KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks kept driving deep into Kansas City territory. They kept getting stonewalled. First they were held to field goals, and then they were held to nothing.
The result? The Chiefs earned a 24-20 victory over the reigning Super Bowl champs.
Not only did the spirited performance on a bone-chilling Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium extend their winning streak to five games, it also pushed Kansas City into a tie with Denver atop the AFC West. The Broncos were stunned by St. Louis while the Chiefs were putting away Seattle.
“It means a lot,” said Chiefs defensive tackle Dontari Poe. “We know what they did last year and we know they are still a real good football team. For us to come in and get a win, it’s big for us. We know where we are now, and how much we have to go to get to where they were last year. It was real big for us.”
But don’t think for a minute the Chiefs think they’ve arrived.
Asked when he had heard that Denver had lost, Poe replied: “I heard about 10 seconds ago. You just told us. I mean, it’s an even better day now. But we have to keep fighting.”
Kansas City’s turnaround has been nothing short of remarkable.
After getting slapped around by Tennessee in their opener and losing at Denver in Week 2, the Chiefs (7-3) have won seven of their last eight. Their only loss in that span came in San Francisco, a game against another tough team that could have gone either way.
Now, they head to winless Oakland for a Thursday night matchup knowing another victory would set up a pivotal Sunday night showdown against the Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium.
“It feels good to know that we were able to bounce back after a poor start at the beginning of the season,” Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali said, “but we have a lot of work to do.”
In the passing game? Perhaps. On special teams? Maybe. But the truth is, there aren’t a whole lot of holes in the Chiefs right now, especially when it comes to defense.
The Chiefs still have not allowed a 300-yard passer through the first 11 weeks, including games against Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Philip Rivers. They also haven’t given up a touchdown on the ground, the only team in the NFL to accomplish that this season.
In fact, the next-fewest touchdowns allowed on the ground? Four, by several teams.
Seattle marched deep into Chiefs’ territory midway through the fourth quarter, but Kansas City stuffed running back Marshawn Lynch at the 2-yard line. The Seahawks gambled on fourth down, and Wilson overshot Doug Baldwin in the corner of the end zone to turn the ball over.
“It comes down to finishing,” Seahawks offensive tackle Russell Okung said. “It was a big grinder, and we weren’t able to come through. Hats off to the Kansas City defense.”
It was the first of three fourth-down attempts that Kansas City repulsed.
The next came at the Kansas City 36, when a challenge by Chiefs coach Andy Reid overturned the spot on a pass reception that would have given the Seahawks a first down. Instead, they were stuck with fourth-and-1, and Lynch was plugged up by the Kansas City defense for no gain.
The final fourth-down stop came with a couple minutes left, and was the least dramatic. The Chiefs had pinned Seattle deep in its own territory, and Poe’s sack and left them with fourth-and-18. Wilson’s desperation throw was incomplete and the ball went back to the Chiefs.
All they had to do was run out the clock to wrap up the victory. Wrap up a tie for first in the AFC West, too.
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
East
W L T Pct PF PA
New England 8 2 0 .800 323 218
Miami 6 4 0 .600 249 180
Buffalo 5 5 0 .500 200 204
N.Y. Jets 2 8 0 .200 174 265
South
W L T Pct PF PA
Indianapolis 6 4 0 .600 310 253
Houston 5 5 0 .500 229 204
Tennessee 2 7 0 .222 144 223
Jacksonville 1 9 0 .100 158 282
North
W L T Pct PF PA
Cincinnati 6 3 1 .650 224 221
Baltimore 6 4 0 .600 261 181
Pittsburgh 6 4 0 .600 261 239
Cleveland 6 4 0 .600 216 195
West
W L T Pct PF PA
Denver 7 3 0 .700 293 224
Kansas City 7 3 0 .700 241 171
San Diego 6 4 0 .600 218 192
Oakland 0 10 0 .000 152 265
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
East
W L T Pct PF PA
Philadelphia 7 3 0 .700 299 251
Dallas 7 3 0 .700 261 212
N.Y. Giants 3 7 0 .300 205 263
Washington 3 7 0 .300 204 256
South
W L T Pct PF PA
Atlanta 4 6 0 .400 238 255
New Orleans 4 6 0 .400 261 252
Carolina 3 7 1 .318 215 300
Tampa Bay 2 8 0 .200 194 279
North
W L T Pct PF PA
Detroit 7 3 0 .700 188 156
Green Bay 7 3 0 .700 330 225
Chicago 4 6 0 .400 215 290
Minnesota 4 6 0 .400 181 220
West
W L T Pct PF PA
Arizona 9 1 0 .900 237 176
San Francisco 6 4 0 .600 211 212
Seattle 6 4 0 .600 260 215
St. Louis 4 6 0 .400 185 258
Thursday’s game
Miami 22, Buffalo 9
Sunday’s Games
Chicago 21, Minnesota 13
Kansas City 24, Seattle 20
Cincinnati 27, New Orleans 10
St. Louis 22, Denver 7
Houston 23, Cleveland 7
Atlanta 19, Carolina 17
Tampa Bay 27, Washington 7
San Francisco 16, N.Y. Giants 10
San Diego 13, Oakland 6
Arizona 14, Detroit 6
Green Bay 53, Philadelphia 20
New England 42, Indianapolis 20
Open: Baltimore, Dallas, Jacksonville, N.Y. Jets
Monday’s Game
Pittsburgh at Tennessee (n)
Thursday, Nov. 20
Kansas City at Oakland, 7:25 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 23
Green Bay at Minnesota
Cincinnati at Houston
Tampa Bay at Chicago
Cleveland at Atlanta
Tennessee at Philadelphia
Detroit at New England
Jacksonville at Indianapolis
N.Y. Jets at Buffalo
Arizona at Seattle
St. Louis at San Diego
Washington at San Francisco
Miami at Denver
Dallas at N.Y. Giants
Open: Carolina, Pittsburgh
Monday, Nov. 24
Baltimore at New Orleans
