Bengals-Chiefs

Chiefs-Bengals

The Kansas City Chiefs gave Dick Vermeil a near-perfect goodbye gift.

They couldn't give him what they really wanted, though - one more game as their head coach.

The Chiefs were unstoppable on offense and stifling on defense in Sunday's 37-3 victory over the playoff-bound Cincinnati Bengals. But Pittsburgh's 35-21 victory over Detroit kept the Chiefs (10-6) from reaching the AFC playoffs, meaning Vermeil's decision to retire at the end of the season takes effect immediately.

``I think they've demonstrated that they are a playoff-caliber football team,'' Vermeil said. ``We just didn't get some things done that we had to get done at the time we needed to get them done.''

Cincinnati, its playoff berth already in hand, didn't need to get a lot done on Sunday - and it didn't.

Only Shayne Graham's first-quarter field goal kept the Bengals (11-5) from being shut out for the first time since 2001, and the AFC North champions take a two-game losing streak into their first playoff appearance in 15 years.

But at least they get to go, as the No. 3 seed hosting Pittsburgh in the first round Sunday. Cincinnati split the regular-season series with its AFC North rival, each team winning on the road.

``This game is over with, and we've got to move on,'' Bengals defensive end Justin Smith said. ``It really doesn't mean anything. There's no excuses, but we knew we were going to play next week. It's win or go home now.''

Kansas City becomes only the fourth team to go 10-6 and miss the postseason since the NFL expanded the field to 12 teams after the 1990 season.

``It's difficult. I'll be honest with you,'' guard Brian Waters said. ``I feel like we left a lot of things out on the field as an offense, but all you can do is finish the best you can. The team didn't quit. We gave it a shot and put a lot of pressure on the other teams.''

The Chiefs' offensive successes down the stretch - especially the emergence of Larry Johnson as one of the league's elite running backs - makes missing the playoffs even harder to take.

Johnson ran for 201 yards and a career-high three scores on 21 carries, his ninth straight 100-yard game, and broke Kansas City's single-season rushing record.

Johnson, who scored two touchdowns 40 seconds apart late in the second quarter, finished with 1,750 yards rushing to break Priest Holmes' club record of 1,615 yards - despite not becoming the regular starter until Nov. 6, after lingering effects of head and neck trauma ended Holmes' season.

``I feel like I could play 10 to 15 more games, because I'm so young,'' said Johnson, a third-year professional who will play in his first Pro Bowl next month. ``People think that because I have a lot of carries, I'm taking a lot of shots, but I'm not.''

His streak of nine straight 100-plus rushing games is the third longest in NFL history, tied with Walter Payton, Fred Taylor and Deuce McAllister.

He just missed a fourth touchdown midway through the fourth quarter when he fumbled at Cincinnati's 2-yard line.

Rudi Johnson, held to 18 yards on 10 carries, still broke his single-season rushing record for Cincinnati. He finished with 1,457 yards, three more than his previous mark.

But with his struggles, and a relatively quiet day for irrepressible Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson, there was no question which Johnson was the game's biggest star.

With the Chiefs up 6-3 late in the second quarter, Larry Johnson broke through the line and ran 49 yards for the game's first TD. Three plays after that, tight end Matt Schobel tipped Jon Kitna's pass and Sammy Knight intercepted at the Bengals 41.

After Trent Green's 27-yard pass to Tony Gonzalez, Johnson started left, spun out of David Pollack's tackle and cut back across the field - picking up a key block from Green along the way - for a 14-yard TD.

It was the first of two interceptions thrown by Kitna, who replaced Carson Palmer to start the second quarter.

After Johnson's 20-yard run on the opening drive of the second half gave the Chiefs a 27-3 lead, Patrick Surtain's interception set up Lawrence Tynes' 23-yard field goal.

Palmer, who sustained a groin strain last week against Buffalo, said the injury wasn't an issue.

``My groin felt great,'' he said. ``I could have ended up playing the whole game. ``But I think Coach (Marvin Lewis) wanted to let some of the starters rest. Looking back, I'm glad I let my groin rest.''

Tynes also kicked first-half field goals of 39 and 24 yards for the Chiefs.

Green finished 23-for-29 for 335 yards, closing out Kansas City's scoring with an 8-yard pass to Dee Brown.

