Chiefs
loss reminiscent of last year
9/10/2001
by CK Rairden
Landmark columnist
For game one—week one, maybe these
were your father’s Chiefs.
It was like deja vu’ all over again. In a game reminiscent
of last season’s Arrowhead loss to the Raiders, the
Chiefs gave up big returns on special teams, Todd Peterson
gagged on another FG attempt and the Chiefs lost by three
to division rival Oakland 27-24.
Last season, Peterson was wide left on a 44-yard FG attempt,
this year he was wide left on a 37-yard attempt that would
have given the Chiefs the lead after a nice drive. Both
were very costly and when an offense struggles like the
Chiefs have at home against the Raiders as of late those
3 points are crucial.
After the Chiefs drove for a game tying TD pass from
Trent Green to Snoop Minnis, Todd Peterson once again
came into play delivering a short kick-off that was returned
40 yards to set up the game winning drive for the Raiders.
Was former Chiefs special teams Mike out-of-Stock on
the sidelines?
• • •
Before the Chiefs offense took the field, they were handed
a 7-0 lead when embattled CB Eric Warfield stepped in
front of Oakland WR Jerry Rice intercepted a pass by QB
Rich Gannon and returned it 51 yards for a Chiefs TD.
Then things got strange. The Chiefs first offensive play
was a handoff to RB Priest Holmes who stumbled and lost
3 yards. The second play was a pass right on the money
to Holmes that he dropped. On 3rd and 13 the snap was
fumbled and the Chiefs turned the ball over.
Trent Green’s first completion came in the second
series to Trent Green. This is not a typo——
Trent Green’s first completion was to himself.
Not a good start.
• • •
Still the Chiefs defense played a strong game forcing
Raiders’ QB Rich Gannon into multiple mistakes. The
team took a lead into the 4th quarter 17-14, and that’s
when the defense finally wore down.
The Chiefs’ offense could not control the ball,
the defense was on the field for most of the afternoon
and it finally caught up with them.
The Raiders ran off 10 unanswered points and led 24-17
late in the fourth quarter when Gannon completed a 15-yard
TD pass to FB Jon Ritchie. Arrowhead Stadium deflated,
heads hung and it looked as if the game was over.
• • •
The Chiefs took over on their own 20 yard line trailing
by seven on the ensuing kick-off with 3:13 left on the
clock. QB Trent Green was up to the challenge. Mikhael
Ricks made a couple of nice catches, and the Chiefs moved
quickly to the Oakland 42-yard line. The fans held their
collective breath watching three straight incompletions
from Green that brought up fourth and ten. Trent Green
dropped back dodged a would-be sack, directed traffic
and ran around the right corner for 12 yards and a first
down at the raiders 30-yard line. It was a money play.
Two plays later, Snoop Minnis stretched out for a perfect
pass made the diving catch—and the Chiefs had a 30-yard
TD pass to tie the game.
Then came K Todd Peterson’s awful kick-off. It fluttered
to the Raiders 11-yard line and was returned 40 yards
to the Chiefs 49-yard line. That would do it—the
game was over. A couple of completions by the Raiders
and a 13-yard run would set up the game winner.
Just like in 2000, Sebastian Janikowski drilled a FG
late in the fourth quarter to beat the Chiefs.
Deja Vu’.
• • •
STATS THAT MATTER:
—Chiefs were outgained on the ground 100-35.
—Oakland had 23 first downs to the Chiefs 16.
—Chiefs WR’s had only one catch. (Minnis 1-30
yds TD)
—Trent Green had more receptions than Derrick Alexander.
—Chiefs were only 2-12 on third down conversions.
—Raiders led the time of possession by nearly 2-1;
37:57 - 22:03
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