FLASH RECAP:
Oakland (11-5) earns the top seed in the American Conference playoffs for the first time since 1985 with a dominating victory over the Chiefs (8-8) before an announced crowd of 62,078 at Network Associates Coliseum on Dec. 28, 2002.
The Raiders rush for a season-high 280 yards on a Coliseum turf reduced to a quagmire because of a steady rain that begins two hours before kickoff. Charlie Garner rushes for 135 yards and a touchdown, Zack Crockett has 72 yards and a score and Tyrone Wheatley has 69 yards. Rich Gannon throws a 15-yard touchdown pass to Doug Jolley and Sebastian Janikowski kicks a 27-yard field goal for Oakland.
Led by safety Rod Woodson's league-high eighth interception this season, the Raiders shut out an opponent for the first time in 50 regular-season games (Oakland defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers 45-0 on Nov. 19, 1999).
With injured Pro Bowl running back Priest Holmes missing his second straight game because of a hip injury, the Chiefs gain only 176 yards (132 passing, 44 rushing) and suffer their first shutout since 1994. Kansas City scored 467 points and averaged 388.3 yards through the season's first 15 games.
The Chiefs also suffer their first shutout in 88 regular-season and playoff games against the hated Raiders.
"We talked about finishing strong," Gannon tells reporters after the game. "We were 4-1 in December and 7-1 in the second half (of the season). Now we're at home and that's what we wanted."
Said Raiders guard Frank Middleton: "Now everyone has to come here and worry about the rainbow. I'm going to go home and pray for rain."
With only 79 yards passing on seven completions, Gannon falls 395 yards short of tying Dan Marino's NFL single-season record of 5,084 yards set in 1984. The Raiders' quarterback finishes the 2002 season with a franchise-best 4,689 yards.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
RB Charlie Garner - Rushes for a season-high 135 yards on 29 carries and one touchdown. His 1-yard scoring run on the third play of the second quarter starts the onslaught for the Raiders.
Oakland offensive line - The Raiders control the football for 40 minutes, 15 seconds and rush for a season-high 280 yards. This is a highlight-film clinic on dominating at the line of scrimmage.
FS Rod Woodson - With a second-quarter interception, the 15-year veteran moves past Dick "Night Train" Lane into third place on the NFL career list. Woodson, 37, has 68 career interceptions and finishes the 2002 regular season tied for the league-lead with eight interceptions.
RB Zack Crockett - Has a season-high 72 rushing yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. Crockett's 33-yard run sets up his 8-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
KR Dante Hall - Returns the opening kickoff 48 yards before fumbling the football out of bounds at the Oakland 38-yard line.
RB Derrick Blaylock - Has a game-high five receptions for 47 yards.
MLB Marvcus Patton - Contributes 10 tackles (seven solo) and recovers a Rich Gannon fumble at the Kansas City 28-yard line early in the fourth quarter.
KEY STAT:
Oakland posts season highs in rushing attempts (60) and rushing yards (280). The Raiders are 5-0 this season with 30 or more rushing attempts.
GOAT:
Kansas City defense. On a sloppy field because of inclement weather, the Raiders have 354 total yards (280 rushing, 74 passing) and convert eight of 15 third-down plays (53 percent). Even when the Chiefs' defenders are in position to stop a play, poor tackling results in positive yards for the Raiders.
TURNING POINT:
Rich Gannon throws a 15-yard touchdown pass to Doug Jolley on third-and-nine to give the Raiders a 14-0 lead with 1:34 left in the first half. After a Rod Woodson interception, Oakland drives 80 yards in 14 plays for its second touchdown. Gannon completes an 11-yard pass to Tim Brown on fourth-and-five to the K.C. 16 to set up Jolley's second NFL touchdown.
BY THE NUMBERS:
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4: Oakland victories in five games in December 2002. The Raiders were an abysmal 9-19 in December games 1995-2001.
5: Consecutive seasons by the Chiefs without a playoff appearance.
72: Rushing yards by Oakland's Zack Crockett, who rushed 46 yards in the season's first 15 games.
4,689: Passing yards this season by Oakland's Rich Gannon, who falls 395 yards short of equaling Dan Marino's NFL single-season record of 5,084 passing yards.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders DT Sam Adams
"When you punch a man in the mouth, all that athletic ability goes out the window. They're a good offense, but we knew we could put pressure on them."
"I'm not going to sit here and make excuses because of the weather. We had some third- and fourth-down chances and just couldn't get it done. We can't point to the weather as the reason why we were dropping balls.
They played in the same weather and made catches. We had opportunities and we just didn't execute."
Chiefs WR Marc Boerigter
"It shows how good the Raiders are and shows us how far we have to go against a championship-caliber team, especially in this environment."
Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil
DID YOU KNOW?:
The Raiders close a regular-season with two victories for only the second time since 1985. They also won their final two games in 1990 en route to a 12-4 record.
Oakland's Charlie Garner (25) runs through a gaping hole in the Kansas City defense.
He finishes the game with a season-high 135 rushing yards on 29 carries.
By Santa Rosa Press Democrat
