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Chiefs' big plays shock Chargers
Source: Agencies |
September 15, 2010, Wednesday
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THE Kansas City Chiefs shocked the San Diego Chargers 21-14 to bring the curtain down on the opening weekend of the NFL season with a wet and wild upset.
The victory over their heavily favored AFC West rivals provided the perfect christening for the New Arrowhead Stadium, which was unveiled after undergoing a US$375 million renovation.
Opening night featured plenty of fireworks and lightning but it was the Chiefs who provided a string of explosive big plays, highlighted by a club record 94-yard punt return from rookie Dexter McCluster that helped Kansas City to a 21-7 halftime lead.
Jamaal Charles also had the capacity crowd of 71,297 on its feet with a weaving 56-yard touchdown run, while Brandon Carr returned a fumble to the San Diego 12-yard line to set up a two-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel to Tony Moeaki.
The downpours dampened the party mood but it was also a major factor in the outcome, with the rain short-circuiting a Chargers attack late in the opening quarter.
"It's a win," Chiefs head coach Todd Haley said.
"If you expected something to look real fancy or nice I don't think that's what you're going to see here with this Chiefs team. But that's alright, we're figuring out how you get things done."
The Chargers dominated the early part of the game, Philip Rivers engineering a 60-yard scoring drive capped by a three-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Gates for a 7-0 lead.
Late in the third quarter with the stormy conditions subsiding, the Chargers finally answered with a big play of their own when Rivers hooked up with a wide open Legedu Naanee on a 59-yard touchdown to trim the Chiefs advantage to seven points.
The spectators who rode out the storm were left on the edge of their seats as Rivers worked the ball down to the Kansas City six with a minute remaining but could not find the end zone and the Chiefs were left to celebrate an unexpected win.
Rivers completed 22 of 39 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns while Cassel connected on 10 of 22 attempts for just 68 yards and one touchdown. San Diego's total offence of 389 yards was almost double the Chiefs' 197 yards.
In New Jersey, the Baltimore Ravens' defense grabbed the spotlight from the New York Jets' defense in a 10-9 victory.
The Ravens held Jets to 176 yards and six first downs, allowed Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez just 74 yards passing and kept Rex Ryan's crew out of the end zone. It was a less than sparkling home opener for New York, in its first game in the US$1.6 billion New Meadowlands Stadium.
Billy Cundiff's 25-yard field goal in the third quarter provided the winning points.
The victory over their heavily favored AFC West rivals provided the perfect christening for the New Arrowhead Stadium, which was unveiled after undergoing a US$375 million renovation.
Opening night featured plenty of fireworks and lightning but it was the Chiefs who provided a string of explosive big plays, highlighted by a club record 94-yard punt return from rookie Dexter McCluster that helped Kansas City to a 21-7 halftime lead.
Jamaal Charles also had the capacity crowd of 71,297 on its feet with a weaving 56-yard touchdown run, while Brandon Carr returned a fumble to the San Diego 12-yard line to set up a two-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel to Tony Moeaki.
The downpours dampened the party mood but it was also a major factor in the outcome, with the rain short-circuiting a Chargers attack late in the opening quarter.
"It's a win," Chiefs head coach Todd Haley said.
"If you expected something to look real fancy or nice I don't think that's what you're going to see here with this Chiefs team. But that's alright, we're figuring out how you get things done."
The Chargers dominated the early part of the game, Philip Rivers engineering a 60-yard scoring drive capped by a three-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Gates for a 7-0 lead.
Late in the third quarter with the stormy conditions subsiding, the Chargers finally answered with a big play of their own when Rivers hooked up with a wide open Legedu Naanee on a 59-yard touchdown to trim the Chiefs advantage to seven points.
The spectators who rode out the storm were left on the edge of their seats as Rivers worked the ball down to the Kansas City six with a minute remaining but could not find the end zone and the Chiefs were left to celebrate an unexpected win.
Rivers completed 22 of 39 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns while Cassel connected on 10 of 22 attempts for just 68 yards and one touchdown. San Diego's total offence of 389 yards was almost double the Chiefs' 197 yards.
In New Jersey, the Baltimore Ravens' defense grabbed the spotlight from the New York Jets' defense in a 10-9 victory.
The Ravens held Jets to 176 yards and six first downs, allowed Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez just 74 yards passing and kept Rex Ryan's crew out of the end zone. It was a less than sparkling home opener for New York, in its first game in the US$1.6 billion New Meadowlands Stadium.
Billy Cundiff's 25-yard field goal in the third quarter provided the winning points.
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