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Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said earlier in the week that the home fans can turn on a team. He'd heard boos before in Arrowhead Stadium.
He called it, all right.
With 37 seconds left in the first quarter, fans let the Chiefs' defense hear it as the players trudged to the sideline trailing 14-3. It wouldn't be the last time the Chiefs heard the boos.
"It was very embarrassing… having your own stadium booing you as
you are walking off the field," Chiefs cornerback Eric Warfield said. Tickets
TURNOVERS MISSING
The Chiefs led the NFL in turnover margin at plus-19 during the regular season
but were unable to force one Sunday and finished minus-one thanks to a third
quarter Priest Holmes fumble. The Chiefs were 1-3 in games during which they
didn't force a turnover. Even more telling, the Chiefs scored 85 points off
of 29 turnovers during their 9-0 start.
During their 4-4 finish, they scored 24 points off of eight turnovers.
ON THE SAME PAGE
Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne victimized Chiefs cornerback Dexter McCleon
for a 19-yard, third-quarter touchdown thanks to a classic case of skullduggery.
After hitting Wayne on two slant patterns during the drive, Manning made McCleon
bite by faking to the slant before hitting Wayne in the end zone on a fade.
"We got him on a double move," Manning said. "McCleon had pretty
good coverage on it. I just put a good ball out there, and Reggie made a play
on it."
INACTIVES
The following Chiefs were inactive: RB Larry Johnson, LB Mike Maslowski, OL
Jordan Black, DT Eddie Freeman, OT Brett Williams, WR LaShaun Ward and DT Eric
Downing.
PLAYOFF POINTS
Thirty-one points for the Chiefs in the playoffs? No way.
Kansas City had not scored 30 or more points in a postseason game since the
1966 AFL championship, a 31-7 win over Buffalo. The Chiefs failed to reach 20
points in each of their previous four playoff games.
HONORING DT
Perhaps Chiefs defensive tackle R-Kal Truluck was looking for inspiration when
he showed up to the game wearing a Derrick Thomas University of Alabama throwback
jersey. Truluck picked up the first playoff sack of his career when he dropped
Manning in the second quarter.
STILLS TO PRO BOWL?
The Chiefs could send a ninth player to the Pro Bowl. Gary Stills, who was selected
as the AFC's special-teams alternate, could go if New England's Larry Izzo is
unable to make the trip because of an injury he suffered in Saturday's second-round
win over Tennessee.
BRIEF INTERRUPTION
The CBS broadcast was briefly interrupted by interference with just less than
5 minutes remaining in the game. As screens filled with the CBS logo, the Chiefs
faced a critical fourth-and-5 play from the Indianapolis 7. Viewers missed Trent
Green's s 6-yard completion to Eddie Kennison, and the broadcast resumed just
in time for them to see Holmes score a 1-yard touchdown.
EXTRA POINTS
• Kicker Morten Andersen, who missed a 31-yard field goal attempt in the
second quarter, is now 17 of 21 all-time in playoff games.
• Former Chief Donnie Edwards visited the post-game locker room. Edwards,
who now plays with San Diego, was working with the NFL Network. Former cornerback
Ray Crockett also visited the locker room.