LANDOVER, Md. — In the locker room, the quarterback presented the game ball to the rookie head coach, who was still wet from the celebratory sideline ice bath. The coach then gave the ball to Mr. Irrelevant, a player no longer worthy of his nickname.
The Kansas City Chiefs are winless no more. Neither is coach Todd Haley, who earned victory No. 1 with an assist from the last player taken in this year’s draft. Ryan Succop kicked four field goals in Sunday’s 14-6 win over the Washington Redskins, whose season is tanking toward oblivion because of losses to winless teams.
“We made it pretty difficult, right down to the end,” Haley said. “We’ve pushed through a very difficult period. We needed to get some positive reinforcement with a win.”
Succop, chosen No. 256 from South Carolina, converted from 39, 46, 46 and 24 yards, and Tamba Hali added a safety for good measure, sacking Todd Collins in the end zone in the final minute.
The Chiefs (1-5), who had lost 28 of their previous 30, avoided the first 0-6 start in team history.
Booed mercilessly again — as they have been at every home game — the Redskins failed to get more than a temporary boost after embattled coach Jim Zorn benched Jason Campbell at halftime and opted for Collins.
Collins immediately led two drives for field goals that gave Washington a 6-3 lead, but the Redskins failed to score a touchdown at home for the second time this season.
There were 15 punts, including one that was blocked. Cassel was sacked five times. Clinton Portis had a career-long 78-yard run, but the Redskins had only 40 yards rushing otherwise. The teams combined to convert only 6-of-31 third downs. Washington had just seven first downs.
