Kicker reverses fortune, saves game for Chiefs

By Joe Warren

Nevada Daily Mail

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For the Kansas City Chiefs, one kick may have changed everything.

One kick gave the Chiefs a 30-27 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

One kick helped Kansas City back to .500, keeping them within two games of first place in the AFC West, and within a half game of a potential playoff berth in the AFC.

One kick turned Lawrence Tynes from a goat into a hero.

And in reality, one kick was actually two.

Tynes connected from 53 yards out with six seconds left in the game, immediately following a made 48-yarder that didn't count due to a false start penalty on teammate Kris Wilson.

"I was glad I got to hit one as a warm up," Tynes said. "I kind of hesitated as I heard the whistle blow. I thought I'd go ahead and hit and see how it went. I hit good and I knew I was going to make that kick."

The kick provided the final margin and capped an unbelievable 47-yard drive that took only 27 seconds.

The drive was engineered by second-string quarterback Damon Huard, making his fifth start of the season and improving to 3-2 as the Chiefs' starter in place of Trent Green, who head coach Herm Edwards reiterated was the unquestioned starter when he returns from a concussion that has kept him out since the season opener.

Huard hit tight end Tony Gonzalez on pass plays of 18 and 19 yards during the decisive drive, as Gonzalez rolled his way to a season-high 138 yards on six receptions.

"We had some success during the day moving the football at times," Huard said. "I think with 33 seconds left and a Tony Gonzalez-type player who is a threat down the middle of the field, I think you go for it."

Gonzalez's final catch was for 18 yards and put the ball at the San Diego 30 with 11 seconds to play. After each team took a timeout, Tynes lined up and hit the 48-yarder, then moved back and knocked in the 53-yarder after the penalty.

This coming from a kicker who earlier in the same game, missed a 42-yard kick wide left, and then missed a PAT when his kick hit the right upright.

"I screwed up in the first half," Tynes said. "I missed a field goal and I missed an extra point. We just battled and battled and battled and thank God we came back and got in field goal range and made the kick."

Edwards said he thought Tynes would make the game-winning kick all along.

"Our kicker was struggling early but I didn't say anything to him," Edwards said. "I leave those kickers alone, but I trusted at the end he was going to make it and he not only made one, he made two. That's a credit to his mental strength."

The Chiefs had a 20-3 lead in the first half, getting a pair of touchdown passes by Huard and an 11-yard scoring run by Larry Johnson. Two of the three scores came on the heels of Chargers' turnovers, as San Diego gave the Chiefs the ball three times in the first quarter alone.

The first turnover led to no points as a LaDanian Tomlinson fumble led to Tynes' field goal miss.

Phillip Rivers threw an interception to Greg Wesley later in the period and that set up an 11-yard scoring pass from Huard to Wilson for a 7-0 lead.

The third turnover was a fumble by Rivers on a sack by Jared Allen, and that set up a 21-yard scoring toss to Eddie Kennison, and Kansas City had a 14-0 advantage.

After a San Diego field goal, the Chiefs drove 73 yards on six plays -- including a 57-yard pass from Huard to Gonzalez on third and 10 -- and Johnson broke a handful of tackles during an 11-yard excursion into the end zone. Tynes missed the PAT and the score was 20-3.

After San Diego closed to within 20-13, Johnson went in from a yard out in the third period to give Kansas City a 27-13 lead. The run came after a season high 14-play, 89-yard drive that took 7:57 off the clock.

San Diego made it 27-20 when Tomlinson scored on a 37-yard reception on fourth and one with 13:23 left in the game.

The Chargers later tied it, taking advantage of a fumble by Huard after he was sacked on his own 23.

Five plays later Tomlinson threw a pass on a trick play, hitting tight end Brandon Manumaleuna for a 1-yard score to tie the contest with 5:15 to go.