K.C. Wallops 49ers, 44-9

Rich Gannon has beaten John Elway, Warren Moon and Steve Young in the past three weeks.

Does anyone still think the Kansas City Chiefs are in trouble with the injured Elvis Grbac on the bench?

“I like this kind of trouble,” said defensive tackle Joe Phillips, who even got involved in the scoring derby in Sunday’s stunning 44-9 victory over the visiting San Francisco 49ers.

Gannon is 3-1 since Grbac went out with a broken collarbone as the Chiefs survived the meanest stretch of their schedule and moved to threaten Denver for the AFC West title and home field in the playoffs.

“We really dug down deep and proved we could do some things,” said Chiefs center Tim Grunhard. “I don’t think people around the country thought we could do it.”

It was the worst loss for the 49ers, who lost running back Garrison Hearst for four to six weeks with a broken collarbone, since a 59-14 defeat by Dallas in October 1980.

The Chiefs stunned the favored 49ers by taking a 28-6 halftime lead.

“We needed to start fast,” Grunhard said. “I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but today everything went our way.”

By not allowing a second-half touchdown for the eighth straight game, the Chiefs put an exclamation mark on the lopsided victory with a safety and a touchdown return of an interception in the final 8:31.

Gannon threw three touchdown passes and Marcus Allen had another on a halfback option, the first time the Chiefs have had four touchdowns passes in a game since December 1983 against San Diego.

“They did about everything they wanted to on the field,” said 49ers cornerback Rod Woodson.

The 49ers have failed to score a touchdown in a game only twice since 1991 - in both of this season’s defeats. They fell in the opener at Tampa Bay 13-6.

Kansas City led 14-3 after a 2-yard touchdown pass from Gannon to Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez then swept past Zack Bronson to block a punt by Tommy Thompson and returned the ball 12 yards to the 3. Allen scored on the next play.

Broncos 38, Chargers 28

At San Diego, John Elway threw three touchdown passes and San Diego native Terrell Davis ran for 178 yards and one touchdown as the Broncos became the first AFC team to clinch a playoff spot.

Davis regained the NFL rushing lead from Detroit’s Barry Sanders, with 1,647 yards, and needs to average 118 yards in his final three games to become the third NFL player to reach 2,000.

Bills 20, Jets 10

Todd Collins and Lonnie Johnson combined on a 62-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass that broke a 10-10 tie as host Buffalo beat New York for the second time this season and sixth in a row.

Thurman Thomas gained 104 yards on 18 carries and moved into ninth place on the career rushing list. It was his first 100-yard game since Oct. 27, 1996.

Rams 23, Redskins 20

St. Louis ended its slide as Jerald Moore and Amp Lee, replacing the released Lawrence Phillips, each scored for the visitors. Then Lee’s 45-yard TD reception set up Jeff Wilkins’ game-winning 25-yard field goal with 4 seconds left.

Brian Mitchell had tied the score for the Skins on a 2-yard run with 1:50 to play. But Tony Banks, who threw for 298 yards, moved St. Louis 53 yards for Wilkins’ kick.

Bucs 20, Giants 8

Tampa Bay guaranteed its first winning season since 1982 as Mike Alstott scored twice and Warrick Dunn ran for 120 yards and set up two TDs. The Bucs can clinch its first playoff berth since that season with one win in their three remaining games.

The host Giants gained only 202 yards, but stayed a game ahead of the Redskins and Eagles in the NFC East.

Eagles 44, Bengals 42

Bobby Hoying threw four touchdown passes and Chris Boniol kicked the game-winning field goal as time ran out and kept host Philadelphia in the playoff race.

Hoying, who finished 26-of-42 for 313 yards, moved the Eagles 61 yards in the game’s final minute to set up Boniol’s 31-yarder. That came after Boomer Esiason led the Bengals from two 13-point deficits to a 42-41 lead on Brian Milne’s 1-yard touchdown run with a minute left.

Dolphins 34, Raiders 16

Miami won for the first time in nine games in Oakland as Dan Marino threw scoring passes of 44 and 8 yards to Charles Jordan and Karim Abdul-Jabbar rushed for 85 yards and a TD.

Tim Bowens recovered Jeff George’s fumble in the end zone for another touchdown after one of six sacks against the Raiders.

Patriots 20, Colts 17

Drew Bledsoe, who went two games without a touchdown pass, threw a 3-yarder pass to Sam Gash and an 18-yarder to Troy Brown as New England moved into a tie with the Jets and Dolphins.

Jim Harbaugh’s second scoring pass, an 11-yarder to Sean Dawkins with 1:08 left, cut the lead to three for the visiting Colts. But the Patriots recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

Steelers 26, Cardinals 20 (OT)

Jerome Bettis’ 10-yard run 5:34 into overtime gave Pittsburgh the win that kept it even with Jacksonville in the AFC Central. It was the third TD of the day for Bettis, who gained 142 yards on 36 carries.

Jake Plummer was sacked 10 times, but threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns for host Arizona. Joe Nedney missed a 46-yard field goal with six seconds left in regulation.

Jaguars 29, Ravens 27

Mark Brunell threw for 317 yards as Jacksonville beat the franchise that has been in Cleveland and Baltimore for the sixth time without a loss. Jacksonville has won 13 straight at home.

Eric Zeier rallied the Ravens to two fourth-quarter touchdowns, closing to 29-27 with 1:10 left on a 7-yard pass to Eric Green. But Zeier tripped over the leg of left tackle Jonathan Ogden on a quarterback draw for a 2-point conversion.

Saints 16, Panthers 13

A week after coach Mike Ditka questioned whether he should stay on as New Orleans’ coach, the visiting Saints beat Carolina on a 45-yard field goal by Doug Brien, his third of the game, with 5 seconds left. New Orleans scored 13 of its points off turnovers by Carolina.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SUNDAY’S BEST Quarterbacks Boomer Esiason 27-47-378-4-1 Mark Brunell 25-40-317-1-1 Bobby Hoying 26-42-313-4-1 Jim Harbaugh 22-41-310-2-0 Running backs Terrell Davis 26-178-3 Jerome Bettis 36-142-3 Warrick Dunn 24-120-0 Receivers Rob Moore 8-188-0 Amp Lee 6-128-1 Tim Brown 8-125-1