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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) #8212;Don #8217;t worry if big, powerful Derrick Johnson seesyou stealing his parking space.He #8217;ll probably just give you a #8220;tsk-tsk #8221; look and drive away.If he sees you in an opposing uniform carrying a football, do worry. That #8217;swhen Mr. Nice Guy becomes Mr. Nasty.It #8217;s almost as though Kansas City #8217;s sixth-year linebacker, who is playingthe football game best football of his life, has multiple personalities. Away from the game,he #8217;s a milquetoast, someone who #8217;s darn near impossible to upset. #8220;Derrick is nice and quiet off the field, a great guy, #8221; coach Todd Haleysaid.But stick him in a football game and smiles turn to snarls as he channelshis inner Dick Butkus. #8220;He cranks it up on Sunday, #8221; said Haley with a g football game rin, adding, #8220;I #8217;m glad hedoes. #8221;Haley and the Chiefs were never happier with their quick-hitting insidelinebacker than last Sunday in Oakland when he played what may have been thebest game of his career.Not only did Johnson have 12 solo tackles, he also got credit for three offour stops in the key defensive series of the game, a second-quarter goallinestand while KC was protecting football game a 14-0 lead.The secondary stole the show with six interceptions and cornerback BrandonFlowers(notes) was selected the AFC defensive player of the week. But Flowers insistshe ought to share honors with Johnson. #8220;Man, he #8217;s having a stellar, stellar year, the best I #8217;ve ever seen himplay, #8221; Flowers said. #8220;I said I have to share player of the week with him. Hedoes all the d football game irty work. All the defensive backs and quarterbacks get all theglory, but Derrick Johnson has won a lot of games for us. #8221;And off the field? #8220;Nicest guy you #8217;ll ever meet, #8221; Flowers said.It #8217;s true, says Johnson. His Jekyll-and-Hyde personality even amazeshimself. #8220;I #8217;m so much of a humble guy off the field, #8221; he said. #8220;That #8217;s just how Igrew up. football game Everybody sees me as a real chilled guy. On the field, there #8217;s a switchthat goes on. I get quick-tempered. #8221;It #8217;s not that he makes an effort. #8220;It #8217;s natural, #8221; he said. #8220;And I like that it #8217;s natural. Sometimes whenyou get into that (motivation) thing #8212; #8216;Man, I #8217;ve got to do something to makemyself get up, #8217; that #8217;s not going to h football game appen. I #8217;m such a nice guy off the field,it #8217;s amazing how I can get on the field and have a quick temper. A crazytemper. #8221;So off the field, he never gets mad at anything? #8220;I can #8217;t say that. But I have a control of myself off the field. #8221;When Haley took over as head coach in 2009, Johnson was known as anunderachiever, a first-round draft pick who #8217;d never lived football game up to the billing thatcame with his winning the Butkus Award as the nation #8217;s best college linebacker.The first year under Haley was the most miserable of his career. He hardlyever started.But during training camp in 2010, he said he was a better player than he #8217;dbeen, and went out and finally established himself as NFL linebacker to bereckoned with. He led the AFC West champs with 147 football game tackles. He had one gamewhere he intercepted two passes and returned them for touchdowns.But not even that eclipsed what he did Sunday in Oakland when the Chiefs,after an 0-3 start, evened their record at 3-3 and set up a Monday nightshowdown with San Diego that #8217;ll have first place in the AFC West on the line. #8220;Derrick #8217;s game was as good as I #8217;ve seen him, #8221; Haley said. football game #8220;A couple ofplays he made were truly just monster plays in the game as far as keeping it,going the direction we wanted it to go. He was right in the middle of it so manytimes. #8221;In practice, even Johnson #8217;s teammates were impressed with how he was doing. #8220;I heard players talking during practice last week. Derrick hit somebody onone of the days we were in pads and somebody said, football game #8216;He #8217;s a striker. #8217; He can becruising along and, #8216;Bam! #8217; He has that ability to leverage and knock peoplearound. some of those plays (against Oakland) were just phenomenal. #8221;As long as he has football as an outlet, Derrick Johnson is not likely toget mad at anything. #8220;I like football because on the field, that temper can go off and it #8217;sgreat, #8221; he s football game aid. Follow Yahoo! Sports' NFL coverage on Twitter. Updated 6 hours, 35 minutes ago football game
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