Backup Damon Huard will start this week against the Raiders, relieving an injured Kansas City quarterback for the third time in three years. But Edwards made clear that third-teamer Tyler Thigpen, who was waived by Minnesota last September and has attempted only six passes in the NFL, will also get on the field in the next few weeks.

Might he start the following week at Atlanta?

"He'll get to play. Whether he starts, we'll determine that," Edwards said. "But he is going to play. You don't have to worry about that."

Asked directly if he was talking about a two-quarterback system, Edwards replied, "I'm just saying he's going to play."

Croyle, the oft-injured third-year pro, was hurt in Sunday's 17-10 loss at New England and will be out two to four weeks.

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There is simply no way anyone, including the most die-hard Patriots fan, can conclude that Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard did anything wrong with his hit on Tom Brady.

Most rational people have come to the same conclusion, including most of the Patriots players who have spoken about it, and the league office, which has reviewed it.

It's awful that Brady will miss the season. It's not good for the Patriots, and it's not good for the NFL.

But Brady will be back, and he will still be the best quarterback in the league when he returns. Take comfort in that, Patriots fans.

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If the Brady hit was dirty, I saw 1,286 dirty plays yesterday

Tom Brady is evidently out for the year, and that's a sad thing for people who like watching quality football. But the result of the play being undesirable doesn't mean that something unseemly had to happen to cause it.

Bernard Pollard was trying to sack the quarterback. That's his job. He was on the ground, trying to move towards Brady in the pocket, with Patriots running back Sammy Morris still blocking him. Pollard made a desperate lunge at Brady, Morris shoved Pollard towards the ground, and Pollard ended up hitting Brady below the knee. See it all for yourself here.

It happens. I don't know how you'd get "dirty" out of that (I'm looking at you, Randy Moss). What's Pollard supposed to do? Say to himself, "Well, if Sammy Morris is going to shove me towards the ground, I'm just going to stop trying. I could seriously injure someone that way!"?

If Pollard's play was dirty, then it also has to be dirty any time one football player makes contact with another football player below the thigh. Every cut block, every shoestring tackle, any time one shin grazes against another. The human body has some fragile joints, and sometimes, in this glorious game of ours, those joints are exposed to danger. That's the way it goes.

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The Chiefs lost at New England and quarterback Brodie Croyle suffered a separated shoulder. It is unknown how long he will be out.

Opening the season with a loss and potentially losing your starting quarterback in the process can't be considered a good start.

Yet, there are things to be encouraged by from this game for the Chiefs. They hung with New England all game before losing by a touchdown. Most observers thought this would be the biggest laugher of the weekend.

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It was no surprise that the Chiefs named guard Brian Waters their offensive captain.
He is keeping the young offense together.

After the starters departed the game in the Chiefs' final preseason game, Aug. 28 against St. Louis, Waters, 31, and young quarterback Brodie Croyle stood together on the sideline and talked for the rest of the game.

"That's Brian," Croyle said. "Brian has been great. He has really kept this offense tighter. He is always there to give advice for all of us. He's a real leader."

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Remarkably cool, Croyle is about to embark on the chance of his lifetime. After Croyle started the final six games of the 2007 season, the Kansas City Chiefs are giving him the opportunity to prove that he can be their franchise quarterback.

Kansas City is beginning a serious rebuilding process. There are 15 rookies on the team and the Chiefs are building from the ground up. They want to see if Croyle can be both their quarterback of the present and the future. Kansas City definitely believes in Croyle, a third-round pick from Alabama in 2006 who has a slight frame, but also a cannon arm and a sharp mind.

The Chiefs didn't spend one of their 12 draft picks this spring on a quarterback. There was speculation the Chiefs would be tempted to take one early in the draft. Yet, they are sticking with Croyle.

Perhaps that explains Croyle's demeanor. The guy is relaxed.

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Q: The Chiefs are a good two years from being a playoff team, in my opinion, and by that time Tony Gonzalez will be about finished. My question is: What would his trade value be at the trade deadline this year? This team has a lot of growing pains, and even though that leaves Brodie Croyle thin at options, we have to look at ways to gain additional draft picks next year, and he seems to be all we have left with value. I would think teams like the Titans, Bucs, Giants, Vikings, etc. who are close would be willing to make this kind of move. It would be great for Tony to have a chance at the show, and great for us to grab some future picks.

A: I wouldn't trade Gonzalez, because somebody has to catch passes for Brodie Croyle or whoever might eventually come in as the quarterback of the future. The Chiefs don't have enough pass-catchers now. Dwayne Bowe turned out to be the best of the rookie receivers last year. Devard Darling hasn't shown me enough yet to say he is a solid starter. The Chiefs are trying to build a team, not totally dismantle it. A good draft next year could get the team ready for a playoff run either in 2009 or, better yet, 2010. Gonzalez probably has three or four good years ahead of him. Getting draft choices is one thing, but building a team is another. To me, he's untouchable. As for his trade value, it might be the No. 2 and No. 5 the Saints gave up for Jeremy Shockey.

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