GRAND OL’ SHOWDOWN IN NASHVILLE
AS CHIEFS-TITANS TANGLE IN PRIME-TIME

The Kansas City Chiefs aim for back-to-back road wins while the Tennessee Titans look to protect a 3-1 home record on ABC’s NFL Monday Night Football this week when the two AFC teams take to The Coliseum field in Nashville.

“They can put points on the board,” says Titans head coach JEFF FISHER of the visiting Chiefs.  Under Fisher’s guidance, Tennessee ties the St. Louis Rams for the most victories in the past five seasons (60).  “They have a great tight end, they have good receivers and a smart quarterback.  They have a very big, strong, physical offensive line.”

Fisher’s points about the Chiefs are all valid, but one shouldn’t discount the big-play ability of his own club.  Each team is among the league’s best in lighting up the scoreboard early.  The teams who are scoring the most points in the first quarter:

Aside from early fireworks, each club has proven to excel on third down with less than four yards to go.  The Chiefs have the habit of extending their drives while the Titans’ defense has been able to stuff their opponents:

Key reasons as to why the Chiefs possess the NFL’s No. 2-ranked offense include quarterback TRENT GREEN and tight end TONY GONZALEZ.  Green has posted an NFL-best six 300-yard games this season and needs one more to tie BILL KENNEY (7, 1983) for the most by a Kansas City quarterback in a season.  Gonzalez leads the high-flying Chiefs in receptions (67), receiving yards (870) and touchdown catches (5).

“Tony Gonzalez is playing probably as well or better than he ever has in his career,” says Kansas City head coach DICK VERMEIL.  “He has 19 more receptions at this time right now than he had last year.  He’s playing well, but even more importantly than in the receiving game, he’s blocking better than he ever has.”

Gonzalez aims for a milestone Monday night.  With seven catches, he will surpass Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end KELLEN WINSLOW for the third most career receptions by a tight end in NFL history:

MONDAY NIGHT MUSINGS – KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT TENNESSEE TITANS

CHIEFS OWNER LAMAR HUNT HONORED AT TWO HALLS OF FAME

• Kansas City Chiefs owner LAMAR HUNT and former Chiefs head coach HANK STRAM were recently named Missouri Sports Legends by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Since 1951, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame has enshrined 370 people who have made significant contributions to sports in the state.  Only 12 members, including Hunt and Stram, have been named Missouri Sports Legends, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the Hall. 

In addition to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, Hunt recently was also inducted into the Greater Kansas City Business Hall of Fame for bringing the Chiefs to Kansas City.

The Business Hall of Fame is a project of Junior Achievement of Middle America.  The organization said that Hunt was honored as an example of business excellence who has the respect of the local community and has called attention to the free-enterprise system.  Junior Achievement stresses the value of free enterprise, business and economics to young people as a means of improving the quality of lives.

“Mr. Hunt was chosen by his peers for this elite honor because he has made extraordinary contributions to Kansas City,” says JENNY JAMES, the special events manager for Junior Achievement of Middle America.  “He has shown the importance of the free-enterprise system and its value to the community.”

KEVIN CARTER NAMED TITANS MAN OF THE YEAR

• Tennessee defensive end KEVIN CARTER was named the Titans Community Man of the Year last week, the first time in the program’s history that a player has won the award in three consecutive seasons.

Carter was selected by a majority vote of his teammates, club executives, media and local non-profit agency executives.

“There are so many deserving men on this team,” says Carter.  “I’m truly honored to receive this award.  I’m so proud to be a part of the Titans organization that allows me to do things in the community and identifies ways that we can make an impact.”

The Kevin Carter Foundation was founded in 2002 to focus on character development, unique incentive programs for inner-city youth and assisting a variety of non-profit agencies through charity special events, appearances and financial contributions. 

“Kevin has made a significant impact in this community since he joined us,” says Titans owner K.S. “BUD” ADAMS, JR.  “The time, commitment and energy that he puts forth into the community are truly phenomenal.  He is a remarkable young man that not only goes the extra mile -- he goes an extra 10 and asks for more.  His contributions to the Nashville community have certainly been Pro Bowl caliber as he continues to set the pace for community work for our players.  This team has a number of players who devote a lot of time and resources, and I’m proud of their contributions.  I always encourage them to assist others that are less fortunate.” 

Carter becomes the team’s finalist for the 2004 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which honors the player who demonstrates outstanding balance between his community service activities as well as his excellence on the field. 

Last season, Kansas City Chiefs guard WILL SHIELDS was the winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

HALL & MC NAIR ARE TOUGH TO TACKLE

• In a survey of 354 NFL players conducted by Sports Illustrated, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver and kick returner DANTE HALL (22 percent) was voted as the hardest player to tackle in the NFL, tied with Baltimore Ravens running back JAMAL LEWIS. 

Tennessee Titans quarterback STEVE MC NAIR was one of only two quarterbacks (Atlanta’s MICHAEL VICK) to receive multiple votes.