Monday, September 08, 2003

By Doug Tucker, The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Priest Holmes ended any doubts about his recovery from an injured hip.

Holmes, a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, is just fine, thank you.

Showing no ill effects from off-season hip surgery, Holmes rushed for two touchdowns and had 183 yards in total offense yesterday to lead the Chiefs past the Chargers, 27-14.

"Priest got us," San Diego linebacker Ben Leber said. "We did a poor job of tackling him. But he had a lot to do with that."

Holmes had touchdown runs of 5 and 24 yards and 159 total yards in the first half alone as the Chiefs built a 24-0 lead against their AFC West rivals.

"Nothing Priest does surprises me," Chiefs guard Brian Waters said. "I heard the rumors last winter like everybody else that Priest might be done for. But when I talked to the man himself and he told me he was going to be OK, I believed him. Now I bet everybody else will believe him, too."

Holmes, who has led the NFL in yards from scrimmage each of the past two seasons, seemed confident from the beginning, showing his full repertoire of moves. He was the offensive player of the year in 2002 despite missing the final two games because of the hip injury.

Holmes refused to speak with reporters, but everybody else was talking about him.

"If there's any questions about Priest Holmes' hip, then I think that has been dispelled," San Diego coach Marty Schottenheimer said.

In another encouraging sign for the Chiefs, newcomer Vonnie Holliday sacked Drew Brees three times in the first half, supplying the outside pass rush Kansas City so sorely lacked while finishing last in total defense in 2002.

Holmes, who agreed to a lucrative four-year contract extension Wednesday, took a swing pass from Trent Green on the Chiefs' first drive of the second quarter and sped 31 yards to the 20.

Green, picking on the Chargers' revamped and inexperienced secondary, found Johnnie Morton open in the end zone on the next play for a 21-0 lead. Green finished 21 of 32 for 282 yards and one touchdown.

The Chiefs went 68 yards on six plays in their opening possession, capped by Holmes' 24-yard scoring run around left end.

Holmes carried 18 times for 85 yards and caught seven passes for 98 yards.

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