Chiefs Top Seahawks in MNF

K A N S A S  C I T Y, Mo., Oct. 3, 2000 -- Rarely in the course of an NFL seasonwill a game turn so quickly on just one play.

“It was unbelievable,” Kansas City coach Gunther Cunninghamsaid.

“Huge football play,” agreed Seattle coach Mike Holmgren.

Trailing 17-7 late in the third quarter and backed up to theirown 5-yard line, the Chiefs (3-2) gained 73 yards on Elvis Grbac’scompletion to Derrick Alexander.

Crowd Pleasers

The sellout crowd of almost 79,000 roared to life. The Chiefs,who had trailed all night, scored 17 unanswered points and seized a24-17 victory over Seattle on Monday night for their third straightcome-from-behind win.

“I saw him get open. I was just hoping Elvis wouldn’t get anypressure and could throw the ball because I know he can throw itthat far,” Cunningham said. “He beat a heck of a corner. When youget backed up on the 5 and come out of there and score in threeplays, that’s a big momentum-turner.”

Grbac, who has led the Chiefs to three wins in a row, was16-of-27 for 256 yards and two scores. He was not intercepted.

“There’s something in the huddle right now,” Grbac said. “Nowwe know if we’re down by three points or 17 points, we have theplayers to come back. We have the ability to come back.”

Two plays later, Alexander beat Shawn Springs for a second timeon a 17-yard TD pass, giving the Chiefs a 3-play scoring drive withGrbac-to-Alexander accounting for 90 of the 95 yards.

After that, the Seahawks (2-3) never regained the momentum.

Elvis Alive and Well

“Elvis made a great throw at the corner’s head and I was ableto get behind him with a great play fake I’m sure,” Alexandersaid.

“We needed that kind of play at that time. After we broke outand scored the TD, the crowd really got back in the game. Thedefense got fired up.”

Both teams had won their last two games after losing their firsttwo.

“We gave up one big play,” Seattle safety Reggie Tongue said.“But I don’t think you can point to just one play.”

The Seahawks were in control for 2½ quarters. They took a 17-7lead on a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter by rookie RianLindell, who made his first NFL start.

After Eric Hicks’ third sack of Jon Kitna forced the Seahawks topunt a few minutes later, the Chiefs drove to the Seattle 8 andPete Stoyanovich tied it 17-all with a 27-yard field goal with 3:18into the fourth quarter.

Then, with all the momentum belonging to the Chiefs, Dante Hallreturned a punt 22 yards. And the Chiefs took their first lead ofthe night with 4:26 left when Mike Cloud beat Willie Williams tothe end zone on a 15-yard touchdown run.

“The momentum shifted when it was going crazy,” Seattle tightend Christian Fauia said.

Penalties Come Into Play

Aided by six penalties against the Chiefs for 32 yards, theSeahawks burned nine minutes off the clock with their firstpossession.

Hicks, after sacking Kitna for a 10-yard loss, was flagged 15yards for taunting. Then, a penalty against defensive tackle DanWilliams for having his hands to the face turned Seattle’sfourth-and-5 into a first down at the Chiefs 40.

On first and goal from the 1, Itula Mili got behind twodefenders in the back of the end zone for a 7-0 Seattle lead.

In the second quarter, Grbac was 5-for-5 for 69 yards in an8-play, 78-yard touchdown drive. On the 15-yard touchdown pass, theball went through the hands of linebacker George Koonce and intothe hands of tight end Tony Gonzalez.

In what almost amounted to a one-man, 75-yard drive that gaveSeattle a 14-7 lead in the second quarter, rookie Shaun Alexandercarried six times for 55 yards and caught an 11-yard pass. Hereeled off 17-yard gains on consecutive plays and finished with a7-yard dash into the end zone, cutting back to his right and goingthrough a huge hole in the Chiefs’ line.

Between Hicks and his own center exchange, Kitna had trouble allnight. Hicks had three sacks, increasing his season total to anAFC-leading seven. And Kitna fumbled the exchange three times, eachtime falling onto the ball to avoid the turnover.

“Give them credit,” Holmgren said. “It was a tough footballgame, a good football game.”

The Chiefs failed in their attempt to set an “on-site” NFLattendance record when only 4,391 showed up in adjacent KauffmanStadium to watch the game on the giant video board. Combined withthe sellout crowd of 78,502, the total attendance of 82,893 fellalmost 8,000 short.