1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Total
Oakland
0
3
3
7
13
Kansas City
3
0
0
7
10
OaklandKansas City
Chiefs Fall to Raiders 13-10 in Home Opener
Regular Season Game #2

Maurice Leggett
Chiefs CB Maurice Leggett applied pressure to Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell.
Sept. 20- In typical Chiefs-Raiders fashion, a tight game came right down to the wire as both clubs scored TDs in the final three minutes in another AFC West nailbiter. Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell orchestrated a nine-play, 69-yard drive that was capped by a five-yard TD run by RB Darren McFadden with 1:07 left to play as Oakland registered a 13-10 victory at Arrowhead.

The Chiefs dominated the contest statistically outgaining the Raiders in total yards by a 409-to-166-yard margin. Kansas City held the ball for 38:39 compared to a 21:21 time of possession for the Raiders. The Chiefs also had an over a two-to-one edge in first downs (25 to 11) and rushing yards (173 to 67).

But for all of that opulence on offense, a few key sequences in the contest spelled the difference between victory and defeat for the Chiefs. The contest started on a positive note for the Chiefs as QB Matt Cassel made his first regular start after a knee injury kept him out of the season opener. Kansas City’s defense forced the Raiders to go three and out on Oakland’s first two possessions.

On third and four from the Kansas City 36-yard line, Cassel found newly-acquired WR Bobby Wade for 16 yards, keeping Kansas City’s drive alive. Facing fourth and two from the Oakland 40-yard line, head coach Todd Haley elected to go for it, and a three-yard rush by RB Jackie Battle kept the chains moving. Kansas City penetrated to the Raiders 13-yard line, but couldn’t convert on third and nine, setting up a 23-yard K Ryan Succop FG that capped a monster 17-play, 74-yard drive that ate 9:25 off the clock and gave the Chiefs a 3-0 advantage.

Kansas City’s defense forced a third consecutive three and out before the Raiders mounted their first serious scoring threat of the game. QB JaMarcus Russell connected on an 18-yard pass to rookie WR Darrius Heyward-Bey and found RB Michael Bush for a 17-yard gain to propel the Raiders on a 12-play, 58-yard scoring march. However, the Raiders were forced to settle for a 48-yard FG by K Sebastian Janikowski to tie the score at 3-3 with 4:45 left in the first half.

After the Chiefs punted on their next possession, CB Brandon Flowers nearly put the Chiefs back on top. On second and five from the Oakland 25-yard line, Flowers jumped in front of a pass intended for Heyward-Bey with a clear path to the end zone. But the ball slipped through his grasp, setting up a P Shane Lechler boot two plays later.

The Chiefs once again appeared poised to add to the scoreboard before halftime, as Cassel guided the club to the Oakland 19-yard line with 0:19 remaining in the first half. RB Larry Johnson had converted a key fourth-and-one earlier in the drive to keep the chains moving. Kansas City got as close as the Oakland nine-yard line, setting the club up with first and goal. But the Chiefs were out of timeouts and RB Dantrell Savage was tackled in bounds on the half’s final play, thwarting a golden scoring opportunity.

The Chiefs received the ball to open the second half and Cassel had the Chiefs on the move again. A nifty 10-yard run by RB Larry Johnson moved the ball to the 43-yard line. But that momentum was short-lived as a Cassel pass intended for TE Sean Ryan was picked off by Raiders S Michael Huff, who returned it to the Chiefs 49-yard line. The Raiders gained one first down before their drive stalled, setting up a 54-yard FG by Janikowski to give Oakland a 6-3 lead with 8:33 remaining in the third quarter.

Penalties plagued Kansas City’s next drive as the team accumulated three offensive penalties before P Dustin Colquitt was called out for the fourth time on the afternoon. A three and out for Oakland gave Kansas City the ball back with 4:10 to go in the third quarter. Cassel hit a wide-open Wade for 20 yards to move the ball to the 50-yard line. Kansas City would get as deep as the Raiders 29-yard line before Huff would once again victimize Cassel, this time intercepting him at the six-yard line.

Again, Kansas City’s defense would rise to the occasion. DT Glenn Dorsey batted down a Russell third-down pass at the line of scrimmage, forcing Oakland to punt deep out of its own end zone. However, the Kansas City offense could not sustain its drive into Oakland territory and Oakland regained possession after a Colquitt punt with 9:21 left in the game. But the Raiders couldn’t move the ball, either. LB Mike Vrabel knocked down another Russell pass on third and three, giving the Kansas City offense the ball back with 7:01 left in the game.

