2004: Chargers Rally to Defeat Chiefs in Back-and-Forth Game

The fortunes of the San Diego Chargers had changed dramatically since the 4-12 finish of 2003 as they met the Kansas City Chiefs on November 28, 2004. Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer’s team had won four straight games and was at 7-3 and even with Denver atop the AFC West. QB Drew Brees (pictured at right), considered a disappointment following his first three seasons, was breaking out in a big way, as was second-year TE Antonio Gates, while RB LaDainian Tomlinson continued to be a top rusher and receiver out of the backfield. The coaching of first-year defensive coordinator Wade Phillips brought about a significant improvement with the defense.  

The Chiefs were on an opposite trajectory. Having been a 13-3 playoff team in 2003, Kansas City had lost its last three games and was struggling with a 3-7 record. Under Head Coach Dick Vermeil, the offense was still productive, led by QB Trent Green and TE Tony Gonzalez, although star RB Priest Holmes was out with a knee injury. The defense was at the root of the club’s problems and ranked among the league’s least effective units.

There were 77,447 fans in attendance at Arrowhead Stadium on a 35-degree day. The Chargers had the first possession and put together a promising drive as WR Eric Parker gained 20 yards on a first-play end-around and Drew Brees completed three passes and had a 14-yard run. However, the drive stalled at the Kansas City 11 and Nate Kaeding’s 29-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful.

The Chiefs punted following a short series and San Diego struck quickly. Brees threw to Parker for a 55-yard gain to the KC two and, two plays later, LaDainian Tomlinson scored a touchdown from a yard out. Kaeding added the extra point and the visitors were in front by 7-0.

The ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Chiefs starting field position at their 40, and they went 60 yards in six plays. Trent Green had passes to Tony Gonzalez (pictured below) for 12 and 27 yards and RB Derrick Blaylock, the stand-in for Priest Holmes, ran for a five-yard TD. Lawrence Tynes converted to tie the score at 7-7.

The Chargers punted following their next possession and a penalty on the return had the Chiefs starting from their own six yard line. As the game moved into the second quarter, consecutive carries by RB Larry Johnson picked up 18 yards and, with Green passing effectively and Johnson runs mixed in, Kansas City advanced methodically down the field. Green completed five of his passes, two of them to Gonzalez for 22 yards and the longest covering 16 yards to TE Jason Dunn. The 13-play, 94-yard drive culminated in Johnson’s six-yard touchdown run up the middle. Tynes added the point after and the home team had a 14-7 lead.

The Chargers responded with a long drive of their own that covered 70 yards in 12 plays. They converted three first downs, all on passes by Brees, including a 17-yard toss to Parker on third-and-seven that set up Tomlinson’s three-yard carry for a TD. Kaeding’s kick tied the score at 14-14.

Green passed Kansas City down the field on the next series and Tynes kicked a 28-yard field goal that put the Chiefs back in front by three. With time running out in the first half, Brees threw to WR Kassim Osgood for a 27-yard gain to the KC 43 and two short completions to Tomlinson picked up another nine yards, but Kaeding missed on a 52-yard field goal attempt and the home team took a 17-14 lead into halftime.

Kansas City WR Dante Hall started the third quarter off with a 77-yard kickoff return, but he fumbled at the end without being hit and the Chargers gained possession at their five yard line. They managed to reach their 45 before having to punt and the Chiefs punted it back following a three-and-out series. On San Diego’s first play from midfield, Parker took off for a 38-yard run to the KC 12 and, while the Chargers couldn’t reach the end zone, Kaeding tied the score with a 25-yard field goal.

The teams exchanged punts before the Chiefs began to move effectively in the closing minutes of the period. Green completed three straight passes, the first to WR Johnnie Morton for 18 yards, and a throw to Gonzalez in a third-and-nine situation gained 23 yards to the San Diego 31. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Blaylock broke away for a 22-yard touchdown. Tynes missed the extra point, but Kansas City was back in front at 23-17.

Brees passed the Chargers back down the field, completing six throws along the way. The longest was to WR Keenan McCardell for 23 yards and the last to Antonio Gates for an 18-yard TD. Kaeding added the extra point and San Diego was in the lead by a point at 24-23. It didn’t last long, however, as Hall returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, this time maintaining his grip on the football for the full distance. Green threw to WR Eddie Kennison for a two-point conversion and KC was back on top by 31-24.

The Chargers ran into problems with penalties on their next series, one of which wiped out a 51-yard pass play to Gates. However, backed up to their 19 and facing second-and-22, Brees threw to Osgood for a 65-yard pickup to the KC 16 and, three plays later, he connected with Gates for an 11-yard TD. Kaeding added the PAT and, with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation, the score was again tied at 31-31.

