Chiefs claim best NFL team in Missouri

By DOUG TUCKER\AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Trent Green directed two scoring drives and the Kansas City Chiefs snapped an eight-game preseason losing streak Saturday night with a lackluster 16-12 victory over St. Louis.

Green and most of Kansas City's first-team offense played only the first two series and got a touchdown and a field goal.

The first-team offense of the Rams (1-2) failed to score a touchdown for the third straight game, although one TD pass was brought back because of left guard Richie Incognito's penalty.

The Chiefs continued their preseason strategy of using Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson only sparingly. Johnson, whose 1,750 yards rushing set a team record last year, carried nine times for 37 yards in a 14-play, 67-yard drive with the opening kickoff.

He got the touchdown on a 2-yard run and spent the rest of the night on the bench in a baseball cap. In three preseason games, Johnson has 20 carries for 75 yards.

His value was apparent in the second drive. Green passed the Chiefs to a first-and-goal from the 2, but backup Dee Brown lost four yards on two carries and then Jordan Black's offsides penalty made it third-and-goal from the 11. Lawrence Tynes kicked a 28-yard field goal, his first of three in the second quarter.

Green played two series and looked sharp while going 8-for-10 for 100 yards.

Marc Bulger, the Rams' starting quarterback, was 7-for-11 for 78 yards and one interception, on a tipped ball. St. Louis' lone TD came on Gus Frerotte's 54-yard pass to Jerome Collins, who got free on a crossing pattern with 1:09 left in the third.

Remy Hamilton, the backup kicker, missed the extra point but a few minutes later connected on a 47-yard field goal.

It was a rough night for most of the Chiefs' offensive reserves, including rookie quarterback Brodie Croyle, who's been hampered much of the preseason by injury. He replaced Green in the second quarter and struggled in his first NFL action, winding up only 1-for-9 for 4 yards. He was sacked twice.

Incognito, who missed last season with an injury, was whistled for an illegal chop block that nullified Bulger's 15-yard TD pass to Kevin Curtis.

On the Rams' first drive, Incognito drew a 15-yard personal foul penalty on a second-and-13 play from the Chiefs' 25, and St. Louis wound up settling for Jeff Wilkins' 48-yard field goal.

After his 28-yard field goal, Tynes connected from 41 and 50 yards to give the Chiefs a 16-3 halftime lead.

On Croyle's first drive, cornerback Tye Hill, the Rams' first-round pick last April, drew a 35-yard pass interference penalty.

The Chiefs got an encouraging play from Tamba Hali, their rookie top-round pick whose was seeing his first preseason action. Hali came blowing in from his defensive end spot and knocked the ball loose from Bulger late in the third period and Tynes connected from 50 yards.