This time the Chiefs capitalized. Beginning at his own 28-yard line, Cassel threaded the needle to open the drive, finding Wade for 11 yards on first down. He then completed threw a 12-yard strike to WR Bobby Engram on third and 12 to keep the Kansas City drive alive. After Johnson registered a first down on a two-yard run, Cassel then went deep down the left sideline where WR Dwayne Bowe hauled in a 29-yard TD. Cassel’s first TD pass in a Chiefs uniform highlighted a nine-play, 72-yard drive that gave Kansas City a 10-6 lead with 2:38 remaining.

After forcing the Raiders to go three and out six times earlier in the game, Kansas City’s defense couldn’t get off the field when it needed to the most. Oakland took over on its own 31-yard line with a 19-yard pass to WR Louis Murphy moving the Raiders to the 45-yard line. Russel was sacked by the Chiefs on Oakland’s next play, but a costly personal foul penalty moved the ball to the Kansas City 48-yard line with 2:10 remaining. On third and 15 from the Chiefs 42-yard line, Russel hit WR Todd Watkins for a 28-yard gain to move Oakland to the 14-yard line with 1:17 left. McFadden followed a nine-yard catch with a five-yard TD run to punctuate a nine-play, 69-yard drive to put the Raiders with 2:38 left in the game.

The Chiefs regained possession at their own 20 with 1:07 left and all three timeouts remaining, but Cassel was sacked on third and one and his fourth down pass fell incomplete, allowing Oakland to run out the clock.

Individual Statistics
Kansas City Passing:
Matt Cassel 24 of 39 for 241 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions

Oakland Passing:
JaMarcus Russell 7 of 24 for 109 yards

Kansas City Rushing:
Larry Johnson 24 carries for 78 yards
Matt Cassel 5 carries for 34 yards
Dantrell Savage 3 carries for 26 yards
Jackie Battle 5 carries for 19 yards
Quinten Lawrence 1 carry for 16 yards

Oakland Rushing:
Michael Bush 9 carries for 35 yards
Darren McFadden 12 carries for 35 yards and 1 touchdown
Oren O'Neal 1 carry for 0 yards
JaMarcus Russell 3 carries for -3 yards

Kansas City Receiving:
Bobby Wade 6 receptions for 72 yards
Dwayne Bowe 5 receptions for 56 yards and 1 touchdown
Dantrell Savage 6 receptions for 43 yards
Larry Johnson 3 receptions for 41 yards
Mike Cox 1 reception for 16 yards
Bobby Engram 1 reception for 12 yards
Sean Ryan 1 reception for 7 yards
Jackie Battle 1 reception for -6 yards

Oakland Receiving:
Todd Watkins 1 reception for 28 yards
Louis Murphy 2 receptions for 26 yards
Darren McFadden 2 receptions for 20 yards
Darrius Heyward-Bey 1 reception for 18 yards
Michael Bush 1 reception for 17 yards

Kansas City Tackles-Assists-Sacks:
Tank Tyler 7-0-0, Glenn Dorsey 4-0-0, Mike Brown 3-0-0, Mike Vrabel 3-0-0, Brandon Flowers 2-0-0, Wallace Gilberry 2-0-1, Monty Beisel 1-0-0, Brandon Carr 1-0-0, Tyson Jackson 1-0-0, Derrick Johnson 1-0-1, Corey Mays 1-0-0, Jarrad Page 1-0-0, Demorrio Williams 1-0-0

Oakland Tackles-Assists-Sacks:
Kirk Morrison 13-0-0, Thomas Howard 8-0-0, Tyvon Branch 5-1-0, Ricky Brown 5-1-0, Greg Ellis 5-0-2, Hiram Eugene 4-0-0, Chris Johnson 4-0-0, Stanford Routt 4-0-0, Nnamdi Asomugha 3-0-0, Michael Huff 3-0-0, Gerard Warren 3-0-0, Tommy Kelly 2-1-0, Richard Seymour 2-1-0, Desmond Bryant 1-0-0, Trevor Scott 1-0-0

Kansas City Fumble Recoveries:
None

Oakland Fumble Recoveries:
None

Kansas City Interceptions:
None

Oakland Interceptions:
Michael Huff 2 for 8 yards





                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
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