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 Not so this time.
Cairo Santos booted a 48-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining,
and the Chiefs posted a 23-20 victory over the Chargers on Sunday.
San Diego (5-2) saw its five-game winning streak end. Kansas City
(3-3) won for the third time in four games.
Last year, Ryan Succop misfired from 41 yards with four seconds left
in a game the Chargers won in overtime.
The Chargers weren't as fortunate this time, losing for the first
time this season at Qualcomm Stadium, with a rookie delivering the
decisive points.
"I felt like he was going to make it," said Chiefs coach Andy Reid,
who now owns a 14-2 record the week after his team has a bye. "He
was due for an opportunity like this."
The Chiefs came out on top thanks to their work on third downs.
The Chargers were a dreadful three of 10 as their offense hit a rare
speed bump. Conversely, the Chiefs converted half of their 14
third-down chances.
"It's both sides of the ball," Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers
said. "The defensive guys will tell you they have to get off the
field, but we were saying offensively, we got to get first downs.
Our defense was out there tired and fighting like crazy. ... We got
to help them out."
The Chiefs dominated the time of possession, hogging the ball for 39
minutes of the 60 minutes.
"Sometimes the best defense against Philip Rivers is keeping him on
sideline," Reid said. "We were able to do that for the most part in
that third quarter."
Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith completed 19 of 28 attempts for 221
yards and a touchdown.
Rivers went 17 of 31 for 205 yards with two touchdown passes and an
interception.
Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles paced all rushers with 95
yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Charles passed Priest Holmes
(6,070) as the team's all-time leading rusher in the second quarter,
finishing the day with 6,113 rushing yards.
"It was a big win," Charles said. "That was an amazing game to pull
off today."
The Chiefs' go-ahead drive was aided by a facemask call on defensive
end Corey Liuget when he brushed against Smith's helmet.
"I don't believe I did, but the referee called it, so it's a
facemask if he called it," Liuget said. "In the books, that's what
went down."
San Diego kicker Nick Novak booted a 48-yard field goal with 1:57
remaining to tie the score 20-20. Just over seven minutes earlier,
his 24-yard field goal brought the Chargers to within 20-17.
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The Chiefs took a 20-14 lead early in the fourth quarter on an
11-yard touchdown pass from Smith to fullback Anthony Sherman.
San Diego led 14-10 at the half. Santos' second field goal, from 40
yards to open the third quarter, cut the Chiefs' deficit to 14-13.
In the first half's final minute, the Chargers went ahead after
driving 80 yards in 41 seconds. Rivers capped the drive with a
27-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Gates. It marked the 67th time the
tandem combined for a scoring reception, the most of any
quarterback-tight end duo in NFL history.
The Chiefs led 10-7 with three minutes left in the half after
Santos' 28-yard field goal. The drive was extended by a costly
personal foul committed by linebacker Reggie Walker after an
incompletion on third down.
Charles' 16-yard scoring effort in the second quarter was a zig-zag
run that had the Chargers turned in various directions. His rush
tied the score at 7, with the drive's key play being a 26-yard pass
from Smith to wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.
The Chargers struck first, and it was from an unlikely source.
Rivers clicked with tight end John Phillips on a first-quarter,
1-yard scoring pass. It was Phillips' initial catch of the season, a
reception that was set up by wide receiver Malcom Floyd drawing a
pass-interference call on backup cornerback Jamell Fleming in the
end zone.
NOTES: Chargers CB Jason Verrett, a first-round draft pick this
year, was out due to a shoulder injury, his second missed start in
six games. He skipped the Jaguars game with a strained hamstring.
... San Diego LB Manti Te'o (foot) remains out indefinitely. ...
Chiefs SS Eric Berry (ankle) missed his fourth consecutive game. ...
Former Chargers DE Leslie O'Neal was inducted into the team's Hall
of Fame at halftime. O'Neal holds the franchise record with 105.5
sacks.
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