San Diego got the ball back when a third-and-11 pass by Green was intercepted by LB Donnie Edwards, who returned it 13 yards to the Kansas City 32. The Chargers reached the 17 before Brees was sacked by CB William Bartee and LB Scott Fujita for a loss of seven yards on third down, but Kaeding kicked a 43-yard field goal and the visitors had a three-point lead.

The Chiefs regained possession with 2:15 left on the clock, but after Green threw to Blaylock for six yards on first down, the next three passes fell incomplete. San Diego held on for a 34-31 win.

“Everybody got their money’s worth today,” summed up San Diego’s Coach Schottenheimer. “It was quite an exciting game.”

The Chargers, in ending a seven-game losing streak at Kansas City, led in total yards (498 to 310), first downs (25 to 20), and time of possession (36:46 to 23:14). The Chiefs turned the ball over twice, to none suffered by San Diego, and while the Chargers were penalized more times (9 to 5), Kansas City’s infractions came at more inopportune times.

Drew Brees completed 28 of 37 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. With his two long carries, Eric Parker led the Chargers with 58 rushing yards and also caught three passes for another 78 yards. LaDainian Tomlinson (pictured at left) gained just 46 yards on 21 attempts that included two TDs but also had 10 pass receptions for 57 yards. Antonio Gates gained 92 yards on his 7 catches that included two for scores and, thanks to the one long gain, Kassim Osgood matched the yardage total on his two receptions.

For the Chiefs, Trent Green was successful on 21 of 34 throws for 208 yards with no TDs and one interception. Tony Gonzalez caught 8 passes for 105 yards. Derrick Blaylock rushed for 75 yards on 8 carries that included two touchdowns and Larry Johnson ran the ball 10 times for 43 yards and a TD. Dante Hall averaged 38.8 yards on six kickoff returns, one of which resulted in a touchdown and another that came close.

The Chargers went on to win their next three games, and four of their last five, to finish first in the AFC West with a 12-4 record. They lost their Wild Card playoff contest to the New York Jets in overtime. Kansas City reeled off four wins following the loss to the Chargers but lost the season finale in the rematch at San Diego to place third in the division at 7-9.

Drew Brees ranked second in the AFC with a 104.8 passer rating, gaining 3159 yards with 27 TD passes against just seven interceptions. He was selected to the Pro Bowl, as were both LaDainian Tomlinson, who ran for 1335 yards and a league-leading 17 rushing touchdowns, and Antonio Gates, who caught 81 passes for 964 yards (11.9 avg.) and 13 TDs, and both of them also were consensus first-team All-NFL selections.

Tony Gonzalez topped the NFL with 102 pass receptions, which accounted for 1258 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was chosen to the Pro Bowl. Trent Green topped the league in pass attempts (556) and the conference in completions (369) and passing yards (4591). His 27 TD passes were a career high.

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.

2010: Falcons Rally to Beat Buccaneers

The Atlanta Falcons had won five straight games and were at 9-2 as they faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 5, 2010. Head Coach Mike Smith’s team had a well-balanced offense with third-year QB Matt Ryan (pictured at right) throwing to WR Roddy White and 14^th-year veteran TE Tony Gonzalez and RB Michael Turner, coming off of an injury-plagued ’09 season, providing power to the ground game. They had been winning efficiently, not having given up a turnover in the previous four games.

The Buccaneers, a young team under second-year Head Coach Raheem Morris, had a 7-4 record, which was a significant turnaround after going 3-13 in 2009. QB Josh Freeman was proving to be effective in his first full year in the starting lineup. Unheralded RB LeGarrette Blount had been waived by Tennessee and claimed by Tampa Bay with good results and WR Mike Williams, a rookie drafted in the fourth round out of Syracuse, was also proving to be surprisingly effective. But while they were undefeated against losing teams, they had yet to prove themselves against contending clubs and had already lost to Atlanta four weeks earlier.

The Buccaneers wore 1970s-era throwback uniforms for the late afternoon game at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. The teams traded punts before the Falcons drove to the game’s first score. Matt Ryan completed two passes to Tony Gonzalez that gained 14 and 17 yards, respectively, and Michael Turner carried the ball four times for 21 yards that included a five-yard touchdown.

The Buccaneers responded with an 86-yard drive that took 11 plays and was highlighted by Josh Freeman scrambling for 17 yards and LeGarrette Blount running for 20 yards to set up his six-yard carry for a TD. Connor Barth’s extra point tied the game at 7-7, which was the tally heading into the second quarter.

