Kansas City Makes History at Oakland with 12-10 Win.
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by Donatevo
On Sunday the Kansas City Chiefs were trying to make NFL history. No team in the National Football league had ever defeated the Oakland Raiders nine straight times. Kansas City achieved that feat, holding off the Raiders on their last ditch drive, to win a 12-10 defensive nailbiter.
Kansas City started off the scoring when QB Damon Huard led his team on a 10 play, 57 yard drive, that ended with a 41 yard field goal by Dave Rayner. Huard hit WR Dwayne Bowe for a nice 22 yard reception, and connected with TE Tony Gonzalez for another 20, to highlight the drive. Oakland’s Daunte Culpepper, on his third NFL team in as many years, doesn’t look very comfortable, and neither does the Chiefs’ Huard. Both teams did little else in the first quarter, until the Chiefs had to punt, with 4:59 left. As Chris Carr signaled for a fair catch, he was bumped by teammate, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, causing the catch to be muffed. The Chiefs' Jon McGraw recovered the ball, taking it to the Oakland 29. The first quarter ended on a nice 11 yard swing pass to RB Larry Johnson, taking the Chiefs to the 18.
The second quarter begins with an incomplete pass by Huard, a 5 yard burst up the middle by Johnson, and another incomplete pass, and the Chiefs settle for another field goal, this one a 31 yarder by Rayner. The rest of the Second Quarter was like watching paint dry. Let’s move on.
The third quarter went something like this. Oakland 3 and out. KC three and out. Oakland three and out, a couple penalties, redo the punt. Please make something happen, somebody! KC two and, INTERCEPTION STANFORD ROUTT! Somebody did something, Oakland’s CB Stanford Routt picks off Huard and returns to the Oakland 7. Unfortunately for Oakland, Culpepper was still looking stale, and after a few ineffective plays, and 3 penalties, one by the Raiders, and two by the Chiefs, Oakland’s Shane Lechler punts again.
Now KC starts to turn it on, sparked by an incredible 54 yard rumble by Larry Johnson to the Oakland 29. Huard then finds Gonzalez for 18 more, down to the 11. Priest Holmes tries the left end for no gain. Yeah, Priest Holmes is back after two years. It was nice to see him. He had 9 yards on 4 rushes, and one reception for minus 6. Let’s cut to the chase. This drive ends in a 30 yard Rayner field goal attempt, that goes barely wide left. You gotta be kidding me.
Oakland takes over, and it's time for some heroics of their own. Culpepper promptly connects with wide open WR Jerry Porter for a 59 yard gain to the KC 21. A quick toss to WR Ronald Curry, and the Raiders are tied. The Sebastian Janikowski PAT is good and its 7-6 Oakland, with 2:43 left in the third quarter. KC goes 3 and out. And the quarter ends with Oakland facing a third and 3 from their own 45.
The fourth quarter begins with Oakland failing on their third down attempt and punting. Then Kansas City puts together a beautiful 9 play 74 yard drive, that was only really beautiful because of Dwayne Bowe’s 58 yard catch and run, that gets KC down to the Oakland 16. Bowe goes all the way if the ball isn't slightly underthrown by Huard. KC was saved on third down by an offsides penalty on Oakland’s Derrick Burgess. Huard made the most of it, by completing an 8 yard pass to Johnson, for a first and goal at the 3 yard line. Three runs for Johnson, and he gets his second rushing TD of the year, to make it 12-7. Herm Edwards decides to go for two, to make it a 7 point lead, but it’s no good.
Oakland then marches 51 yards in 10 plays, including a 24 yard catch and run by Lamont Jordan, but they settle for a 37 yard Janikowski field goal. 12-10 KC.
The Chiefs were then able to burn another 4 minutes off the clock, to leave Oakland with only 1:46, to try to get the winning field goal. But Culpepper was only able to complete 3 passes for 18 yards, before being intercepted by KC S Jerrod Page, at the Chiefs 48.
The Chiefs improve to 4-3 on the year while the Raiders drop to 2-4. The Chiefs are inexplicably alone in first place.
Kansas City's Larry Johnson had his second consecutive 100 yard game with 24 carries for 112 yards, and one touchdown. Damon Huard was 16 for 31 and 177 yards, with no touchdowns, and one interception. Larry Johnson caught three passes for 21 yards, while Gonzalez grabbed 4 balls for 66 yards. Dwayne Bowe added another 3 receptions for 84.
Oakland's Dante Culpepper was 18 for 29 for 229 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Lamont Jordan led the Raiders with 11 carries for 29 yards. Dominic Rhodes added another 21 yards on 9 carries, as the Chiefs held Oakland's running game to 55 yards, net. Oakland's leading receivers were, Zach Miller, 4 for 48, Ronald Curry, with 5 for 45, and a touchdown. Lamont Jordan caught 4 balls for 40 yards, while Justin Fargas took in three catches for 19 yards. And let's not forget, Jerry Porter caught one beautiful 59 yard pass.
