KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Dominic Rhodes returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown and raced 77 yards for the clinching score Thursday night as the Indianapolis Colts held off the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-28.
Rhodes, a rookie running back from Midwestern (Texas) State, had just six carries and one reception totaling 64 yards in the first six games. He plays primarily on special teams and backs up workhorse Edgerrin James.
Indianapolis improved to 3-3 while the Chiefs fell to 1-6.
After the Chiefs closed to within 10-6 on a 22-yard field goal by Todd Peterson early in the third quarter, Rhodes fielded the ensuing kickoff at the 12, made a couple of quick moves, burst up the middle and raced untouched to the end zone.
The Colts opened a 28-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter before the Chiefs came back. Trent Green's 11-yard touchdown pass to Larry Parker halved the deficit with 4:45 remaining and Kansas City forced a punt and got back the ball on its 47 with 3:59 to go.
Green completed a long pass to tight end Tony Gonzalez that gave the Chiefs a first down at the 11. But he made three errant throws into the end zone with the last going into double coverage and getting picked off by rookie cornerback Idrees Bashir.
James had 102 yards on 27 carries but left with a hyperextended knee on the previous possession. That brought on Rhodes, who broke through a stacked defensive front and rumbled down the right sideline to make it 35-21 with 1:02 to play.
