While the Kansas City Chiefs race on with the NFL's best record, the meltdown of the San Diego Chargers seems almost complete.

Now, the Chiefs are aiming for where the Chargers were last year - on top of the AFC - and beyond.By beating San Diego 22-7 on Sunday, the Chiefs matched the same 9-1 start they had in 1969 en route to winning the Super Bowl. And they won their sixth straight game, one short of the club record set in '69.

"They still don't think we've played anybody," said defensive end Neil Smith, who blocked a field goal attempt and had one-half sack. "But we have to beat the champions. They were the best team in the league last year. To sweep them is a sweet feeling."

Smith said the Chiefs are merely on their way to their first goal of winning the AFC West and clinching home-field advantage in the playoffs.

"We feel that we can't be beat at home," Smith said. "If you've got to come through KC, then it's going to be a rough road. I think this team knows that, and we're putting it together. We're having fun with it."

Steve Bono and Marcus Allen scored on short runs and Lin Elliott had three field goals for the Chiefs.

Allen, who was MVP of the Super Bowl following the 1983 season while with the Los Angeles Raiders, wouldn't bite on any Super Bowl comparisons.

"I think we have a good team with a possibility of being a great team," he said. "We're not going to look too far down the road."

The Chargers, meanwhile, are a mess. With AFC-leading rusher Natrone Means out with a strained groin, the Chargers (4-6) lost for the fifth time in six games. They're now tied with Seattle for last.

"It was a very lackluster performance on our part," coach Bobby Ross said. "I'm not going to try to rationalize it. When that happens, it ultimately comes back to me. I take full responsibility for it."

However, Ross did seem to rationalize: "It almost seems like some of the time we're wanting the season to get over with."

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Said quarterback Stan Humphries: "I think that it's probably one of the worst performances we've had in the last four years."

The Chiefs have beaten the Chargers 10 of their last 13 meetings. One of the Chargers' victories was 17-0 in the 1992 playoffs.

Allen scored the clincher on a 1-yard run with 6:16 to play in the third quarter, giving Kansas City a 19-7 lead. Bono's conversion pass to Lake Dawson failed.

Although the Chiefs didn't need last-minute heroics from Bono and punt returner Tamarick Vanover like they did in a 29-23 overtime victory against San Diego on Oct. 9, they nonetheless got steady play. Bono finished 17 of 27 for 137 yards, his second-lowest total of the season, with one interception and three sacks. Greg Hill gained 78 yards on 17 carries and Allen had 63 yards on 16 carries.

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