FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-81            11/28/01

EAGLES & CHIEFS SQUARE OFF ON THURSDAY-NIGHT FOOTBALL

The Kansas City Chiefs welcome the Philadelphia Eagles to Arrowhead Stadium Thursday night in a game to be nationally televised on ESPN at 8:30 PM ET.  The matchup features Chiefs head coach DICK VERMEIL facing his former team.  Vermeil led the Eagles to four playoff berths in seven seasons as their head coach from 1976-82.

The three meetings between the clubs have been close, all being decided by seven points or less, and each team has a good track record in Thursday-night games.  Philadelphia is 2-1 all-time on Thursday night, while the Chiefs are 4-1, including 3-1 at Arrowhead Stadium.

A key matchup will be the Kansas City running game against the Philadelphia defense.  The Chiefs average 4.6 yards per carry and feature running back PRIEST HOLMES, who has rushed for 902 yards, third in the AFC.  Kansas City is 3-1 when Holmes rushes for 100 yards or more.