2004: Neither Team Punts as Colts Defeat Chiefs in Divisional Playoff Game

The Kansas City Chiefs were back in the playoffs and hosting a postseason game for the first time in six years as they faced the Indianapolis Colts on January 11, 2004 in an AFC Divisional Playoff game. In their third season under Head Coach Dick Vermeil, the Chiefs won their first nine games on the way to a 13-3 record and first place in the AFC West. QB Trent Green passed for 4039 yards and 24 TDs and RB Priest Holmes scored a then-record 27 touchdowns while rushing for 1420 yards and gaining 2110 yards from scrimmage. TE Tony Gonzalez was, like Holmes, a consensus first-team All-Pro who caught 71 passes for 916 yards and 10 TDs, although the wide receivers were capable but unexceptional. WR Dante Hall received All-NFL recognition for his outstanding kick returning, in one stretch returning kicks for touchdowns in four straight games. The defense was an area of concern, however, ranking just 29^th overall in the league and twice yielding 45 points in late-season losses.

The Colts were in the playoffs for the second straight year with Head Coach Tony Dungy at the helm and the fourth time in five seasons. The key to success was sixth-year QB Peyton Manning (pictured above), a consensus MVP and first-team All-Pro after passing for 4267 yards and 29 TDs with only 10 interceptions. WR Marvin Harrison gained a Pro Bowl selection and both Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley were productive. RB Edgerrin James missed three games with a back injury but still rushed for 1259 yards and caught 51 passes. The defense was less impressive but respectable. Indianapolis topped the AFC South with a 12-4 tally and handily won their Wild Card playoff game the week before by a 41-10 score over Denver without punting once.

There were 79,159 fans in attendance at Arrowhead Stadium. The Colts took the opening kickoff and advanced 70 yards in 10 plays. Peyton Manning completed a pass to Marvin Harrison for 13 yards in a third-and-nine situation and Edgerrin James (pictured below) had a 15-yard run along the way. A Manning throw to WR Brandon Stokley was completed for a 29-yard touchdown and Mike Vanderjagt added the extra point.

Kansas City responded with a drive that included seven carries by Priest Holmes for 52 yards and Trent Green threw to Tony Gonzalez for 16 yards. But after getting first-and-goal at the Indianapolis six, the Chiefs were unable to reach the end zone and Morten Andersen kicked a 22-yard field goal to make it a 7-3 score.

The Colts came back with a six-play, 76-yard series. Manning passed twice to Harrison for gains of 13 and 38 yards and James ran around end for 13 yards in between, as well as 11 yards for a TD. Vanderjagt’s point after put the visitors in front by 14-3.

A 46-yard kickoff return by Dante Hall was nullified by a holding penalty, but in a series that extended into the second quarter, the Chiefs advanced 77 yards in 12 plays. Green completed five passes, including tosses to WR Eddie Kennison for 25 yards and WR Marc Boerigter for 21 to reach Indianapolis territory. Green ran for nine yards on a third-and-five play and a throw to WR Johnnie Morton picked up 14 yards to the seven. Hall caught a pass from Green for a nine-yard touchdown and, with Andersen’s extra point, the score was narrowed to 14-10.

Still, the Chiefs couldn’t stop the Colts, who drove 71 yards in nine plays. James had an 18-yard run and Manning completed four passes, including to WR Reggie Wayne for 17 yards, TE Marcus Pollard for 21, and RB Tom Lopienski for a two-yard TD. It was the only time that the rookie Lopienski touched the ball in his two-year NFL career and Vanderjagt’s PAT put the Colts up by 11 points at 21-10 with 4:34 remaining in the first half.

Starting from their 31 following the kickoff, the Chiefs gained 22 yards right away on a pass from Green to Gonzalez and two more throws to the tight end picked up eight and nine yards, although a longer completion was nullified by offensive pass interference. The possession stalled at the Indianapolis 13 and Kansas City came up empty when the normally-reliable Andersen missed on a 31-yard field goal attempt. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The Chiefs had the ball first in the third quarter, but Holmes fumbled at the end of a 48-yard run and CB David Macklin recovered for the Colts at the Indianapolis 22. With James and RB Dominic Rhodes running effectively and Manning completing passes of 11 yards to Stokley and nine to Wayne, the visitors moved into KC territory and, after LB Shawn Barber stopped James for a loss of five yards on third down, Vanderjagt kicked a 45-yard field goal to increase the Indianapolis margin to 24-10.

The Chiefs, benefiting from a 27-yard kickoff return by Hall that had them starting from their 45, drove 55 yards in eight plays, six of them runs by Holmes (pictured at right), the first of which picked up 24 yards and the last reached the end zone from a yard out for a touchdown. Andersen’s conversion made it a seven-point game.

The Colts went largely to the air on their next series as Manning completed five passes, three of them to Wayne, including the last that was for a 19-yard TD. Vanderjagt kicked the extra point, but it was a seven-point game once more shortly thereafter when Hall returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Andersen added the PAT and the score was 31-24.

The game entered the fourth quarter and the Colts remained unstoppable on offense. Manning converted a third-and-three situation with a pass to Wayne for 17 yards and followed up with a throw to Harrison for a gain of 27 to the KC 30. Manning completed three more passes to get the ball inside the ten, and James finished the drive off with a one-yard carry for a TD. Vanderjagt again converted to put the visitors up by 38-24.

