Chiefs 28, Redskins 21

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—Jared Allen had a huge day against Washington, with three sacks and two recovered fumbles.

But it was the play he didn’t get credit for that his teammates said was the biggest of the game. Sammy Knight insists that Allen created the fumble that the defensive back returned for a momentum-swinging 80-yard touchdown in Kansas City’s 28-21 victory over the Redskins on Sunday.

“Jared Allen played a great game for us,” said Knight, who also tipped the ball away from Santana Moss in the end zone on the game’s last play. “He was all over the field making plays.”

Defensive end Carlos Hall, who was given credit for knocking the ball out of Rock Cartwright’s grasp, sheepishly admitted that Allen was also part of the play.

“I think I got an arm on the ball, then at the same time Jared came and finished it off,” he said. “We both were there.”

Allen thought he got it, too.

“Me and Carlos argued to see who got that one,” he said with a grin. “I still say my head knocked it loose. He says he had a hand on it. We’ll have to watch the tape and see.”

Whatever the tape shows on the fumble, Knight got two good blocks from Derrick Johnson and sailed into the end zone for his fifth career TD, one of three long scoring plays in an eventful second half.

Moss, who caught 10 balls for 173 yards and two touchdowns, got loose on a 78-yard catch-and-run, Knight responded with his 80-yard fumble return and Priest Holmes turned a short pass into a beauty of a 60-yard touchdown play for what turned out to be the final TD.

“So far this year at least, we have been turning the ball over and we have not been getting turnovers,” Washington coach Joe Gibbs said. “That formula will kill you.”

The Redskins (3-2) drove into Kansas City territory in the final minute and on fourth down with just a few seconds to go, Mark Brunell heaved a pass toward Moss, who was streaking into the corner of the end zone.

But Knight got a fingertip on the ball as it sailed out of Moss’ reach.

“I was under it,” Moss said. “The safety made a terrific play. I was hoping he’d bite and the ball would go over him. I had my hands up, hoping to see a goal and he just tipped it.”

The Chiefs took a 14-7 lead on their first possession of the second half on Holmes’ 6-yard touchdown run.

But a few minutes later, after Brunell was sacked for a 9-yard loss, Moss took a quick pass to the left flat and raced 78 yards down the sideline, making Knight miss on a desperate lunge and completing the Redskins’ longest scoring play of the season.

The Chiefs then grabbed a 21-14 lead when Knight scored.

After Greg Wesley’s end zone interception was nullified by an illegal contract penalty against Dexter McCleon, Brunell hit Chris Cooley with an 11-yard touchdown pass in the final seconds of the third quarter.

The Chiefs had a first down on their own 40 on their next possession when Holmes took a short pass in the flat. The muscular running back, whose 66 touchdowns from 2002-2004 are the most by any player over a three-year span, started left, cut back against the grain, picked up a great block from Tony Gonzalez and went all the way.

Lawrence Tynes kicked field goals of 20 and 38 yards for the Chiefs.

Brunell passed for 331 yards to just 181 for Trent Green. But he doesn’t need to review the stat sheet to know what kind of day Allen had.

“Good player,” Brunell said. “He just had a big day. You’ve got to give him a lot of credit. Very good athlete, very good football player.”

Notes

Kansas City has held all three of its home opponents scoreless in the first quarter this year. … Washington lost its seventh straight game against an AFC opponent. The Chiefs have scored a defensive touchdown in 17 straight seasons. … Washington is winless in three regular-season games at Arrowhead Stadium and has lost six of seven overall against the Chiefs. Only Atlanta (0-4) has a worse record in Kansas City. … Chiefs CB Eric Warfield, suspended for the first four games because of his felony DUI arrest earlier this year, did not dress for Sunday’s game.