Chiefs Edge Raiders, 31-30, on Field Goal

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Posted 7:00AM on Sunday, December 26, 2004

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Lawrence Tynes, following Dante Hall's 49-yard kickoff return on a squib kick, drilled a 38-yard field goal with 22 seconds to go, lifting the Kansas City Chiefs to a 31-30 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Saturday night. It was the fourth win in a row for the Chiefs (7-8), whose Super Bowl hopes were dashed by a 1-3 start and a four-game losing streak in November. Sebastian Janikowski scored the last nine points for the Raiders (5-10) on three field goals, including a 46-yarder with 1:03 left that followed a fumble by Chiefs quarterback Trent Green. But Hall, who already has two touchdowns on kick runbacks this year, got loose on the ensuing kick and was not stopped until Janikowski got him on the Raiders 36. Tynes, who had missed from 50 yards and had another attempt blocked, had no trouble with his first NFL game-winner even though his holder, punter Nick Murphy, had only been signed at midweek. For much of the game, two of the worst defenses in the National NFL seemed bent on proving statistics don't always lie. But it looked like the last crucial mistake belonged to the Kansas City offense when Ted Washington recovered Green's fumble on the Oakland 43 with 1:42 to play. Janikowski had made a 45-yarder to slice the Chiefs' lead to 28-27 with 3:49 to play after a pass interference penalty on Dexter McCleon helped put him in range. He also had a 40-yarder that put the Raiders on top 24-21 in the final seconds of the third quarter. Green hit 32 of 45 passes for 358 yards and two touchdowns to tight end Tony Gonzalez. Oakland's Kerry Collins was 18-for-37 for 217 yards and a pair of touchdowns. After their first two possessions ended in a turnover and a blocked field goal, the Chiefs reeled off three straight scores, powered by the Green-to-Gonzalez passing combo that produced two TDs and 112 yards receiving in the first half alone. Gonzalez finished with 11 catches for 124 yards. Gonzalez' first TD catch covered 2 yards. A few minutes later, Gonzalez beat linebacker Tim Johnson on a 26-yard crossing pattern in the end zone. His 54th career TD gave the Chiefs a 21-14 lead and tied him with Wesley Walls for third all-time at tight end. Collins, who passed for 371 yards and five touchdowns in a 40-35 victory over Tennessee the previous week, made it 7-0 on the Raiders' third play with a 5-yard toss to Jerry Porter. The TD was set up by Tyler Brayton's interception and 24-yard return of Green's first pass. The Chiefs tied it on a 6-yard run by Larry Johnson, who has scored eight touchdowns in his last four games. Ray Crockett, with just the second touchdown rushing in three games for the pass-happy Raiders, scored on a 3-yard run early in the second quarter for a 14-7 lead. Alvis Whitted beat Benny Sapp on a 32-yard touchdown pass play from Collins with 24 seconds left that tied it 21-all at the half. Johnson's 4-yard touchdown run gave the Chiefs a 28-24 lead midway through the fourth quarter.