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28 hours after the tragedy involving Jovan Belcher and his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, the Kansas City Chiefs had to line up and play a game against the Carolina Panthers. Perhaps motivated by the situation, the Chiefs put on one of, if not their best, offensive performance of the year, beating the Carolina Panthers, 27-21.
We needed that, Chiefs. Thank you.
Your recap is below...
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Opening kickoff....
Looks like Shaun Draughn fumbled on the opening kickoff, but they're ruling he was down.
— Arrowhead Pride (@ArrowheadPride) December 2, 2012
Not a turnover!
Score update: Panthers 0 Chiefs 7 The Chiefs first drive was a thing of beauty. Starting at their own 26-yard line, the Chiefs drove 74 yards in six plays for their first opening drive touchdown in 29 games. The highlights included a 21-yard pass to Dwayne Bowe -- the first 20-plus yard pass of Brady Quinn's season -- and then Quinn finding Jon Baldwin wiiiide open, taking it down inside the five yard line. Peyton Hillis punched it in from two yards out.
I missed this but, according to this picture, Peyton Hillis gave Romeo Crennel the ball after his touchdown.
John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE
Score update: Panthers 7 Chiefs 7 It didn't take long for the Panthers to one-up the Chiefs. Carolina drove 75 yards down the field in six plays, one more yard than the Chiefs drive, to tie the game up. Abe Elam was beat (or out of position) as Cam Newton hit Greg Olsen for a 47-yard touchdown.
Score update: Panthers 7 Chiefs 10 The Chiefs keep scoring! Thanks to a pair of 16-yard Jamaal Charles runs, the Chiefs drove 56 yards in 11 plays, culminating in a field goal.
10 first quarter points is a high for #chiefs in 2012.
— Todd Leabo (@Leabonics) December 2, 2012
FIRST QUARTER SCORE: PANTHERS 7 CHIEFS 10
Wow...
That's a Tyson Jackson sack.Second of the season!#Chiefs
— Craig Stout (@KaloPhoenix) December 2, 2012
Tyson Jackson: King of the Coverage Sack.
— Brian McGannon (@BrianMcGannon) December 2, 2012
Tyson Jackson sacking Superman (Cam Newton) for a 3-yard loss.
— Reid Ferrin (@KCChiefs_Reid) December 2, 2012
Score update: Panthers 14 Chiefs 10 The back-and-forth scoring continues with Carolina. The Panthers drove 80 yards in 11 plays to take a 14-10 lead. The touchdown came on a picture perfect 23-yard pass from Cam Newton to Steve Smith. Newton placed the ball perfectly as Smith stretched out to make the catch in the corner of the end zone.
D-Bowe is really good.
Hell of a catch from Bowe. Running across the field, high ball and he pulls it in while getting hit. Nice
— Arrowhead Pride (@ArrowheadPride) December 2, 2012
Really, really good. D-Bowe passed Otis Taylor for third place on the Chiefs all-time receptions list.
Score update: Panthers 14 Chiefs 17 Deep Freeze sighting. The Chiefs lined up in a goal line package with less than a minute left in the first half and had defensive tackle Shaun Smith in at fullback. Unfortunately, the ball didn't go to him. On the following play, the Chiefs went for it on fourth down -- finally! -- with Quinn finding Tony Moeaki for six. Chiefs take the lead back on the last play of the first half. 13 plays, 80 yards on the drive.
Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE
HALFTIME SCORE: PANTHERS 14 CHIEFS 17
It's a fourth down conversion party for the Chiefs. They went for it twice -- and got it twice -- on their first possession of the second half.
Score update: Panthers 14 Chiefs 24 Brady Quinn finally has a touchdown pass after he found Jon Baldwin from three yards out. The Chiefs went for it on fourth down twice, driving 17 plays for 87 yards to get the touchdown.
Denny Medley-USPRESSWIRE
This week's sign of the #Chiefs apocalypse... Brady Quinn threw a touchdown pass to Jon Baldwin and they have a double digit 2nd half lead.
— Danny Parkins (@DannyParkins) December 2, 2012
Cam Newton has done some showing off by posing after a long run. Geez, what kinda team would do that? (Well...)
THIRD QUARTER SCORE: PANTHERS 14 CHIEFS 24
Score update: Panthers 21 Chiefs 24 Cam Newton threw an 8-yard touchdown pass for the Panthers. The Chiefs defense was starting to crumble a little as Newton tacked on a couple of big runs. Newton is Carolina's leading rusher.
John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE
The Chiefs need a big defensive stop and...
Tyson Jackson knocks the pass down! Chiefs getting it back, with a 3-point lead and 7:39 left
— Arrowhead Pride (@ArrowheadPride) December 2, 2012
Score update: Panthers 21 Chiefs 27 Ryan Succop boots in a 52-yard field goal with 4:54 remaining.
Even the 2012 first round pick is getting in on the action today. The Panthers faced a third down with less than four minutes remaining in the game, a key play. The Chiefs defense needed to step up. And, you know what, that's exactly what they did.
That's your 340-plus pound first round pick diving over the middle of the line, late in a critical game. We talk about Dontari Poe's athleticism and where that could help him as a player. Well, this play is a good example. He uses his strength to help push the line back, then his athleticism to make that final rush to Newton. Well done, rook.
The final play of the game saw Cam Newton bomb a pass that was actually caught on the 8-yard line. Doesn't matter. The Kansas City Chiefs snap an 8 game losing streak to move to 2-10 on the season.