A long series by the Chiefs followed. Starting from their 24, Kansas City picked up a first down thanks to defensive holding on a third-and-six play and converted a fourth-and-six situation with a pass from Green to Kennison for 19 yards. Green had four more completions as the Chiefs chipped away. Facing fourth-and-five at the Indianapolis seven, Green again connected with Kennison for six yards to get a first-and-goal at the one, and from there Holmes went up the middle for a touchdown. Andersen’s extra point once more made it a one-touchdown contest.

The clock was down to 4:16 remaining in regulation as the Colts again took over on offense. Manning threw to James for 16 yards and a first down, and James ran for another first down to keep the ball away from the Chiefs as the time ticked away. Rhodes was stopped for one yard on a fourth-and-three play, but the ball was at the Kansas City 27 and there were just eight seconds left to play. Green completed one last inconsequential pass and Indianapolis came away the winner by a final score of 38-31.

For the first time in NFL playoff history neither team punted and, equally unprecedented, the Colts managed to play two consecutive postseason games without punting. The teams combined for 842 total yards, with the Colts gaining 434 to Kansas City’s 408 and also leading in first downs (27 to 24) and time of possession (32:13 to 27:47). The Chiefs gained 196 yards of their total on the ground, while Indianapolis had 292 net passing yards. There was only one sack, which was by the Chiefs, and one turnover, also by Kansas City. 

Peyton Manning completed 22 of 30 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns, with none intercepted. Edgerrin James ran for 125 yards and two TDs on 26 carries. Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne each had 6 catches, for 98 and 83 yards, respectively, and Wayne scored once.

For the Chiefs, Trent Green was successful on 18 of 30 throws for 212 yards and a TD with no interceptions. Priest Holmes had 176 rushing yards on 24 attempts that included two touchdowns and also pulled in five passes for 32 more yards. Tony Gonzalez gained 55 yards on his four pass receptions and Eddie Kennison contributed 50 yards on three catches. Dante Hall (pictured at right), in addition to two receptions for 19 yards and a TD, had 208 yards on seven kickoff returns that also included a touchdown.

“I am hot right now, we’re hot as an offense,” said Peyton Manning.

The Indianapolis offense was cooled off in the AFC Championship game the following week in a 24-14 loss to New England. The Chiefs fell back to 7-9 in 2004 and, while they rebounded to 10-6 in Dick Vermeil’s last year before retiring, did not reach the postseason again until 2006.

2005: Eagles Rally to Beat Chiefs

The Philadelphia Eagles, defending NFC Champions, were 2-1 as they faced the Kansas City Chiefs on October 2, 2005. Under Head Coach Andy Reid, the pass-heavy Eagles featured QB Donovan McNabb (pictured at right), who had put together back-to-back 300-yard passing games the previous two weeks, and had other formidable offensive weapons in WR Terrell Owens and RB Brian Westbrook. However, McNabb was suffering from a sports hernia, among other ailments, and the Eagles were also without dependable PK David Akers due to a groin pull and would be going with untested Todd France in his place.

Kansas City was coached by Dick Vermeil, a former NFC-winning coach with Philadelphia, and was also coming into the game at 2-1. 35-year-old QB Trent Green directed the attack and WR Eddie Kennison was the best of the wide receivers while TE Tony Gonzalez was a premier tight end. RB Priest Holmes still led the ground game, although Larry Johnson, in his third year, was waiting in the wings. The defense was vulnerable against the pass.

The Chiefs took the opening kickoff and drove 63 yards in nine plays. Trent Green completed three passes, two of them to Eddie Kennison for 15 and seven yards, and Priest Holmes rushed six times for 31 yards, the last three for a touchdown. Lawrence Tynes added the extra point.

The Eagles drove just past midfield before having to punt and Kansas City again put points on the board thanks to a series highlighted by Green throwing to Kennison (pictured below) for a 49-yard gain. Tynes kicked a 38-yard field goal and the Chiefs were ahead by 10-0.

Kansas City got the ball right back on the ensuing kickoff when CB Roderick Hood fumbled and LB Kris Griffin recovered for the Chiefs at the Philadelphia 27. Three plays into the second quarter, Green once again connected with Kennison, this time for an eight yard TD. Tynes converted to stretch the home team’s margin to 17-0.

The teams traded punts before the Eagles, starting at their 24, put together an effective drive. Donovan McNabb completed four straight passes, two of them to Terrell Owens, to reach the KC 23 before the advance stalled and the 40-yard field goal attempt by Todd France, his first in the NFL, was blocked by DE Eric Hicks. On the ensuing series, the Eagles got a break on defense when CB Sheldon Brown intercepted a pass by Green that was intended for Kennison and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown. The try for a two-point conversion failed, and the Chiefs quickly turned the tables when WR Dante Hall returned the kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. Tynes added the extra point and the Kansas City lead was 24-6.

The Eagles punted following their next series but took advantage of another KC turnover when RB Larry Johnson fumbled and DT Sam Rayburn recovered at midfield. The visitors went 50 yards in five plays, the last two of which were McNabb completions to Owens for 28 yards and then a seven-yard touchdown. France added the extra point to narrow Kansas City’s lead to 24-13, and that was the score at the half.

Philadelphia had first possession in the third quarter and drove into Kansas City territory, with McNabb completing three passes, but the series stalled at the 26 and France kicked a 44-yard field goal. Neither team threatened again until, with fewer than four minutes remaining in the period, McNabb connected with Owens for a 30-yard gain to the KC 30 and, two plays later after a sack, followed up with another pass to Owens for 28 yards to the three. From there, TE Mike Bartrum had a catch for a three-yard touchdown and the Eagles added a two-point conversion when McNabb completed a throw to Westbrook, tying the score at 24-24.

