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Locker leads Titans to 26-10 win over Chiefs

Sports

September 7th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jake Locker threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns, Alex Smith was intercepted three times and the Tennessee Titans rolled to a 26-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Locker picked apart a Chiefs defense that lost linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive tackle Mike DeVito to Achilles injuries. Locker was 22 of 33 and found eight different players, including former Chiefs wide receiver Dexter McCluster.

Kendall Wright and Delanie Walker had TD catches for the Titans, and Ryan Succop was perfect on four field-goal attempts against the team that released him last weekend. Smith was 19 of 35 for 202 yards and a touchdown for a Chiefs offense missing suspended wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and right tackle Donald Stephenson.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Johnson was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury late in the first half of the Kansas City Chiefs’ game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Johnson, who is nearing Gary Spani’s franchise record for career tackles, fell in a heap in the middle of the field without anybody touching him. The nature of the injury was unclear, but it appeared that trainers were examining his Achilles tendon. The Chiefs have already lost fellow linebacker Joe Mays to a broken wrist.

Earlier in the game, Chiefs right tackle Jeff Allen appeared to hurt his right arm. He was already replacing the suspended Donald Stephenson. Allen was replaced in the lineup by Ryan Harris. Titans linebacker Zach Brown left with a shoulder injury.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs were missing three starters for their season opener against the Tennessee Titans after cornerback Marcus Cooper was declared inactive for Sunday’s game at Arrowhead Stadium. Cooper missed practice time this week with an ankle injury. Ron Parker took his place. The Chiefs were already missing wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and right tackle Donald Stephenson. Bowe is suspended for the opener following an arrest last November, and Stephenson will be out the first four games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Also inactive for Kansas City were quarterback Aaron Murray, wide receiver De’Anthony Thomas, safety Kurt Coleman, center Eric Kush, offensive tackle Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and defensive end Damion Square. Quarterback Zach Mettenberg was inactive for Tennessee, along with wide receivers T.J. Graham and Kris Durham, defensive linemen Mike Martin and DaQuan Jones, linebacker Akeem Ayers and offensive tackle Byron Stingily.