Eagles Take Fake and First Loss, 24-17 : Interconference: Krieg passes for three touchdowns and Chiefs hold on for victory.

In a game between two power teams, the Kansas City Chiefs turned it their way with a little finesse.

Dave Krieg used deft fakes and deep passes Sunday to lead the Chiefs to a 24-17 victory over the previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles.

“They fooled us,” Eagle safety Andre Waters said. “I don’t mind getting beaten physically, but when I get beat mentally it really hurts.

“We figured they would pass. But not that much. We had coverage mistakes. It was one of those games where we didn’t play smart.”

Krieg, faking brilliantly to running backs Christian Okoye and Barry Word, scorched the Eagles (5-1) for 272 passing yards and three touchdowns as Kansas City (4-2) discarded its normal grind-it-out approach.

The Chiefs had only 19 rushing plays, their lowest in two years.

Kansas City set the tone on the first series, throwing on all five plays, including the capper--Kreig’s 43-yard touchdown pass play to J.J. Birden.

“They were biting on play-action,” Birden said. “They expected us to run on first down. In certain situations where we usually run, we threw it down the field and they jumped on the run. The safeties and corners did exactly what we thought they would do.”

Willie Davis caught five passes for 167 yards against a defense ranked No. 3 against the pass, giving up just 143.8 yards per game.

Davis got about 20 yards behind two defenders on a 74-yard play for a touchdown from Krieg in the third quarter that gave Kansas City a 24-3 lead.

“It was like the ball hung in the air for an hour,” Davis said. “I was waiting and waiting. You just want it come down.”

A few minutes earlier, Birden found himself alone in the end zone and took a 24-yard scoring pass from Krieg.

“No, never,” Birden said when asked if he had ever been so alone. “And I’ve never had to catch a pass that took so long to come down. All you’re thinking is, ‘Don’t drop it.’ ”

It seemed the Chiefs would coast to victory before Randall Cunningham, who was sacked six times and had two passes intercepted, connected on scoring passes of 10 and three yards to tight end Pat Beach in the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs blew a 19-6 lead in a loss at Denver in the last two minutes a week earlier, but held on down the stretch.

“I think everybody in this stadium was thinking, ‘Oh, no, not again,’ after what happened in Denver,” tackle John Alt said.

Krieg became the 15th quarterback in NFL history to throw 200 touchdown passes when he tossed a 24-yarder to Birden to give the Chiefs a 14-3 halftime lead.

Roger Ruzek kicked a 49-yard field goal for the Eagles in the second quarter.