The Chiefs had a short series and punted, and as the game headed into the fourth quarter, Philadelphia drove to another score. McNabb had four completions, including one for an 18-yard gain to RB Lamar Gordon and another to WR Greg Lewis for 34 yards to the Kansas City 25. The Eagles again had to go for a field goal, and France was successful from 37 yards to put the visitors in front by 27-24.

It quickly got worse for the Chiefs when Hall fumbled the kickoff return and RB Reno Mahe recovered for Philadelphia at the KC 25. McNabb threw to Owens for 14 yards and to TE L.J. Smith, who made an outstanding catch for seven, and two plays later he hit Smith again for a one-yard TD. France added the extra point that put the Eagles ahead by ten.

The next possession by the Chiefs ended with Green being picked off by Brown once again, who returned it 20 yards to the KC 41. McNabb picked away at the Chiefs once more, completing four consecutive passes, and while the drive stalled at the eight, the Eagles again came away with points on a 26-yard field goal by France with 3:31 to play.

In the waning minutes, Green passed the Chiefs down the field and they came away with a 15-yard completion to Hall for a touchdown. Tynes added the extra point to make it a six-point game, but the onside kick was recovered by Mahe to seal the 37-31 win for the Eagles.

Philadelphia had the edge in total yards (396 to 353) and first downs (25 to 19). The Eagles managed only 28 rushing yards but gained 368 net passing yards. McNabb was sacked once while Philadelphia recorded three sacks. The Chiefs also turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by the Eagles.

Donovan McNabb completed 33 of 48 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns, giving up one interception. Terrell Owens (pictured below) had 11 catches for 171 yards and a TD and L.J. Smith contributed 9 receptions for 67 yards and a score. Brian Westbrook ran for only 15 yards on 9 attempts but had 6 catches for 33 yards. On defense, Sheldon Brown accounted for two interceptions that he returned for 60 yards and a touchdown. The fill-in placekicker Todd France was successful on three of four field goal attempts and both of his extra points.

For the Chiefs, Trent Green was successful on 19 of 30 throws for 221 yards and two TDs, but with two interceptions. Eddie Kennison caught 7 of those passes for 109 yards and a touchdown and also had a 23-yard run. Priest Holmes ran for 84 yards on 18 carries that included a score and had five receptions for 24 yards. Dante Hall contributed four catches for 45 yards and a TD (which tied the then-NFL career record of six) and averaged 29.3 yards on eight kickoff returns that included a touchdown.

“He’s unbelieveable, man,” said Kansas City CB Patrick Surtain of McNabb. “The second half, they got on a roll and it was like they were doing anything they wanted.”

Things did not go so well for McNabb and the Eagles the rest of the way. Feuding broke out between the quarterback and Terrell Owens, who was ultimately suspended from the team. McNabb finally succumbed to the sports hernia, which required surgery, and missed the last five games. Philadelphia plummeted to a 6-10 record and last-place finish in the NFC East after having won the division four straight times. The Chiefs rebounded to win their next two games on the way to a 10-6 record and second place ranking in the AFC West, although they failed to qualify for the playoffs in Dick Vermeil’s last season.

Donovan McNabb, who became the first quarterback in franchise history to pass for over 300 yards in three successive games with his performance in Kansas City, ended up throwing for 2507 yards and 16 touchdowns in his injury-shortened season. Terrell Owens caught 47 passes for 763 yards (16.2 avg.) and six TDs before he was banished. L.J. Smith had a career-high 61 catches for 682 yards (11.2 avg.) and three scores.

Todd France lasted three games with the Eagles and was successful on six of seven field goals as well as all five of his extra point attempts. He later played for Tampa Bay in what was his only NFL season. Already having seen action with NFL Europe, he went on to kick in the Arena Football League.

2002: Gannon Leads AFC from Early Deficit to Beat NFC in Pro Bowl

On Saturday, February 9, 2002 the NFL’s top players came together in the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl. The coaches were Pittsburgh’s Bill Cowher for the AFC and Andy Reid of the Eagles for the NFC, whose teams had lost at the conference championship level in the playoffs.

The patriotically-themed opening ceremony featured a bald eagle flying through the stadium and a squadron of F-15s soaring over it. The previous day had been marked by heavy rain that forced both teams to cancel practice, but it was 74 degrees and sunny for the opening kickoff with a sellout crowd of 50,301 at Aloha Stadium. It was the 23^rd consecutive year in which the contest was held in Honolulu.

The NFC scored in record time, after Oakland QB Rich Gannon (pictured above) fumbled on the first play from scrimmage as he attempted to pitch the ball to RB Curtis Martin of the Jets. Philadelphia DE Hugh Douglas recovered to give the NFC the ball at the two yard line. From there, RB Ahman Green of the Packers went in for a touchdown with just 27 seconds expired. David Akers of the Eagles added the extra point.

Following a three-and-out series by the AFC, the NFC was ahead by 10-0 after Akers kicked a 29-yard field goal that was set up by St. Louis QB Kurt Warner’s completion to Arizona WR David Boston that covered 23 yards.

However, Gannon and the AFC caught fire at that point. Two plays later, Gannon threw to WR Marvin Harrison of the Colts for a 55-yard touchdown, beating Tampa Bay CB Ronde Barber. Denver’s Jason Elam added the PAT to narrow the score to 10-7.

The AFC took the lead after CB Deltha O’Neal of the Broncos intercepted a pass that he returned 24 yards to the NFC six, which set up a four-yard touchdown carry by RB Curtis Martin of the Jets. Elam’s extra point made the tally 14-10.

