Thomas Stops the Trash Talk
Sept. 20, 1999
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas showed up to play football Sunday.
Thomas had perhaps the most embarrassing game of his career last season against Denver, losing his cool under a verbal barrage from Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe.
It was different Sunday. His team mates said the veteran gave a vintage "D.T." performance.
Thomas said last year's game got out of hand because the score was out of hand in Denver's favor, giving Sharpe a chance to do the talking. "This time," Thomas said quietly, "we had the score in our favor, so there wasn't as much talking going on."
He had a team-high eight solo tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in the Chiefs' 26-10 win over Denver. "I said Derrick would go into this game and handle himself as a pro and he did," Chiefs coach Gunther Cunningham said. "He made some real big plays and his patented strip and fumble recovery is something he's done here at Arrowhead a lot."
The time-tested D.T. strip came in the third quarter. Thomas came from the blindside of Broncos quarterback Brian Griese and chopped the football loose from the quarterback's grip. Thomas was credited with a sack -- the 1201/2 of his career. He recovered the fumble as well. And the Chiefs converted the turnover into a field goal and 16-3 lead.
Any talk of Thomas' decline could be put on hold after his game against Denver. "It's not a matter of questioning yourself," Thomas said. "You just have to ask yourself over and over, and my reply for myself was always, 'Just go play."'
Thomas played Sunday. His teammates followed his example. The Chiefs' defense didn't charge Griese as the Miami Dolphins did last Monday. But they caused Griese enough problems to force Denver to switch to Bubby Brister in the fourth quarter.
"I don't think (Griese) really got rattled because he stood in the pocket and didn't try to get out of there very many times," Thomas said. "I think he, as a young quarterback, stayed poised."
All Thomas wanted to do was disrupt the Broncos' offense. He did.
"You really don't prepare for them any differently because the threat and respect for No. 30 (Terrell Davis) is still there," Thomas said. "That opens up everything for them. They still have the big plays, and the play-action passes, so you really don't change the way you approach the game."
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