HERM EDWARDS
Initial comments …
“I thought early in the football game we didn’t have energy, and you have to play with energy. We generally play with a lot of energy, and we didn’t have that in the first half. We struggled some offensively, but I felt like defensively, we did pretty well. We kept it close, and we had a chance in the second half. I thought that in the second half we moved the ball a little bit offensively, but this is probably one of our worst offensive outings in a while. We weren’t very consistent making first downs and moving the ball, and if you don’t do that, it makes it tough. In the second half I thought we moved it some on offense, but we didn’t score enough points. We only scored six points. We’ve been scoring points better than this in the past month, but we didn’t do it today. That was hard for me to see today offensively. We misfired a lot on third down, and defensively, we couldn’t get off the field after third down.”

Why do you think it took Tyler Thigpen so long to get going?
“I don’t know. He was just (throwing) a little high and couldn’t get into the rhythm. We didn’t have a good rhythm offensively. There were a lot of three-and-outs. When they had the ball, they made some first downs. We were 0-4 on first downs in the first half. In the second half, we got going a little bit. Still, I think the big turnover when we fumbled hurt us. If we hadn’t done that, it would have stayed a two-score game, and all of a sudden when you get the touchdown, instead of going for two points, you’re kicking and it could have been 13-7. When we fumbled it, all of a sudden they got 16 points on the board, which puts you in a lot of bad positions offensively because you have to go down and try to make two points every time you score.”

Do you expect his play to be sharper at this point?
“He just had one of those days. He was high-throwing some balls a little, and that’s the extent of it, really. He’s a young guy; he’s been playing pretty consistently. This was not one of his better days, but I thought, in the end, he rallied and got us going again and moved the ball there at the end when we scored.”

The decision of whether you coach again next season is not going to be based on today’s game, but would you feel better about it if you guys had made a better effort?
“Well, I think the effort’s the effort, and I thought the score said 16-6. We thought we could have moved the ball better offensively, and we didn’t. We just struggled offensively. Defensively, our group kept the score down and gave us a chance to win. I think that’s the whole key on defense. They moved the ball, but we held them to 16 points. For the most part, if you do that, you have a chance to win some games in this league. We didn’t put many points on the board and I’m disappointed because we’ve been doing that in the past.”

Would you have felt better if you guys had been more competitive today?
“You (would have) liked to have won the game, no doubt about it — last game of the season on the road. But it didn’t turn out that way. It was one of those days where we didn’t have a lot of rhythm offensively, and that’s really puzzling, because we’ve been pretty good offensively in the last month. We’ve been moving the ball and scoring on some pretty good teams.”

What’s this period going to be like for you now?
“We’ll go back in tomorrow and talk with a few folks, and from there, start getting ready for the Senior Bowl, where we’ll evaluate the players. The coaches will evaluate our players, and from there, the coaches will take off for about a week. And when they come back, we’ll go to the Senior Bowl and look at players.”

So it’s just business as usual?
“Yes, it’s absolutely business as usual. I’ll be in the office all week and I’ll be around. We’ll evaluate our team and go from there.”

TYLER THIGPEN
Why do you think you got off to such a slow start today?
“I’m not sure. There are obviously some balls I threw that I’d like to have back today. You can’t have those things back though, and that’s tough. We wanted to go out on top today, and prove that we can play as an offense the way we’ve played in past games. We struggled in the first half after they were able to put points on the board. We got some things going in the second half, but we can’t wait until the fourth quarter to start getting things done.”

Did you try a little too hard at times?
“I might have. I’ll have to look at the film and check my foot work. I don’t think it was the wind. We just need to come out playing well from the start.”

Do you feel that you have improved since you started you first game early in the season?
“I do feel like I have improved, but I think I took a step back today. I didn’t have any turnovers, but I need to get better each and every week.”

Do you expect to begin next season as the starting quarterback?
“Yes, I expect to. I feel like I’ve earned the starting job, and hopefully the Chiefs feel the same way.”

What do you think you’ve done to state your case as the starter?
“Just look at the way I’ve played. We’ve moved the ball, and guys are so much more energetic when they’re out there with me. It felt like the guys got a second wind when I became the starter during the second half of the season.”

How does it affect you knowing that there will be a new general manager and possibly a new coaching staff next year?
“It doesn’t affect me as a person. It’s above me, so it’s out of my control. I just need to continue doing what I’m doing and let the rest take care of itself. I think Herman (Edwards) should remain the head coach. We struggled in terms of our record, but we’re in a rebuilding phase, and we could have won a lot of games this year had things bounced our way. I think we can add a couple players this offseason through the draft and free agency and get this thing rolling.”

DERRICK JOHNSON
It’s not about the game, but can you talk about your move to the middle linebacker spot?
“Trying to finish the season on a winning note was the main focus this week. We wanted a win for the confidence of this team and for where it is heading. We needed to make a play here and there over the past eight weeks, and everyone could see it. We didn’t do enough to win today.”

TANK TYLER
The team finished with record-low totals in sacks and total yards allowed. What needs to change for the 2009 season?
“We have been trying hard to build offensively and defensively all year. We prepared every week and played hard against every opponent just the same.

“The games just didn’t go in our favor enough this year. We can only build in the offseason and prepare for next year.”

Talk about the sour taste left by a loss in the final game of the season …
“Nobody wants to lose, especially in the final game of the year. We all have attitudes that we are building something positive (in Kansas City). Hopefully, we’ll come back next year and get this thing going on a winning path.”

Do you expect the Chiefs’ defense to look different next year?
“That’s up to the coaching staff. That’s up to the G.M., and hopefully we will all be back (next season). We are going to fight hard to be a dominant defense next year.”

LARRY JOHNSON
Talk about your future with this organization …
“Hopefully, my future is not with this organization. It’s not (the Chiefs’) fault. Half of it is mine. Half of it is my off-the-field situation and other things that occurred.

“On the football field, my role definitely diminished when I came back (from injury). I felt like I wasn’t getting as many carries as I could have handled. I felt like I could have helped as much as I could have, but they shifted their powers to other players on the team. I feel as though my time is up in this city and this program.”

There is going to be a general manager change and possibly a coaching change. Do those changes affect your attitude?
“No. It has everything to do with the environment. The city is tired of me, and the organization and I have run our course together. It’s time to move on for me. There could be 100 changes. It’s time for me to go.”

Are you going to ask for a trade?
“No. (The Chiefs) pretty much wrote that in the sand these last few weeks.”

How do you feel like you fit in to the Chiefs’ spread offense?
“I don’t. I have never been a six- or seven-carry per game back and expect 200-yard rushing games. It’s never been my style. I wish it could be. It’s not me. I wear down defenses and get yards when the offense really pounds the rushing plays.”