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Independence, MO —
If I could bottle attitude, it’d be Dexter McCluster’s.
“Honestly, coming in I knew I never know what to expect with my role,” McCluster said. “It’s been off and on from my rookie season till now. They came to me and said we’d like to try you at the slot and get better there and focus on building from there. So I took that as a challenge to go out and create mismatches and to get open in space and I think right now I’m really grasping it and they are really putting a lot of confidence in me.”
McCluster is having fun.
“I’m having a lot of fun. My motto this year is one-on-one I got to win. If I’m getting double, I got to do my job to get the next guy open.”
McCluster adds a new wrinkle, a weapon many didn’t factor in. Dexter’s a missile that can gain yards in a hurry. Still, it was up to McCluster to make it happen. So far it has and McCluster gives Romeo Crennel and the coaches’ credit.
“I’m focused and determined,” he said. “The coaches expect a lot out of me. Coach RAC instills in us to do your job and to do it to the best of your ability.”
Now McCluster has to prove it in the regular season. McCluster’s eager to play at Arrowhead this Sunday.
“I go back to my rookie season and my first game,” says McCluster. “That excitement that same feeling I have now.”
PEYTON HILLIS: I had to ask. I asked Hillis about pulling trucks being part of his training. If you haven’t seen it, it’s something else. Hillis literally takes a strap and pulls a truck. He said it started as a senior in high school.
“High school,” says Hillis. “My buddy got me into it and we started doing it. He’s the one that got me into it and I’ve been doing it ever since. I think it makes your body denser and makes your body stronger. It’s unique and if you do it right it’s very beneficial to your body. It helps me take the pounding like a stone wall.”
Hillis runs like a wrecking ball and the reality of Kansas City having two 1,000-yard rusher’s isn’t a pipe dream. Charles is capable of 1,000 yards in 200 carries but Hillis could get 240 to 260 carries this season. On 245 carries, Thomas Jones had nearly 900 yards so it’s very possible for Hillis to hit 1,000.
If I could bottle attitude, it’d be Dexter McCluster’s.
“Honestly, coming in I knew I never know what to expect with my role,” McCluster said. “It’s been off and on from my rookie season till now. They came to me and said we’d like to try you at the slot and get better there and focus on building from there. So I took that as a challenge to go out and create mismatches and to get open in space and I think right now I’m really grasping it and they are really putting a lot of confidence in me.”
McCluster is having fun.
“I’m having a lot of fun. My motto this year is one-on-one I got to win. If I’m getting double, I got to do my job to get the next guy open.”
McCluster adds a new wrinkle, a weapon many didn’t factor in. Dexter’s a missile that can gain yards in a hurry. Still, it was up to McCluster to make it happen. So far it has and McCluster gives Romeo Crennel and the coaches’ credit.
“I’m focused and determined,” he said. “The coaches expect a lot out of me. Coach RAC instills in us to do your job and to do it to the best of your ability.”
Now McCluster has to prove it in the regular season. McCluster’s eager to play at Arrowhead this Sunday.
“I go back to my rookie season and my first game,” says McCluster. “That excitement that same feeling I have now.”
PEYTON HILLIS: I had to ask. I asked Hillis about pulling trucks being part of his training. If you haven’t seen it, it’s something else. Hillis literally takes a strap and pulls a truck. He said it started as a senior in high school.
“High school,” says Hillis. “My buddy got me into it and we started doing it. He’s the one that got me into it and I’ve been doing it ever since. I think it makes your body denser and makes your body stronger. It’s unique and if you do it right it’s very beneficial to your body. It helps me take the pounding like a stone wall.”
Hillis runs like a wrecking ball and the reality of Kansas City having two 1,000-yard rusher’s isn’t a pipe dream. Charles is capable of 1,000 yards in 200 carries but Hillis could get 240 to 260 carries this season. On 245 carries, Thomas Jones had nearly 900 yards so it’s very possible for Hillis to hit 1,000.
“I don’t know, I think that Jamaal is a great back and a better back than me,” said Hillis on how dominate the run game can be. “Just being honest. Charles is faster, better vision and just a great back. And I’m happy to back him up. In my experience in football, anything is possible. This year it could definitely happen, no doubt about it, two 1,000 yard rusher’s, but it could go the other way too. All I can do is play this game to the best of my ability and hopefully good stuff happens. And stay healthy.”
Hillis finished the preseason with nearly an eight-yard average per carry. Just half that average would be ahead of Thomas Jones in the regular season. Hillis averaged almost five yards a carry with Cleveland in 2010. I see good things for the running game, which should help the passing game.
ATLANTA FALCONS: “We’re all excited, we’re enthusiastic about it, this team is working hard, so we couldn’t be more excited,” Matt Cassel said. “And, the fact that we also get to have the opening day at home in front of our fans and all the traditions that go along with it with Red Friday and everything else, it’s going to be a great weekend.”
Tight end Kevin Boss thinks the offense can be balanced, not just about Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis.
“I think we’re a pretty confident bunch. It started off well that first game,” Boss said. “We didn’t play as well as we wanted the last couple of preseason games, but our confidence is still pretty high. We still have all of our weapons. ... Sky is the limit I think. If we can stay healthy and continue to work together and get things clicking on Sundays, I don’t think there is any reason we can’t be one of the top offenses in the league.”
The receiving core is much more diverse this season than it ever has been before. With Dwayne Bowe, Jonathan Baldwin, Steve Breaston, Dexter McCluster, Kevin Boss and Tony Moeaki, the ability to pass it around is there. Don’t forget that both Charles and Hillis have shown ability to catch the ball too.
It all depends on keeping Cassel clean and giving him time.
It’s now the moment of truth. For months it’s been speculation, wondering and best guessing on who and what this team is. Preseason changed some minds, but it’s preseason. Have to keep it in perspective, but Kevin Boss is right, there’s lots of potential to the offense.
It’s up to the players, the offense is healthy. The defense has to rise to the occasion. Despite missing Tamba Hali, I still like KC’s chances against Atlanta. Last time the Falcons came to Arrowhead, Atlanta was routed 56-10. Kansas City had eight rushing TDs that game. Arrowhead has disappointed supposedly better teams than the Chiefs before; the 12th man has to help KC do it again.
Good day, Chiefs fans!
