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Chiefs ride Johnson to snap 12-game slide

Sep 28, 2008 - 11:27 PM By Marc Bowman PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Larry Johnson and the Kansas City Chiefs tasted victory for the first time in nearly a year Sunday.

Johnson rushed for 198 yards and two touchdowns as the Chiefs snapped a 12-game losing streak - the longest in franchise history - with a 33-19 victory over the Denver Broncos.

Kansas City (1-3) posted its first win since a 12-10 victory over the Oakland Raiders on October 21, 2007. The Chiefs lost their final nine games last season and their first three contests this season.

"Those kids deserve a win," Kansas City coach Herm Edwards said. "Our fans deserve a win too. We haven't won a football game in quite some time. I've never been in a drought like this before. Now we've got to try and build on this win."

Veteran Damon Huard was back in as the starting quarterback, replacing Tyler Thigpen, and Johnson believed that provided a boost for the victory-starved Chiefs.

"I think it's more relief as far as understanding what we're capable of if we play hard and play for four quarters," Johnson said. "We knew the quarterback situation was different than it was two weeks ago and knowing what we could do against the Broncos, we wanted to enhance our running game and get back to what the Chiefs do best."

On Sunday, Kansas City rode the power running of Johnson, who carried 28 times in collecting his 29th 100-yard game. It was his highest total since rushing for 201 yards against Cincinnati in Week 17 of the 2005 season.

"I thought we finished our blocks and we're starting to learn how to run the ball," Edwards added. "I thought last week we did some things running in the second half and we built on that. That was our mind-set. The only way you can run effectively is if you don't get behind. We weren't behind and we kept running it. That was our whole emphasis."

Johnson's 65-yard run - the longest of his career - highlighted Kansas City's opening drive and set up the first of Nick Novak's four field goals.

"I think (the long run) that helped everybody understand we could run the ball," Johnson said. "When they came in, 3-0, they're winning and beating the good teams. I think when that run happened it opened everybody's eyes that we could move the ball."

"It was just nice to get a lead early," Huard added. "Even though we only got field goals, we were still ahead early, so that's the first time that's happened in a while, it seems."

Johnson's 1-yard touchdown plunge, which followed Brandon Flowers' 37-yard return of Brandon Marshall's fumble to the Broncos' 2-yard line, gave the Chiefs a 13-7 lead late in the second quarter.

"(Linebacker Derrick Johnson) made a great tackle and I just saw the ball pop out," Flowers said. "I gave it all I had for the end zone. I had a monkey got on my back a little bit (at the end). I should have dove for the end zone, but LJ did a good job of punching it in from there.

"We fed off our defense's energy," Huard added. "All the young guys were flying around and the crowd got into it. We got the momentum, we built on it and just put together a great win today."

Johnson capped the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown run with 1:37 left in the game.

Kansas City scored on each of their first two possessions. Novak connected for chip shots from 23 and 21 yards as Kansas City took a 6-0 first-quarter advantage.

Huard completed 21-of-28 passes for 160 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown strike to Tony Gonzalez at the start of the fourth quarter for a 23-13 lead.

"We didn't make a whole lot of plays in the passing game," Huard said. "But we were able to run the football and we had great balance. We had the running game going and the passing game picked up in the second half. It was a great, complete win."

Denver (3-1) was denied its first 4-0 start since 2003.

The Broncos came in averaging an NFL-high 38.0 points per game but were allowing 28.0, and the Chiefs took advantage of Denver's defensive problems. Kansas City's 33 points were one more than it scored in its first three games combined.

"We couldn't stop the run," defensive tackle Kenny Peterson said. "(Johnson) is one of the best backs in the league. He made the plays when he should have and capitalized on our mistakes. When they come out to play and force turnovers in their own backyard, they're going to come out on top."

Jay Cutler completed 29-of-49 passes for 361 yards but also tossed a pair of third-quarter interceptions for the Broncos. Overall, Denver had four turnovers.

"You can't make four turnovers offensively and score a lot of points," Cutler said. "We were 1-for-4 in the red zone and it's hard to win ballgames that way."

The Broncos' Matt Prater also made four field goals - including boots of 56 and 51 yards - but he missed a 28-yard try near the end of the first half.

The Broncos have dropped eight of their last 10 games at Arrowhead Stadium.