With rumors swirling that Kendrell Bell had lost his starting position, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herman Edwards defended his beleaguered outside linebacker.

“Kendrell Bell is still the starter,” Edwards said during his Tuesday news conference. “Keyaron Fox is going to play, he’s going to rotate, but Kendrell Bell is still the starter.”

Fox, the Chiefs’ third-round draft pick in 2004, replaced Bell late in Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. And Fox seemingly has outplayed Bell with 11 more tackles on the season despite starting seven fewer games.

Before the 2005 season, the Kansas City Chiefs signed free-agent linebacker Bell to become a difference-maker on passing and running downs. Bell, the defensive rookie of the year in 2001 with Pittsburgh, racked up 164 tackles and nine sacks in 2002 and 2003 before injuring his groin in 2004. His play has declined since, and he has managed just 80 tackles and 2.5 sacks in nearly two season with the Chiefs.

Edwards, however, spun the blame away from Bell.

“We just need to have more consistent play, and it’s not just the linebackers,” Edwards said. “Kendrell Bell plays one position, and that’s not a fair statement that all of a sudden he is the culprit because he’s not. He’s not by any stretch of the imagination.”

The defense as a whole has progressed from last year. After ranking 25th in the league last year, the Chiefs now stand at 13th in yards allowed.

“(Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham) has done a very good job,” Edwards said. “The defense is improved. They’re out of the cellar.”

Still, a play last Sunday conjured up images of the nightmare of seasons past. With 6:38 left in the third quarter, the Chiefs trailed by just six points. Ravens quarterback Steve McNair then went deep to wide receiver Mark Clayton. Cornerback Ty Law and safety Greg Wesley thought the other had deep responsibility and let Clayton streak by. The blown coverage allowed Clayton to haul in the game-changing, 87-yard touchdown pass.

“We miscommunicated the coverage,” Edwards said. “If you miss a tackle or miscommunicate in a coverage, it’s a touchdown.”

Kansas City defenders, including Derrick Johnson (56), tackle Baltimore running back Jamal Lewis (31). The Chiefs lost to the Ravens, 20-10, Sunday in Kansas City, Mo.

The Chiefs must iron out such gaffes this Sunday because they visit the San Diego Chargers, arguably the best team in the NFL. The 11-2 Chargers have won seven in a row – their lost loss coming to the Chiefs – and already clinched the AFC West title. They feature some of the game’s best at their respective positions, including running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who set an NFL record with 29 touchdowns; quarterback Philip Rivers, who has a 96.3 QB rating; and linebacker Shawne Merriman, who shares the NFL lead in sacks with 12.5 despite missing four games.

“They are a balanced team. They can run the ball very well, and they can throw the ball,” Edwards said. “They can beat you scoring points, obviously they can beat you if it’s a low-scoring game because they’ve got a good defense.”

Those accolades aside, the Chiefs know they can topple the trendy Super Bowl pick. In Week 7, they defeated the Chargers, 30-27.

“They are still the same team,” Edwards said. “They were the best team in football when they came in here, and right now they are still the best team in football.”