| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The San Diego Chargers won't go 0-for-2000
after all.
|  | | San Diego kicker John Carney booted a 52-yard FG with 2:14 left to lift the Chargers to their first win of the season. |
"This gets us out of the history books," a relieved coach Mike
Riley said after the Chargers beat Kansas City 17-16 Sunday,
stopping their season-opening losing streak at 11.
The Chargers were spared a dirty dozen losses, thanks to John
Carney's 52-yard field goal with 2:14 left.
San Diego's defense then went all-out as Kansas City got one
last shot behind an ineffective Warren Moon, who turned 44 eight
days earlier. Safety Michael Dumas raced in and sacked Moon on
third down, then punched his fists into the air.
After Moon's fourth-down pass sailed incomplete with 1:10 to
play, linebacker Junior Seau fell to his knees at midfield and
stayed there for an extra moment, relieved that the ugliness that
made the Chargers a national joke was finally over.
|
TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
|
Question on the Chiefs: If the Chiefs keep losing, will Gunther
Cunningham step down?
Donahoe: The Chiefs have been a disappointment this season, and
ultimately the record reflects on the head coach. After the Chiefs
demolished the Rams a few weeks back, it appeared the Chiefs might be on
their way. But today's loss to the Chargers is not a good sign that Kansas
City is ready for a run at the playoffs. The Chiefs have had difficulty in
two critical areas all season: They do not run the football effectively, and
their defense has difficulty stopping the run. Coach Cunningham did a great
job last year, but the Chiefs seem to be underachieving this season. Whether
he's back next season remains to be seen.
Question on the Chargers: How many more games will the Chargers win
this season?
Donahoe: Hats off to coach Mike Riley, the Chargers staff and the
players. Over the last five weeks the Chargers have been involved in close
losses. They've been in every game and have continued to play hard despite
their no-win record. This is a real credit to their players and coaches. If
the Chargers continue to work the way they've been working, they could win
several more games this season. Once you get that first win, the monkey's off your back and you can relax and play better.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
|
The Chargers are no longer in danger of becoming the first NFL
team to go 0-16.
Still, all that losing was taking its toll.
"When you're putting your kids to bed and their prayer at night
is `God, please let daddy win, sometime,' you know it's getting
bad," said Seau, a father of three.
Walking off the field, Ryan Leaf threw the game ball into the
crowd, one of his better passes all day. Leaf threw two touchdown
passes to tight end Freddie Jones in the first half, but he was
intercepted twice in the second half when both offenses were awful.
The Chargers tried to give it away by committing five turnovers,
but it came down to Carney, a 14-year veteran who earlier this
season became the first player in team history to score 1,000
points.
Carney kicked the ball straight through the uprights, then
jumped up and down and leapt into the arms of holder Darren
Bennett. He then went around and head-butted his blockers.
"It felt pretty good coming off my foot," Carney said. "But
that doesn't mean that they always go through when they feel like
that. I watched this one until it did.
"This has been a tough time for all of us. It feels great to
get into the win column."
With Moon making just his second start in two years, the Chiefs
(5-7) lost their fourth straight game. Moon started in place of
Elvis Grbac, who has a sore right index finger.
Coincidentally, San Diego also beat Kansas City in 1975 after
starting 0-11.
"It's tough to keep our heads up, losing four in a row and then
coming out here to San Diego and losing to a team that hasn't won a
game all year," cornerback Eric Warfield said.
The Chargers seemed to be just minutes away from setting the
team record for consecutive losses at 12, which also would have
been the worst NFL start since Indianapolis went 0-13 in 1986.
But Nate Jacquet returned a punt 35 yards to the Kansas City 36
to set up Carney's kick for a fourth-quarter lead that held. During
their losing streak, the Chargers had blown late fourth-quarter
leads six times.
"We know how to win," defensive tackle John Parrella said.
"We just had forgotten how to knock people out."
The Chiefs took a 16-14 lead on Todd Peterson's 30-yard field
goal late in the third quarter, a kick they had to take because
fullback Tony Richardson was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct
following a run that appeared to give the Chiefs enough for
first-and-goal inside the 2.
Richardson got up and spiked the ball, happy that he'd made a
big play, and was flagged.
"I was just spiking out of excitement, trying to get a momentum
swing," Richardson said. "I knew for sure I had the first down."
Referee Bernie Kukar said the officials considered the penalty
part of the play and enforced it from the spot, giving the Chiefs
third down at the 16. After Richardson gained just 3 yards, Kansas
City settled for Peterson's field goal.
|
A New Leaf?
|
|
Ryan Leaf played well Sunday for the second straight week and led the Chargers to their first win of the season. In the first half against the Chiefs he completed 10-of-13 passes for 121 yards 2 touchdowns and no interceptions, leading to a 14-6 San Diego advantage at halftime.
|
|
|
1st 5 gms.
|
Last 2 gms.
|
|
Comp-att
|
60-123
|
30-57
|
|
Yds
|
621
|
488
|
|
TD/INT
|
2/8
|
5/3
|
|
QB rtg.
|
42.1
|
88.9
|
Leaf gave the Chargers a 14-6 halftime lead with touchdown
passes of 20 and 7 yards to Jones on consecutive drives.
But on the second play of the second half, linebacker Marvcus
Patton intercepted Leaf and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown to
pull the Chiefs to 14-13. It was the second time Leaf has had an
interception returned for a touchdown this season.
Moon completed just 12 of 31 passes for 130 yards with one
interception. Leaf was 17-of-30 for 177 yards.
Game notes
TE Tony Gonzalez, who leads the Chiefs with 63 catches, was
held without a reception. ... Chargers S Rodney Harrison had two
sacks. ... Peterson also kicked field goals of 39 and 34 yards in
the first half. ... Seau intercepted Moon at the Chargers 6 in the
third quarter. ... Kansas City gained just 90 yards in the second
half and San Diego 57.
| |
ALSO SEE
Kansas City Clubhouse
San Diego Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Mike Riley reacts to the Chargers' first win of the year.
wav: 370 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Ryan Leaf says the Chargers have been in close games all year.
wav: 104 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Junior Seau says it's time to get ready for next week.
wav: 97 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
