Holmes Locks On to Records

People have stopped questioning Priest Holmes’ future in the NFL and begun talking about his place in league history.

The Kansas City running back scored twice Sunday, knocking Emmitt Smith and Marshall Faulk out of the record book and leading Kansas City over the Chicago Bears, 31-3.

“It’s an honor just to be blocking for the guy,” said left guard Brian Waters. “Twenty years from now I’ll be able to tell my kids, ‘Daddy was out there.’ ”

Off-season hip surgery had led to many questions about Holmes’ ability to regain the effectiveness that had enabled him to lead the NFL in yards from scrimmage two years in a row.

But he strutted into the end zone on a one-yard run in the second quarter to break Smith’s season record of 25 touchdowns rushing. And then he vaulted over the goal line in the third quarter for his 27th touchdown, breaking the overall touchdown record Faulk set in 2000.

“I feel joy, excitement,” Holmes said.

The Chiefs (13-3) were already locked into the No. 2 seeding and guaranteed a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs. The Bears, with rookie quarterback Rex Grossman injuring his hand and exiting in the second quarter, finished 7-9 amid speculation about the job security of Coach Dick Jauron, who is 35-46 in five seasons.

“We’ll find that out pretty quickly, I would think,” Jauron said when asked about his job. “I’ve loved being here. It’s a great franchise. It is the charter franchise. It’s a great city to coach in, and I guess most importantly, a terrific group of guys.”

The Chiefs had little trouble mounting an effective defense at home, where they have a team-record 13 consecutive victories despite a defense that’s sunk to near the bottom of the league.

“Any time you hold a team two for 15 on third downs and shut everything down the way we did, that’s a huge momentum-builder, a huge confidence-builder,” Kansas City linebacker Scott Fujita said.

Kordell Stewart, who entered the game in the second quarter when Grossman injured his hand, was five for 15 for 86 yards and had two interceptions, including one in the third quarter that led to Holmes’ two-yard score for a 21-3 Chief lead.

Stewart was later replaced by Chris Chandler, who completed six of 17 passes for 81 yards. In one embarrassing gaffe, Chandler passed to David Terrell over the middle for a long gainer in the fourth quarter. There was no defender near him, but Terrell inexplicably cut right and headed straight for safety Shaunhard Harts, who tackled him on the 17.

“We wanted badly to finish with a strong performance,” Chief Coach Dick Vermeil said. “So we send a message to anybody who comes in here that it’s going to be tough on them.”

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Rushing Touchdowns

Most NFL single-season rushing touchdowns:

*--* Year No. Priest Holmes, K.C. 2003 27 Emmitt Smith, Dallas 1995 25 John Riggins, Washington 1983 24 Priest Holmes, K.C. 2002 21 Terrell Davis, Denver 1998 21 Terry Allen, Washington 1996 21 Emmitt Smith, Dallas 1994 21 Joe Morris, N.Y. Giants 1985 21

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Most Touchdowns

Most NFL single-season touchdowns:

*--* Year No. Priest Holmes, K.C. 2003 27 Marshall Faulk, St. Louis 2000 26 Emmitt Smith, Dallas 1995 25 John Riggins, Washington 1983 24 Priest Holmes, K.C. 2002 24 Jerry Rice, San Francisco 1987 23 O.J. Simpson, Buffalo 1975 23 Terrell Davis, Denver 1998 23

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