Chargers Top The Chiefs In Week 12, 41-38 from The Mothership
The Chargers made their final push to go ahead, helped by a Philip Rivers' 19-yard pass to Danny Woodhead, followed by another completion to Woodhead for 14 more yards. After a pass interference call against the Chiefs, Pro Bowl S
Eric Berry sacked Philip Rivers for a loss of five yards. With :31 seconds remaining, Rivers hit Chargers WR Seyi Ajirotutu with a 26-yard TD pass. Novak added the PAT, giving the Chargers a 41-38 lead.Scoring Drive: 7 plays, 78 yards in :58 seconds, ending with a 26-yard TD catch by Ajirotutu. SD 41 KC 38.
Recap: Injuries Plague Chiefs; Narrow Loss To San Diego from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City
The Kansas City Chiefs' offense finally proved it could win a game.
Their defense finally let them down.
After driving for a go-ahead touchdown in the waning minutes against San Diego on Sunday, Alex Smith the rest of the offense could only watch as Philip Rivers answered with a 26-yard pass to Seyi Ajirotutu with 24 seconds left that gave the Chargers a dramatic 41-38 victory.
Chargers, Rivers Outlast Chiefs from Chiefs Spin
Outside linebackers Justin Houston (elbow) and Tamba Hali (ankle) left the game in the first half and did not finish the game.
But don't look for the Chiefs to use that as an excuse as to why they lost.
"This is the National Football League, when people go down, everybody has to step up," Chiefs inside linebacker Derrick Johnson said. "Obviously, it hurt us a little bit not having two better players on the field. Regardless, we still had a chance. (San Diego) had 70-some yards to go with a minute and 22 seconds. We just have to pull away with that win. We'll take that every game."
The Chiefs, who dropped to 9-2 on the season, certainly had their chances to put the game away.
Say Your Prayers, Chiefs Fans:If Hali And Houston Are Gone For Good, This Season Is Toast from FS Kansas City
Pass the rosary beads, kids. Whatever favors you need to cash in with the football gods, this is the time to collect.
Because the likely fate of the 9-2 Kansas City Chiefs -- the postseason fate, almost certainly -- rests on a pair of Monday morning MRIs.
"It's hard," linebacker Derrick Johnson said after his mates suffered their first home loss of the season, a 41-38 kidney punch at the hands of Philip Rivers and the Chargers. "Shoot, I feed off of Tamba and Houston. Two Pro Bowl guys, All Pro guys. When they're not in the game, maybe the defense is not as good."
Andy Reid's Postgame Presser Transcript from The Mothership
What happened in that last San Diego touchdown?
"I thought it was a great throw on his (Rivers) part. They say it's a game of inches; we were off by an inch right there on the coverage. We had a man over the top of him and a man underneath him and Philip (Rivers) hit it right in the right spot."
Alex Smith: "There's A Lot Of Season Left" from The Mothership
Did you think you had won the game at the end?
"I mean, like I said, I think yeah, when we scored, we certainly put the pressure back on them. We knew in that situation, there was a minute and 20 something on there, and they had been good on offense all day and obviously Philip (Rivers) was playing well. So, you knew there was a chance for sure, nothing is guaranteed, but you sure do put the pressure back on them."
Takeaways From Week 12: Chargers vs Chiefs from The Mothership
SMITH THROWS TRIO OF TOUCHDOWNS: QB
Alex Smith completed 26 of 38 passes for 294 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, good for a 106.7 passer rating. It marks the 10th time in Smith's career that he has thrown three touchdown passes in a single game, carrying a 6-4 record in those contests. It is the second time this season he has thrown for three touchdowns in a contest, going 1-1 in those games.Smith's 106.7 passer rating is his highest of the season and is his second 100.0-plus rating of the 2013 campaign. He is 1-1 in games when throwing for more than a 100.0 passer rating in 2013. Smith has recorded 13 games with a passer rating of more than 100.0 as a starter, going 12-1 in those contests.
With Defensive Injuries Looming, Chiefs will Turn To Alex Smith To Rescue Them from FS Kansas City
The prevailing wisdom all season has been that the Chiefs win with defense and quarterback Alex Smith simply gets out of the way.
Well, all that thinking might have to be altered now as the Chiefs ponder their football world without linebacker Tamba Hali, perhaps for the season, and linebacker Justin Houston, perhaps for the short term.
Let's face it: The Chiefs' defense suddenly looks a bit toothless without Hali, who was seen on crutches after the game because of what seemed a serious ankle injury, and Houston, who might have a hyper-extended elbow.
