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Turner scores three TDs as Falcons crush Chiefs

Sep 21, 2008 - 9:55 PM By Guy Curtright PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Before the season, some predicted that the Atlanta Falcons might have the worst team in the NFL. Instead, that dubious distinction could belong to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Behind another strong performance from Michael Turner, the Falcons routed the woeful Chiefs, 38-14, on Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

Turner rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries to pace an Atlanta attack that racked up 186 yards on the ground. Signed to a $34.5 million contract this past offseason, Turner has 366 yards and five TDs through Atlanta's first three games.

Rookie Matt Ryan completed 12-of-18 attempts for 192 yards and a TD for the Falcons (2-1), who raced to an early 24-0 lead and never looked back.

Kansas City (0-3) has lost 12 consecutive games dating back last season.

Forced into action by injuries, Tyler Thigpen made his first NFL start for Kansas City and threw three interceptions, the last of which resulted in a 10-yard TD return by cornerback Chris Houston with a minute remaining.

"I didn't play too well," admitted Thigpen, a second-year player from Coastal Carolina.

Kansas City coach Herm Edwards offered a more positive assessment of Thigpen.

"He did some things that were good. He did some bad things, too," Edwards said. "This is a learning process for a guy like that."

First-year Atlanta coach Mike Smith had every reason to be positive.

"I'm excited about being 2-1," he said.

The Falcons are at Carolina (2-1) - one of the teams tied with them atop the NFC South - next Sunday while the Chiefs will have to try to snap their losing streak at home against Denver.

"We're where we want to be," said Ryan, the third overall pick in the draft. "We're tied for first in the division and have a big divisional game coming up."

Kansas City star running back Larry Johnson, who had complained about a lack of playing time last week, rushed for 120 yards on 23 carries and had a 1-yard TD. But he was about the only bright spot for the Chiefs.

Thigpen, who finished 14-of-36 for 128 yards, was harassed all day by the Falcons' defense and sacked twice by defensive end John Abraham.

Abraham sacked Thigpen on Kansas City's first offensive play and forced a fumble on his second sack at the end of the third quarter. The Chiefs failed to get a first down on their first five possessions, and the second ended with an interception.

The Falcons, meanwhile, protected Ryan perfectly.

"I don't think I was touched once," Ryan said.

After failing to get a first down on their first three possessions, the Falcons put together four consecutive scoring drives to take a 24-0 lead.

The first drive covered 92 yards in six plays and began with Turner's 38-yard run. Turner capped the drive with his first TD of the game, a 4-yarder with 3:20 left in the first quarter.

Atlanta made it 14-0 when Roddy White got behind the Chiefs' secondary and hauled in Ryan's pass for a 70-yard touchdown with seven seconds left in the first quarter.

"(White) just ran by the defense," Ryan said. "He showed what kind of speed he has."

White finished with five receptions for 119 in his eighth career 100-yard game.

"Roddy has the skill set to be one of the top receivers in this league," Smith said.

The Falcons' 10 points following White's TD catch came after interceptions. Erik Coleman picked off Thigpen and made a 16-yard return to the 18 to set up a 27-yard field goal by Jason Elam with 9:15 left in the second quarter.

On the Chiefs' next possession, Brent Grimes intercepted Thigpen and returned the ball 25 yards to the Kansas City 40. Turner finished a 10-play drive with another TD run, this one from 2 yards out.

The Chiefs finally mounted some offense in the closing minutes of the first half, with Thigpen hitting Dwayne Bowe for a 15-yard TD with three seconds remaining before intermission. Kansas City got 74 of its 109 net yards in the first half on the drive.

The Chiefs picked it up offensively a little bit in the second half, marching to a touchdown on Johnson's short run coming out after intermission.

But Nick Novak missed a 32-yard field goal attempt to start the fourth quarter and the Chiefs turned the ball over on downs at the Atlanta 1-yard line late in the game.

"We showed signs of life," Bowe said. "We just have to figure out how to come out and start the game."