CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Marcus Peters stripped Kelvin Benjamin with 20 seconds left, Cairo Santos kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired, and the Kansas City Chiefs overcame a 17-point deficit to top the Carolina Panthers 20-17 on Sunday.

The game was tied when Benjamin caught a pass from Cam Newton, and Peters ripped the ball from his arms . Santos’ fourth field goal of the day split the uprights, lifting the Chiefs (7-2) to their fifth straight victory and 17th win in their last 19 games.

Eric Berry also returned a Newton interception 42 yards for a touchdown as Kansas City’s defense came up with big plays when needed. Alex Smith threw for 178 yards and Spencer Ware ran for 61 yards for the Chiefs, who failed to score an offensive touchdown.

Newton threw for 261 yards and a touchdown and ran for 54 yards and a score for the Panthers (3-6).

The game turned late in the third quarter when Chris Jones sacked Newton for a 12-yard loss on third-and-18 at the Kansas City 28, taking the Panthers out of field goal range. Instead of making it a three-possession game, the Panthers were forced to punt.

The Chiefs kicked a field goal to make it 17-6 before Berry picked off a pass that Newton heaved into the air under pressure and returned it for the touchdown. Smith passed to Travis Kelce for the conversion, and Santos’ third field goal tied it with 4:25 left.

BERRY INTERCEPTION

Berry showed why he’s still one of the best safeties in the league with his first interception return for a touchdown since 2013 and the fourth of his career. He deftly made his way through traffic to get to the end zone.

NEWTON’S NUMBERS

Newton established franchise records for pass completions and touchdowns rushing.

Newton passed Jake Delhomme for the most completions in franchise history with 1,581 with a strike to Greg Olsen in the first quarter and DeAngelo Williams with his 47th career TD rushing.

ODD STAT OF THE DAY

The Panthers had a 20-play drive in the third quarter that took more than 10 minutes off the clock, but came away with no points. Newton took sacks on a second and third down, and the Panthers had to punt.

WHAT WAS THAT

Late in the fourth quarter Smith threw a pass that was batted up in the air. He caught the ball, which is legal, but then attempted to throw the ball a second time. At that point flags were flying everywhere and the Chiefs were penalized 5 yards for an illegal second forward pass.

INJURIES

Chiefs: Cornerback Phillip Gaines left with a neck injury in the third quarter.

Panthers: Kicker Graham Gano was forced to handle punting duties in the first quarter after Andy Lee injured his hamstring. Gano’s first punt since 2010 went for 42 yards but he struggled on trying to pin the Chiefs inside the 20.

UP NEXT

Chiefs: Return home to host another NFC South foe in Tampa Bay next Sunday.

Panthers: The Panthers have a quick turnaround, hosting the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Their starting quarterback and running back never dressed, their top wide receiver joined them on the sideline with an injury of his own, and their Pro Bowl tight end was ejected by an official who didn’t seem to think his antics were very funny.

Good thing for the Kansas City Chiefs that everything was status quo on defense.

That stout bunch kept Blake Bortles in check most of the afternoon, then stuffed the Jacksonville Jaguars on fourth down with less than 2 minutes remaining deep in their own territory, preserving a 19-14 win on Sunday made even more impressive by the long odds the Chiefs overcame.

“That’s what football is all about. You’re going to have weeks where you have injuries,” said Nick Foles, who started in place of injured quarterback Alex Smith. “You have to step up and make plays.”

Foles threw for 187 yards and a first-half touchdown toss to Albert Wilson, and helped to set up four field goals by Cairo Santos, as Kansas City (6-2) won its 10th consecutive home game.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars (2-6) couldn’t overcome four turnovers — including a fumble at the goal line in the fourth quarter — in their first game with quarterback coach Nathaniel Hackett directing the offense .

Bortles was 22 of 41 for 252 yards and two touchdowns with a pick, showing little improvement after a week spent with his personal coach, Adam Dedeaux . His wide receivers hardly helped him, dropping several passes, including an early fourth-down throw that cost Jacksonville a chance at points.

