 |
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
Total
|
San Diego
|
7
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
14
|
Kansas City
|
7
|
14
|
0
|
0
|
21
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Chiefs Look to the Future with Two Long Touchdowns and a Last-Minute Stand
Regular Season Game #1
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Tight end Tony Moeaki celebrated in the end zone after his 2nd quarter touchdown reception.
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Sept. 13- If the Chiefs keep this up, football will be fun again in Kansas City.
Desperate to proclaim an official end to one of the darkest periods in team history, the Chiefs hit San Diego with two long touchdown strikes and then stopped Philip Rivers in the shadow of the goal line four times in the final minute, preserving a 21-14 victory Monday night over the four-time AFC West champions.
"In rain and wind and really tough conditions, we were able to protect the football through the game," said second-year coach Todd Haley, whose Chiefs were routed twice by the Chargers last season. "I had that as No. 1 key for our offensive group. This is a big win for us. But it can't be too big."
Jamaal Charles ran for a 56-yard touchdown for the Chiefs after Rivers' 3-yard TD pass to Antonio Gates put the Chargers on the board first. Then rookie Dexter McCluster, a training-camp sensation with quickness and flair, broke a team-record by one yard with a 94-yard punt return for a 21-7 halftime lead.
"That's the longest of my career at any level," McCluster said. "What better time than that -- Monday Night Football in Arrowhead. You couldn't ask for a better time."
Rivers, who has had some of his finest days during a five-game winning streak over Kansas City, victimized a young secondary for several long gains. Legedu Naanee was all alone when he hauled in a 59-yard scoring pass to make it a one-touchdown game with 2:23 left.
Rivers then drove his team to a first-and-goal from the 4. His first pass was incomplete, then Darren Sproles lost 2 yards. Another pass sailed high. Then, with 39 seconds left, Rivers missed on fourth down, and a rain-soaked crowd erupted in cheers as the Chiefs won on Monday night for the first time in 10 years.
A pounding rain began falling in the second quarter, and it didn't taper off until the start of the fourth.
"They made some big plays in all three phases," Chargers coach Norv Turner said. "They handled the environment, in terms of the weather conditions. I thought they did a good job in handling that, particularly in the second quarter.
"The disappointment for me comes, obviously, from our (kick) coverage teams. We think that should be a strength for us and something we work hard at."
With the goal-line stand and the two long touchdowns, the Chiefs turned the game into the confidence-building coming-out party they had been hoping for since the schedule was announced in April. The Chiefs are looking to move beyond a three-year period in which they won just 10 games and went through a front-office housecleaning that brought in Haley and general manager Scott Pioli.
It was also a rousing official unveiling of what they are calling "the New Arrowhead," a $375 makeover of the venerable stadium, which seemed as loud as it had in the 1990s when Marty Schottenheimer's teams were going to the playoffs year after year.
"The fans tonight, what a great energy out there," Haley said. "And this is how I visualize Arrowhead, and it's because of those people who were out there through some pretty difficult conditions. It didn't look like too many were shying away from it."
Rivers completed 22 of 39 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Cassel, with a history of playing poorly against the Chargers, was 10-for-22 passing for 68 yards, including a 2-yard TD pass following a San Diego turnover.
The 9:15 p.m. CT kickoff was the latest in Arrowhead history.
"This was the longest day of my life," joked Cassel.
Rivers found Antonio Gates for a 34-yard gain to set up his first touchdown, which was Gates' 12th career score against the Chiefs, his most against any opponent.
But as lightning flashed overhead, the Chiefs struck quickly to make up for an otherwise lackluster offense that totaled only 197 yards.
After Kansas City's first two possessions produced nothing, Charles, a 1,000-yard rusher who was beaten out in training camp by veteran Thomas Jones, broke through a hole and sped 56 yards to tie the score with 37 seconds left in the first quarter.
Ryan Mathews, who is replacing perennial Pro Bowler LaDainian Tomlinson in the Chargers' backfield, took a brutal hit by Derrick Johnson and lost the ball. Brandon Carr scooped it up and ran 16 yards to the San Diego 12, and Cassel made it 14-7 with a 2-yard TD pass to rookie tight end Tony Moeaki.
Mathews, in his NFL debut, ran for 75 yards on 19 carries.
McCluster got the only block he needed from Andy Studebaker for his big punt return.
"You can't ask for a better platform: Monday Night Football in Arrowhead and getting a W," said McCluster, who was listed as doubtful on Saturday with an undisclosed illness. "What else can you ask for?"
Individual Statistics
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Kansas City Passing:
Matt Cassel 10 of 22 for 68 yards and 1 touchdown
San Diego Passing:
Philip Rivers 22 of 39 for 298 yards and 2 touchdowns
Kansas City Rushing:
Jamaal Charles 11 carries for 92 yards and 1 touchdown
Thomas Jones 11 carries for 39 yards
Matt Cassel 2 carries for 4 yards
Tim Castille 1 carry for 0 yards
Dexter McCluster 1 carry for 0 yards
San Diego Rushing
Ryan Mathews 19 carries for 75 yards
Mike Tolbert 2 carries for 26 yards
Philip Rivers 3 carries for 5 yards
Darren Sproles 5 carries for 3 yards
Kansas City Receiving:
Tony Moeaki 3 receptions for 21 yards and 1 touchdown
Chris Chambers 1 reception for 14 yards
Dwayne Bowe 1 reception for 13 yards
Dexter McCluster 2 receptions for 9 yards
Jamaal Charles 1 reception for 8 yards
Tim Castille 2 receptions for 3 yards
San Diego Receiving:
Legedu Naanee 5 receptions for 110 yards and 1 touchdown
Antonio Gates 5 receptions for 76 yards and 1 touchdown
Malcom Floyd 3 receptions for 48 yards
Randy McMichael 2 receptions for 28 yards
Buster Davis 2 receptions for 26 yards
Jacob Hester 2 receptions for 6 yards
Ryan Mathews 2 reception for 2 yards
Darren Sproles 2 receptions for 2 yards
Kansas City Tackles-Assists-Sacks:
Derrick Johnson 11-1-0, Eric Berry 5-1-0, Glenn Dorsey 4-2-0.5, Brandon Flowers 4-0-0, Jovan Belcher 3-1-0, Tamba Hali 3-2-0.5, Tyson Jackson 3-3-0, Mike Vrabel 3-1-0, Brandon Carr 2-0-0, Jon McGraw 2-0-0, Shaun Smith 2-1-0, Javier Arenas 1-0-0, Ron Edwards 1-4-0, Donald Washington 1-0-0, Demorrio Williams 1-0-0
San Diego Tackles-Assists-Sacks:
Steve Gregory 7-0-0, Kevin Burnett 5-1-0, Shaun Phillips 5-1-0, Antoine Cason 4-1-0, Stephen Cooper 3-1-0, Ogemdi Nwagbuo 3-0-0, Larry English 2-1-0, Jacques Cesaire 1-0-0, Antonio Garay 1-0-0, Quentin Jammer 1-0-0, Eric Weddle 1-0-0, Luis Castillo 0-1-0
Kansas City Fumble Recoveries:
Brandon Carr 1 for 23 yards
San Diego Fumble Recoveries:
None
Kansas City Interceptions:
None
San Diego Interceptions:
None
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