Chiefs Put on the Defensive in 24-14 Win Over Bengals

The Kansas City Chiefs met the challenge of playing against one of the NFL’s strongest offenses.

The Chiefs limited Cincinnati’s high-powered offense to 283 yards--60 on the ground--and safety Deron Cherry and tight end Walt Arnold recovered fumbles in the end zone for touchdowns Sunday to help the Chiefs to a 24-14 victory over the Bengals.

“We played superb defensively,” Kansas City Coach John Mackovic said of his team, which registered three sacks and an interception.

“Today, we saw Cincinnati throw just about everything at us, and I thought our defense played as well as we could absolutely ask them to play.”

It is the fourth straight season the Chiefs have opened with a victory while the Bengals lost their fourth consecutive opener.

“We played terribly,” Bengal quarterback Boomer Esiason said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do on offense. We put eleven guys on the field--six to move the ball, five to protect them. And they didn’t do the job today. We all share the responsibility.”

Kansas City’s Mark Robinson blocked a punt by Jeff Hayes into the end zone where Cherry recovered to open the scoring. Chief running back Herman Heard then fumbled into the end zone and Arnold pounced on it to give Kansas City a 21-7 lead.

Cris Collinsworth caught touchdown passes of 15 and 28 yards from Esiason to account for the Cincinnati scoring.

Kansas City scored twice in the third period after a 7-7 first half. The Chiefs were able to capitalize on a 30-yard punt by Hayes that gave them the ball on their 45. After an incomplete pass, Heard was sent into the line where he appeared to have been stopped.

But the Kansas City running back kept moving, breaking tackles en route to a 40-yard carry before being stopped at the Bengals’ 15. On the next play, Todd Blackledge connected with Jeff Smith to make it 14-7.

The Chiefs went up 21-7 just before the end of the third period after defensive end Art Still recovered a Cincinnati fumble.

The Chiefs went to Heard three straight plays and the third time he lost the ball into the end zone, where Arnold recovered.