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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
|  | | Chiefs quarterback Elvis Grbac overcame three interceptions by passing for 342 yards and three TDs on Sunday. |
SEATTLE (AP) -- Elvis Grbac and the Kansas City Chiefs weren't
matched against Kurt Warner and the Super Bowl champions this time.
And they didn't need anything close to 54 points to beat the
struggling Seattle Seahawks.
One week after scoring their most points since 1966 against St.
Louis, the Chiefs stepped down in class against the Seahawks. Grbac
had three first-half touchdown passes and the Chiefs made that hold
up for a 24-19 victory Sunday.
"This was the first of three straight on the road," Chiefs
coach Gunther Cunningham said. "I didn't care if we won by one
point or 20."
The Chiefs (5-3) handed the Seahawks (2-7) their fifth
consecutive defeat, the longest losing streak in Mike Holmgren's
nine years as an NFL head coach.
"I didn't expect to be talking about silver linings," Holmgren
said.
Grbac teamed with Derrick Alexander for TDs of 59 and 50 yards,
and with Kevin Lockett for 34 yards to give the Chiefs a 21-10 lead
at halftime.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Elvis Grbac (22-for-35, three
first-half TD passes) propelled Kansas City to this victory with a strong
effort.
Seattle quarterback Jon Kitna
also had a decent statistical day (26-for-42, 224 yards, two TDs, three
interceptions).
It was a new role for Kitna this season. He was filling in for the injured
Brock Huard, who replaced
Kitna as the starter earlier in the season.
This was the fifth straight loss for Seattle -- the longest losing streak of
Mike Holmgren's career as a head coach.
The Seahawks closed the gap to two points in the fourth quarter, but failed
on a two-point conversion.
Lost in the Seattle defeat was another impressive performance by running
back Ricky Watters (90 yards)
-- but it was all for naught.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
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"In the second half, I was looking for the knockout punch and
got too greedy on a couple of throws and they got picked off,"
Grbac said.
The Chiefs also got a 37-yard field goal from former Seahawks
kicker Todd Peterson with 42 seconds left after rookie Pat Dennis
intercepted Jon Kitna's throw at the Kansas City 36 with 1:53 left.
Seattle got one more chance after the field goal, but ran out of
time on its 44.
Grbac completed 22 of 35 passes for 342 yards and had three
interceptions. He was intercepted a total of four times in Kansas
City's first since games.
Kitna returned to Seattle's starting lineup after a three-week
absence, because Brock Huard suffered a concussion in Oakland last
week. Kitna was 26-for-42 for 224 yards, with two touchdowns and
three interceptions.
"We've lost games we should have won and today's no
exception," Kitna said.
The Seahawks closed to 21-19 when Ricky Watters took a short
pass and got into the end zone from the 14 with 5:53 left. But
Kitna missed a 2-point conversion pass to Christian Fauria that
would have tied the score.
Kansas City came up with two key defensive plays at the end of
the first half and third quarter when Seattle was on the brink of
scoring touchdowns.
Kitna was intercepted by James Hasty in the end zone with 46
seconds left in the second period. And Derrick Ranson tackled
Watters in the backfield for a 5-yard loss on a third-and-1 play at
the Kansas City 1 on the last play of the third quarter. Seattle
settled for Rian Lindell's second field goal of the game, a
24-yarder.
Kansas City trailed 10-7 when Grbac and Alexander teamed for
their 50-yard TD strike. The Chiefs got the ball back about two
minutes later when rookie Shaun Alexander had the ball stripped by
Lew Bush and Duane Clemons recovered at the Kansas City 46. Four
plays later, the Chiefs were in the end zone again on Grbac's
34-yard pass to Lockett.
Alexander caught four passes for 137 yards, while Chiefs tight
end Tony Gonzalez had eight catches for 101 yards.
"They concentrate so much on Tony that I get single coverage
and that usually means big plays," Alexander said.
Game notes
Holmgren never lost more than three consecutive games
in seven seasons in Green Bay. The Seahawks lost four straight in
his first season in Seattle. ... The Seahawks were outscored 142-66
in going 0-5 in October. ... Grbac tied Len Dawson (1964-65) for
the franchise record by passing for a touchdown in his 14th
straight game. ... Grbac has two or more passes for touchdowns in
six straight games. ... Grbac had his sixth career 300-yard passing
game and his second against Seattle. ... Seahawks CB Willie
Williams suffered a pinched nerve in his neck in the third quarter,
but the team said the injury did not appear to be too serious. He
played in the fourth period. ... Chiefs center Tim Grunhard injured
his ankle in the third quarter and did not return to the game. His
ankle was X-rayed, but the results were negative.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Kansas City Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
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