1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Total
Kansas City
0
3
0
7
10
Cincinnati
0
3
7
7
17
Kansas CityCincinnati
Bengals Claim Division Title with 17-10 Win Over Chiefs
Regular Season Game #15

Mike Vrabel
Chiefs LB Mike Vrabel pressures Bengals QB Carson Palmer.
Dec. 27- The Chiefs put on one of their best defensive performances of the season, holding the explosive Bengals to just 17 points and 274 total yards, but Cincinnati was able to secure the AFC North title with a 17-10 victory at Paul Brown Stadium. With the score tied at 10-10, the Bengals orchestrated a 14-play, 98-yard drive that culminated with a six-yard TD pass to WR Chad Ochocinco to take a 17-10 lead with 2:03 remaining. CB Leon Hall essentially sealed the victory when he intercepted QB Matt Cassel with 1:13 left in the contest.

Neither team could mount a serious offensive threat early in the contest. On Kansas City’s third offensive possession, RB Jamaal Charles appeared to give the Chiefs their first big play of the day, breaking off a 42-yard run. However, the play was called back due to a holding penalty and the Chiefs were eventually forced to punt.

S Jon McGraw registered the Chiefs biggest defensive play of the day when he intercepted a deep Palmer pass intended for Ochocinco and returned it 27 yards to midfield. However, Kansas City couldn’t capitalize on the Bengals miscue. After Cincinnati punted on its ensuing possession, S Chinedum Ndukwe, picked off a Cassel pass intended for Bowe and returned it to the Cincinnati 41-yard line.

After DE Wallace Gilberry dropped QB Carson Palmer for a nine-yard sack as the Bengals were faced with third and 11, forcing another Bengals punt. The Chiefs would register three first downs on their next possession, before a special teams error set up the first score of the day. LS Thomas Gafford’s snap sailed over the head of P Dustin Colquitt, setting Cincinnati up with first and goal at the Kansas City seven-yard line.

The Bengals appeared to score when Ochocinco caught a ball in the end zone, but a replay review ruled that the Bengals receiver had stepped out of bounds, resulting in an illegal touching penalty. The Chiefs defense held, forcing a 29-yard K Shayne Graham FG to give Cincinnati a 3-0 lead with 1:38 left in the second quarter.

But Cassel and the Kansas City offense responded by moving the ball efficiently in the two-minute offense. A 15-yard completion to Charles and a 13-yard strike to WR Bobby Wade for 13 yards kept the drive moving, getting the Chiefs to the Bengals 21-yard line. However, Kansas City couldn’t put the ball in the end zone. K Ryan Succop’s 22nd made FG of the season, a 30-yard effort, tied the game at 3-3 with five seconds remaining in the opening half, With that the kick, Succop surpassed the previous Chiefs rookie record of 21 made FGs established by Hall of Fame K Jan Stenerud.

Cincinnati got the ball to begin the third quarter and RB Cedric Benson rattled off a 32-yard run to open the quarter. That play would jumpstart a 10-play, 77-yard TD drive that was capped by a 10-yard TD pass from Palmer to WR Laveranues Coles, giving the Bengals a 10-3 lead with 9:10 left in the third quarter. The Chiefs picked up one first down on their next possession before turning the ball back over to Cincinnati. CB Travis Daniels broke up a Palmer pass on third and three, but TE Jake O’Connell deflected P Kevin Huber’s punt, giving the Chiefs great field position at the Cincinnati 49-yard line.

Cassel then connected with WR Chris Chambers for nine yards. A 13-yard run by Charles, who registered his third consecutive 100-yard game with 102 yards, set the Chiefs up at the Cincinnati 20-yard line. On third down, Cassel hit a leaping RB Tim Castille, who made a tremendous grab after getting drilled by three defenders, to register his first NFL touchdown. Castille’s scored deadlocked the contest at 10-10 with 14:52 left to play.