The NFC had a short series and punted, and the AFC needed just five plays to score again. Gannon threw a flea-flicker pass to WR Troy Brown of the Patriots that was wobbly and badly underthrown, but Brown made the catch for a 30-yard gain. Kansas City RB Priest Holmes finished off the possession by running 39 yards for a TD and Elam again booted the extra point.

The NFC put together a 10-play series that ended with Akers kicking a field goal from 41 yards on the last play of the eventful opening period. The teams had combined for a Pro Bowl-record 34 points in the first quarter, with the AFC leading by 21-13.

The ensuing kickoff was returned 54 yards by WR Jermaine Lewis of the Ravens, and that set up another scoring series. Gannon threw his second touchdown pass, this one to Indianapolis TE Ken Dilger from 19 yards out over a leaping LB LaVar Arrington of the Redskins. Gannon called it a day with the AFC up by 28-13.

That was it for the first half scoring until Akers booted his third field goal with six seconds remaining in the half to make the score 28-16 at the intermission.

Early in the fourth quarter, the NFC drove into AFC territory, but Philadelphia QB Donovan McNabb was picked off by San Diego LB Junior Seau. However, CB Champ Bailey of the Redskins returned the favor, intercepting a pass by New England’s Tom Brady that allowed the NFC to narrow the margin to 28-23 in the third quarter when McNabb threw to WR Terrell Owens of the 49ers for an eight-yard TD and Akers added the extra point.

The AFC came back with a drive that featured runs by Cincinnati RB Corey Dillon of 29 and 16 yards and was capped by Elam kicking a 38-yard field goal. Two plays later, with 2:49 left on the clock, CB Ty Law of the champion Patriots intercepted a McNabb throw and ran it 31 yards before tossing a lateral to Ravens LB Ray Lewis (pictured below), who went the last 13 yards for a touchdown, dragging three NFC players into the end zone.

The NFC scored once more in the last two minutes as McNabb connected with San Francisco RB Garrison Hearst for a 15-yard touchdown. The NFC attempted an onside kick, but safety Rod Woodson of the Ravens recovered for the AFC to end the threat. The AFC won by a final score of 38-30.

The AFC had more total yards (398 to 346) although the NFC had the edge in first downs (23 to 19). The AFC gained 201 yards on the ground, to 197 through the air, while the NFC, playing from behind for most of the contest, ran the ball only 12 times for 36 yards and had 310 passing yards. The AFC recorded two sacks and consistently maintained pressure on the three NFC quarterbacks. The NFC also turned the ball over four times, to two turnovers by the AFC.

After a rocky start, Rich Gannon completed 8 of 10 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, and was named MVP for the second straight year. Pittsburgh’s Kordell Stewart was 6 of 12 for 45 yards and Tom Brady, who entered the game in the fourth quarter, was successful on two of five throws for 22 yards with one interception. Priest Holmes was the leading rusher with 77 yards on 7 carries that included a TD and Corey Dillon contributed 58 yards on six attempts. Marvin Harrison was the AFC’s top receiver with four catches for 80 yards and the one long touchdown. Shane Lechler of the Raiders had punts of 70 and 73 yards, the two longest in Pro Bowl history.

For the NFC, Donovan McNabb completed 12 of 25 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown but also was intercepted twice. McNabb also tied for the team rushing lead with one 12-yard carry while RB Marshall Faulk of the Rams also gained 12 yards, on five rushing attempts. QB Jeff Garcia of the 49ers was successful on 11 of 19 throws for 111 yards and Kurt Warner, who started the game, went 6 of 14 for 63 yards with one interception. Terrell Owens topped the receivers with 8 catches for 122 yards. David Akers kicked three field goals, but his try from 62 yards in the fourth quarter fell short.

“You look around and you’ve got the best receivers, the best tight end, and the best line,” said the 36-year-old Rich Gannon, who became the first player to win back-to-back Pro Bowl MVP awards since the format had changed to the AFC vs. NFC following the 1970 season. “It’s like a dream come true for a quarterback. If I could have this every week, we’d be in business.”

Gannon was playing in his third straight Pro Bowl, a streak that would reach four following the 2002 season.

It was the fifth win in the last six games for the AFC, tying the series since the contest had moved to the AFC/NFC format at 16 wins apiece.

MVP Profile: Priest Holmes, 2002

Running Back, Kansas City Chiefs

Age: 29 (Oct. 7)

6^th season in pro football, 2^nd with Chiefs

College: Texas

Height: 5’9”   Weight: 205

Prelude:

Holmes was undrafted coming out of college and signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens for 1997. He spent his rookie year on special teams but got an opportunity to move into the starting lineup during the ’98 season and gained 1008 rushing yards, including 227 in a single game, while also catching 43 passes for another 260 yards. Inconsistency and a knee injury cut into Holmes’ playing time in 1999 and there were concerns that he lacked adequate size to fit in a power-running attack. The arrival of rookie RB Jamal Lewis in 2000 relegated Holmes to a backup role and he contributed 588 rushing yards to Baltimore’s Super Bowl-winning season. Cast off by the Ravens, he moved on to the Chiefs as a free agent for 2001 and, proving to be a good fit in the offense with his skill as both a runner and receiver, rushed for a NFL-leading 1555 yards and, with another 614 yards on 62 pass receptions, also led the league with 2169 all-purpose yards. He received consensus-first team All-NFL honors as well as being selected to the Pro Bowl.

