Lowery Is on the Money and Chiefs Win, 20-17

When the Kansas City Chiefs get into situations where they have to depend on Nick Lowery, it’s like money in the bank.

Lowery, considered the most reliable kicker in football, kicked a 46-yard field goal with 1:07 left Sunday to give the Chiefs a 20-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills that snapped Kansas City’s eight-game road losing streak.

“We deserved it; we played hard,” Lowery said. “We got a chance to win and we did win.”

The winning field goal was set up when Chief safety Deron Cherry intercepted Jim Kelly’s pass intended for Andre Reed at the Buffalo 45.

The Chiefs (3-1), whose only road victory last year was in the season opener against New Orleans, rebounded from a 17-10 deficit in the fourth quarter.

Todd Blackledge’s one-yard pass to tight end Paul Coffman tied the score, 17-17, with 10:42 left.

“I guess it has been a while since I’ve felt as good as I did about the way we won especially for the effort the team put in,” Chief Coach John Mackovic said. “When you win a game like this you’re thrilled and happy, but worn out.”

The Bills (1-3) took their 17-10 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 32-yard field goal by Scott Norwood. Buffalo went ahead, 14-10, at 7:51 of the third quarter when Kelly threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to rookie running back Ronnie Harmon, the first touchdown of Harmon’s pro career.

Buffalo jumped to a 7-0 lead on the first series of the game, going 80 yards in 11 plays, capped by a 41-yard run up the middle by Robb Riddick after Kelly changed the play at the line of scrimmage.

The Chiefs pulled within 7-3 at 10:54 of the first quarter on a 24-yard field goal by Lowery.

Buffalo was turned away at the Kansas City two-yard line when Riddick fumbled a handoff from quarterback Frank Reich, who came in when Kelly bruised his left forearm and left for X-rays. Chief safety Lloyd Burruss recovered the fumble at the six.

Kansas City moved to a 10-7 halftime lead when Blackledge threw a 26-yard scoring pass to Stephone Paige with 1:28 left in the half. The touchdown was set up when rookie linebacker Dino Hackett intercepted Kelly’s pass intended for tight end Pete Metzelaars at the Kansas City 47.

Buffalo had a chance to tie it with two seconds left in the half, but Norwood missed a 52-yard field-goal attempt.

Kelly returned to the game and finished 24 of 38 pass attempts for 291 yards. Blackledge was 17 of 27 for 210 yards.