Berry big boost for Chiefs, if safety does play ... Gronk vs. Kelce is a ‘neat deal’ and a battle of the best ... Not expected to be as cold as first feared for AFC title game
KANSAS CITY — It looks like safety Eric Berry will play Sunday.
That would be big for the Chiefs.
Berry is the their inspirational leader. This would be just his third game in two seasons since he ruptured his Achilles in the 2017 opener against, coincidentally enough, the New England Patriots. Berry played Kansas City’s 14th and 15 game this season, but has been out since with a bothersome heel.
Berry was the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2015, when he reported to camp cancer-free after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma during the 2014 season. The fifth overall pick of the 2010 NFL draft, Berry has been a defensive captain for Kansas City three times. He has also been either the winner or co-winner of the Derrick Thomas Award — given to the Chiefs MVP, voted on by teammates — on two occasions.
Most importantly for the present, the return of Berry would boost and improve a defence that has surrendered just nine points in its last two games. It should improve the Chiefs chances of minimizing the impact of Rob Gronkowski in the AFC Championship game.
“Eric is a really talented football player ... he’s extremely talented,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said Thursday. “He has great speed and range. I think he’s our most physical player. When you have those qualities, you have playmaking ability, you have a chance to affect the game.
“The one thing about speed on defence is that it isn’t always the plays you make, it’s sometimes the plays you prevent. He has that ability in him. The other part that he brings is the players respond to him. They appreciate all he’s been through and what he’s done here, and what kind of a player he is. I obviously think it’s a great plus for us if we can have him.”
Said DB Steve Nelson: “We call him ‘coach’ in our room because he’s so knowledgeable. He means a lot to our team and our defence, so whenever we can have him out there, it’s a great thing.”
The Chiefs showered their optimism Berry would be available when they cut veteran safety Ron Parker earlier this week to make room on the active roster for Canadian guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.
If he has any type of setback between now and Sunday, it would be a costly gamble to lose.
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Gronkowksi was talking about the atmosphere at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday when he said “we know it’s going to be loud, we know it’s going to be hyped. It always is every time we go there, even during the regular season, I just can’t imagine what it’s going to be like in the playoffs.” For the record, Gronk has played just one game at Arrowhead, and it was in 2014. He caught two passes for 31 yards and a touchdown ... The tight end matchup between Gronkowski and Travis Kelce is “a neat deal,” said Andy Reid.
“Both of them are tremendous. They’re different, but they’re both tremendous. Great for the game.” ... Gronk on Kelce: “He’s a very excellent player. The way he can move, the savviness he has is second to none.” ... A reporter asked Gronk if it felt like Kelce was coming after his crown as the best tight end in football. Said Gronk: “I know he competes, competes hard, competes every play, competes every game. That’s all you can ask for. That’s what I do, too.” ... Pats safety Patrick Chung also used the word “savvy “to describe Kelce. “He has a big catch radius, good quickness, he’s hard to tackle. He’s a really good player.” When it was mentioned that Bill Belichick is likely to try and take away Tyreek Hill, Chung was asked if that meant he would be on Kelce. “I mean, that’s just a big secret,” he said.
EXTRA POINTS
With all the talk and concern about bitter cold temperatures Sunday, the forecast has lightened up. It’s now supposed to be in the minus-6 to minus-10 (C) range at game time. But another snow storm appears to be on the way this weekend ... Andy Reid was coaching Green Bay Packers tight ends when he first met Belichick, who was in charge of Patriots defensive backs. Their teams squared off in the 1996 Super Bowl, from which Reid emerged with the ring.
“It really became more so of a friendship when we were head coaches,” said Reid, who was then asked about Belichick’s personality. “He’s got a great personality actually. Funny, good sense of humour. Good person. He’s got a good personality.” ... Last week the Chiefs gave out free Patrick
Mahomes-like headbands to the first 50,000 fans through the doors. On Sunday, their handing out 50,000 rally towels with the words “Let’s Roll.” Shouldn’t the giveaways get better as the games get bigger? Especially while hosting the first AFC Championship game in franchise history? Among the former Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt has heard from with good wishes is one of the greatest CFL quarterbacks of all time.
“Warren Moon, which was cool,,” said Colquitt. “He was like, ‘I have to be in the house when you guys win this game.” Moon, who won five Grey Cups with the Edmonton Eskimos (197882) and was a two-time Grey Cup MVP, finished his career with the Chiefs in 2000. Colquitt is the longest serving member of the Chiefs in his 14th year.