2002 Season Summary

Appeared and started in 14 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 313 [7]

Most attempts, game - 31 (for 104 yds.) vs. Buffalo 11/17

Yards – 1615 [3]

Most yards, game – 197 yards (on 23 carries) at Seattle 11/24

Average gain – 5.2 [6]

TDs – 21 [1]

100-yard rushing games – 9

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 70      

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 81 yds.) at NY Jets 10/6

Yards – 672

Most yards, game - 110 (on 7 catches) at Seattle 11/24

Average gain – 9.6

TDs – 3

100-yard receiving games – 1

Passing

Attempts – 1

Completions – 0

Yards – 0

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 0

All-Purpose yards – 2287 [2, 1st in AFC]

Scoring

TDs – 24 [1]

Points – 144 [1]

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Chiefs went 8-8 to finish fourth in the AFC West while leading the NFL in scoring (467 points) and touchdowns (57).

Aftermath:

Holmes missed the last two games of the 2002 season with a hip injury, but following off-season surgery he had another big year in 2003. He rushed for 1420 yards, caught a career-high 74 passes for 690 yards, and broke the NFL single-season record for touchdowns with 27. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection for the third straight year. Holmes was off to another fine year in 2004 before a knee injury felled him halfway through – he was leading the league in rushing (892 yards) and TDs (14) before being shelved after eight games. A spinal injury limited him to seven games in ’05 and he missed all of 2006. Holmes returned during the 2007 season and appeared in four games before a neck injury forced his retirement. Overall, Holmes rushed for 8172 yards on 1780 carries (4.6 avg.) and caught 339 passes for 2962 yards, scoring a total of 94 touchdowns.

--

MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

[Updated 11/30/14]

2002: Odd Penalty Caps Wild 4th Quarter as Chiefs Edge Browns

The Kansas City Chiefs were coming off a disappointing 6-10 record in their first year under Head Coach Dick Vermeil as they opened the 2002 NFL season at Cleveland on September 8. QB Trent Green had been a disappointment in his first year with the club in ‘01, but RB Priest Holmes (pictured above), signed away from the Ravens, was outstanding and the team finished strong (5-4 after a 1-6 start).

The Browns were also led by a second-year coach in Butch Davis, formerly of the Univ. of Miami. After two lackluster seasons following the return of the reformed Browns as an expansion team in 1999, they had improved to 7-9 in 2001. QB Tim Couch had shown flashes of the form that was anticipated when he was taken as the first overall pick of the ’99 NFL draft, but due to injury would be sitting out the opening game against the Chiefs – backup QB Kelly Holcomb was filling in. 

There was a crowd of 72,938 on hand at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns got a break on the third play from scrimmage when a pass from Trent Green was intercepted by DB Daylon McCutcheon and returned 24 yards to the Kansas City six yard line. Cleveland couldn’t get into the end zone in three plays but Phil Dawson kicked a 20-yard field goal for the early lead.

The Chiefs came right back and went 73 yards in eight plays. Green immediately threw to FB Tony Richardson for 23 yards and, on a second-and-18 play, he connected with WR Eddie Kennison for 19 yards. Green threw to star TE Tony Gonzalez for a 17-yard touchdown and, with Morten Andersen’s successful extra point, a 7-3 advantage.

Cleveland responded with a 10-play, 55-yard scoring drive that featured the running game and three short passes. Dawson booted another field goal, this time from 32 yards, and the score stood at 7-6 at the end of the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, the Browns took just two plays to go 80 yards. Kelly Holcomb threw to WR Kevin Johnson for 22 yards and then to WR Dennis Northcutt for a 43-yard TD. But the Chiefs put together another scoring series that featured Green completing a pass to Kennison for 64 yards to the Cleveland seven. Two plays later Priest Holmes ran five yards for a touchdown and Andersen’s extra point put KC back in front by 14-13.

In what was becoming a back-and-forth struggle, the Browns again drove to a score, going 71 yards in five plays. Holcomb connected on passes to TE Mark Campbell for 18 yards and Johnson for 12. A completion on an option pass from Johnson, a former college quarterback, to WR Quincy Morgan was good for a 33-yard TD and 20-14 halftime lead.

Cleveland started off the third quarter with a long drive of 14 plays covering 80 yards. The Browns converted two third downs along the way as Holcomb completed seven passes, the last to WR Andre’ Davis for a touchdown from four yards out. Dawson’s PAT made it a 13-point advantage for the home team.

The Chiefs narrowed the margin in their next possession. Green converted a third-and-seven situation with a completion to WR Johnnie Morton for 15 yards and, two plays later, found Gonzalez for a 30-yard gain to the Cleveland 11. Penalties backed the visitors back from there but they came away with a 33-yard Andersen field goal.

With the score at 27-17, the teams traded punts heading into the fourth quarter. The Browns put together another scoring drive early in the period as they went 50 yards in eight plays. Holcomb completed passes to Morgan for 23 yards, Johnson for 10, and three yards to WR Andre King. Dawson kicked a 34-yard field goal that made it 30-17.

Kansas City struck back quickly, spurred by a 46-yard kickoff return by WR Dante Hall. Green threw to Kennison for 15 yards and Gonzalez for 14 before Holmes ran 26 yards for a touchdown. Andersen’s extra point made it a six-point game, and on the next series the Chiefs recovered a fumble at the Cleveland 15. Holmes immediately ran for a TD from that distance and Andersen put Kansas City in front by 31-30.

With just over eight minutes left in the game, the Browns, whose lead had so quickly evaporated, got the ball back and took five plays to move 66 yards and go back on top. Four of those plays were Holcomb pass completions, the last to Morgan for a 44-yard touchdown.

