AFC NEWS ‘N’ NOTES

CHIEFS FILL NEED FOR SPEED

The Kansas City Chiefs will have a “Rams” look on the offensive side of the ball this season.  Head coach DICK VERMEIL, assistant head coach/offensive coordinator AL SAUNDERS, starting quarterback TRENT GREEN, and wide receiver-kick returner TONY HORNE all came to Kansas City from St. Louis (Vermeil after a year of retirement).  Over the past two seasons, St. Louis scored more points (1,066) and gained more yardage (13,487) than any NFL team.

How did they do it?

“You have to have speed to win in the National Football League no matter what style of offense you have,” Saunders says.  “You need playmakers who can score points, and generally those players have good speed.  We are looking for guys who play the game fast, who get the ball in their hands and make people miss in the open field, who can quickly change the direction they’re running in full speed.”

With that in mind, the team signed Horne and wide receiver CHRIS THOMAS from the Rams and running back PRIEST HOLMES from Baltimore.  The club also added rookie running back DERRICK BLAYLOCK and rookie wide receivers DAVE KLEMIC, MARVIN MINNIS and J.J. MOSES.

“We’d like to change the profile of the kind of kids that have the ball in their hands,” says Vermeil.  “You can’t keep driving in second gear and expect to win those tight football games.  You have to have guys on the field that can separate from coverage and make plays. 

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BILLS GO WEST:  Under new head coach GREGG WILLIAMS, the Buffalo Bills will be operating the “West Coast” offense.  To prepare for the season, two of the club’s key offensive players – quarterback ROB JOHNSON and wide receiver ERIC MOULDS – are going west, literally. 

Johnson works out with NFL receivers near his home in Laguna Beach, California before training camp each year.  This year, Moulds will be his house guest for two to three weeks.

“Generally, Rob works out with different receivers on the West Coast, so I said I’ll be there to work on our timing before camp,” Moulds said.  “We’ll get some running on the beach to get our legs strong.  I need that as a receiver to cut and plant and get my hips strong.  It’ll benefit me a lot.”

Williams is also pleased with the pair’s plan.  “It says great things about those two,” he said.  “That will go a long way in the regular season.”

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BACK TO RECEIVE THE PUNT...:  When the New York Jets drafted wide receiver SANTANA MOSS in the first round in April, the club knew it was a getting an outstanding talent who could catch punts in addition to passes.  Under new special teams coach MIKE WESTHOFF, another wide receiver may be fielding punts with Moss.  That would be WAYNE CHREBET, who led the Jets last season with 937 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions.

“I won't kid anybody – I'd like to play some two-deep returns,” said Westhoff, who coached Miami Dolphins punt returners to an AFC second-best 13.3-yard average last season.  “I’m not the only one who's done it, but I don't think anybody's had as much success with it recently as we had in Miami.  Obviously, Santana is one returner.  But the next-best, two-deep candidate might be Wayne.”

Chrebet, who returned punts in 1996, is eager to help the team.  “I've done it before,” Chrebet said. “But I told Coach Westhoff whatever gives us the best chance to win, I'll do it.  I will get my chances back there, and I'm all for it."

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MANNING’S MECHANIC:  Indianapolis Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING was at the Pro Bowl in February, but it didn’t stop him from keeping on top of the coaching situation back home.  Manning’s team was looking for a quarterbacks coach to replace BRUCE ARIANS, who had taken the offensive coordinator position with the Cleveland Browns.

According to Colts head coach JIM MORA, Manning said to “make sure he’s a good one.  If I screw up, I want a guy that’s going to get on my case and tell me what I’m doing wrong.”

Said Mora of the discussion with his quarterback:  “He wants to be coached.  He wants to be pushed.”

Mora hired JOHN HUFNAGEL, formerly the Browns’ quarterbacks coach.  “Quarterbacks need to be reminded of their mechanics and that’s what I try to do, along with working with the other aspects of the position,” says Hufnagel.  “We want to be precise and do the little things right all the time so they become automatic.”

Added Manning:  “A quarterbacks coach has to study me just like I study myself.  Watch my mechanics, my fakes, my drops, my ball-handling.  That’s John’s forte.  He’s a real mechanics guy, which I like.”