Monday, September 22, 2003
AFC: Texas natives help Chiefs beat Houston
Big days by Hall, Holmes spell loss for sliding Houston
The Associated Press
HOUSTON - Dante Hall found nourishment off a trip to Mom's kitchen. Hall had a 73-yard punt return for a score in his return to Texas, and Priest Holmes had 156 total yards and two touchdowns to lead Kansas City to a 42-14 win and its first 3-0 start in seven years.
"The guy that gave us the spark was Dante Hall. We are going to give the game ball to his mother," Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said, noting Hall is from Houston. "She cooked for him last night and we are going to bring her home with us."
The Texans (1-2) trailed 14-7 late in the third quarter when Houston rookie Tony Hollings, getting his first playing time at running back this season, fumbled after a jarring hit by safety Jerome Woods.
The Chiefs' Dexter McCleon recovered at the Houston 32-yard-line.
Moments later, Trent Green hit a wide-open Eddie Kennison for a 15-yard score.
The Texans went three-and-out on their next series, and Hall made them pay.
Hall took the punt at the 27-yard line, escaped Jason Simmons and darted around the right end where he juked punter Chad Stanley. Then he picked up his blockers and cut back untouched across the goal line for a 28-7 lead.
It was Hall's fifth punt or kickoff return for a touchdown in his last eight games.
"I looked at this game on the schedule and I saw that it was on my birthday at home, and I was like, 'Luck can only take you so far. That has to be something from up there, lining it up,' " Hall said, pointing toward the heavens. "Then for me to go out and score, it was unbelievable."
"When you give guys from Texas a chance to come home, we do everything big in Texas. Just look at (Reliant Stadium)," said Holmes, who grew up in San Antonio and played at Texas.
The Chiefs went up 42-7 when Shaunard Harts returned David Carr's second interception 39 yards. Carr left the game and had an ice pack applied to his right calf, though he said his exit was not related to his slight injury.
Tony Banks played the final minutes and threw a late TD pass to rookie Andre Johnson, who finished with seven receptions for 102 yards and two scores.
Colts 23, Jaguars 13
INDIANAPOLIS - When Reggie Wayne heard Indianapolis Colts fans chanting his name, some teammates insisted he was in the wrong place.
Peyton Manning had him right where he wanted.
Wayne produced the best game of his NFL career, catching 10 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns - nearly all in the second half - as he carried the Colts to a 23-13 victory over Jacksonville.
"It's not Reggie Miller today - it's Reggie Wayne," the third-year receiver said. "So I can enjoy it for one day."
The chants of "Reg-gie! Reg-gie!" have typically been reserved in Indianapolis for Miller, the Pacers' all-time leading scorer. On Sunday, for the first time, the chant reverberated inside the RCA Dome - and for good reason.
Wayne did it all as the Colts improved to 3-0 for the first time since 1996, and only the second time since 1978.
He went across the middle, won battles on deep routes, made impressive runs after the catch and terrific adjustments. He finished with career highs in receptions and yards and matched a career high in touchdowns.
His numbers would have been even more impressive had he not dropped a possible touchdown catch on Manning's floater across the middle late.
But it didn't matter.
Wayne played the way the Colts expected him to when they made him their first-round pick in 2001, and everybody responded.
"They rolled the coverage to Marvin (Harrison) and Peyton did a good job with his reads," coach Tony Dungy said.
"Reggie came through. These are the kinds of games we expect him to have. If they do that, he's got to make them pay."
The Colts cashed in with what is becoming their trademark: a stifling defense and an offense that keeps finding lesser-known weapons and plays just well enough to win.
Dolphins 17, Bills 7
MIAMI - The Miami Dolphins stymied Eric Moulds, harried Drew Bledsoe and sidelined Travis Henry. They also gave the ball to Ricky Williams over and over.
With a workhorse running back and dominating defense, Miami beat Buffalo to forge a tie atop the AFC East.
Williams carried a franchise-record 42 times for 153 yards and one score. The Dolphins made interceptions to end two early scoring threats by the Bills, whose only points came on Nate Clements' 54-yard interception return.
Miami moved into a tie for the division lead with the Bills and New England, all at 2-1.
Ravens 24, Chargers 10
SAN DIEGO - Jamal Lewis talked the most smack about his matchup with LaDainian Tomlinson, and he also gained the most yards.
A week after setting the NFL single-game record with 295 yards on 30 carries, Lewis ran for 132 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries as Baltimore beat punchless San Diego.
Lewis also fumbled at midfield late in the first quarter, but the ball bounced a few yards ahead and fullback Alan Ricard picked it up and ran 50 yards for a touchdown.
Lewis needed 182 yards to break O.J. Simpson's two-game record of 476 yards set in 1976.
Lewis irked Tomlinson during the week by saying Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis was going to dominate the Chargers' star running back.
Tomlinson, the NFL's second-leading rusher last year with 1,683 yards, had a season-high 105 yards on 23 carries and scored his first TD in three games. He also had eight catches for 51 yards.
Patriots 23, Jets 16
FOXBORO, Mass. - Tom Brady joined the list of injured New England players when he hurt his arm against the New York Jets.
So he used his legs instead to help the Patriots beat the Jets.
Brady, who hurt his right elbow with 5:45 left in the second quarter, scored on a 1-yard run late in the third quarter to give the Patriots a 16-9 lead. Vinny Testaverde quickly gave the Patriots another touchdown when rookie Asante Samuel returned an interception 55 yards just 11 seconds into the fourth quarter of their home opener.
Testaverde came right back, throwing a 29-yard scoring pass to Wayne Chrebet with 2:07 gone in the fourth, making it 23-16. But the Jets, continuing to struggle with their ground game, managed a missed 42-yard field goal attempt by Doug Brien after that.
The Patriots (2-1) broke a five-game home losing streak against the Jets (0-3).
Browns 13, 49ers 12
SAN FRANCISCO - Andre Davis caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Kelly Holcomb with 29 seconds left as Cleveland rallied for two late scores to beat the 49ers 13-12.
Holcomb led the Browns (1-2) on two stirring drives for the victory. Owen Pochman made four field goals for the 49ers (1-2).
"That's Cleveland Browns football: Just wait until the last minute and 35 seconds of the game," coach Butch Davis said.
Humiliated by Jamal Lewis' NFL-record 295 yards rushing last week, Cleveland held the tailback tandem of Garrison Hearst and Kevan Barlow to 32 yards combined.
Titans 27, Saints 12
Nashville, Tenn. - Steve McNair threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns, becoming just the fifth quarterback in NFL history to reach 20,000 yards passing with 3,000 yards rushing.
Eddie George had 29 carries for 100 yards and ran for his first touchdown of the season to seal the victory for the Titans (2-1). Deuce McAllister had 11 carries for 8 yards for the Saints (1-2).
BENGALS
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