Carr, Flowers Leading Resurgent Chiefs Defense

Improving defense helping Chiefs save season
Eds: Updates.

AP Photo OAS114, OAS116
   
Sometimes late at night, when Todd Haley is walking through the Kansas City Chiefs complex, he hears what sounds like furtive whispers behind closed doors.
   
It also happens on the road at the team hotel. Usually he just ignores the earnest, muted conversation and goes on his way. But sometimes he invites himself in and takes part in the two-man team meeting that starting cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Brandon Flowers so often hold with each other.
   
"I can be walking through this building at odd times and they'll have found some little area," said Haley. "They're in there. You hear soft whispers. It can be at the hotel, or here, in their room. It can be upstairs."
   
Since they were rookies together in 2008, the two friends have been putting their heads together and studying film, going over different nuances and tendencies of the upcoming opponent -- working as hard as they can to be as good as they can.
   
When the two fourth-year cornerbacks get together, it's not to tell jokes or relax at the end of a long day.
   
It's football talk on the most sophisticated level.
   
"We spend a lot of time together," said Flowers. "We started doing it our rookie year."
   
A close friendship took root almost immediately when the two arrived in 2008. Flowers, a second-round pick from Virginia Tech and Carr, chosen in the fifth round from Grand Valley State, were both very young and, though they did not want to admit it, somewhat intimidated by the NFL.