ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, September 30, 1996 TAG: 9610010009
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: ROUNDUP
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
The worst defense in the NFL isn't that bad, after all.
Junior Seau intercepted Steve Bono twice and Chris Mims blocked Pete Stoyanovich's 47-yard field goal attempt with 22 seconds left as the Chargers handed Kansas City its first loss, 22-19 Sunday in San Diego.
The Chargers, Chiefs and Denver Broncos are tied atop the AFC West at 4-1. The Chiefs won their previous 12 divisional games dating to the final game of 1994.
It was only the third time this decade the Chargers beat the Chiefs in San Diego, including a 17-0 playoff win in 1992.
Seau's second interception came with 5:50 left and led to John Carney's fifth field goal, a 33-yarder to set the final score with 3:17 to go.
Then, with the Chiefs facing third-and-4 from the 50, Seau was hammered while blitzing, but bounced off blockers and came through again to drop Bono for a 6-yard loss.
Marcus Allen got his longest gain since 1984, 59 yards.
In other games:
Cardinals 31, Rams 28, OT: In Tempe, Ariz., LeShon Johnson, making his first NFL start at running back for the Cardinals, showed why he was the NFC Offensive Player of the Week last week. His 66-yard run set up a 24-yard field goal by Greg Davis as Arizona beat St. Louis as Kent Graham threw four TD passes.
The Cardinals (2-3) scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to tie the game as the Rams (1-3) wilted in the 97-degree heat at Sun Devil Stadium.
Graham, who had thrown scoring passes of 24 yards to Rob Moore and 2 yards to Johnson in the first half, completed the fourth-quarter comeback with 5-yard TD passes to Larry Centers and Frank Sanders.
Bears 19, Raiders 17: Jeff Jaeger kicked four field goals, including a 30-yarder with 11 seconds left, to give the Bears a victory over his former team in Chicago.
The Bears (2-3) trailed 17-3 in the second half, and were booed by their fans. But they rallied behind two interceptions, three final-quarter field goals by Jaeger and the play of 17-year veteran quarterback Dave Krieg, who started in place of the injured Erik Kramer.
Oakland (1-4) is off to its worst start since dropping its first four games in 1992. Oakland's Jeff Hostetler was picked off four times.
Trailing 17-16, Chicago - also without injured running backs Robert Green and Raymont Harris and starting guard Todd Burger - started at its 23 with 5:44 left.
Broncos 14, Bengals 10: Turned loose against one of the NFL's worst pass defenses, John Elway threw for a season-high 335 yards and two touchdowns, leading Denver to a victory over the Bengals in Cincinnati.
Elway's first game in Cincinnati wasn't nearly as dramatic or impressive as some of his well-chronicled late heroics, but it was just as effective. He helped the Broncos (4-1) shake off a bitter loss in Kansas City and left the Bengals (1-3) in trouble.
Elway threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Shannon Sharpe in the first quarter and a 23-yarder to Anthony Miller for the go-ahead score late in the third period.
Terrell Davis complemented Elway with 112 yards rushing, matching the club record with his fourth consecutive 100-yard game.
Packers 31, Seahawks 10: Brett Favre threw four touchdown passes, one less than his career best, and Rick Mirer threw a career-worst four interceptions and lost a fumble as Green Bay beat the Seahawks in Seattle.
A pro-Green Bay crowd of 59,973, with hundreds of Packers fans wearing cheeseheads, provided the Kingdome's first sellout of the season and those fans saw what they wanted.
The five takeaways by the NFL's most opportunistic defense gave the Packers 22 for the season.
Chris Warren of the Seahawks (1-4) had his first 100-yard rushing game and accounted for their only touchdown on a 37-yard run. Warren, who had 129 yards in Seattle's first four games, had 103 yards on 18 carries.
The Packers (4-1) lost their top receiver, Robert Brooks, with a concussion on the opening play. In Brooks' absence, Freeman, a former Virginia Tech standout, caught seven passes for 108 yards.
Steelers 30, Oilers 16: Houston dared oft-erratic quarterback Mike Tomczak to beat it and he did, throwing two first-quarter touchdown passes following Houston mistakes to lead the Steelers to a win in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers (3-1) have won three straight since a season-opening loss to Jacksonville, matching their best first-month start under coach Bill Cowher. The Oilers (2-2) missed a chance to take the divisional lead and have lost five straight to Pittsburgh and seven of nine overall.
The Oilers' game plan was to run rookie Eddie George, stay close and let Tomczak beat himself with critical mistakes. Instead, Pittsburgh won with almost an identical plan as Jerome Bettis ran for 115 yards - his third straight 100-yard game - and Houston quarterback Chris Chandler threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.
49ers 39, Falcons 17: In San Francisco, Elvis Grbac did just fine in place of the injured Steve Young and Bobby Hebert had one problem after another playing in place of the suspended Jeff George.
Running off 33 straight points, the 49ers beat winless Atlanta despite the absence of Young and tight end Brent Jones, two of their marquee players sidelined by injuries.
Jeff Wilkins added a team-record-tying six field goals for the 49ers (3-1). Hebert led the Falcons (0-4) to a field goal on their first series.
Running back Terry Kirby, a graduate of UVa, seeing his first extensive duty since being acquired from Miami six weeks ago, made his initial impact with his arm, throwing a 24-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Rice.
Ravens 17, Saints 10: In Baltimore, Earnest Byner ran for 149 yards and Vinny Testaverde drove Baltimore 75 yards to break a 10-10 tie early in the final quarter, lifting the Ravens over winless New Orleans.
The Ravens (2-2), playing in front of a sellout crowd, are unbeaten at home.
Byner carried 24 times and broke off a 42-yard run - his longest since he went 54 yards as a rookie against Houston in 1984.
New Orleans dropped to 0-5 for the second season in a row.
Lions 27, Buccaneers 0: In Tampa, Fla., Scott Mitchell threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns and Bennie Blades scored on a 98-yard interception return to help Detroit beat Tampa Bay (0-5).
Barry Sanders has rushed for more yards against the Buccaneers (1,763) than any other opponent during a spectacular career. He gained 73 yards on 15 carries this time, but didn't hurt the Bucs nearly as much as he did four weeks ago in leading the Lions (3-2) to a 21-6 victory.
LENGTH: Long : 120 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Michael Jackson (81) of the Ravens catches aby CNBtouchdown pass despite close coverage by Saints defender Eric Allen
during their game Sunday. Baltimore downed New Orleans 17-10. KEYWORDS: FOOTBALL