KCChiefs.com Video: Week 12: Chargers vs Chiefs Highlights
KCChiefs.com Video: Post Game Locker Room Week 12
KCChiefs.com Video: Chiefs Postgame Press Conference
KCChiefs.com Video: Post Game With Mitch And Reid
KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Chargers vs Chiefs Gameday Photos
Rivers Hit Last-Second TD, Lifts Chargers Over Chiefs from CBS Sports
Philip Rivers called it the kind of game that could save the Chargers' season. Seyi Ajirotutu called its defining play the greatest catch of his career.
The once-embattled quarterback stoically marched San Diego downfield against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and then found his unheralded wide receiver with a 26-yard scoring strike with 24 seconds remaining that gave San Diego a 41-38 victory and ended its three-game losing streak.
Tamba Hali, Justin Houston Hurt from ESPN
The Kansas City Chiefs weren't definitive after their 41-38 loss to theSan Diego Chargers about how long they would play without their two injured pass rushers, outside linebackers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali.
But it sounded like they were settling in to play without them in next Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos and beyond.
Chiefs' Defensive Problems Run Deep from ESPN
The Chiefs have now allowed at least 27 points in their last two games, the first one with Hali and Houston available for every play. The Chiefs have now played four straight games with either zero sacks or one, the first three with Hali and Houston on the field.
The fact is the Chiefs have steadily been building toward a collapse like this on defense for some time.
Chargers Beat Kansas City, 41-38, At Arrowhead Stadium from NBC San Diego
In a loud, hostile environment -- Arrowhead Stadium -- the San Diego Chargers fought hard against the Kansas City Chiefs, and this time, they won.
The game was a shootout with the lead changing eight times between the two division foes.
Instant Analysis: SD's O Dazzles from The San Diego Union-Tribune
The Chargers had too much offense, even for one of the NFL's better defenses.
Yes, the Chiefs lost three starting defenders to injuries Sunday.
But Philip Rivers and several teammates were magnificent.
By The Numbers: Chargers Outlast Slumping Chiefs from CBS Sports
For those who believed the Chiefs were overrated after starting the season 9-0 without beating a single team with a winning record, last week's loss to the Broncos should have shown them that Kansas City is, at worst, a very solid team.
But the Chiefs also aren't great, as their 41-38 loss to the Chargers proved Sunday in what was one of the most fun games of the week to watch.
Despite losing two of their top defenders in the first half, Kansas City was in good position to beat the Chargers, who improve to 5-6 with the victory. But quarterback Philip Rivers was too much for the Chiefs defense.
Chiefs Fan Makes Name For Himself Through Love Of Art, Football from KCTV5
A lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan is making a name for himself painting the very players and coaches he grew up idolizing and still cheers for to this day.
Chris Sembower's work is even being used by the Chiefs organization inside Arrowhead Stadium.
Chiefs' Defense Collapses vs. Chargers After Injuries from NFL.com
Here's what else we learned:
1. Don't put this all on Houston and Hali's injuries. The Chiefs' pass rush wasn't that effective for three consecutive games before this one. Chargers receiver Keenan Allen made plays all game even before the injuries, and Rivers missed open throws in the first half. Allen finished with 124 yards and is an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. The Chargers racked up 495 yards while Rivers passed for 392 yards and three TDs.
Chiefs' Season Slides From From Perfect To Perilous With Key Injuries from SportingNews
This is what the NFL is like this year: You can be the last team to lose a game, you can be 9-0 with the No. 1-ranked defense, and within two weeks you can be up to your neck in trouble.
The Kansas City Chiefs are in trouble, and they wish it were only about losing two games in a row.
Local Chiefs Super Fans Tie The Knot At Arrowhead from FOX4KC
Alan Widner's and Johlina Clause's love story started at Arrowhead three years ago when they met out in the parking lot while tailgating at a Chiefs verse Broncos game.
"You drink a couple beers and you get to talking and you exchange numbers and everything," said Widner of the day the couple met.
The couple decided it was only fitting to get married in the place where it all began with a very nontraditional ceremony.
Fantasy Football Week 12 Studs, Duds from FOX Sports
Kansas City Chiefs Defense: -3 fantasy points vs. Chargers
It's moments like these I'm reminded of the classic Animal House line:
"Daniel Simpson Day ... has no grade point average."
At least in Mr. Day's case, N/A on the report card was better than the negative three points the Chiefs' fantasy defense posted in Week 12. Kansas City's fantasy DST averaged 19.6 fantasy points per game their first six games of the season. In their last five games, they've averaged 6.6 fantasy points per game.
They play the Denver Broncos in Week 13. You've been warned.