Gonzalez Powers Chiefs to Fourth Win in a Row

Tony Gonzalez won’t lie. Of course he’s thinking about starting for the AFC in the Pro Bowl.

“If I said that wasn’t a dream of mine, I’d be telling you a real whopper,” said Kansas City’s tight end, who caught six passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-19 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday that gave the Chiefs the lead in the AFC West.

It was the second game in a row Gonzalez has caught two scoring passes and helped the Chiefs (9-5), who won their fourth a row, move a half-game ahead of Seattle. Gonzalez, who is from Huntington Beach, has scored in each of the four victories while setting a club record for his position with 10 touchdowns.

“I’m hungry. I want the ball,” he said.

The third-year pro came into the game leading AFC tight ends with 614 receiving yards.

The Chiefs, who play at Seattle next Sunday, took the lead for good in the second quarter on Donnie Edwards’ 28-yard interception return as the Steelers (5-9) lost their sixth in a row. It’s the longest skid for Pittsburgh since 1988.

“We knew every time they needed a big play they would go to [Gonzalez],” Pittsburgh defensive end Kevin Henry said. “If you shut him down, you have a chance.”

Gonzalez had a key block on an 82-yard touchdown run by Derrick Alexander on a reverse.

After slowing because he thought Alexander had been tackled, Gonzalez regrouped and leveled Pro Bowl linebacker Levon Kirkland as Alexander completed the Chiefs’ longest scoring run since 1981.

“That was a great feeling, especially on a great player like that,” Gonzalez said. “He didn’t see me coming. Anybody can make a block when they don’t see the guy coming. But I sprang D.A. and he made a great run.”

The Steelers scored 10 points in their first two possessions and added a field goal at the end of the half, but were shut out until Mike Tomczak’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Shaw with 34 seconds left.

Former Steeler Bam Morris got the Chiefs’ final touchdown on a 10-yard run with 1:56 remaining. Mitch Lyons, after returning the ensuing kickoff, was taken off the field on a cart because of a knee injury.

“It is not good,” Pittsburgh Coach Bill Cowher said. “He dislocated his knee. It is not real positive. He is probably out, and [tight end] Mark Bruener is also out [because of a foot sprain].”

Gonzalez caught scoring passes of 15 and two yards from Elvis Grbac. He also had a 23-yard reception to set up his second scoring catch, which put the Chiefs ahead, 21-10.

Tomczak connected with Troy Edwards on a 12-yard scoring pass on Pittsburgh’s first possession. Then Grbac was four of four on the Chiefs’ opening drive, ended by Gonzalez’s 15-yard scoring catch.