If the Kansas City Chiefs ever learned to play the first three quarters, they'd be unbeatable.
So far, with a lot of luck, they're just unbeaten.Helped by a screen from an official, James Hasty returned an interception 64 yards for a touchdown 4:27 into overtime to give the Chiefs a 23-17 win over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.
"It was," Hasty conceded "just a freak play."
It was the second week in a row that Kansas City (3-0) came back from a fourth quarter deficit to win - last week they scored twice in the final five minutes to tie it, then beat the New York Giants, 20-17 in overtime.
"We've raised the ticket prices, people have to get their money's worth," said Kansas City coach Marty Schottenheimer. "But I don't know if I can take 20 games at this pace."
For the Raiders (2-1), the freak play that led to the winning touchdown demonstrated that the red demon from Kansas City that plagued them during their 13 years in Los Angeles won't disappear just because they're back in Oakland. The gremlins this time were in the form of umpire Jeff Rice, who blocked Tim Brown's pass route on Hasty's interception.
The Raiders dominated for three quarters, led 17-7 entering the fourth period, but suddenly fell apart, losing for the eighth straight time at Arrowhead Stadium and the 11th time in their last 12 games with the Chiefs.
"We just haven't had good fortune in this place and sometimes it's difficult to change that mindset," said Mike White, the Raiders' first-year coach, whose predecessor, Art Shell, is now an assistant with the Chiefs.
Sentiment almost cost the Chiefs the game.
With 1:52 left in regulation and the score tied at 17-all, the Chiefs had a third and 1 from the Raiders' 2.
They handed the ball to Marcus Allen, seeking his 100th career touchdown against the team with whom he spent most of his career. But Jerry Ball, keying on Allen, dumped him for a 4-yard loss and then Lin Elliott pulled a 24-yard field-goal attempt left.
Then Allen was almost the goat - fumbling on the Raiders' 38 after a 20-yard completion from Steve Bono on the first series of overtime. The Raiders moved to the Chiefs' 40, were set back by a penalty and then Jeff Hostetler tried to find Brown to the outside.
But Hasty, who almost signed with the Raiders instead of the Chiefs, darted into the passing lane and headed west - straight for the Raiders' goal line. Hostetler missed him at the Oakland 22 and Napoleon Kaufman made a last-gasp dive at the 4, but Hasty was in.
Brown said Rice stepped into his path, causing Hostetler to throw the ball to Hasty. And Hostetler said that Rice's interference actually took away a win.
"If Timmy had caught that ball - and he would have - we're inside the 30," Hostetler said.
"I don't why a 47-year-old man thinks he's going to outrun me," Brown said. "For some reason, he decides to step up and get in front of me. I have an option on that play to turn back but I look up and the ball isn't here and he's in my face."
Referee Gary Lane, speaking for the officials through a pool reporter, said:
"The umpire lined up in his normal position. He read pass and started toward the line of scrimmage. The wide receiver hit him and knocked him down."
The Chiefs scored first on Bono's 4-yard TD pass to Lake Dawson just four minutes into the game. It was set up when Mark Collins knocked the ball loose from Harvey Williams and Hasty returned it 22 yards to the Oakland 11.
But from then until late in the third quarter, it was all Raiders.
They tied it at 7-7 with a minute left in the quarter on Williams' 1-yard run at the end of a six-play, 46-yard drive, then took a 14-7 lead with 27 seconds left in the half when Williams went in again from a yard away. That followed Brown's 38-yard punt return to the Kansas City 33.
Cole Ford's 33-yard field goal four minutes into the third quarter made it 17-7.
But just when the Chiefs seemed dead, Bono ducked from under the grasp of Pat Swilling and completed a desperation 28-yarder to a wide-open Webster Slaughter. That ignited both the Chiefs and the crowd and two plays later, Bono found Willie Davis on a slant that cut it to 17-14 just 1:28 into the fourth quarter.
Then the defense arose, holding the Raiders to three and out. Then the Chiefs, sparked by Allen, moved 57 yards to set up Elliott's 35-yard field goal that tied it with 7:57 left.
It only got more dramatic from there.
"That's the way it is in this league," said Bono, who was 19 of 28 for 164 yards. "Most games are won or lost in the last two minutes.
"I just wish we'd get going earlier."
Nobody notices him throwing back the win.
Chargers 27, Eagles 21
At Philadelphia, Junior Seau scored on a 29-yard fumble return and Andre Coleman returned a punt 88 yards for a TD during a 3:11 span to offset Randall Cunningham's three touchdown passes.
After the Eagles took a 14-0 lead, the Chargers (2-1) scored 17 second-half points, capped by Seau's first career TD with 1:16 left in the half. With 1:42 gone in the third quarter, Coleman ran down the right sideline for a score that put the Chargers in control.
