Kansas City Chiefs Prove They're No Fluke in Win Over San Francisco 49ers

The Kansas City Chiefs are for real.

The Chiefs slugged their way to ugly victories in the first two weeks of the season, but there was nothing ugly about their 31-10 rout of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Kansas City dominated the Niners in every facet of the game while moving to a perfect 3-0 on the season.

The Chiefs outgained San Francisco on offense by a wide margin (457-251), while Kansas City dominated the trenches on both sides of the ball for the third straight game. San Francisco running back Frank Gore had nowhere to run all day as he gained just 43 yards on 15 carries.

Kansas City finished last season with the second-worst run defense in the league, but the team has seen a complete reversal of play from its front seven. The Chiefs have yet to allow an opposing running back to run for more than 80 yards this season while limiting their last two opponents to under three yards per carry.

Shaun Smith has been an energizing player for the Chiefs defensive line this season, with 15 tackles this season after getting eight against the Niners. Linebacker Jovan Belcher continued to perform well for Romeo Crennel & Co., as he had 10 tackles against San Francisco.

The Chiefs' pass rush has also been much better this season. Kansas City continued to get after the quarterback as they sacked Niners quarterback Alex Smith five times, with three by Tamba Hali.

There should be little doubt that cornerback Brandon Flowers has thrown his name in the hat for elite status at the position. For the second straight game Flowers made a game-changing play by locking his man down and getting an interception.

While the Chiefs defense has looked great all season, the Kansas City offense has had its struggles. That was not the case against the Niners as it was successful in moving the ball on the ground and through the air.

Kansas City continued to punish opposing defenses with their two-headed rushing attack as Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles combined for 192 yards and a touchdown. Jones continued to be the feature back, getting 19 carries compared to Charles' 12, but Charles gashed the Niners defense for 8.1 yards per carry.

Quarterback Matt Cassel was one of the most criticized players in the league through the first two weeks of action, but the Chiefs signal-caller stepped up with a big day against San Francisco. Cassel finished the game with a QB rating of 111.7 while completing 16 of his 27 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns.

Rookie tight end Tony Moeaki has been a very productive target for Cassel so far this season. He made the catch of the day when he hauled in a one-handed touchdown catch late in the third quarter.

Dexter McCluster is another Chiefs rookie who has made an impact this season. His speed was on display on his 31-yard touchdown catch to help give the Chiefs an early 7-0 lead.

If the Chiefs can continue to get this kind of production from Cassel, they will be very tough to beat this season. Kansas City now has a two-game lead in the AFC West after only three weeks, and the team looks to be in great shape for the rest of the year.

The Chiefs have a reasonable chance to run the table at Arrowhead this season and, with the play of the big guys up front on both sides of the ball, Kansas City fans should be feeling good about the team's playoff chances during the 2010 campaign.