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Chiefs play Fins ahead of schedule

Chiefs cornerback Eric Warfield, left, knocks Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown out of bounds before he is able to score during the second half in Miami, Florida, on Friday. Kansas City defeated Miami 30-20. PHOTO: AP

When the game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs began Friday night, the scene looked eerily similar to their meeting in this city in 1966, when the Dolphins were in their inaugural American Football League season. Just 19,387 showed up back then at the Orange Bowl.

Facing a rainy night and the Category 4 Hurricane Wilma working its way from Mexico, the fans were slow to arrive. The Chiefs were ahead 7-0 before many among a crowd that was much smaller than the announced attendance of 68,350 arrived at Dolphins Stadium, and went on to a 30-20 victory.

The teams were supposed to play here Sunday, but the threat of Wilma prompted the switch.

"When I got here in February, I don't think Wayne Huizenga," the Dolphins' owner, "mentioned that I would be introduced to so many new women in my life, particularly someone named Wilma," Joe Bailey, the chief executive of Dolphins Enterprises, said of Florida's numerous recent hurricane threats.

The Chiefs (4-2) showed no sign of jet lag in scoring on the game's first possession, maneuvering 80 yards in eight plays. Trent Green's 50-yard pass to Chris Horn put them at the Miami 18, and tight end Tony Gonzalez's 8-yard catch on 3rd-and-5 gave them a new set of downs at the 5.

Priest Holmes then sprinted around left end for the touchdown.

Miami (2-4) did not come to life until the second quarter, when Olindo Mare's 33-yard field goal, set up by a 47-yard punt return by Wes Welker, made the score 7-3.

The Chiefs countered with another 80-yard drive fueled in part by Green's passes of 17 yards to Dante Hall and 29 yards to Marc Boerigter. Larry Johnson's 2-yard dive gave Kansas City a 14-3 lead.

The Dolphins got another lift from Welker -- this time a 34-yard catch from Gus Frerotte -- that put Mare in position to make a 23-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in the half, cutting the deficit to 14-6.

The third quarter opened spectacularly for the Dolphins. On the first play, the rookie running back Ronnie Brown started around left end. He was almost jolted off his feet by free safety Greg Wesley, but he regained his balance and raced 65 yards along the left sideline for a touchdown that made the score 14-13.

It took just two plays for the Chiefs to counter. After a 24-yard pass from Green to Jason Dunn, Holmes burst free for a 35-yard touchdown to make the score 21-13.

Before the third quarter ended, the Chiefs increased their lead on a 30-yard field goal from Lawrence Tynes.

And in the fourth, Tynes added a personal-best 51-yard field goal, then topped it with a 52-yarder. The Dolphins closed the scoring with a 77-yard touchdown pass from Sage Rosenfels to Chris Chambers.

SHORT NOTICE

The Chiefs went through a lot just to get to the game, according to Bob Moore, the team's public-relations director. On Wednesday night, they were told by the National Football League that Friday would be the only day on which they would not play. They were asked to prepare for the possibilities of playing host to the game or playing at a neutral site.

So Moore and others made dozens of telephone calls, meeting well into the night on Wednesday and on Thursday morning. At about 10am Thursday, they were told they were going to Miami to play Friday.

That left the Chiefs with one regular practice day: Wednesday. On Thursday, they went through a walk-through and then Coach Dick Vermeil sent his players home to pack for an airport rendezvous at 8am Friday. Their charter left an hour later, arriving in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at about 1:20 in the afternoon, Moore said. The team was bused to its hotel, where the players tried to relax. Some attended a chapel service, and beds were made available to others. After their pregame meal, they left for Dolphins Stadium at about 3:30pm for the 7pm game.

The league decision to play the game on Friday angered many Chiefs fans, Moore said, because it was televised within only a 90km radius of Kansas City.

"We're a regional team," Moore said. "We have a lot of fans in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa. I've received 400 e-mails today. We're getting hammered by our fans."

Perhaps the victory will soften that anger.

Two months ago, who would have thought that approaching midseason these division rivals would be playing essentially a tossup game? While the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) are a perennial powerhouse, the Cincinnati Bengals (5-1) are just becoming a force.

The game matches the NFL's two passing leaders: Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers (123.8 ranking points) and Carson Palmer of the Bengals (113.6). Roethlisberger's hyperextended left knee is sound again, and just in time for the Steelers.

When the Steelers lost to the Jaguars in overtime last Sunday, Tommy Maddox, their replacement quarterback, made four turnovers, two in overtime. Coach Bill Cowher said he was upset that he had stayed with Maddox and not turned to the experienced third-stringer, Charlie Batch.

Coach Marvin Lewis of the Bengals, who got his pro coaching start as an assistant to Cowher, intimated that Cowher's self-blame was a psychological stunt. "He'll rally the troops," Lewis said. "That's his deal. That's his style."

Roethlisberger or not, the Steelers are a running team with potent tailbacks like Jerome Bettis, Duce Staley and the rookie Willie Parker. Look for Bettis to get most of the work, but as linebacker Brian Simmons of the Bengals said: "Their offensive line is why they're there. Whoever they put back there, they're going to try and pound him. Whether Ben is quarterbacking or Terry Bradshaw, it's going to be the same. They're going to run the ball."