The Chiefs came right back with another scoring drive of their own. Green threw to Kennison for 22 yards and Gonzalez for 10 and Holmes had a 23-yard run. It was Holmes running the last seven yards for his fourth touchdown (which tied the franchise record). With a one-point lead, Kansas City decided to go for two points but Green’s run came up short. Still, the Chiefs were again ahead by a point at 37-36 and the clock was down to 3:05.

Following the kickoff, the Browns took over at their 32 and Holcomb (pictured above) connected on three straight passes, the last to Johnson for 25 yards to the KC 31. Keeping the ball on the ground, and burning their timeouts, the Browns reached the 23 from where Dawson booted a 41-yard field goal. It was Dawson’s 19^th consecutive successful field goal and Cleveland was yet again in front at 39-37 with only 29 seconds left to play. The Browns were penalized for taunting, which had them kicking off from their own 15.

After Hall’s 19-yard kickoff return, the Chiefs started at their 35. Green ran up the middle for 12 yards and then tossed an incomplete pass. On the next play, Kansas City’s receivers all headed for the end zone for a final “Hail Mary” desperation pass, but Green was flushed from the pocket. It seemed as though Green had been sacked with no time remaining – or so LB Dwayne Rudd thought. With his back to the play, he removed his helmet and tossed it some 15 yards down the field in celebration. However, Green had not been sacked and instead quickly lateraled to OT John Tait, who thundered 28 yards to the Cleveland 25 before being forced out of bounds.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was assessed on the Browns and the ball was moved half the distance to the goal. With no time left on the clock, Andersen kicked a 30-yard field goal and, in bizarre fashion, the Chiefs came away with a 40-39 win.

Kansas City outgained the Browns (470 yards to 411) and the teams were even in first downs at 24 apiece. The Chiefs were much more effective running the ball (194 yards to 59) while Cleveland had the edge in net passing yards (352 to 276). There was only one sack (of Holcomb by Kansas City LB Duane Clemons) and each team suffered a single turnover. However, the Chiefs were penalized 9 times, at a cost of 87 yards, to four flags thrown on Cleveland for 38 yards – although it was the one penalty by the Browns at the end that made the difference.

Trent Green had a solid outing, completing 20 of 29 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Priest Holmes rushed for 122 yards and four TDs on 22 carries and also led the club with 6 catches, for 19 yards. Eddie Kennison gained 120 yards on his four pass receptions and Tony Gonzalez added 87 yards on 5 catches that included a TD.

For the Browns, Kelly Holcomb was successful on 27 of 39 throws for 326 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. Quincy Morgan was the top receiver with 9 catches for 151 yards and two scores while Kevin Johnson, in addition to throwing a TD pass, contributed 8 receptions for 96 yards. RB Jamel White was the leading ground gainer with just 42 yards on 12 attempts.

“I shouldn’t have taken it (his helmet) off,” said a dejected Dwayne Rudd (pictured at right) regarding the climactic penalty. “It’s against the rules. I thought we had won.“

“I’m sick,” added Coach Butch Davis. “To have something like that happen at the end is inexcusable.”

“This was just luck,” exulted Tony Gonzalez. “The coaches might call it preparation or whatever, but to me it’s luck and I’ll take it every time.”

The Chiefs lost their next two games but finished up at 8-8, although that still put them at the bottom of the AFC West. Cleveland recovered to finish the season strong, end up second in the AFC North, and reach the playoffs as a Wild Card team at 9-7. The lost a close game to division-rival Pittsburgh in the first round.

Trent Green had a solid season, completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 3690 yards with 26 touchdown and was intercepted only 13 times. He also led the NFL in yards per attempt (7.9) and percentage of TDs (5.5) as his passer rating improved from 71.1 in 2001 to 92.6.

Priest Holmes continued to excel until he was knocked out of the last two games of the year with a hip injury. As it was, he ran for 1615 yards on 313 carries (5.2 avg.), caught 70 passes for 672 more yards, and scored league-leading totals of 24 touchdowns and 144 points.  He was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press as well as receiving consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors.

While Tim Couch returned as starting quarterback for the Browns, he was looking over his shoulder at Kelly Holcomb for the remainder of the season. Couch continued to battle with inconsistency while Holcomb, in four games, passed for 790 yards and 8 touchdowns with four interceptions. Starting in the playoff game against the Steelers as the result of another injury to Couch, Holcomb passed for 429 yards in defeat. The career backup would ultimately prove to be a solid understudy who was not a viable long-term option as a starting quarterback.

2002: Green & Gonzalez Star as Chiefs Upset Dolphins

In their second season under Head Coach Dick Vermeil, the Kansas City Chiefs were 1-2 on September 29, 2002 as they hosted the Miami Dolphins. QB Trent Green (pictured above) had been considered a disappointment after coming over from the Rams with great expectations as the club went 6-10 in 2001. All-Pro TE Tony Gonzalez and RB Priest Holmes brought great talent to their positions. Defense was a concern, and while the team had scored 94 points in its first three contests, it had also given up 103.

Miami, coached by Dave Wannstedt, had been to the playoffs in each of the preceding five seasons. Coming off an 11-5 record in ’01, they were off to a 3-0 start and benefiting from the performance of RB Ricky Williams, who had been obtained during the offseason from New Orleans and seemed finally ready to play to his full potential (394 rushing yards in the first three contests). QB Jay Fiedler was competent and WR Chris Chambers was coming off a promising rookie year.