Bills 20, Colts 14
At Orchard Park, N.Y., Thurman Thomas scored from twoyards out and Carwell Gardner recovered a fumble in the end zone for another TD as Jim Kelly rebounded from his worst game.
Jim Harbaugh (19-of-31 for 241 yards), who rallied the Colts to victories the past two weeks, started ahead of Craig Erickson but could not work another comeback. Kelly (19-of-35 for 201 yards) surpassed 30,000 career yards with a 15-yard completion to tight end Lonnie Johnson in the third quarter.
Browns 14, Oilers 7
At Houston, Stevon Moore intercepted three passes and Vinny Testaverde threw a 35-yard TD pass to Michael Jackson with 9:17 left to lift Cleveland (2-1). Will Furrer, making just his second NFL start, had a 4-yard TD pass to Haywood Jeffires. He was 22-of-41 for 258 yards and four interceptions.
Rams 31, Panthers 10
At Clemson, S.C., the Rams remained unbeaten by converting four of seven turnovers into 24 points before a Panthers' first-game crowd of 54,060.
The Rams are 3-0 for the first time since 1989. Chris Miller completed 15 of 26 passes for 225 yards and a TD, while Jerome Bettis scored from 2 yards out.
Falcons 27, Saints 24, OT
At New Orleans, Morten Andersen kicked another winning field at the Superdome. This time it was for Atlanta, not his former team, the Saints.
Andersen kicked a 21-yarder 10:58 into OT, his 22nd game-winning field goal. The Falcons (2-1) forced OT on Craig Heyward's 8-yard TD and Jeff George's 2-point conversion pass to Terance Mathis with 6:11 left.
Cardinals 20, Lions 17
At Pontiac, Mich., Barry Sanders' first fumble in three seasons set up Arizona's winning points, ex-Lion Dave Krieg's 24-yard pass to Anthony Edwards with 2:31 left in the game.
Sanders carried 24 times for 147 yards, including a 47-yard TD run, but his fumble was recovered by Arizona's Terry Irving at the Cardinals 31. Nine plays later, on fourth-and-10, Krieg hit Edwards with the winning score.
Packers 14, Giants 6
At Green Bay, Wis., Brett Favre was good enough in the first half, and that's all the Packers (2-1) needed. Favre threw TD passes to Mark Ingram and Robert Brooks and the Packers' defense made it stand up. The loss marked the first time Giants coach Dan Reeves has started a season 0-3.
Broncos 38, Redskins 31
At Denver, John Elway threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to rookie Rod Smith on the final play of the game and gave Denver Broncos a victory over the stunned Washington Redskins.
With the game about ready to go into overtime tied 31-31, Elway took the snap on a fourth down with 6 seconds left. He dropped back, then stepped up to avoid the rush and found Smith at the goal line. He leaped and beat the Redskins' Darrell Green to the ball.
Bears 25, Buccaneers 6
At Tampa, the Bears ruined the Buccaneers' home opener under new management, intercepting two passes and blocking a punt within a two-minute span of the third quarter to pull away to a victory.
Jeremy Lincoln returned one of the interceptions 32 yards to set up Robert Green's 7-yard touchdown run. Anthony Marshall blocked Reggie Roby's punt four plays later, picked up the ball and ran 11 yards for a TD that broke open the game slightly three minutes into the second half.
Seahawks 24, Bengals 21
At Seattle, held to a pair of touchdowns in their first two games, the Seahawks used Rick Mirer's passing and Chris Warren's running to defeat the previously unbeaten Bengals.
The Seahawks had 406 yards on offense, their highest total since they had 490 on Dec. 18, 1988, in a 43-37 win over the Los Angeles Raiders.
Seattle hung on to win when Doug Pelfrey missed a 49-yard field goal in the closing minutes.
49ers 28, Patriots 3
At San Francisco, Steve Young turned his duel with Drew Bledsoe into a one-sided affair with plenty of help from his defense.
Young threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score Sunday as the 49ers dominated New England and left Bledsoe still looking for his first TD pass of the season.
Bledsoe was sacked four times and missed a series in the first half with a sore left shoulder after being hit by linebacker Ken Norton while throwing. He also fumbled after being sacked by Lee Woodall and was intercepted twice by Merton Hanks.
Jets 27, Jaguars 10
At East Rutherford, N.J., they promised everyone they were the new New York Jets. On Sunday, it was the newcomers, with a lot of help from Boomer Esiason, who led the Jets to a rout of the Jaguars.
Esiason found rookie Wayne Chrebet for a touchdown on the first drive of the game, then connected with rookie Kyle Brady for another score on their opening series of the second half. He also threw a TD to Charles Wilson, who was acquired in a trade late in the preseason.