The most relevant statistic of the NFL’s eighth weekend was this: Dante Hall’s four receptions for 107 yards, including a 67-yard catch and run for a touchdown.

If the NFL’s most electric return man can master the wide receiver position, it’ll add still another offensive weapon to the league’s only unbeaten team.

The Chiefs’ success is based on one of the game’s best offensive lines; the all-around skills of Priest Holmes; the capable quarterbacking of Trent Green; and the electrifying Hall, whose TD returns have forced teams to adjust their thinking about kickoffs and punts, often surrendering yardage by kicking away from him.

Now, add in an improved defense that allows yards but not points.

But the wide receivers are ordinary – Holmes and tight end Tony Gonzalez are the biggest receiving threats. So Hall’s development there is another key element.

Hall took a short pass from Green on Sunday night and outran the Buffalo secondary for Kansas City’s first TD in a 38-5 win over Buffalo. So Hall at receiver becomes another wrinkle for opponents to worry about.

How long can this team go unbeaten?

It has a soft schedule: The only teams currently with winning records left on the schedule are Denver and Minnesota. The Broncos (5-3) are badly hurt right now.

Yes, the Chiefs will lose somewhere, perhaps even to the streaking Marvin Lewises in Cincinnati, but right now they have few holes.

There is one omen. Three of the last four teams to start 8-0 won the Super Bowl: the 1998 Broncos, the 1991 Redskins and the 1990 Giants. The other 8-0 squad was San Francisco in ’90, and the 49ers lost by two points to New York in the NFC title game.

Are the Chiefs really better than Tennessee, New England, and St. Louis?

And are there teams hiding in the weeds, such as the defending champion Bucs, who shut down the Cowboys on Sunday? Or the Giants, who handed Minnesota its first loss and tend to play much better in the second half of the schedule than in the first?

And have Bill Parcells’ Cowboys, shut out in Tampa, gone as far as their limited talent can take them?

Here’s a look at where the NFL contenders (and pretenders) stand nearing the midway point:

Top level

The Chiefs, of course, who in the playoffs are likely to run into teams like Tennessee (6-2) and/or New England (6-2).

Steve McNair (with Hall and Peyton Manning) is a leading MVP candidate and Jevon Kearse is finally fearsome again with 6 sacks.

The Patriots win ugly, but they win because Bill Belichick throws so many different looks that the opposition ends up clueless. Richard Seymour is probably the defensive player of the year right now.

“They’re a confusing team,” Tim Couch said after the Browns lost 9-3 in Foxboro on Sunday.

Finally, St. Louis (5-2) seems back in track team form with Marc Bulger playing the Kurt Warner role. Second-year man Dane Looker has become a third receiving outlet – he’s more like Ricky Proehl than Az-Zahir Hakim, but he’s effective.

The next level

Indianapolis (6-1), Carolina (6-1), Dallas (5-2), Minnesota (6-1).

“We don’t match up very well with the Giants,” Mike Tice said after the Vikings’ first loss. But breaking down the teams, they’re probably not that different in talent level.

“This is a pretty good beating,” Parcells said after the Cowboys’ loss in Tampa. Still, the Cowboys have reeling Washington coming up at home and then Buffalo, which has scored 15 points in its last three road games, all losses.

The Colts and Panthers are good, but Jake Delhomme isn’t a QB to bring a team from behind, and the Indy defense is still a work in progress.

In the woods

The Bucs are 4-3 without winning two in a row. Like a lot of champions, they seem to get up when their pride is on the line, as it was when the defense rebounded after allowing 458 yards in San Francisco to shut out the Cowboys. Total yards for Dallas: 161.

“We receive a lot of criticism, and we just go back to work,” said Derrick Brooks, last season’s defensive player of the year.

Watch the Giants (3-4), who but for two special teams misplays would be 5-2. They are “at” the Jets next week – a road game in your home stadium is a lovely thing – then get Atlanta at home. The Giants have a track record for

late runs. They were 3-4 last season and finished 10-6. Plus Jim Fassel is 19-5 in December, but a mysteriously bad coach early.

Plus the defense seems back on track. Michael Strahan got two sacks Sunday and suddenly has eight, tied for second in the league. And a young secondary got the first two interceptions Daunte Culpepper has thrown this season.

The biggest weakness is an offensive line with three rookie starters, but it protected Kerry Collins well enough for him to throw for 375 yards.

And the Giants finally got some special teams luck after having none for the last two seasons.

With Minnesota leading 17-16 in the fourth quarter, the Vikings’ Jack Brewer blocked a punt inside New York’s 5-yard line. The Giants’ Wesley Mallard, a linebacker serving as blocking back, scooped up the ball and ran 20 yards for a first down.

The Giants went on to score two TDs and get two interceptions to win the game.

An omen?