Things started out well for the Dolphins as WR Albert Johnson returned the opening kickoff 49 yards and they drove 52 yards in four plays. Fiedler tossed a pass to Williams that gained 29 yards to the Kansas City one and the quarterback took it up the middle himself for the last yard and the early lead.

The Chiefs responded with a solid 73-yard drive in 11 plays that featured Green passing to Gonzalez for 30 yards in a third-and-six situation to the Miami 38. Green completed three other passes, including the nine-yard touchdown throw to Gonzalez. With Morten Andersen’s extra point, it was a tie game.

It didn’t stay that way for long. On the second play of Miami’s next possession, Williams fumbled and LB Marvcus Patton recovered for the Chiefs. Green tossed a pass to Gonzalez for a short gain but, following two incompletions, Andersen booted a 50-yard field goal to make it 10-7.

The Dolphins came right back with a methodical drive of 12 plays that covered 56 yards and extended into the second quarter. Fiedler completed all six of his passes and Olindo Mare kicked a 42-yard field goal to again tie the score. However, KC came back quickly as Green threw to Gonzalez once more for a 32-yard gain on first down and Priest Holmes finished the four-play series with a 25-yard touchdown carry. In a span of 1:21, the Chiefs were back in front at 17-10.

Four plays into the next series, Fiedler was intercepted by CB Eric Warfield and Kansas City capitalized four plays after that with another Green TD pass, this one to WR Johnnie Morton from eight yards out. The teams traded punts before Williams took off on a 30-yard carry into KC territory and the Dolphins added three points on a Mare field goal from 29 yards.

Following a short possession by the Chiefs, Miami put together another scoring drive of 49 yards in nine plays. Fiedler was successful on seven throws and, on the last play of the first half, Mare kicked a 25-yard field goal to narrow Kansas City’s lead to 24-16.

The Chiefs added points on their first possession of the third quarter, going 80 yards in seven plays that culminated in Green going yet again to Gonzalez for a 42-yard touchdown. But Miami responded quickly as Fiedler threw to WR Oronde Gadsden for 20 yards and Chambers for 38 on back-to-back passes. The four-play series covered 77 yards and ended with Williams running for a three-yard touchdown. Kansas City was ahead by 31-23.

The teams traded punts but the Chiefs were in Miami territory at the end of the period primarily thanks to a Green pass to Holmes that gained 24 yards. Early in the fourth quarter, Green connected with Gonzalez for a six-yard touchdown and, with the successful PAT, a 38-23 lead.

Once again the Dolphins responded quickly, going 63 yards in five plays. WR James McKnight started things off with a 19-yard carry on an end-around play and Fiedler threw to Gadsden for 21 yards. Following a 12-yard keeper by Fiedler, he tossed a six-yard TD pass to FB Rob Konrad and another successful extra point again made it an eight-point contest at 38-30.

Miami got the ball back at its 29 after a short Kansas City possession, but on the third play Fiedler was intercepted by safety Greg Wesley, who returned it 42 yards to the Miami 16. Holmes ran the ball three times and Andersen kicked a 24-yard field goal to make it 41-30.

Two plays after the kickoff, Wesley again intercepted a Fiedler throw and the Chiefs again capitalized two plays after that with Green throwing his fifth scoring pass of the game, of three yards to TE Billy Baber that was set up by a 17-yard completion to Gonzalez. It proved to be game-clinching. Any last hopes for the Dolphins were snuffed out when Wesley picked off a Fiedler pass for the third time on the next series and Kansas City won impressively by a score of 48-30.

The teams combined for 849 yards of offense with the Chiefs gaining the most (450 to 399) while Miami had more first downs (28 to 25). The Dolphins turned the ball over five times, however, while KC suffered none.

Trent Green completed 24 of 34 passes for 328 yards with the five touchdowns and no interceptions. Priest Holmes gained just 52 yards on 23 carries that included a TD and also caught 6 passes for 63 yards. Tony Gonzalez (pictured below) was the receiving star with 7 catches for 140 yards and three touchdowns.

For the Dolphins, Jay Fiedler was successful on 29 of 45 throws for 310 yards and a TD while also tossing four interceptions, which were especially devastating in the second half. Ricky Williams ran the ball 14 times for 66 yards and a touchdown and had 60 more yards on a team-leading 7 pass receptions. Chris Chambers gained 102 yards on 6 catches.

The big point total proved to be nothing unusual for the Chiefs as they went on to be the highest-scoring team in the NFL with 467 points. However, giving up too many points assured that they failed to win consistently and Kansas City ended up on the bottom of the AFC West at 8-8. Still, the stage was set for a major improvement in 2003. Miami came back to win its next two games, but then lost three straight on the way to a 9-7 finish for third place in the AFC East and out of the postseason for the first time since 1996 – a dry spell that would last until 2008.

Trent Green improved greatly from his 2001 performance, ranking fourth in the league in passing (92.6 rating) while throwing for 3764 yards and 26 touchdowns. He led the NFL in yards per attempt (7.9) and his interceptions dropped from a league-leading 24 in ’01 to 13.

Even though his numbers were down from those of previous years, Tony Gonzalez was still considered to be the best all-around tight end in the league and earned a fourth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl by catching 63 passes for 773 yards (12.3 avg.) and seven touchdowns. Priest Holmes ran for a career-high 1615 yards and also earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as he led the league in touchdowns (24) and scoring (144 points).

