ST. LOUIS – The past 10 months proved a long period for Chiefs tight end Demetrius Harris.
Harris recently returned to practice in recent days after missing all of organized team activities, training camp and the three previous preseason games while recovering from foot surgery in early May.
Sept. 3, 2015; St. Louis; Chiefs tight end Demetrius Harris (84) with rookie wide receiver Chris Conley (17) during the preseason finale against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. Photo used with permission from Chiefs PR. (Credit: KCChiefs.com)
A big test arrived Thursday night in the preseason finale against the St. Louis Rams, and he couldn’t be more relieved to finally see action.
“It felt good just to be back on the field,” Harris said. “But it’s a little wrinkle, just a little sluggish, I mean, the little things I got to pick back up in real live contact. That was the first time in 10 months, so that was a little different.”
Harris didn’t record a catch Thursday night, but one area that didn’t leave Harris during his time away from the football field surrounded an instinct to protect teammates.
Rams defensive end Eugene Sims leveled quarterback Chase Daniel midway through the second quarter long after Daniel threw the football.
The hit immediately resulted in penalty flags and a 15-yard unnecessary roughness infraction.
But the incident also drew Harris to Daniel’s side to push aside Sims.
“We’re family,” Harris said. “He’s my teammate. If I see one of my teammates in an altercation, I’m just going to step in and help out and see what’s going on. You don’t want to leave your teammate out to dry. That’s what I was thinking.”
As to getting ready for the regular season, Harris left no doubt how he felt of his status.
“I’m ready,” he said. “I’m confident and just ready to get out there.”
SORENSEN MISSES PICK-6
Second-year safety Daniel Sorensen had 8 yards to go for a potential defensive touchdown against the Rams during Thursday’s night opening series.
A short gain when considering he just returned an interception off Rams quarterback Nick Foles 26 yards to the Rams’ 8-yard line.
“Just get the ball and run,” Sorensen said of what ran through his mind after he secured the deflected pass. “Wish I could’ve had it back. Should’ve run out of bounds.”
Hindsight is of course 20/20.
Rams left tackle Greg Robinson made a touchdown-saving tackle, and he also knocked the ball loose from Sorensen’s grasp.
“It was a big guy,” Sorensen said. “It was an offensive tackle, got a hold of me, a lot stronger than I am.”
Sorensen was saved by linebacker D.J. Alexander, who came up with the fumble recovery, but the safety’s first quarter could be described as up and down.
The interception was a high; the fumble and then a missed tackle on Rams running back Isaiah Pead in the backfield on St. Louis’ next possession were the downs. Pead would later punch it in from the 1-yard line on that drive.
Sorensen said he didn’t have any issues with nerves
“I felt real confident,” Sorensen said. “I felt like it was an opportunity for us to play, just show what you got. This last preseason game is kind of like that. There’s not a lot of nerves, at least I didn’t feel a lot of nerves. It’s an opportunity go out there and play and show what you can do.”
Sorensen finished the contest with a defensive tackle, the interception and a pass defensed. He added a tackle on special teams.
INJURY UPDATES
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said outside linebacker Josh Martin suffered a concussion, and tight end Richard Gordon and rookie defensive linemen Rakeem Nunez-Roches sustained ankle sprains.
“We’ll just see how they do here in the next day or two,” Reid said.
Reid also said defensive back Sanders Commings, who recently dealt with a knee injury, was a pregame scratch.
“He warmed up and he couldn’t do it,” Reid said.
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Herbie Teope is the lead Chiefs beat writer for ChiefsDigest.com and The Topeka Capital-Journal. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @HerbieTeope.
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