Green black & blue
Cincy knocks out Chiefs, QB
Kansas City, Mo. ? Don’t tell Trent Green it’s safer to slide feet-first.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback slid to avoid a hit after a five-yard gain in the third quarter of the Chiefs’ season-opening 23-10 loss to the Bengals on Sunday. Cincinnati defensive end Robert Geathers met him with a full-speed shoulder pad to the head that knocked Green out. His head bounced on the rain-soaked turf, and he still had not moved 11 minutes later, when he was removed from the field while strapped to a stretcher.
“We don’t want to see anyone go out and get hurt,” Chiefs guard Brian Waters said. “Especially not that guy.”
Green was taken to the hospital and awoke with feeling in his arms and legs, Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson said.
“When he did wake up, he remembered every play except the one that knocked him out,” Peterson said.
The official injury report said Green’s return was doubtful because of a “blow to the head,” but there was little doubt that it was backup Damon Huard’s team for the rest of the day – if not longer. Green’s status for Sunday’s game at Denver is uncertain.
“I’ve seen it where guys can come back in a week (from severe head trauma),” Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said, “but we’ll put the player’s safety first.”
Huard completed 12 of 20 passes for 140 yards and a fourth-down touchdown to tight end Tony Gonzalez, who tied Otis Taylor for a Chiefs record with 57 career touchdown receptions.
That scoring drive, which Huard said came against a soft “prevent” defense, made the score 20-10 with about four minutes to play.
The Chiefs offense spent its last two drives inside its own 30-yard line.
“As much as it seemed we were down, we still had a chance there with three or four minutes to go,” Huard said. “You’re never really out of this thing until the final gun.”
The defense did its part, holding the Bengals to six second-half points and clamping down late in the game, giving Huard and the offense their chance.
The defense was most vulnerable when the Bengals ran a no-huddle offense, resulting in two touchdowns, in the second quarter.
“That shouldn’t be a problem. You just pick up the tempo,” Kansas City defensive end Jared Allen, who had the Chiefs’ only sack, said. “We had pressure on them all day.”
The Bengals brought the heat, too, notching seven quarterback sacks. Former Missouri University defensive end Justin Smith had three.
“That was our goal today,” Smith said. “Come out and put pressure on them, try not to let them step up.”
The consistent pressure forced Green to scramble three times during a rainy third-quarter drive. His last scramble sent him to the hospital after he completed 11 of 15 passes with one interception.
Edwards said the Geathers hit appeared to be helmet-to-helmet, though no penalty was called.
“We’ve been advised that we don’t comment on officials’ calls,” Edwards said. “The league will do what they feel is right.”
Geathers wished Green a speedy recovery.
“We were just playing ball, flying around, and I know he understands that,” the Bengals’ defender said.
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Johnson’s streak ends: Larry Johnson’s streak of nine straight 100-yard games ended, as the Bengals held the fourth-year running back to 68 yards on 17 carries. He also had 80 yards on five receptions.
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Gonzalez extends streak: Gonzalez finished with 81 yards on a game-high 10 receptions, including four on the touchdown drive, and has recorded a reception in 85 straight games.
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White-on-white a rarity: The Chiefs wore white jerseys and white pants for the first time since Dec. 26, 1999, at Seattle. The Chiefs never had worn the combination on their home field before Sunday.