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  Thursday, Oct. 21 8:20pm ET
Chiefs wear down Ravens for easy win
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Elvis Grbac threw two touchdown passes, and so did Stoney Case. Unfortunately for the Baltimore Ravens, the Kansas City Chiefs scored on all four plays.

The Chiefs turned two interceptions into touchdowns, including a 56-yarder by James Hasty, and cruised to a 35-8 victory Thursday night.

Elvis Grbac
Kansas City's Elvis Grbac stood tall in the pocket against Baltimore pressure as he hit Tony Gonzalez for the game's first TD.
Kansas City (4-2) had only 80 yards in the first half and 132 through three quarters, but it didn't matter. That's because the Chiefs' defense repeatedly frustrated Case, who went 15-for-37 with three interceptions before being replaced in the fourth quarter by Tony Banks.

"Probably the most disappointing loss of my career. I can't remember one this bad," Case said. "Obviously I didn't play very well, didn't throw the ball very well. I threw two touchdowns to them."

Hasty's score made it 14-0 in the third quarter, and that was enough to hand the Ravens (2-4) their second straight loss under first-year coach Brian Billick. It was Baltimore's worst home defeat since the team moved from Cleveland before the 1996 season.

The conservative game plan of Chiefs coach Gunther Cunningham worked to perfection -- thanks to a defense that came within four minutes of the team's first road shutout in 26 years.

"We played the game to plan," Cunningham said. "I know our running game wasn't pretty in the first half, but we play beat 'em up football. ... What we do is keep the ball real tight inside. It's really smash-mouth football."

After Grbac connected with Tony Gonzalez for a 22-yard touchdown for a 21-0 lead with 12:37 left, Donnie Edwards picked off Case's pass and lateraled to Reggie Tongue, who went the final 38 yards for a 28-0 lead.

That ended the night for Case, who replaced ineffective Scott Mitchell in the second game of the season. Case, hailed by Baltimore fans after generating two comeback victories in exhibition games, now faces the prospect of losing the starting job.

"I'm not going to figure it out tonight," Billick said. "I'm not going to talk about wholesale changes, who my quarterback is going to be, who's going to be here and who's going to be there. That would be ill-advised at this point."

GAME NOTES
Ravens OT James Atkins left the game in the first quarter with a strained groin. He was in for starter Harry Swayne, who has missed two games with a sprained ankle.
Baltimore receiver Brandon Stokley dislocated his shoulder in the first half.
Kansas City is now 4-0 in Thursday night games.
Ravens LB Peter Boulware left the game in the fourth quarter with a mild concussion and did not return.
The Chiefs have at least two interceptions in five straight games.

The Ravens scored with 4:05 left, thanks to a 35-yard pass interference penalty. Errict Rhett carried it in from the 2, ruining the Chiefs' bid for their first road shutout since a 19-0 victory over San Diego in 1973.

Kansas City was 3-0 at home and 0-2 on the road this season, and 3-16-1 against the AFC East and AFC Central on the road over the last 10 years.

Cunningham was tired of hearing about it.

"We won on the road. Any more questions?" he said. "We got drilled so much about our road record in the '90s. It's tough to win on the road, but we made a real issue of it."

The Chiefs had one efficient drive in the first half, and it was enough to put them up 7-0 at halftime.

Case was 1-for-10 in the first quarter, but the Ravens benefited from two pass interference penalties against Cris Dishman, including a 37-yarder, to move to the Kansas City 16.

Matt Stover kicked a 32-yard field goal, but Baltimore had 12 men on the field. Stover then hit the right upright with a 37-yard try.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, didn't get their initial first down until Grbac completed a 20-yard pass to Kevin Lockett the final play of the first quarter. That started a 73-yard drive that ended with Grbac throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Gonzalez.

Kansas City managed only seven yards and failed to make a first down on its other six possessions before halftime.

The Chiefs doubled their advantage when Hasty stepped in front of Justin Armour to pick off a pass and cruised down the left sideline for his first touchdown since 1995.

Hasty had two interceptions in a game for the first time since 1988 and finished with 11 tackles.

"I knew that sooner or later he'd make a big play and he did," Cunningham said.

 


ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard

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AUDIO/VIDEO
audio
 Brian Billick is puzzled by his team's offensive problems.
wav: 136 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6

 Stoney Case has no excuse for his poor play.
wav: 126 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6

 James Hasty had no problems reading the Ravens' offense.
wav: 140 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6