Coming into yesterday's game against the Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs owned this almost embarrassing statistic:
No first quarter touchdowns through the first 15 games of the season.
That changed today when the Chiefs took their first possession of the day this afternoon. On first and 10, QB Matt Cassel play action faked to RB Jamaal Charles and looked deep to Terrance Copper.
Yes, Terrance Copper.
CBS announcer Dan Fouts said, "This may be Cassel's best pass of the season."
The next play, Cassel found TE Leonard Pope for a 29 yard gain. Then a six play pass to Dwayne Bowe which landed the Chiefs on the Broncos one yard line just three plays into their first drive.
FB Mike Cox ended with a dive up the middle for the touchdown. Succop added the extra point and it was 7-0 Chiefs and their first first quarter touchdown of the season. After that touchdown was the first sign of the Denver boo birds coming out booing the home team - a sign of things to come.
"It was huge," Cassel said of the initial touchdown drive. "We were waiting on that for a long time. To get it going in that fashion, I think it set the tone for the entire day."
Fouts later said, "[Haley] told the guys, 'Okay 2009 is behind us. Let's start 2010 on a high note by knocking off a division rival in the Broncos'.
"You couldn't have asked for a better start than that first drive for KC."
No, you couldn't. It was Kansas City's first opening drive in 18 games, snapping the longest active drought in the NFL.