Chiefs and Broncos meet in duel of NFL unbeatens
October 2, 2003
KANSAS CITY, United States (AFP) - Seeking the first 5-0 start in team history, the Kansas City Chiefs go for the record here Sunday in an American football showdown against undefeated division rival Denver.
The 4-0 National Football League clubs share the AFC West division lead and are among six clubs that are unbeaten after the first month of the season. That's the most in the NFL since 1998, when the Broncos began the season 13-0.
The Chiefs are led by star rusher Priest Holmes, whose seven touchdowns make him the NFL's top scorer among non-kickers. Their impressive start has sparked talk that the Chiefs are Super Bowl bound. But it's a bit early for such hype.
"All this means is that we're off to a good start. But we know that there are things we can do even better," Chiefs receiver Johnnie Morton said.
"It would be crazy for guys to start thinking that this means we're automatically a great team. There is a lot of football that needs to be played before we can even start thinking about things like that."
The Broncos are 4-0 for the fifth time in their history. They reached the Super Bowl the other four times. Denver won here 37-34 in over-time last year but the Broncos haven't won back-to-back games at Arrowhead Stadium since 1979.
The matchup features two of the NFL's top offenses. The Chiefs are averaging 31.8 points a game and on pace to break the franchise season record of 467. The Broncos rank second overall with 118 points, averaging 29.5 points a game.
Kansas City coach Dick Vermeil and Denver coach Mike Shanahan each collected their 100th career victories last week. Vermeil led St. Louis to a Super Bowl crown but plays down this season's early success.
"It does demonstrate that we're going in the right direction and doing the right things with the right people. I can tell people are excited," Vermeil said. "We're excited. But we are a lot more realistic about where we are right now. We're pleased but we know we have to keep getting better."
The Chiefs, who are 48-38 all-time against Denver, are sparked by Holmes, who rushed for 273 yards and three touchdowns last year in two games against the Broncos.
But Kansas City's other big threat is dangerous Dante Hall, the first NFL kick returner to score touchdowns in three consecutive weeks.
Hall was named the American conference special-teams player of the week for a 97-yard kickoff return touchdown that lifted the Chiefs past Baltimore 17-10. Hall avergaes 17.1 yards a punt return and 35.5 yards on each kickoff return.
"So many people who have watched us play since Dante has been with us knows it only takes one," Vermeil said. "Our special teams has been great."
Hall ran back a punt 73 yards to beat Houston two weeks ago and returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to beat Pittsburgh on September 14.
And the Broncos know firsthand how elusive he can be, having surrendered touchdown receptions of 49 and 75 yards against him last year in Denver.
"Nobody is more elusive than him. Nobody," said Broncos kickoff returner and defender Chris Cole, a college teammate of Hall at Texas A and M University.
"It's going to be a challenge for us on special teams, but I think we are up for it," Cole said. "We have a lot of speed, we can get down there and cover the field and we are not going to let him get out on us like that.
"We are going to be in his face. I think we've got special special teams, so we'll be all over him."
The NFL's other feature match sends unbeaten Indianapolis (4-0) to reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay (2-1) Monday night.
Former Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy now coaches the Colts while Jon Gruden, who replaced him at Tampa Bay, took the club he built and nurtured and made it an NFL champion.
"Tony's impact on this team has been obvious. But this game is what it is. Jon's our coach now," Tampa Bay's Ronde Barber said. "Tony's our old coach. I'm sure it will be special for him. He got his start here."
Dungy wants the focus to be on the field, but knows his reunion with many friends on the Tampa Bay team will be a major theme.
"I hope the game doesn't turn into a sideshow with the game itself being the small part of things," Dungy said.
In Sunday's other games involving undefeated clubs, the Minnesota Vikings (4-0) travel to Atlanta (1-3) while Seattle (3-0) travel to Green Bay (2-2) and the Carolina Panthers (3-0) play host to New Orleans (1-3).
At the other end of the NFL spectrum, a battle of the winless finds San Diego at Jacksonville in a matchup of 0-4 clubs. The Chargers and Jaguars have some consolation. They cannot both lose.
Other games Sunday find Oakland at winless Chicago, Arizona at Dallas, Miami at the New York Giants , Cincinnati at Buffalo, Washington at Philadelphia, Tennessee at New England, Detroit at San Francisco and Cleveland at Pittsburgh.
Idle this week are Baltimore, Houston, St. Louis and the New York Jets .
