ST. LOUIS (AP) – Larry Johnson backed up pregame braggadocio about dealing out the hits instead of taking them.

Johnson became the second straight running back to punish the St. Louis Rams’ defense in a 31-17 victory Sunday. Just as many big plays by a defense that forced three early turnovers against a team that emphasizes ball security helped the Chiefs build a 17-point cushion.

Jared Allen stripped Marc Bulger on a sack and recovered Steven Jackson’s fumble for the Chiefs, who have won three in a row for the first time under new coach Herman Edwards.

Two touchdown catches by Tony Gonzalez, who broke Otis Taylor’s franchise career mark, helped Kansas City (5-3) raise its record to an NFL-best 21-5 in interconference play since 1995. Damon Huard was mistake-free again, going 10-for-15 for 148 yards and three touchdowns.

Jackson had 219 yards in all for the Rams (4-4), who have lost three in a row to negate a fast start under new coach Scott Linehan. Jackson had 86 yards on 19 carries, with a 1-yard touchdown, and caught a career-best 13 passes for 133 yards, but also had one of the Rams’ three lost fumbles.

Johnson had 172 yards on 27 carries, including a 1-yard score for his fifth touchdown in two weeks, a 45-yarder when the Chiefs were backed up in the second quarter, and a 16-yarder that set up a field goal. He secured his fifth 100-yard game of the year and the 18th of his career before halftime against a beleaguered Rams defense that LaDainian Tomlinson gouged for 183 yards last week.

The Chiefs lost left guard Brian Waters, coming off an All-Pro season, in the first quarter with a leg injury. Johnson, who said “I don’t get hit, I give hits” on a conference call days after getting 155 yards against the Seahawks, wasn’t slowed down much.

The Rams entered the game among the NFL leaders in turnover margin at plus-10. They’re minus-4 the last two games after the three costly fumbles helped the Chiefs take a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Dane Looker, in for his sure hands with the Chiefs punting from the St. Louis 45, fumbled a fair catch in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Allen ran down Bulger on a rollout and stripped him, and then stripped Jackson on a 3-yard gain up the middle.

The Chiefs scored in six plays from the St. Louis 14 on the first turnover, capped by Johnson’s 1-yard run. Working from the St. Louis 46, they needed two plays and 50 seconds on the second to make it 14-0, with Samie Parker catching a 43-yard pass and then a wide-open Gonzalez snaring a 3-yarder.

Four plays after Jackson coughed up the ball at the St. Louis 33, Lawrence Tynes’ 42-yard field goal made it 17-0 with 10:22 to go in the first half.

The rest of the way it was a game of catch-up for the Rams. They closed to 24-17 on Kevin Curtis’ 2-yard catch late in the third quarter before the Chiefs answered with Huard’s 11-yard pass to Kris Wilson with 6:20 to go.

Gonzalez has 59 career TDs receiving, two more than Taylor for the franchise record. He needs three more to catch Shannon Sharpe, who holds the NFL record for a tight end.

Bulger’s fourth straight 300-yard passing game was wasted for St. Louis. He was 31-for-42 for 354 yards with no interceptions.

AP-ES-11-05-06 1612EST


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.