Chiefs Improve to 10-1 With Dramatic 20-13 Victory

The Kansas City Chiefs are 10-1 for the first time in franchise history, and even they are beginning to believe they’re onto something special.

And after Sunday night’s bizarre escape, who can blame them?

“I’m starting to think there may be divine intervention helping us along,” Chief guard Dave Szott said.

Chief cornerback Mark Collins picked up Todd McNair’s fumble and ran 34 yards to the end zone with 15 seconds left, lifting the Chiefs past the Houston Oilers, 20-13.

“To be honest, we probably didn’t deserve to win in regulation,” Collins said.

Said McNair: “I single-handedly lost the game. I let everybody down.”

After the Oilers tied the score, 13-13, the Chiefs appeared headed for their fourth overtime of the season.

“But Doug Terry made a good hit, and I just picked up the ball and headed for the pylon,” Collins said.

Bottled up by Houston’s defense, the Chiefs moved only 44 yards in scoring a touchdown and two field goals for a 13-6 lead. Houston quarterback Chris Chandler tied the game with 1:40 remaining when on fourth down and 25 from the 40, he completed a desperation pass to Chris Sanders, who was surrounded by defenders Terry, Dale Carter and William White.

The Oilers, who failed on a two-point conversion after their first touchdown in the second quarter, let Al Del Greco kick the extra point to tie the score, 13-13.

Following a defensive stop, the Oilers got the ball again with less than a minute remaining before McNair’s fumble.

“I can’t describe the feeling. This team fought and scratched and I lost it,” said McNair, a former Chief. “It lands squarely on my shoulders. We’re going into overtime and all I have to do is hold onto the ball real good. It was a good hit, I guess. I got dazed.”

The Oilers (4-7), who had announced four days earlier that they were moving to Nashville, held the Chiefs to 115 yards passing and 66 yards rushing.

“This team believes in itself,” Kansas City General Manager Carl Peterson said. “A team that believes in itself can be a very dangerous force.”