Green rewards Edwards’ faith in Kansas City

By Clayton Wendler  |   Tuesday, November 21, 2006  |  Comments( 1 )

Kansas City Chiefs
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The Kansas City Chiefs' offense had to be feeling a little déjà vu on Sunday against the Raiders. There they were, late in the game, down by three points, needing a long touchdown drive to pull out a win. Just like last week against Miami.

But Sunday, there was one difference: the guy under center.

Chiefs fans saw backup quarterback Damon Huard fail in the clutch a week ago. Sunday, they saw Green at his best, doing the exact opposite.

You could see the contrast between starter and backup most vividly on a first-and-15 play from midfield with just under three minutes left. Green faked a handoff to running back Larry Johnson and looked downfield at wide receiver Samie Parker.

He was covered. Green held the ball and then saw Eddie Kennison make his break toward the sideline. He was also covered tightly, and there was only a small window between the sideline and defender to fit the ball into.

Regardless, Green then unleashed the prettiest pass of the season. It floated softly over the head of Oakland cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha before landing perfectly in Kennison's hands. The Chiefs had a 24-yard gain and a first down deep in Raider territory.

It was a throw Chiefs fans have come to expect from the 14-year veteran. It was a throw that, in all likelihood, Huard would not have made and perhaps not even attempted. There were two other dumpoff options on the play that looked like much safer attempts.

The Chiefs would go on to score the game-winning touchdown, with Green converting another third-and-long situation, this time to Parker. Johnson plunged in from a yard out two plays later for the go-ahead score.

One might look at the box score and think Green's 9-for-16, 102-yard day wasn't that great. And they'd be right. For the better part of the game, KC's passing offense did almost nothing.

Johnson and running back Michael Bennett carried the load for most of the day, combining for almost 200 yards rushing. Huard could have probably handed the ball to those guys just as well as Green.

And it was Kansas City's defense that came up with an enormous interception at the end to preserve the win.

But on that last drive, Green showed why he's the $50 million man. Huard showed last week in Miami why he's now warming the bench.

And Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards showed why he's the man in charge. There was substantial support for keeping Huard as the starter from media and fans over the last few weeks.

Despite it, Edwards knew who his starting quarterback was all along. And with the game on the line, everyone else realized he made the right decision.

"That's why he's our quarterback and why he's been a great quarterback, to be quite honest," said Edwards. "He's the guy at the end when you need seven games - and it's a seven-game series for us - that he's the guy who enables us to win football games. He did that and he did that with help. That's why you bring a guy like that back. I'm a firm believer that there are reasons guys are starters. It's not by accident."
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