Chiefs Will Go With Grbac

While Arrowhead Stadium was still drying out from the blinding rainstorm the night before, Kansas City Chief Coach Marty Schottenheimer said Monday that Elvis Grbac will start at quarterback Sunday at New England.

Grbac injured his shoulder in the season opener against the Raiders and has been sidelined while backup Rich Gannon led the Chiefs to a 3-1 record, including a 17-6 victory over Seattle last Sunday night in a game delayed 54 minutes by lightning and torrential rain.

The Chiefs have won eight of 10 games with Gannon at quarterback the last two seasons, with both losses at Jacksonville.

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The Oakland Raiders, getting little chance to celebrate their first time with a winning record (3-2) since 1995, spent Monday assessing injuries to their quarterback, top running back and kicker.

Quarterback Jeff George was limping significantly because of a strained groin and is described by Coach Jon Gruden as “very, very questionable for playing this week.”

George came out of last Sunday’s 23-20 victory over Arizona with the injury after throwing a pass late in the first quarter.

Donald Hollas, who was 12 for 22 for 104 yards after replacing George, will start against the San Diego Chargers at Oakland on Sunday if George cannot play. Hollas has not started an NFL game since 1992 for Cincinnati.

As for the other injuries, running back Napoleon Kaufman’s sprained left ankle was sore and kicker Greg Davis was on anti-inflammatory medication because of a groin injury.

Kaufman was listed as day-to-day and Davis, who was taken off kickoff duties against Arizona because of his injury, said he should be available to kick field goals Sunday.

Davis was three for three on field goal attempts last Sunday, making kicks from 51, 40 and 34 yards. Leo Araguz handled kickoffs.

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The San Diego Chargers are expected to be without high-priced free-agent offensive linemen Aaron Taylor and John Jackson for one to three weeks. Both players suffered knee sprains in last Sunday’s 17-12 loss at Indianapolis. Running back Terrell Fletcher, a third-down specialist, is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks with a knee sprain. . . . Denver Bronco kicker Jason Elam left in the first half of last Sunday’s 41-16 victory over Philadelphia with an injury to his right hamstring and his status is day to day. Coach Mike Shanahan said he will try out four kickers today and probably sign one to the practice squad. Quarterback John Elway, who has missed the last two games with hamstring and back problems, is also day to day. He is expected to practice Wednesday. . . . Quarterback Warren Moon, who suffered a cracked rib in the Seattle Seahawks’ loss at Kansas City, will practice Wednesday at the earliest, according Coach Dennis Erickson.