--QB Tyler Thigpen, in posting an awful 23.8 passer rating in his first NFL start in Atlanta, saw three interceptions lead to 17 points, with seven coming directly on Chris Houston's 10-yard TD return in mop-up time. Coach Herm Edwards said after the game he had not decided whether Thigpen would be his starter for this week's home game with Denver.

--RB Larry Johnson's 48-yard run to start the third quarter against Atlanta was his longest since last Oct. 12, when he had a career-long 54-yarder against Oakland.

--TE Tony Gonzalez, after catching four passes for 35 yards against Atlanta, now needs only 50 yards to pass Shannon Sharpe's NFL record for career receiving yards by a tight end (10,060).

REPORT CARD VS. FALCONS

PASSING OFFENSE: F -- In his first NFL start, Tyler Thigpen couldn't get started. He was sacked on his first pass attempt when NFL sack leader John Abraham beat RT Damion McIntosh. He missed his first seven throws, with one Jamaal Charles drop, and was two of his first 13 with two interceptions. He rebounded later to hit eight straight throws, including a 15-yard third-and-long throw to Dwayne Bowe just three seconds from intermission, from the second to third quarters. But his 14-of-36, 128-yard, three-interception day produced an awful 23.8 passer rating.

RUSHING OFFENSE: B -- Larry Johnson's best day since before his 2007 foot injury ended his season saw him rush 24 times for 121 yards with one TD. His average was a more LJ-like 5.0. Rookie Jamaal Charles had a solid 7-38 effort in relief. But neither Johnson nor Charles could score when given three chances between them on four plays from the Atlanta 8 late in the third quarter when the Chiefs needed to close a 31-14 deficit with an entire quarter to play.

PASS DEFENSE: D -- Kansas City looked awful when Atlanta's Roddy White got behind FS Jarrad Page for a 70-yard TD strike from rookie Matt Ryan in the second quarter. The Chiefs generated no pass rush on the rookie, and he calmly completed 12 of 18 passes for 192 yards and a 120.6 passer rating.

RUSH DEFENSE: D -- It's almost hard to remember that KC's defense held Atlanta's potent running attack to three consecutive three-and-outs to open the game. But on the fourth series, Michael Turner ran through at least four tackles, dragging MLB Pat Thomas along for a ride before throwing him on a 38-yard run that seemed to set back the entire Chiefs defense. Jerious Norwood came right back with an 11-yard run, then later broke a tackle and turned a short pass into a 30-yard pick in Atlanta's 92-yard drive for the first of Turner's three TDS. Turner finished with 23-104, part of Atlanta's 186 rushing as a team. It wasn't the 300 Oakland ran for a week early, but the Chiefs can hardly call this an improvement.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C -- Punter Dustin Colquitt brings this grade up to average because of his "A" day -- six punts for a 51.5 gross and a 45.3 net. He was easily the Chiefs MVP this day. But kicker Nick Novak missed a 32-yard field goal, and return teams did little beyond B.J. Sams' 36-yard kickoff return and Jamaal Charles' 21-yard punt return.

COACHING: D -- Herm Edwards' decision to make little-used second-year QB Tyler Thigpen his third starter in as many games struck some observers as a "what-the-hell" decision by a coach who thought he had nothing to lose (but a game) and everything to win if the young guy caught fire. He didn't, and now Edwards is catching more fire than ever. It made sense giving Thigpen his chance on the road, at least, where he wasn't booed by his own fans after six straight three-and-outs to open the game. Gunther Cunningham's defenders are a mess -- failing to fill gaps, missing tackles, letting receivers run deep behind them. And special teams are getting nothing in the return game.