--QB Tyler Thigpen, who struggled all day in amassing only a 77.4 passer rating against Cincinnati, lobbied openly afterward to remain the Chiefs' starter going into spring drills next year. "Look at the way the offense has moved," said Thigpen, who won only one of his 11 starts. "Look at the way guys are so much more energetic when they're out there with me. It's like those guys got a second wind in the second half of the season, when I became the (full-time) starter."

--TE Tony Gonzalez, who was named the winner of the Derrick Thomas Award given annually to the team's Most Valuable Player as selected by his teammates, caught five passes in the season finale against Cincinnati. He finished the year with 96 receptions, third best in his 12-year career. His 5-yard TD catch was his 10th score, tying the second-best season of his career.

--DE Jason Babin recorded his second sack as a Chief against Cincinnati. That gave him one-fifth of the team's sack total in only nine games.

--WR Dwayne Bowe had a 10 catch, 103-yard receiving day against Cincinnati that put him over the 1,000-yard mark in receiving for the first time in his two-year career.

--CB Maurice Leggett, an undrafted rookie who had two return touchdowns (one on special teams, one on defense) was named the winner of the club's Mack Lee Hill Award, presented annually to the team's outstanding rookie. Leggett came out of Division II Valdosta State and became the team's nickel back after an injury to veteran Pat Surtain, and a starter when fellow rookie Brandon Flowers missed two games.

REPORT CARD VS. BENGALS

PASSING OFFENSE: D -- With 6 1/2 minutes remaining in a 16-0 game, Tyler Thigpen had completed only 14 of 27 throws and his team had only 138 of its eventual 220 total yards. Thigpen said he wasn't on the same page in missing several throws, but some were so off target it appeared that his receivers weren't even in the same library. He did have a too-little, too-late 32-yard downfield throw to Dwayne Bowe to set up a touchdown, but that was Kansas City's only offensive highlight.

RUSHING OFFENSE: F -- Kansas City ran only 15 times for 31 yards, which helps explain why Larry Johnson was so unhappy. He averaged only 1.8 yards on his mere 10 carries in what may have been his final game as a Chief.

PASS DEFENSE: C-minus -- Cincinnati QB Ryan Fitzpatrick didn't exactly light things up in completing 18 of 30 passes for 129 yards without a TD or a pick. But he completed enough to move the chains in a 13-point, ball-control first half, and he did so without the services of Chad Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

RUSH DEFENSE: D -- Cedric Benson ran for 111 yards and a 4.4 yard average, and WR Andre Caldwell burned the Chiefs for 49 yard on four end-arounds. The Bengals finished with 204 rushing yards, making them the fourth team to gash Kansas City for more than 200 this year.

SPECIAL TEAMS: F -- When cover man Jamaal Charles batted a punt into the end zone that he easily could have downed inside the 5, you knew what kind of day it would be for the special teams. Kansas City's return units produced little.

COACHING: F -- Even coach Herm Edwards said his team lacked energy in the first half, and that goes to coaching. This was a game Kansas City could have won had it given any kind of effort, but the Chiefs seemed lifeless and without fight much of the day.