Instant Replay Hits a Glitch in Kansas City

The exhibition season is barely two weeks old, and there’s already been a problem with the NFL’s replay system.

In a game Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, the Tennessee Titans asked for a review of a pass play ruled incomplete on the field.

Officials huddled around the replay booth on the Chiefs’ sideline, but the video system didn’t work. Referee Ron Blum walked across the field to Titan Coach Jeff Fisher and told him the officials’ findings were inconclusive.

It was later announced that the cause of the glitch was a software problem and the Chiefs went to a backup system.

The replay that was available in the press box appeared to show that a pass from Steve McNair to Kevin Dyson was incomplete.

The Chiefs won the game, 22-20, in their first game under Coach Gunther Cunningham.

Todd Collins, Kansas City’s third-string quarterback, led a 12-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown pass to Ron James in the third quarter to put the game away.

Kansas City starter Elvis Grbac was seven of 10 for 73 yards while backup Warren Moon did not play as planned.

The Titans’ starting quarterback competition, on the other hand, may have tightened after McNair was six of 11 for 66 yards with an interception returned for a touchdown and an intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety. Backup Neil O’Donnell was 10 of 17 for 73 yards.

Eddie George rushed nine times for 53 yards for the Titans.

In other preseason action, the Oakland Raiders got a one-yard plunge by Tyrone Wheatley with 35 seconds left to defeat Dallas, 10-3, at Oakland.

Oakland backup quarterback Scott Dreisbach was eight of 12 for 111 yards and led most of the 10-play, 77-yard game-winning drive.

But he was taken off the field on a cart after breaking his right leg while being tackled after scrambling to the Dallas 5.

Both team’s starting quarterbacks played well. Troy Aikman was 10 of 14 for 104 yards in slightly more than a quarter of action for the Cowboys. Oakland starter Rich Gannon played until midway through the second quarter, going six of eight for 73 yards.

The Cowboys dropped to 0-7 in the preseason under second-year Coach Chan Gailey, 0-2 this preseason. Like in their first game, the Cowboys killed themselves with penalties.

After committing 17 penalties in its opener, Dallas was flagged 11 times against the Raiders.

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The family of Tampa Bay quarterback Eric Zeier escaped serious injury when their small plane crashed a few hours before he played in an exhibition game.

Zeier’s parents and sister were flying to see Saturday night’s game against Cleveland when the Cessna 172 piloted by his father, Rick, lost power and came down near Chiefland, Fla., about 100 miles north of Tampa.

The Buccaneers learned of the accident 25 minutes before kickoff, but didn’t tell Zeier until after the game because they had been assured there were no injuries.

Rick Zeier, 48, has had his pilot’s license for about a month and was making the trip with his wife Sharon, 49; daughter, Ellen, 21; and James Strickland, 25.

As the plane headed down after losing power, Levy County Sheriff’s Maj. Bobby McCallum said, Zeier did not see a power line. A part of the plane’s rear clipped the line, sending the plane tumbling before coming to rest upside-down.

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After returning an interception 46 yards for a score in the first quarter against New England on Friday, Washington rookie cornerback Champ Bailey was promoted to first-string Sunday.

Bailey will replace Darryl Pounds opposite Darrell Green. Coach Norv Turner also placed offensive tackle Andy Heck into the starting lineup after Joe Patton gave up a sack against New England.