Chiefs return to work, possibly with Smith at RB

By DOUG TUCKER,

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Kolby Smith's timing may turn out to have been perfect.

The Kansas City Chiefs will be without suspended running back Larry Johnson when they travel to Jacksonville this week, and Smith, a year after knee surgery, is eligible and eager to come off the physically unable to perform list.

"This is what I'm here for: to play," Smith said. "I'm over my injury and I feel confident in my knee."

Johnson, a former Pro Bowler who is struggling this season, is serving a suspension for using gay slurs and belittling head coach Todd Haley. Presumably, that will shift the running duties to Jamaal Charles and Dantrell Savage.

Another possibility may be Smith, who says he's fully healed from his knee surgery. Activating him will be a decision the Chiefs must make no later than Friday.

Haley, who held Kansas City's first practice Monday after a three-day weekend following their bye, said he's encouraged by the way Smith has been looking in practice.

"He made it through the first two weeks and it looked like he was moving around pretty good today, so I'm optimistic about seeing him play," Haley said.

Johnson, like the rest of the Chiefs' offense, has been largely ineffective all year. His long-term future with the team may still be in question.

Kansas City has averaged a shade more than 100 yards rushing, putting the team in the bottom third of the league.

"Our running game is something we know we have to have to have a chance to win," said Haley. "We're not going to beat people throwing it 50-60 times a game right now. Our running game is one of those areas that has to improve, especially eliminating minus-yardage runs. So that's where our focus has been and that's where it will continue to be."

Smith was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 4, 2008, and underwent right knee surgery that caused him to miss the final eight games. He's been back at practice for two weeks.

After the first week he declared himself "not too rusty and mentally still in the game."

"It's been a long fight getting over the injury," he said. "I had to learn how to walk again, then jog, then plant and cut. It was tough not doing anything with the team during training camp."

His leg was in a cast for six weeks.

"Then I had to learn how to lift it again, and bend it. Just a whole bunch of stuff," he said.

He's ready to be activated, he said.

"What the coaches decide to do is up to them. I feel like if they needed me, I could be used."

Smith had a spectacular debut, setting a Chiefs rookie record with 31 carries for 150 yards in his fist start on Nov. 25, 2007, against Oakland.

"If they say, `Kolby, we're ready for you to play,' then I'll be ready," he said.

Updated November 3, 2009