“I thought Nathaniel called a great game,” Bortles said. “To run for 200 yards and throw for 200, or whatever, I thought it was awesome. If you look at the stat sheet minus the turnovers there’s no way you say Kansas City won. But unfortunately, that’s part of the game.”

Chris Ivory rumbled for 107 yards in the biggest bright spot for Jacksonville, but he fumbled going over the goal-line with 8:28 left in the game. The Jaguars quickly got the ball back, and Bortles hit T.J. Yeldon to get within 19-14 with 4:10 to go, but the extra time it took to score proved costly.

They got the ball back with 3:01 remaining, and a long scamper by Bortles gave them a chance. But his pass on fourth-and-3 at the Kansas City 32 was batted to the ground and the Chiefs ran out the clock.

“We had four turnovers and when you do that, any game in the NFL is hard to win,” Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. “And for us, we did it at critical times.”

The Chiefs played the whole way without Smith and starting running back Spencer Ware, who were out with head injuries, and offensive guard Parker Ehinger, who went on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin hurt his groin on the Chiefs’ first series and did not return, and tight end Travis Kelce was tossed from the game in the fourth quarter after arguing over a pass interference no-call, then tossing his towel at the official as if it was a flag.

“As soon as the ref took off his hat (to throw), I knew I was out. Felt like an idiot,” he said. “It was a terrible decision, but just have to learn from it and keep going.”

What did Kelce learn from it?

“I can’t throw my flag at the ref,” he replied. “He can throw his all day long.”

INJURIES

Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns left early in the second half with an ankle injury. He returned to the game, only to sustain a concussion while trying to make a catch later in the half. … Jacksonville linebacker Myles Jack left with a hip injury.

STATS AND STREAKS

The Chiefs have won three straight against Jacksonville. … The Jaguars still do not have a touchdown on their opening possession since Week 2 last season, an NFL-long stretch of 22 games. … Jacksonville has not forced a turnover in four games. … The Jaguars scored in the first half on the road for the first time this season. They’ve still been outscored 68-7. … Outside linebacker Dee Ford had both of Kansas City’s sacks, giving him 5 1/2 the past two weeks.

LONG TRIP NOWHERE

Chiefs running back Knile Davis played after re-signing with Kansas City on Saturday. Davis was traded to Green Bay three weeks ago, cut after two games and signed with the New York Jets. He was cut again hours later, allowing him to return to Kansas City. “It felt like I was home,” he said.

UP NEXT: The Jaguars return home to face the Texans on Sunday, while the Chiefs expect to have Alex Smith back when they visit Carolina.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid had just declared Alex Smith out with a head injury, announced Jamaal Charles was undergoing knee surgery and revealed that Spencer Ware had yet to pass a battery of concussion tests.

Then it started to rain.

It was a fitting soundtrack for a stunningly gloomy midweek briefing.

“It’s part of the National Football League,” Reid said with a shrug.

The biggest news was that Smith, whose head was slammed off the hard turf in Indianapolis twice last weekend, had been ruled out for the Chiefs’ game against Jacksonville.

Smith passed concussion tests after both of the hits, the second of which knocked him from the game, but decided to err on the side of caution.

The decision was made after consulting with an independent neurologist, talking with Reid and others in the front office — including team owner Clark Hunt — and having the results of his concussion tests reviewed by a concussion expert at the University of Pittsburgh.

“There’s no blood test where you can go in and take it and they say, ‘Yeah, you have a concussion,'” Smith said. “I’ve got three little kids. You only get one brain, far as I know. The last thing I wanted was to go out there and yeah, something happens again and all of a sudden you’re asking different questions.

“I’m not ready for that,” Smith added. “I don’t want to be thinking about any of that.”

Nick Foles will start in his place on Sunday and Tyler Bray will serve as the backup, and Smith and Reid both expressed confidence that he will be available the following week at Carolina.

“Any kind of head trauma, whatever you want to call it, time to heal is important. Precaution here was the weighing factor,” Smith said. “This was a decision we came to together.”