In the Bengals' tough victory over the Titans, Palmer completed 27 of 33 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. The Bengals' passing game is key because the Steelers have not allowed a 100-yard runner in 19 games. The Bengals have a game-breaking receiver in Chad Johnson, and another key receiver, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, returns from a hand injury three weeks ago.

Palmer calls this the biggest game in his three years with the Bengals, but adds, "We can't get caught up in that."

They are already.

Dallas (4-2) at Seattle (4-2)

After the Cowboys sneaked by the Giants, despite four turnovers and two missed field goals, Coach Bill Parcells said, "You don't get to win many of those with those kind of mistakes."

Now, when these division leaders meet, the Cowboys are without the injured Flozell Adams, their top pass blocker, and Patrick Crayton, a key receiver. In routing the Texans, the Seahawks rushed for 320 yards. Shaun Alexander, their star runner, said: "This team is finally getting to where it should be. We handle our business."

San Diego (3-3) at

Philadelphia (3-2)

Their travails may not show it, but these are two playoff-caliber teams. When the Chargers beat the Raiders, LaDainian Tomlinson ran for one touchdown, passed for one and caught for one.

Donovan McNabb, the Eagles' harried quarterback, was beaten up in their last game and should benefit from the bye week. The running offense (64.2 yards a game) has disappeared, and the defense, especially the secondary, has gone bad. As defensive end N.D. Kalu said, "If we don't bring our A game, anyone can beat us."

Denver (5-1) at NY Giants (3-2)

Are the Broncos really that good? They beat the Patriots last week, they have won five in a row and Jake Plummer has not thrown an interception in 17 quarters.

Receiver Ashley Lelie said of Plummer: "He's definitely been playing a lot smarter. He puts up wins for us when he plays smart like that."

The Giants lost in overtime to the Cowboys, and tailback Tiki Barber said he knew why. "The defense created turnover after turnover," he said, "but we were too inept to capitalize. The offense is out of synch."

NY Jets (2-4) at Atlanta (4-2)

The Falcons beat the Saints on a last-play field goal after allowing 211 yards to two backup runners, even against occasional eight-man fronts.

As Coach Jim Mora of the Falcons said, "You put it in your pocket and you get on the plane as fast as you can and you get home." The Jets, in their fifth straight road loss, surrendered 177 rushing yards to the Bills. Vinny Testaverde, the Jets' 41-year-old comeback quarterback, had shaky moments, and now center Kevin Mawae, his best blocker, is gone for the season.

Detroit (2-3) at Cleveland (2-3)

After the Lions' offense scored only six points in losing to the Panthers, Dre' Bly, the Lions' discouraged cornerback, said: "It's frustrating. It's embarrassing. We might as well suit up and play offense."

The Browns got only three points in losing to the Ravens.

Green Bay (1-4) at Minnesota (1-4)

Quarterback Brett Favre said of his young Packers' teammates, "Even though we're 1-4, I think an older team that knows better could have easily packed it in."

The Vikings seem to have crumbled, and Coach Mike Tice may soon be out of a job.

Indianapolis (6-0) at Houston (0-5)

The Colts unaccountably spotted the Rams a 17-0 lead, then overran them. The Texans are last in the league in offense, and quarterback David Carr, sacked 30 times this season, said, "It's frustrating because at 0-5 it's going to be easy to jump off the bridge."

New Orleans (2-4) at St. Louis (2-4)

The Saints, with 456 yards (211 rushing) against the Falcons, lost because three turnovers turned into 21 points. In a drubbing by the Colts, the Rams lost quarterback Marc Bulger to a sprained right shoulder. His replacement, Jamie Martin, was shaky.

San Francisco (1-4) at

Washington (3-2)

The 49ers, losers of four straight, have not scored an offensive touchdown in their last two games. Alex Smith, a rookie, stays at quarterback. The Redskins have two takeaways and 10 giveaways, and Coach Joe Gibbs said, "I don't know how to explain it."

Baltimore (2-3) at Chicago (2-3)

When the Ravens beat the Browns last week, they got to Trent Dilfer for four sacks and three turnovers. Now they face an unsophisticated quarterback in Kyle Orton. The Bears need a big running game from Thomas Jones, who is fighting through a tender knee.

Buffalo (3-3) at Oakland (1-4)

The Bills beat the Jets with 177 yards rushing, and Kelly Holcomb seems to have wrested the quarterback job from J.P. Losman. Unless the Raiders have the bruised receiver Randy Moss full time, there will be too much pressure on their ground game.

Tennessee (2-4) at Arizona (1-4)

The Titans gave the Bengals a good game, but their offense is too inconsistent. Josh McCown of the Cardinals has passed for 385 and 394 yards in his two fill-in starts, so the more experienced Kurt Warner, sound again after a groin injury, may have to sit.

Byes: Carolina Panthers (4-2), Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2), New England Patriots (3-3) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1).
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