Eddie Kennison had 151 yards on seven catches for the Chiefs.

Chad Johnson was held to 55 yards on four catches.

Chargers-Chiefs

Drawing dirty looks in the San Diego locker room was easy after Larry Johnson and the Kansas City Chiefs snuffed out the Chargers' playoff hopes with a 20-7 victory Saturday.

Just asking the mistake-prone visitors if they were flat in the wake of their huge victory at Indianapolis did the trick.

``We weren't,'' coach Marty Schottenheimer said in a level voice. ``We were outplayed.''

Indeed. The Chiefs ran their December home winning streak to 18 and kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a dominating victory a week after they lost at the New York Giants in one of their poorest games of the year.

Johnson kept up his amazing run with his eighth straight 100-yard rushing game, constantly digging his heels into the wet, slippery turf for extra yardage, dragging tacklers with him.

The third-year pro had 131 tough yards and two touchdowns against a defense that came in as No. 1 in the league against the run and had not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 16 straight games.

He scored on a 4-yard dash and an eye-popping, tackle-busting 28-yard catch-and-run down the sideline. Since he became the starter Nov. 1 after Priest Holmes went on injured reserve, Johnson has a league-leading 1,150 yards on the ground.

But he seemed most pleased with improved skills in an area that's drawn criticism of late.

``I was definitely on a mission today as far as pass-blocking,'' he said. ``I think I did pretty well as far as blocking.''

While eliminating the Chargers (9-6), the Chiefs (9-6) clinched the AFC West title for Denver.

For the Chiefs to make the postseason, three things have to happen:

- They must beat Cincinnati next Sunday;

- Denver has to beat the Chargers;

- On Saturday, the underdog Detroit Lions will have to upset the Steelers at Pittsburgh.

``Detroit needs to go sign Barry Sanders for just one more week,'' Chiefs left tackle Willie Roaf said. ``It's going to be tough.''

Anything short of the postseason is bound to be a big letdown for a team that squandered its chances with road losses to Dallas and the Giants the previous two weeks.

``This is my ninth year here and I've been to the playoffs only twice and we've lost both times,'' tight end Tony Gonzalez said. ``Definitely, it would be a huge disappointment if we don't make the playoffs this year.''

San Diego was flagged for seven penalties for 58 yards and had two turnovers and hardly resembled the tough-minded outfit that ruined the Colts' unbeaten season.

``They came out hard,'' rookie linebacker Shawne Merriman said. ``They came out fighting for every inch. They were very tough and they game-planned us very well.''

LaDainian Tomlinson, the other Pro Bowl running back in this game, had 49 yards on 15 carries.

``We stopped the run and made them a one-dimensional team,'' said cornerback Patrick Surtain, whose interception stopped the Chargers' deepest threat in the second half.

``Once you do that, you could get them out of rhythm by switching your coverages up. Any time you can hold a running back like LaDainian to 50 yards, that's something special.''

The Chiefs' first scoring drive covered 43 yards and Johnson was responsible for every inch, getting 5 yards on a pass and picking up 38 on four carries, capping it with a 4-yard TD run.

The Chargers drew even at 7 a few minutes later on Drew Brees' 18-yard TD pass to Antonio Gates. Brees was 18-for-33 for 161 yards.

On the first play of the second quarter, Green threw a perfect pass to Samie Parker as the second-year wide receiver ran into the end zone, putting the Chiefs up 14-7.

Then Johnson made his tackle-busting tightrope walk down the sideline. Taking Green's pass in the flat, he broke tackles by Jamar Fletcher and Drayton Florence, each time stepping carefully to stay in bounds.

``That's one of the best plays I've seen a running back make in my career,'' Roaf said.

The call was reviewed to see if Johnson broke the plane of the goal line with the ball. But the ruling on the field was upheld, making it 20-7 with 1:45 left in the half after the Chiefs botched the extra point.

Notes: The Chargers were trying for their first back-to-back playoff appearances in a decade. ... Johnson has 17 touchdowns rushing this season, the third-highest total in KC history. It was Johnson's 12th career game with two or more TDs. Ironically, it was a big tackle by Merriman in their first meeting this year that gave Johnson his chance. The hit put starter Priest Holmes on injured reserve.