jamaica Rector made a spinning, leaping catch behind Jennings for 18 yards on a third-quarter drive. That ended with backup kicker Shaun Suisham plunking a 34-yard field goal off the center of the crossbar.
"I've got to work on that underthrown fade route," Jennings said.
Reigning league MVP Shaun Alexander rushed six times for 13 yards before leaving with the rest of the defending NFC champions' starting offensive backs and receivers early in the second quarter. Matt Hasselbeck was 4-of-6 for 43 yards passing.
His backup, Seneca Wallace, played until midway through the fourth quarter and was 11-of-17 for 117 yards. He was sacked four times.
Seattle's first-team offense, which led the league in scoring last season, gained 56 yards on 14 plays and scored three points.
"That wasn't us out there," Hasselbeck said.
Coach Mike Holmgren said: "On the whole, I thought we were a little bit sloppier than we have been in other first preseason games.
"I was a little disappointed, to be honest."
Anthony Fasano, Dallas' second-round pick in the draft, started at H-back. A Romo pass sailed high through his hands to end the opening drive.
That play included Seattle safety Ken Hamlin 's first true hit since he fractured his skull in an October street fight -- a first that Holmgren had acknowledged he was anxious to see. Hamlin came in late on Fasano and pushed his hands and head at the rookie's face.
"I'm all right," Hamlin said. "I was fooling around, having fun. This was just a tease for the regular season."
Houston Texans Rookie Wali Lundy Shines - Texans Top KC Chiefs 24-14
Rookie sparks Texans attack in 24-14 win
NFL.com wire reports
HOUSTON (Aug. 12, 2006) -- If the Houston Texans hope to justify spending their No. 1 pick on Mario Williams, he'll have to contribute more than he did against the Chiefs.
Williams assisted on one tackle in a quarter of play in Houston's 24-14 preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Shuffled all around the defensive line, Williams looked tentative at times and was stood up on a couple of plays.
"I kind of got too excited and that made me get a little tired," Williams said. "But I was not nervous at all."
He finally registered his first stat late in the first, when he joined second-round pick DeMeco Ryans to stop Larry Johnson for a 3-yard gain.
In his 11 plays, Williams mostly lined up against Chiefs left tackle Kyle Turley, who was playing in his first game since 2003 because of back problems. Turley was thrust into the starting lineup when 11-time Pro Bowler Willie Roaf unexpectedly retired the night before training camp.
"I have a lot to learn," Williams said. "I was moving up and down the ball. I'm used to just coming off the edge and it's a lot different here."
While Williams' debut was forgettable, another Houston rookie -- sixth-round draft pick Wali Lundy -- had a head-turning first outing.
Mario Williams showed his inexperience at times, but the Texans prevailed.
With Domanick Davis out recovering from a lingering knee injury, the Texans started 10-year veteran Antowain Smith. Smith was ineffective early and the Texans turned to Lundy, who ran for 25 yards on his first carry and waltzed into the end zone untouched for Houston's first touchdown on a 3-yard run three plays later.
He finished with nine carries for 59 yards and had one reception for 9 yards for a performance coach Gary Kubiak said he was impressed with.
The former Virginia standout also returned one kickoff for 30 yards and a punt for 12 yards.
"I'm just happy I'm getting an opportunity to play in the NFL," Lundy said. "Anything I can do to help this team ... that's what I'm going to do."
Though it was a preseason game, Houston has to be happy with its first look at the team that was revamped after last season's 2-14 finish. The Texans had 325 yards of offense while holding the Chiefs to 172.
"I like how hard we played," Kubiak said. "I thought we were still pretty sloppy at times."
Johnson had seven carries for 30 yards with no scores for Kansas City in its first game under coach Herm Edwards. Dee Brown added 23 yards on five carries and had a 12-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
"Larry Johnson did a good job," Edwards said. "He was supposed to come out of the game, but he wanted to stay out there a couple of more times."
Trent Green was 5 of 6 for 34 yards before leaving after the first quarter. Canadian League Football star Casey Printers played the rest of the game and was 6 of 12 for 71 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.
"He was real jittery at times," Edwards said of Printers. "He kept his poise for the most part. He lost it a couple of times, but that's kind of the problem at times of having a young quarterback."
Houston's first team managed to move the ball well in its first game under Kubiak. David Carr was 3 for 5 for 23 yards and added 20 yards rushing in the first.
Carr's first two plays of the night went to offseason acquisition Eric Moulds. Carr found Moulds for an 11-yard gain on the right side of the field before hitting him for an 8-yard gain on the next play.