Foles was sharp in relief last Sunday, going 16 of 22 for 223 yards with two touchdowns and no picks in a 30-16 victory. While he does not have the scrambling ability of Smith, he has a bit more arm strength that could give the Chiefs a different look against the Jaguars.

“I feel pretty good that he’s got a grasp of the offense,” Reid said. “We didn’t have to change anything when he went in. I wasn’t looking at the sheet, wondering what I can call and can’t call.”

Just who Foles will be handing off to Sunday is another question.

Charles had exploratory surgery Wednesday to determine why there is lingering pain in his surgically repaired right knee. The operation was performed by Dr. James Andrews, who has repaired both of the running back’s ACLs, and the belief is that Charles may have some meniscus damage.

He’s been placed on injured reserve, which means he will miss at least eight weeks. The four-time Pro Bowl running back could conceivably return for the playoffs, though that appears to be a longshot.

“Since he’s come back from this rehab he’s had pain in both knees, it’s gone back and forth,” Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said. “He had some damage in that meniscus before. Dr. Andrews wants to see if it has a little flap in it or something that’s causing the discomfort.”

His loss is compounded by the fact that Ware is still going through the NFL’s concussion protocol. The Chiefs’ fill-in is unlikely to play against Jacksonville, even though he’s not been ruled out.

With only Charcandrick West available on the active roster, the Chiefs signed former second-round pick Bishop Sankey to shore up the position. Sankey has been on the Patriots practice squad, and Reid said it is possible that he will be active against the Jaguars.

“He’s got to get caught up, quickly, if he’s going to be in there,” Reid said.

The Chiefs also waived linebackers Sio Moore and Sam Barrington this week. They used the roster spots to add offensive lineman Mike Person and promote linebacker Terrance Smith from the practice squad.

The net result has been a chaotic three days for the Chiefs (5-2), who are a half-game back of Oakland and Denver in the AFC West after rattling off three consecutive wins.

“We’ve all got confidence in each other,” Reid said, “so we go out and next man comes in and goes. We’re not going to have to do a whole lot of different things. We’ll just play.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles is going back on injured reserve after developing swelling in his surgically repaired right knee, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the Chiefs had not announced the move.

The designation means the four-time Pro Bowl running back will miss at least eight weeks, so he could return for the end of the regular season and the playoffs.

Charles only had 12 carries for 40 yards in three games this season.

The Chiefs, already thin at running back after Spencer Ware sustained a concussion Sunday, signed former Titans second-round pick Bishop Sankey on Tuesday.

They cut linebackers Sam Barrington and Sio Moore.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs defended their treatment of Alex Smith after their quarterback twice had his head slam into the turf in Indianapolis, saying Monday that he passed concussion tests both times.

Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said that Smith passed a battery of sideline tests and additional tests in the locker room following the first blow.

When Smith returned to the game and was wobbly after another hit, he again passed all of the standard concussion tests.

The training staff decided at that point to keep Smith from the game anyway.

Running back Spencer Ware did not pass the concussion protocol and was ruled out after taking a similar hit, which has prompted some to question the hardness of the turf in Indianapolis.

— Associated Press —

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Coming in for the injured Alex Smith, Nick Foles kept the Kansas City Chiefs on a roll on Sunday.

It’s a job he may have to hold down a while longer.

Foles threw for one touchdown pass each time he replaced Smith, leading the Chiefs to their third consecutive victory, 30-14 at Indianapolis on Sunday.

Smith left twice after taking hits to the head, once with a cut on his ear that left him disoriented and the second time with a concussion.

Somehow, the tag-team quarterbacks kept the Chiefs chugging along against Indy’s struggling defense.

“He has a pretty good feel for the offense. He’s been in it before,” coach Andy Reid said. “He’s been a Pro Bowl player before. He’s pretty good.”

It was a rough game for the Chiefs, who lost Smith twice after hits to the head and finished the game with Charcandrick West as their only healthy running back.

Smith left on the game’s opening series, but was cleared by doctors to return. He left again early in the third quarter after Clayton Geathers shoved Smith’s head to the turf as the quarterback tried to slide underneath the tackle.

