Chiefs Kick Redskins, 14-6

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop is "Mr. Irrelevant" no longer after making four field goals to help lead the Chiefs to their first victory of the season.

By James Sullivan

Chiefs Coalition Columnist

     It wasn't pretty but for a team searching for it's first win of the season it will do just fine.  The Kansas City Chiefs on the leg of their rookie kicker, Ryan Succop, beat the Washington Redskins, 14-6.  Succop was successful on all four of his field goal attempts.

     A quick look at the final score by someone who didn't watch the game would lead them to believe that the Chiefs scored two touchdowns on their way to the win.  Chiefs fans know that this team can't do anything the easy way. 

     Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel again was under extreme pressure all game.  He was sacked five times and barely completed over 50 percent of his passes.  He, often times as a result of being on the run all season, held the ball too long or rushed passes to his receivers. 

      If Cassel can start the rest of the games this season for the Chiefs it would be one of the most impressive feats of any player in the history of the league.  Really, it would be, considering the porous offensive line of the Chiefs.

      Chiefs running back Larry Johnson and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe had fairly productive days.  Johnson carried the ball 23 times for 83 yards and looked like a back who had some gas left in the tank.  The much maligned offensive line deserves some credit here as Johnson had the widest running lanes he has had all season.

      Backup lineman Wade Smith made the start at left tackle in place of the injured Branden Albert.   He is suffering from an injured ankle after Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman and cheap shot artist Igor Olshansky dove into his leg from behind in their game last week.

      Bowe had six receptions for 109 yards all of this coming after Chiefs head coach Todd Haley allegedly threatened to trade him on the sideline during the game. 

      The Redskins were also without their left tackle, Chris Samuels, who is suffering from a neck injury.  Redskins running back Clinton Portis went over the 100 yard mark but most of his 109 yards came on a 78-yard run.  As a team the Redskins only accounted for 30 yards rushing after Portis' long scamper.

      Defensively, the Chiefs turned in their top performance of the season and much of that can be attributed to the offense.  The offense didn't turn the ball over and led in time of possession by a whopping difference of nearly 15 minutes.

      With the Chiefs leading 12-6 outside linebacker Tamba Hali closed out the scoring as he sacked former Chiefs quarterback Todd Collins for a safety.  Collins replaced the ineffective Jason Campbell at halftime for the struggling Redskins.  He was able to lead the Redskins on a pair of scoring drives but they only resulted in two field goals.

      After the game Redskins head coach Jim Zorn was stripped of his play calling duties.  Consultant Sherman Lewis will take over those responsibilities.  Lewis was hired by Redskins owner Dan Snyder just a few weeks ago.  Snyder and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones are two men who will seemingly never learn that a championship caliber team must be built and not bought.

      The NFL trade deadline was yesterday and the Chiefs made a major move prior to it.  They traded defensive tackle Tank Tyler to the Carolina Panthers for a fifth round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.  Of course anything involving the 6-foot-2, 308 pound Tyler would have to qualify as a major deal.  The former third round pick never found his groove while playing for the Chiefs.  The Fayetteville, NC native and North Carolina State product returns home to play for the Panthers.

yahoosports.com contributed to this story and AP contributed the photo