Chiefs Cap Off Dream Season With 26-3 Victory Over Seattle

The best record in the NFL. The best regular-season record in team history. Kansas City’s first sweep of the AFC West.

And best of all, home-field advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time.

The Chiefs couldn’t have asked for more for Christmas.

With a convincing 26-3 victory over Seattle on Sunday, the Chiefs (13-3), the only team in the NFL that has won every home game, made sure they’ll be home as long as they stay alive in the playoffs.

“In the beginning, nobody gave us a chance,” said Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Thomas, who led a defensive charge that held Seattle to just 89 total yards. “But we had 53 guys and a staff of coaches who believed in us, and here we are.”

Rookie Tamarick Vanover sped 89 yards with the opening kickoff to set the tone, and Lin Elliott kicked four field goals as the Chiefs became the first team to sweep the AFC West since the 1976 Oakland Raiders.

The Seahawks, who scored 65 points in their previous five quarters against Denver and Oakland, managed only eight first downs to go with their 89 total yards, a yardage record for the Chief defense. It was also the fewest yards allowed by any NFL defense this season.

The Chiefs also set team records with their 13 victories and their 8-0 sweep of the AFC West. “That was just a rear-end kicking,” said Seattle Coach Dennis Erickson.

Kansas City’s Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dan Saleaumua said, “I’d have to say this is the best defensive game by any team I was ever associated with.”

Shunned by most preseason pollsters after Joe Montana’s retirement, the surprising Chiefs matched Seattle’s entire offensive output with Vanover’s opening kickoff return.

The rookie Vanover later caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Steve Bono in the second quarter for the game’s only touchdowns.

“Certainly the defense played very, very well,” said Chief Coach Marty Schottenheimer. “But I think it goes beyond just the defense. The early lead, I think, tended to take away some of their opportunities to run the ball.”

The Seahawks (8-8), 2-6 in the first half of the season in Erickson’s first year, went 6-2 in the second half.

The Seahawks had been averaging more than 345 yards a game. Chris Warren, who came into the game needing 149 yards to overtake Curtis Martin of New England for the AFC rushing title, was held to seven yards in 11 carries.

The Chiefs’ run defense, ranked No. 3 in the NFL, stopped the Seahawks’ league-leading rushing attack with 26 yards in 17 carries, far below their 143.5-yard average. The Seahawks punted nine times, three short of the team record.

“For a while I was thinking, ‘Gosh, are these guys ever going to get a first down against us?’ ” said defensive tackle Joe Phillips.

Elliott, the object of fans’ fury two weeks ago when he missed two field goals and three extra points in a two-game span, made field goals of 27 and 20 yards in the first half, added another 20-yarder in the third and capped a four-for-four day with a 27-yarder with 4:34 left.

Marcus Allen, needing one touchdown to tie Jim Brown for second on the all-time list with 126, carried six consecutive times when the Chiefs reached the Seattle 29 in the third. But Michael Sinclair stopped him on second and goal from the two. And then Terry Wooden dragged him down for a two-yard loss on third and one, bringing Elliott into the game to kick his second 20-yarder for a 23-3 lead.

Bono, who experienced a slump of his own three weeks ago, completed 15 of 29 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown.

Seattle’s John Friesz, hit by Neil Smith, was knocked out of the game because of a mild concussion with about 10 minutes left and replaced by Rick Mirer, who started the season as the Seahawk starter.