2002: Chiefs Sink Jets with Late Touchdown by Priest Holmes

Coming into the Week 5 matchup on October 6, 2002 with the New York Jets, the Kansas City Chiefs appeared to be in good position to improve on their 2-2 record. The Chiefs, in their second year under Head Coach Dick Vermeil, were coming off a 6-10 tally in ’01, but had won three of their last four games after a 3-9 start. The offense was geared around RB Priest Holmes (pictured above), who had come to Kansas City as a free agent after being underutilized with the Baltimore Ravens. Holmes proved to be a pleasant surprise as he led the league in rushing (1555 yards) and total yards (2169). However, another acquisition, QB Trent Green, struggled and led the NFL in interceptions thrown (24).

Thus far in 2002, Holmes had continued where he left off, twice running for over a hundred yards and scoring eight touchdowns. Green showed improvement and passed for 328 yards and five TDs the week before in a 48-30 win over the Dolphins. Another major cog in the offense, TE Tony Gonzalez, caught three of those scoring passes and gained 140 yards.

Meanwhile, the host Jets were struggling at 1-3 and had scored a total of 13 points in their last three contests. Veteran Vinny Testaverde was replaced as the starting quarterback by Chad Pennington, in his third year after being drafted in the first round out of Marshall in 2000. Star RB Curtis Martin was hobbled by a high ankle sprain and the performance of the offensive line had not helped the situation. The defense was very poor against the run.

There were 78,149 in attendance at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands as the Chiefs scored first on a 36-yard field goal by Morten Andersen midway through the first quarter. New York responded with a five-play drive that ended with Martin running up the middle for a 17-yard touchdown and, with the teams trading punts, the score remained 7-3 following a quarter of action.

Taking possession just prior to the end of the first quarter, Kansas City put together a 12-play drive that included six runs by Holmes that covered 37 yards, as well as a four-yard pass completion. Andersen kicked a 40-yard field goal to narrow the margin to 7-6. On the ensuing series, Pennington was intercepted by SS Greg Wesley and the Chiefs proceeded to move 80 yards in nine plays that ended with Holmes running for a 12-yard touchdown, although the two-point conversion attempt failed. Still, Kansas City was back in front at 12-7.

With less than two minutes to go in the first half, Pennington passed the Jets down the field, hitting on all six of his passes, including a two-yard touchdown toss to TE Anthony Becht. Martin ran successfully for two points and New York took a 15-12 lead into halftime.

The Chiefs started off the second half with a 58-yard possession down to the New York nine yard line. However, the drive stalled there after Green threw two incomplete passes and Andersen tied the game with a 27-yard field goal. The Jets responded with a seven-yard drive that included back-to-back completions by Pennington to WR Laveranues Coles. They came up empty when John Hall missed a 51-yard field goal attempt.

Following a punt by the Chiefs, New York again mounted a drive that stretched into the fourth quarter. Once again, Pennington made good on all six passes, including a 24-yard completion to WR Kevin Swayne in a third-and-nine situation and a 27-yard scoring pass to WR Santana Moss. The Jets were up by 22-15 early in the final period.

The Chiefs came back with a big play as Green threw to WR Dante Hall for a 60-yard touchdown and, with the successful PAT, tied the score. However, New York responded with a long, 14-play possession that ran nearly seven minutes off the clock. Pennington again was precise in his passing, going five-for-six, and Martin carried the ball six times. Hall kicked a 25-yard field goal and the Jets were back in front at 25-22 with under three minutes remaining.

Following the kickoff, Kansas City took over at its 22 yard line. Holmes gained 13 yards on a pass from Green, ran for eight, and on a third-and-two play caught another pass for nine more yards. Three plays later, in another third-down situation at the New York 42, Green went to Holmes again for a 12-yard gain. Holmes ran for 11 yards and, with 27 seconds to play, caught a pass from Green for a 19-yard touchdown. The extra point gave the Chiefs a four-point lead, and time ran out on the Jets at their own 39. Kansas City came away with a hard-fought 29-25 win.

The Chiefs outgained New York (504 yards to 359), with 215 of those yards coming on the ground. They also had the slight edge in first downs (24 to 23). Each team suffered one turnover apiece.

Priest Holmes gained 152 yards on 23 rushing attempts, including one for a TD, and also caught 9 passes for 81 yards and the game-winning score. Trent Green completed 23 of 33 throws for 296 yards and two touchdowns with one intercepted.

Chad Pennington (pictured below) played well for the Jets in defeat, succeeding on 22 of his 29 passes for 237 yards, also with two TDs against one pass that was picked off. Curtis Martin returned to form by gaining 119 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown. Laveranues Coles caught 8 passes for 116 yards.


“The fourth quarter as been good to us all year,” Dick Vermeil said. “On that last drive, they went on the field with confidence that they could score and it showed.”

“We just gave them big plays at the end,” said a disappointed Herman Edwards from the Jets’ side. “We're not playing good defense at all and in the fourth quarter it really showed up.”

The Chiefs lost their next two games and went on to finish with an 8-8 record, putting them at the bottom of the AFC West. Priest Holmes had an outstanding season, however, placing third in the NFL in rushing with 1615 yards, second in all-purpose yards with 2287, and first with 24 touchdowns and 144 points. He was a consensus first-team All-Pro and was named to the Pro Bowl. The success continued – the 5’9”, 213-pound running back set a then-league record with 27 touchdowns in 2003.

New York, on the other hand, won five of their next six games and topped the AFC East with a 9-7 tally (thanks to tiebreakers). The Jets whipped Indianapolis in the Wild Card round but lost to Oakland at the Divisional level. Chad Pennington was the key to the team’s surge as he led the NFL in passing (104.2 rating) and completion percentage (68.9) and ranked second in yards per attempt (7.8) and lowest percentage of interceptions (1.5).