After being sacked more than 200 times in his career, Carr stayed on his feet in this game -- a prospect that excites the quarterback.
"We didn't have a sack in the game and it's been a while since we've done that here," Carr said. "Keeping the quarterback clean, we're going to be able to score points."
Backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels had a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and Kris Brown kicked a 22-yard field goal in the third. Damien Rhodes added a score on a 4-yard run in the fourth.
Notes: Texans TE Bennie Joppru, who had season-ending injuries the past three seasons, appeared in his first NFL game. He had a 9-yard reception in the fourth quarter. ... Michael Bennett, who was recently traded from the Saints, did not play while he struggles with a sore hamstring. ... This is the second time the Texans have played the Chiefs in the preseason, losing 19-9 in their inaugural season. ... Houston's 24 points scored was a preseason franchise record.
NFL.com wire reports
HOUSTON (Aug. 12, 2006) -- If the Houston Texans hope to justify spending their No. 1 pick on Mario Williams, he'll have to contribute more than he did against the Chiefs.
Williams assisted on one tackle in a quarter of play in Houston's 24-14 preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Shuffled all around the defensive line, Williams looked tentative at times and was stood up on a couple of plays.
"I kind of got too excited and that made me get a little tired," Williams said. "But I was not nervous at all."
He finally registered his first stat late in the first, when he joined second-round pick DeMeco Ryans to stop Larry Johnson for a 3-yard gain.
In his 11 plays, Williams mostly lined up against Chiefs left tackle Kyle Turley, who was playing in his first game since 2003 because of back problems. Turley was thrust into the starting lineup when 11-time Pro Bowler Willie Roaf unexpectedly retired the night before training camp.
"I have a lot to learn," Williams said. "I was moving up and down the ball. I'm used to just coming off the edge and it's a lot different here."
While Williams' debut was forgettable, another Houston rookie -- sixth-round draft pick Wali Lundy -- had a head-turning first outing.
Mario Williams showed his inexperience at times, but the Texans prevailed.
With Domanick Davis out recovering from a lingering knee injury, the Texans started 10-year veteran Antowain Smith. Smith was ineffective early and the Texans turned to Lundy, who ran for 25 yards on his first carry and waltzed into the end zone untouched for Houston's first touchdown on a 3-yard run three plays later.
He finished with nine carries for 59 yards and had one reception for 9 yards for a performance coach Gary Kubiak said he was impressed with.
The former Virginia standout also returned one kickoff for 30 yards and a punt for 12 yards.
"I'm just happy I'm getting an opportunity to play in the NFL," Lundy said. "Anything I can do to help this team ... that's what I'm going to do."
Though it was a preseason game, Houston has to be happy with its first look at the team that was revamped after last season's 2-14 finish. The Texans had 325 yards of offense while holding the Chiefs to 172.
"I like how hard we played," Kubiak said. "I thought we were still pretty sloppy at times."
Johnson had seven carries for 30 yards with no scores for Kansas City in its first game under coach Herm Edwards. Dee Brown added 23 yards on five carries and had a 12-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
"Larry Johnson did a good job," Edwards said. "He was supposed to come out of the game, but he wanted to stay out there a couple of more times."
Trent Green was 5 of 6 for 34 yards before leaving after the first quarter. Canadian League Football star Casey Printers played the rest of the game and was 6 of 12 for 71 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.
"He was real jittery at times," Edwards said of Printers. "He kept his poise for the most part. He lost it a couple of times, but that's kind of the problem at times of having a young quarterback."
Houston's first team managed to move the ball well in its first game under Kubiak. David Carr was 3 for 5 for 23 yards and added 20 yards rushing in the first.
Carr's first two plays of the night went to offseason acquisition Eric Moulds. Carr found Moulds for an 11-yard gain on the right side of the field before hitting him for an 8-yard gain on the next play.
After being sacked more than 200 times in his career, Carr stayed on his feet in this game -- a prospect that excites the quarterback.
"We didn't have a sack in the game and it's been a while since we've done that here," Carr said. "Keeping the quarterback clean, we're going to be able to score points."
Backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels had a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and Kris Brown kicked a 22-yard field goal in the third. Damien Rhodes added a score on a 4-yard run in the fourth.
Notes: Texans TE Bennie Joppru, who had season-ending injuries the past three seasons, appeared in his first NFL game. He had a 9-yard reception in the fourth quarter. ... Michael Bennett, who was recently traded from the Saints, did not play while he struggles with a sore hamstring. ... This is the second time the Texans have played the Chiefs in the preseason, losing 19-9 in their inaugural season. ... Houston's 24 points scored was a preseason franchise record.
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