Austin Runs For Miles, Chiefs Lose, 26-20, In OT

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin, making his first start in the NFL, torched the Kansas City Chiefs for 250 yards on ten catches and scored two touchdowns.

By James Sullivan

Chiefs Coalition Columnist

      Last week, the Chiefs secondary made wide receiver Steve Smith of the New York Giants look like the second coming of Jerry Rice.  This week it was Dallas Cowboys wide receiver  Miles Austin's turn at instant stardom.  Austin, making his first start in the NFL, racked up Tecmo Bowl-type numbers against the over matched Chiefs defense, en route to a Cowboys victory, 26-20, in overtime.  Poor angles and even worse attempts at tackling caused Austin to score two long touchdowns, the final one being the difference in the game.

     The Cowboys tried as hard as they could to gift wrap a win for the Chiefs. The usual culprits reared their ugly heads again as the Chiefs snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.  Another slow start on offense left the Chiefs with seven total yards and just over four minutes time of possession after the first quarter.  For a team that is as talent poor as the Chiefs are digging such a hole in the time of possession, even though there was no score, leaves an already vulnerable defense ripe for the picking late in the game.

     Two turnovers by the Cowboys in their own territory led to ten points for the Chiefs.  The compensation the Chiefs received for their second round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel, connected for a short touchdown pass.  It was Varbel's 11 touchdown on 11 receptions in the linebacker's career.  Vrabel's touchdown gave the Chiefs a 10-0 lead.  The Cowboys could only score one Nick Folk field goal in the first half as the Chiefs took a 10-3 lead to the break.

      Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop added a field goal in the third period to push the Chiefs lead back to 10 points.  With just under 17 minutes left in the game the Cowboys finally woke up as backup running back Tashard Choice broke loose for a long touchdown run.  The Cowboys would score 17 points in-a-row before the Chiefs had an answer.  In the midst of the Cowboys run Succop had a long field goal attempt blocked.  Cowboy Jay Ratliff hurdled the Chiefs blockers and blocked the field goal attempt.  It was perhaps the most pathetic attempt at blocking I've seen in the NFL.

      Cassel did look sharp leading the Chiefs down the field in the final minutes of the game.  The drive culminated with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe to make the score 20-19.  Some would argue that the Chiefs should have gone for the win and two points right there.  Hindsight is 20/20 and Haley made the correct call letting the Chiefs kick the extra point and sending the game to overtime.

       In overtime the Chiefs had the ball, first and ten, at midfield and could do nothing with it as they had to punt the ball back to Dallas.  After that it didn't take long for embattled Cowboy quarterback, Tony Romo, to find Austin for the winning score.  Chiefs corner back Maurice Leggett made a play for the ball instead of going for the tackle.  Austin caught the ball and broke free and ran down field for the winning score.  Another loss for the Chiefs.

       The Chiefs gave up almost 500 total net yards to the Cowboys.  It's hard to believe that the Chiefs even had a chance to win considering that.  The Cowboys committed 13 penalties and lost two fumbles and dropped at least three touchdown passes and still escaped with a win.  Dallas had an average of 5.8 yards per carry while the Chiefs managed a rather paltry 2.5.  The Chiefs did convert, a prolific ratio for them and pretty awful for the rest of the league, five of 17 third downs.

      This week the Chiefs travel to the nation's capital to face the Washington Redskins who are coming off of a heartbreaking loss to the Carolina Panthers, 20-17.  The Redskins will make history this week as they are the first team to open the season against six win less teams when they face the Chiefs.  This game will also mark the end of the Chiefs run against every team from the NFC East.  It will take a nearly perfect effort on the road for the Chiefs to win this week.  The Chiefs lack of talent and  razor thin margin of error will make finding a victory in DC a very tall order.

yahoosports.com contributed to this story and Getty Images the photo

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