Kansas City chiefs beat San Diego Chargers, Ravens beat Jets
It’s been a tough week trying to predict results in the NFL. The Colts lost, as did the 49ers and so did the Cowboys. Now you can add the Chargers to that list.
On a wet Monday night the Kansas City Chiefs provided one of the shocks of week one, defeating the much fancied Chargers 21-14. The victory was all the more impressive because the Chiefs came from behind to take the win.
Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers helped his team take the lead in the first quarter firing to Antonio Gates for a three-yard touchdown, but it was the Chiefs who took over from then on scoring 21 points by the end of the first half.
Jamaal Charles, tied for the league high in yards per carry last season, scored on a 56-yard touchdown run to tie the score at seven. Chiefs QB Matt Cassel produced a great play-action fake confusing the Chargers’ defence finding rookie Tony Moeaki wide open in the endzone for a three-yard score. That was followed by Dexter McCluster, who broke a team record by returning a punt for a 94-yard touchdown and a 21-7 half-time lead.
Despite claiming over 37 minutes of possession throughout the game, San Diego failed to translate that into points. The only points they could add after the break came from a long 59-yard touchdown pass to Legedu Naanee with 2:33 left in the third quarter.
The Chiefs defence then came into its own on San Diego’s last drive of the game. Rivers drove the Chargers down the field for a first-and-goal from the four. In the wet conditions Rivers’ first pass was incomplete, Darren Sproles then lost two yards trying to run the ball in, another incomplete pass, followed by an incomplete pass on fourth down, turning the ball over to the Chiefs giving Kansas its first opening day win in 10 years.
The other game on Monday night was a tense affair between the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Jets, with the Ravens coming out on top by a single point 10-9.
They held New York to 176 yards, six first downs ( a franchise low ) and allowed Mark Sanchez just 74 yards passing, spoiling the Jets’ home opening at the New Meadowlands Stadium. It seemed, however, it would go better for the Jets, sacking Ravens QB Joe Flacco on Baltimore’s first play.
But with their offence struggling, one touchdown from the Ravens was enough. That Ravens touchdown came in the second quarter just before the half from Willis McGahee who ran the ball in from the one. Add a field goal and that was enough for the Ravens who open the season with a huge win, sending a clear message to the AFC.
Tags: