From Whitlock's latest "NFL Truths":

5. I'm thrilled that Houston safety Bernard Pollard is shaking the "bust" and "uncoachable" labels handed to him by the Chiefs' new general-manager and head-coach regime.

Pollard had two picks in Houston's tough loss to the Colts, and he's been credited with being the driving force in the Texans' revitalized defense.

Scott Pioli and Todd Haley tried to destroy Pollard's reputation because Pollard didn't take to Haley's "scream, cuss and belittle" coaching style. Pioli and Haley took over in Kansas City apparently determined to prove that every player they inherited from Carl Peterson and Herm Edwards was a worthless idiot.

Pollard got cut to make room for Mike Brown, the former Chicago star. Thanks to injury and age, Brown has been an embarrassment at safety for the Chiefs. He can no longer run or tackle. He was involved in two embarrassing Jacksonville TDs over the weekend. The Cowboys torched him earlier in the season.

Meanwhile, Pollard has been a solid starter in Houston. Pollard told me this week that Herm Edwards had to call the Texans and other franchises and assure them that the knock on Pollard being spread by Pioli and Haley was false.

I had no idea that things got that bad for Pollard in Kansas City. Wow.