The victory over their heavily favored AFC West rivals provided the perfect christening for the New Arrowhead Stadium, which was officially unveiled after undergoing $375 million in renovations.

Opening night featured plenty of fireworks and lightning but it was the Chiefs who provided the biggest thrills with a string of explosive big plays, highlighted by an electrifying club record 94-yard punt return from rookie speedster Dexter McCluster that staked Kansas City to a 21-7 halftime lead.

Jamaal Charles also had the capacity crowd of 71,297 on its feet with a weaving 56-yard touchdown run, while Brandon Carr returned a fumble to the San Diego 12 to set up a two-yard touchdown strike from Matt Cassel to Tony Moeaki.

The monsoon dampened the party mood but it was also a major factor in the outcome, the driving rain short-circuiting a Chargers attack which had been humming along until the storm swept across Kansas City late in the opening quarter.

The Chargers dominated the early part of the contest, Philip Rivers engineering a 60-yard scoring drive capped by a three-yard touchdown strike to Antonio Gates for a 7-0 lead.

Late in the third quarter with the stormy conditions subsiding, the Chargers finally answered with a big play of their own when Rivers hooked up with a wide open Legedu Naanee on a 59-yard touchdown to trim the Chiefs advantage to seven points.

The spectators who rode out the storm were left on the edge of their seats as Rivers worked the ball down to the Kansas City six with a minute remaining but could not find the end zone and the Chiefs were left to celebrate an unexpected win.

The Chiefs, who have won just six games in the last two years, find themselves on top of the division standings for one week at least with San Diego, Oakland and Denver all absorbing Week One losses.
 
Ravens spoil Jets home opener

In East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Baltimore Ravens’ defense grabbed the spotlight from the New York Jets’ D in a 10-9 victory Monday night.

The Ravens held New York to 176 yards and six first downs, allowed Mark Sanchez just 74 yards passing and kept Rex Ryan’s crew out of the end zone.

Billy Cundiff’s 25-yard field goal in the third quarter provided the winning points in the Jets’ opener in $1.6 billion New Meadowlands Stadium. Anquan Boldin , Baltimore’s main offseason acquisition, gained 65 yards on two passes against first-round draft pick Kyle Wilson in the drive. Boldin finished with seven receptions overall for 110 yards, at times toying with the Jets’ vaunted secondary.

Tight end Todd Heap caught six passes from Joe Flacco for 72 yards.

The Jets drew 14 penalties for 125 yards and were 1 for 11 on third downs.

Baltimore’s touchdown came on an impressive 11-play, 76-yard drive for a 7-6 halftime lead. Willis McGahee ran in from the 1.

Flacco finished 20 for 38 for 248 yards. Sanchez was 10 of 21.