Pack about 79,000 screaming Chiefs fans into Arrowhead Stadium and trot the Los Angeles Raiders onto the field and it seems to rain little yellow flags.
The Raiders, who drew 16 penalties their last visit to Kansas City, got hit with 15 infractions for 115 yards Sunday night in a 13-3 loss to the Chiefs."I didn't hear (quarterback Jeff Hostetler) once the whole game," said Raiders tackle Greg Skrepenak. "I didn't hear him the whole game."
The seventh-largest crowd in stadium history (78,709) put up a deafening din and kept it up all night as the Chiefs (6-3) crept within one game of San Diego in the AFC West. The Chargers (7-2), who lost earlier Sunday in Atlanta, visit noisy Arrowhead next Sunday.
"This was the first time I've ever seen the Raiders in here holding hands, their offensive linemen," said Chiefs guard Dave Szott. "That shows you how much noise there was."
Derrick Walker turned a short pass from Joe Montana into a 57-yard second-quarter reception, producing the only touchdown and just about the only offensive excitement.
The Chiefs' defense had given up 95 points their three previous games and felt they had something to prove.
"I think this was our best defensive game so far this year," said linebacker Tracy Simien. "This feels great. This is what we had to do."
It was the Chiefs' eighth victory over the Raiders (4-5) in nine games. The Raiders have lost seven straight at Arrowhead.
"We stopped ourselves. We hurt ourselves," said Harvey Williams, the former No. 1 draft choice of the Chiefs. Williams, who was cut last year and vowed revenge against his old team, had 93 yards on 24 carries.
Jeff Jaeger missed two field goals for the Raiders, whose 15 penalties were two short of the team record.
Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer became one of four active coaches with 100 victories.
Walker's touchdown reception followed a series of ruinous Raider mistakes. The Raiders drove from their own 31 to a third-and-3 at the Kansas City 9. After an incomplete pass, Jaeger kicked a 28-yard field goal that would have given Los Angeles a 3-0 lead. But a false start penalty moved the ball back five yards and Jaeger, asked to connect from 33 yards, missed badly.
Compounding their misfortune after the play, the Raiders were hit with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on guard Kevin Gogan. On the next play Winston Moss caught a 5-yard offsides penalty, putting the Chiefs on their own 43.
Montana then hit Walker over the middle, and the backup tight end broke two tackles on the play to make it 7-0 with 9:22 left in the half.