www.kansascity.com | 08/11/2007 | Chiefs quarterbacks struggle against Browns
excerpt:
CLEVELAND | He got here, largely, because of his composure.
Brodie Croyle was praised for his poise in high school. At Alabama, he made the right reads and the smart throws. Throughout training camp, Croyle’s teammates have lauded him for his commanding — yet calming — presence in the Chiefs’ huddle.
That’s what made Saturday so tough to stomach.
When his big chance finally came — when Croyle finally got to start in an NFL game — the second-year pro morphed into someone he says he’s not.
“I tried to be Superman,” Croyle said, “and I ended up making a stupid play.”
The stinker wasn’t that Croyle threw an interception in Saturday’s 16-12 preseason loss to the Cleveland Browns. It was the decision Croyle made to heave the pass that will gnaw at Chiefs coaches when they review the tape.
Croyle’s blunder occurred during the Chiefs’ second offensive series. After making a nice spin move to elude defensive end Kamerion Wimbley, Croyle hurled an off-balance floater that Captain Hook could’ve intercepted.
Instead, it was Cleveland’s Leigh Bodden who came up with the pick, and the Browns capitalized when Phil Dawson booted a 27-yard field goal moments later.
“I should’ve just thrown it at the defender’s feet,” said Croyle, who had fumbled one series earlier. “I won’t make that mistake again. You live and you learn.”
The Chiefs were hoping that either Croyle or Damon Huard would begin to separate themselves in the battle to become the Chiefs’ starting quarterback. But the postgame buzz Saturday centered not on which signal caller played the best.
It was about who performed the worst.
Huard failed to lead the offense to a first down in two series. He also overthrew backup tight end Keith Willis on consecutive passes, the second of which was snared by Browns defensive back Daven Holly. Cleveland took advantage with a 38-yard field goal from Dawson that made it 6-0.
“I guess it could’ve been a better throw, but I could’ve made that play, too,” Willis said. “If I could do it all over again, I’d go up and attack that ball instead of trying to let it come to me. Most of it was a timing thing. Damon and I haven’t taken a lot of reps together. We’ll be fine.”
Chiefs coach Herm Edwards agrees, which is why he says he won’t get too worked up about the ineffectiveness of his signal callers. Croyle, Edwards pointed out, was in for just 13 plays Saturday, and Huard a measly six.
“Damon and Brodie didn’t get enough snaps,” Edwards said. “We never got into a flow offensively. Nineteen plays, that’s not enough. You can’t play offense like that.”
Despite the interceptions, both quarterbacks did enough to impress Chiefs guard Brian Waters, who was particularly impressed with the way Croyle handled himself after the first-quarter interception.
“He apologized immediately and just said he should’ve made a better decision,” Waters said. “He didn’t lose his poise. He wasn’t upset. It was one of those situations where you could tell he wasn’t rattled by it.
“If you’re trying to say who’s (ahead) after tonight, I’d say it’s a tie. Both guys did some real good things. And they’ve got some things they’d like to take back.”
Even before Saturday’s game, Edwards had said that Huard will start Thursday’s game against Miami at Arrowhead Stadium.