Print edition: 
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —Three months ago, it wasn't just an upset that Wallace Gilberry would be tied for the Chiefs' lead in sacks at the season's midway point.
It was an upset that Gilberry, an undersized defensive end, would merely still be with the Chiefs. He joined the team last season only because a rash of injuries left them short of bodies at his position, one they fortified during the offseason when they drafted Tyson Jackson and Alex Magee and shifted Glenn Dorsey from tackle.
But Gilberry survived and for that the Chiefs should feel fortunate. Their pass rush is still mediocre at best but in large part because of Gilberry's three sacks — he's tied for the team lead with Tamba Hali — the Chiefs head into today's game at Oakland having matched last season's total of 10 sacks.
"I'd rather be leading the team in sacks," said Gilberry, 24. "I'm a very competitive guy. Tamba and I, we battle. Before I got into the league, I used to watch him. It's a pleasure having the opportunity to be on the field with him and get things going. I just try to complement him.
"The things he can do, I may do a little different. But we have the same goal and the same mind-set."
While Hali rarely comes off the field, Gilberry plays mostly in passing situations, making his sack total more impressive. Two of his sacks came in big situations.
The first, in the early-season game against Oakland, came late in the fourth quarter on what would eventually be the Raiders' game-winning drive. Gilberry sacked JaMarcus Russell but was also penalized on the play for a personal foul for landing on the prone Russell.
He knocked the Jaguars out of reasonable field-goal position with an 11-yard sack on third down last week. Jacksonville still tried the kick, but it missed from 53 yards.
That's significant production from a player who was an afterthought when training camp started.
"He's come a long way in our minds and probably in his mind," coach Todd Haley said. "It was probably easy early on to discard that name because he was a younger guy who hadn't done a whole bunch and wasn't probably the prototypical size for the defense. He could have easily got lost in the shuffle.
"What he's done is outwork most everybody. He's the epitome of the same guy every day. There's no up and down with him. He's giving it everything he has and he's getting better."
Gilberry's been overlooked before. He received a scholarship offer from Alabama, but only days before the start of summer practice his freshman season.
Brodie Croyle was Alabama's quarterback and played with Gilberry for two seasons before he joined the Chiefs. He said he remembers a skinny Gilberry who quietly forced his way into some playing time.
"At that point, he was more of a role guy," Croyle said. "Obviously, the drive was there. He's playing now like he played then. Nothing fancy. Not a bulked-up, huge guy. Just one of those effort guys who makes plays, who does things you can't teach."
The Chiefs initially looked to Jackson and Magee as their best chance as pass rush help for Hali. They may yet develop into that but weren't getting much done, so the Chiefs turned to Gilberry.
He doesn't have the pass rush skills of Hali but works as hard. His sack in Jacksonville came when he didn't quit on the play. Hali had quarterback David Garrard wrapped up but let him spin away.
Gilberry was there to clean up.
Not all of his sacks come off effort. Against the Cowboys last month, Gilberry blew by guard Leonard Davis, a two-time Pro Bowler, for a sack of Tony Romo.
"There are a lot of things I need to improve on in my pass rush game," Gilberry said.
"I've got a long way to go. But I'm definitely in the mode of being a dominant pass rusher. The sky's the limit."
This may be as good as it gets for Gilberry. He's listed at 6 feet 2, 268 pounds, or about 30 pounds less than Jackson, Magee or Dorsey.
That says he may never be anything more than pass rush help, though neither Gilberry or the Chiefs are ready to go there yet.
"I'll never limit myself to anything," Gilberry said. "There are a lot of technique things I need to work on in the running game. I'm what they consider an undersized guy. I have to work harder than a 300-pound guy.
"It's all about technique and effort. I believe I can hold my own."