Neither club was able to put together another effective drive until midway through the period when Atlanta went 64 yards in eight plays. Ryan completed passes of 15 yards to WR Michael Jenkins and 21 yards to WR Harry Douglas to reach the Tampa Bay 24, and on a third-and-ten play hit FB Ovie Mughelli for a 17-yard touchdown.

Following a short possession by the Bucs, the Falcons got the ball back but turned it over when Ryan, throwing deep for Gonzalez, was intercepted by SS Sean Jones, who returned it 31 yards to the Atlanta 30 with 1:39 left in the first half. It was Atlanta’s first turnover in five games, and it cost them. Tampa Bay capitalized seven plays later when Freeman tossed a one-yard TD pass to Mike Williams. The teams went into halftime tied at 14-14.

The Buccaneers took the lead on the first series of the second half. On the second play, Blount ran 28 yards to the Atlanta 38 yard line and, after reaching the 15, Barth kicked a 33-yard field goal that made the score 17-14. That was it for the third quarter scoring as a long 12-play drive by the Buccaneers from their nine to the Atlanta 41 came up empty.

In the fourth quarter, Ryan was intercepted again, this time by FS Corey Lynch to give the Bucs the ball at the Atlanta 39. Once again they made the most of it as Freeman completed passes to Williams for nine yards and WR Arrelious Benn for 28. FB Earnest Graham tossed a two-yard option pass to TE John Gilmore for a touchdown and, with the successful PAT, Tampa Bay was ahead by ten points.

The margin didn’t last long, however, as the ensuing kickoff was returned 102 yards for a TD by WR Eric Weems. A short possession by the Buccaneers resulted in a punt and the Falcons took over at their 33 with 8:30 left on the clock. It didn’t look promising when they found themselves facing a third-and-20 situation, backed up to their 23, but Ryan completed a pass to Roddy White for 25 yards to keep the series alive. Turner ran for nine yards on two carries and a pass interference call on the Bucs gave Atlanta a first down at the Tampa Bay 33. Another untimely penalty on the Bucs helped the Falcons along and the 10-play, 67-yard drive finally ended with Ryan tossing a nine-yard touchdown pass to Jenkins. The successful extra point made it a four-point lead for Atlanta.

Tampa Bay had another shot and, with Freeman throwing on every play, moved the ball 35 yards in nine plays. However, after a 19-yard completion to WR Sammie Stroughter put the ball on the Atlanta 27, Freeman was intercepted by CB Brent Grimes and the Falcons were able to run out the clock to come away with a 28-24 win.

The Buccaneers gained more yards (325 to290) while Atlanta had the edge in first downs (20 to 19). The Falcons turned the ball over twice, to one given up by Tampa Bay. However, the Bucs were penalized nine times, sometimes in key situations, at a cost of 102 yards to six flags being thrown on Atlanta.

Matt Ryan completed 18 of 36 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions and was at his best during the fourth quarter comeback. Michael Turner rushed for 88 yards on 24 carries that included a TD. Roddy White caught 7 passes for 74 yards.

For the Buccaneers, Josh Freeman (pictured below) was successful on 19 of 38 throws for 181 yards with a TD and one picked off; he also ran the ball four times for 28 yards. LeGerrette Blount gained 103 rushing yards in 20 attempts and scored a touchdown. Mike Williams topped the receivers with 6 catches for 68 yards and a score.

 “When you come out and you don’t play as well as you like, but you still find a way to win, those are signs of a good football team,” said Matt Ryan. “We feel like today was a good example of that for us.”

“We felt like we really outplayed them for most of the game, but it’s the NFL,” said Josh Freeman from the Tampa Bay side. “You have to find a way to win in the fourth quarter nearly every week, and today we weren’t able to do that.”

The Falcons went on to top the NFC South and gain top seed in the playoffs with a 13-3 record. However, they were badly beaten by the streaking Green Bay Packers at the Divisional level. Tampa Bay won three of its remaining four games to end up at 10-6 and third in the division, but just missed out on the postseason. The season of promise proved fleeting for the Buccaneers, who collapsed to 4-12 in 2011.

Matt Ryan passed for 3705 yards and 28 touchdowns with just 9 interceptions and was chosen to the Pro Bowl. Michael Turner led the NFC in rushing with 1371 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, also receiving Pro Bowl recognition. Roddy White (pictured above) was a consensus first team All-Pro as well as Pro Bowl choice while leading the NFL in pass receptions (115) and the conference in receiving yards (1389) despite being hindered by a knee injury late in the season.

Josh Freeman placed sixth in the league in passing (95.9 rating) while throwing for 3451 yards and 25 TDs with six interceptions while also rushing for 364 yards. LeGarrette Blount rushed for 1007 yards on 201 carries (5.0 avg.) in his 13 games of action, making him the NFL’s top rookie ground gainer.

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).