Chiefs getting breaks as they win

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

A couple of wins over division doormats. A shutout of a Raiders team playing without its starting quarterback. An inexplicable fumble that eventually led to an overtime victory.

The Kansas City Chiefs realize everything has been going their way during a four-game winning streak, one that has taken them from NFL laughingstock to a tie atop the AFC West. That’s why coach Todd Haley warned everyone after a 23-20 overtime win over San Diego on Monday night to keep an even keel.

Hard as that might be right now.

“We’ve got some fighters,” Haley said. “They don’t care much what anybody says, they just believe in what they’re doing, and what they’re going to be, and what they’re going to accomplish.”

What they’re going to accomplish is anyone’s guess.

How could anyone have any clue after the dramatic turnaround they’ve already experienced?

Left for dead after losing their first two games by a combined 89-10, the Chiefs (4-3) showed some resolve during a road loss to San Diego. They came back home and squeaked out a win over Minnesota, rallied from a big deficit to beat Indianapolis, and then beat the Jason Campbell-less Raiders last weekend to give them tons of momentum heading into a showdown with San Diego.

Under the bright lights on Monday night, with a frenzied Halloween crowd on hand at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs led the whole way against the division-leading Chargers.

Still, San Diego had a chance to win the game in regulation with the ball at the 15-yard line and 48 seconds on the clock. Philip Rivers dropped under center, called for the snap — and never got the ball. It squirted under a pile, a fumble at the most inopportune time, and the Chiefs’ Andy Studebaker came away with it to keep San Diego from kicking a potential winning field goal.

That allowed the game to reach overtime, and Ryan Succop ended it with a 30-yard field goal.