The Chiefs could be playing their third straight road game that will be blacked out in the home team's market.

The San Diego Chargers said more than
7,300 tickets need to be sold for their next home game, Nov. 29 against the Chiefs to lift the television blackout in the San Diego market.

With the large number of tickets still unsold, it appears likely that the game will be blacked out in Southern California. It would be the first Chargers regular season or postseason game blacked out since Nov. 7, 2004. Since then, the team has sold enough tickets to lift the NFL’s local blackout of 44 consecutive games.

Two weeks ago, Dwayne Bowe stood with me in a corner of the Chiefs practice facility that few outsiders are invited into these days. It's a private hallway for players and coaches, and on this afternoon after practice, Bowe was trying to have a conversation.

But there was a problem. Mark Bradley was joking with a teammate, and it was too loud for Bowe's liking.

"Hey!" Bowe yelled. "Trying to have a conversation here!"

Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has been suspended four games for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

NFL spokesman Corry Rush announced the suspension in an e-mail, and the Chiefs have since acknowledged Bowe's suspension in a statement.

The team had no further comment on the matter.

Sure, the Chiefs might be better off without Larry Johnson and his 2.7-yard rushing average. Their depth chart might be better off with Jamaal Charles at the front of the line instead of an aging, loudmouth, moody running back whose production slipped, really, two years ago. And Kansas City's locker room might be better off without LJ, the brooding teammate that others watched and waited for a blowup.

Larry Johnson has his second chance. The troubled former Chiefs running back will sign Tuesday morning with the Cincinnati Bengals, Johnson’s agent told The Star late Monday night.

Peter Schaffer wrote in an e-mail that Johnson’s deal would be finalized early Tuesday, a day after Johnson reportedly was in Cincinnati to meet with Bengals coaches. Reports surfaced Monday that Johnson, who was released last week by the Chiefs after 6 ½ seasons, was being courted by the Bengals after running back Cedric Benson suffered a hip injury in Sunday’s win against Pittsburgh.

Larry Johnson seems to be close to an agreement to sign with the Bengals, according to multiple reports, and the former Chiefs running back is apparently looking forward to his return engagement with the team that cut him last week.

Kansas City released Johnson last week after he served a two-week suspension for detrimental conduct. If he indeed signs with Cincinnati, Johnson would get a crack at the Chiefs on Dec. 27, when Kansas City plays at Paul Brown Stadium.

Chiefs fans might soon have reason to care about the Dec. 27 game against Cincinnati if reports are true that Larry Johnson is about to sign with the Bengals.

Ever since the Chiefs released Johnson last week, I was hoping he would sign with a team on the Chiefs' remaining schedule and now that appears about to happen. That perpetual chip on LJ's shoulder will be bigger than ever that day. Even if Johnson does nothing else of substance the rest of his career, his stance would be validated if he rings up a big day against his former team.

KC _ FG Succop 31; 8 plays, 34 yards, 4:55 drive time, 6:17 remaining

Higgins let Colquitt’s punt bounce early in the period, costing Oakland several yards of field position. Oakland took over at its 17 . . . Fargas ran for 15 yards on a third down and 2 to the Oakland 40. On third down from the 47, Mike Brown intercepted a deflected pass, giving the Chiefs the ball at the Oakland 47 . . . The Chiefs immediately went backward on a false start penalty by Rudy Niswanger and a 2-yard sack. Nnamdi Asomugha gave the Chiefs a first down at the Oakland 29 with a pass interference penalty on third down. Two Charles carries brought the Chiefs to the 14. On third and seven from the 11, Cassel’s quarterback draw lost two yards and the Chiefs had to settle for another field goal . . . Alex Magee ended Oakland's possession after three plays with a nine-yard sack, the first QB takedown of his career . . . Charles got the Chiefs' drive started with a nine-yard run to the KC 38. He converted with a five-yard gain to the Chiefs' 43. One play later, a Leonard Pope holding call pushed the Chiefs back to their 36. The Chiefs eventually punted with Oakland taking over at its 20 with 1:53 remaining . . . Two quick Gradkowski passes gained 23 yards and moved Oakland to the 43 with 1:27 remaining. A Gradkowski scramble and a Darren McFadden left Oakland facing a third and one from the KC 48 with 44 seconds left. Gradkowski appeared to hit Heyward-Bey for 22 yards to the 26 with 38 seconds left. Heyward-Bey juggled a pass on the next play and Brown intercepted again with 30 seconds left.

Charles returned the kickoff 40 yards to the KC 38 and Cassel moved the Chiefs past midfield with a 13-yard pass to Bowe. Charles ran 12 yards to the Oakland 37 but the drive soon stalled and Succop was wide left on a 52-yard field goal, giving the Raiders the ball at their 43 . . . Five straight runs by Bush to open the possession pushed the Raiders past midfield and to the KC 22. Two plays later, still from the 22, the Raiders lost a 15-yard pass to Miller when they had a lineman downfield and were penalized. Brandon Flowers dropped an easy interception but it didn’t cost the Chiefs when Janikowski was wide left on a 46-yard field goal attempt. It was Janikowski’s first miss of the season . . . The Chiefs retained possession after a Bowe fumble. Both teams had a shot at the ball before Brian Waters recovered for a 35-yard gain to the Oakland 22. On third and 10, a pass to Charles left the Chiefs a yard short of the first down. Instead of taking the field goal, Cassel’s fourth down pass was incomplete . . . . The Raiders ran three plays and punted from deep in their territory. The Chiefs gained possession at the Oakland 48 . . . A handoff between Cassel and Charles went awry on Kansas City’s first play, giving Oakland the ball at the Chiefs’ 48. The Raiders yanked Russell, who was 8 of 23 for 64 yards and replaced him with Bruce Gradkowski. Andy Studebaker, playing for the injured Mike Vrabel, batted down a pass on third down and Oakland punted with the Chiefs taking over late in the period at their 13 . . . Charles was injured on the first play after the punt but left the field without help.

KC _ Jamaal Charles 44 run (Succop kick); 6 plays, 66 yards, 1:42 drive time, 12:25 remaining.
KC _ FG Succop 25; 7 plays, 67 yards, 2;52 drive time, 6:48 remaining.
Charles’ touchdown, the Chiefs’ first rushing TD of the season, came on fourth down and one . . . The Raiders lost a pair of big gains on back to back plays. First Darius Heyward-Bey dropped a deep pass at the KC 2. Then a 53-yard Russell to Louis Murphy pass was called back because of Robert Gallery’s tripping penalty . . . Cassel threw 41 yards to Dwayne Bowe on the Chiefs’ first play to the Oakland 33. One play later, a 24-yard pass to Chambers took the Chiefs to the Oakland 7. Three plays gained nothing and the Chiefs took another field goal . . . Savage went to the locker room with an ankle injury shortly before the half . . . Oakland took over at its 16 with 1:15 left. Russell suddenly found his accuracy. He passed 15 yards to Johnnie Lee Higgins on the first play and nine to Zach Miller on the second. His next two passes were broken up, leaving Oakland with a fourth and one at its 40 with 52 seconds left. Oakland punted, putting the Chiefs at their 11 with 44 seconds left. They were unable to score and took a three-point lead to the locker room.