After the two clubs exchanged punts again, the Chiefs pinned the Bengals deep in their own territory when WR Quinten Lawrence downed the ball at the Cincinnati two-yard line. The Chiefs stuffed Benson for a one-yard loss on first down, before Palmer connected with RB Brian Leonard for a 13-yard gain to give the Bengals a first down. An illegal contact penalty on CB Brandon Carr gave the Bengals another first down. A 21-yard pass to Coles, followed by a 20-yard run from Benson pushed Cincinnati to the Chiefs 25-yard line. A 12-yard completion to Coles converted another first down, before the 14-play, 98-yard drive was capped with a six-yard TD pass from Palmer to Ochocinco to put the Bengals up 17-10 with 2:03 left to play in the game, as the drive chewed 7:18 off the clock.

The Chiefs got the ball back with an opportunity to match the Bengals score, but a deep pass intended for Chambers was intercepted by Hall, effectively sealing the 17-10 win for Cincinnati and a division title for the Bengals.

Individual Statistics
Kansas City Passing:
Matt Cassel 22 of 37 for 180 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions

Cincinnati Passing:
Carson Palmer 17 of 25 for 139 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception

Kansas City Rushing:
Jamaal Charles 24 carries for 102 yards
Matt Cassel 3 carries for 21 yards
Dustin Colquitt 1 carry for 0 yards

Cincinnati Rushing:
Cedric Benson 29 carries for 133 yards
Larry Johnson 4 carries for 11 yards
Carson Palmer 2 carries for 2 yards
Chad Ochocinco 1 carry for -2 yards

Kansas City Receiving:
Dwayne Bowe 9 receptions for 61 yards
Chris Chambers 3 receptions for 34 yards
Jamaal Charles 3 receptions for 22 yards
Tim Castille 1 reception for 20 yards and 1 touchdown
Bobby Wade 2 receptions for 18 yards
Mike Cox 2 receptions for 14 yards
Leonard Pope 1 reception for 7 yards
Jake O'Connell 1 reception for 4 yards

Cincinnati Receiving:
Laveranues Coles 3 receptions for 43 yards and 1 touchdown
Chad Ochocinco 4 receptions for 31 yards and 1 touchdown
Andre Caldwell 3 receptions for 22 yards
Brian Leonard 2 receptions for 12 yards
Jeremi Johnson 1 reception for 9 yards
Quan Cosby 1 reception for 8 yards
Cedric Benson 2 receptions for 7 yards
Daniel Coats 1 reception for 7 yards

Kansas City Tackles-Assists-Sacks:
Mike Brown 8-5-0, Brandon Flowers 5-0-0, Corey Mays 5-1-0, Demorrio Williams 5-4-0, Brandon Carr 3-1-0, Tamba Hali 3-1-0, Tyson Jackson 3-3-0, Mike Vrabel 3-2-0, Jon McGraw 2-1-0, Jovan Belcher 1-1-0, Glenn Dorsey 1-1-0, Ron Edwards 1-1-0, Wallace Gilberry 1-0-1, Travis Daniels 0-1-0

Cincinnati Tackles-Assists-Sacks:
Dhani Jones 5-3-0, Johnathan Joseph 5-2-0, Tom Nelson 4-0-0, Keith Rivers 4-2-0, Leon Hall 3-1-0, Rey Maualuga 3-2-0, David Jones 2-1-0, Morgan Trent 2-0-0, Jonathan Fanene 1-2-0, Robert Geathers 1-1-0, Rashad Jeanty 1-0-0, Brandon Johnson 1-4-0, Michael Johnson 1-0-1, Tank Johnson 1-2-0, Chinedum Ndukwe 1-3-0, Frostee Rucker 0-1-0, Pat Sims 0-1-0

Kansas City Fumble Recoveries:
None

Cincinnati Fumble Recoveries:
None

Kansas City Interceptions:
Jon McGraw 1 for 27 yards

Cincinnati Interceptions:
Chinedum Ndukwe 1 for 9 yards
Leon Hall 1 for 0 yards





                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
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