Chiefs might seek help for depleted quarterback position

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Out of work quarterbacks, stay by your phone. Kansas City might call.

With Brodie Croyle out for the season and Damon Huard wearing a bandage on his throwing hand, the Chiefs are down to a third-teamer who ranks 34th among 34 NFL quarterbacks and a fourth-teamer who hasn't played all season.

Tyler Thigpen, who closed out Sunday's 34-10 blowout loss to Tennessee, will start at the New York Jets on Sunday if Huard's injured right thumb does not heal.

Behind Thigpen is Ingle Martin, who hasn't been activated all season.

"We might bring some (quarterbacks) in," coach Herm Edwards said. "We're still putting together the list."

Continuing quarterback woes that have haunted Kansas City (1-5) all season came to a boil on Sunday in the young Chiefs' third blowout loss. Croyle, making his first start since hurting his shoulder in the season opener, hobbled to the sideline in the first half with an MCL injury in the left knee.

He's out for the season and the Chiefs are almost certain to give up on the injury-prone Alabama player and make finding a young quarterback prospect a top priority in the offseason.

But the more immediate challenge is finding someone this week, and for the next 10 games to help stave off what's shaping up as possibly the sorriest season in team history.

Huard, a career backup, hurt his right thumb on his throwing hand when he slammed it against a helmet or shoulder pad. He may not be ready on Sunday.

"We're kind of looking at that right now," Edwards said.

Thigpen made his first career start at Atlanta this season, a 38-14 loss. He's 34th among 34 quarterbacks with a passer rating of 44.3. He's also the only one of the 34 averaging fewer than 100 yards passing per game and the only one with an average gain per completion of less than 4.5 yards.

He did lead two late scoring drives against the unbeaten Titans that enabled the Chiefs to avoid getting shut out in back-to-back games for the first time in franchise history.

Martin, who would presumably be the No. 2 quarterback if Thigpen starts, has not been on the field since the Chiefs signed him off the Titans' practice squad on Sept. 10.