Geathers said the hit was not intentional, but the hit left Smith with a concussion and he did not return.

But both quarterbacks got the job done.

Foles’ 14-yard TD pass to Travis Kelce early in the second quarter made it 10-0. Smith made it 17-7 at halftime with a 13-yard TD pass to Jeremy Maclin, and after Smith’s second departure, Foles hooked up with Tyreek Hill on a 34-yard scoring pass for a 24-7 lead.

Foles finished 16 of 22 for 223 yards with no interceptions.

And this time, the Chiefs (5-2) defense prevented Andrew Luck from pulling off another comeback — similar to the previous time these teams met in January 2014.

Luck has three come-from-behind wins this season with Indy (3-5) and tried to deliver another one Sunday, but couldn’t get the Colts closer than 24-14.

Luck was 19 of 35 with 210 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, one fumble lost on a day his top receiver T.Y. Hilton caught only one pass.

“I struggled,” Luck said. “I think every offensive player in the room felt like we let each other down.”

SOCIAL MEDIA CONCERN

The social media traffic about the hits on Smith came from all corners. Some fans questioned whether Geathers intentionally drove Smith’s head into the turf to knock him out of the game. Former Colts linebacker Gary Brackett wrote on Twitter that whoever cleared Smith to return should be fired, while the television announcers questioned the play call because of Smith’s previous injury. Even Smith’s wife, Elizabeth, piped in — questioning how many hits it takes to draw a flag. Smith took several hits to the head in last week’s game that weren’t called.

TROUBLE WITH TRAVIS

Travis Kelce exposed an old flaw in the Colts’ defense, covering tight ends. The Colts struggled with that all of last season, and Kelce took advantage again Sunday. He matched his season high with six receptions in the first half and finished with seven catches for 101 yards, both season highs.

SLOW START

After better starts each of the past two weeks, the Colts reverted to their old form against the Chiefs. Not only did they trail 17-7 at halftime, they were lucky it wasn’t worse given that Kansas City had a 4 1/2-minute advantage in time of possession in the first half, settled for a 33-yard field goal and missed a 28-yarder.

INJURY REPORT

Chiefs: In addition to Smith, starting running back Spencer Ware missed the second half with a concussion. Ware started in place of Jamaal Charles , who was inactive because of swelling in his surgically repaired knee. Left guard Parker Ehinger also left in the second half with a right knee injury and did not return.

Colts: The Colts began the game without three starters and got hit even harder during the game. Pro Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis and right tackle Joe Reitz both left with concussions and did not return. Hilton returned after hurting his hamstring bur wasn’t the same. And receiver Phillip Dorsett sustained an undisclosed injury on the second to last play of the game.

THEY SAID IT

Chiefs: “If we were at all concerned, we wouldn’t have put him back in. That’s the bottom line,” Reid talking about the decision to let Smith return in the second quarter.

Colts: “We took a step back today, that’s obvious,” coach Chuck Pagano said.

UP NEXT:

Colts: Travel to Green Bay next Sunday.

Chiefs: Host Jacksonville next Sunday.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alex Smith threw two touchdown passes in another efficient outing, Daniel Sorensen returned an interception of Drew Brees for another touchdown and the Kansas City Chiefs held off the mistake-prone New Orleans Saints 27-21 on Sunday.

Spencer Ware ran for 77 yards to go with his 46-yard touchdown reception, and Tyreek Hill made an acrobat 38-yard TD catch to help the Chiefs (4-2) win their ninth straight at home.

Brees got the Saints (2-4) within 24-21 with his touchdown pass to Brandon Coleman with 2:33 left, but the ensuing onside kick went out of bounds. Kansas City added a 41-yard field goal, and the Saints could do nothing in the final 28 seconds to change the outcome.

Brees finished with 367 yards and three TD passes, but much of that offense came while he was trying to rally the Saints. It was actually another uneven performance away from the Superdome for the star quarterback, who was coming off a 465-yard game last week against Carolina.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs showed some mettle after falling into an early 7-0 hole. Ware’s touchdown on a screen pass and Sorensen’s pick-six off a batted ball quickly turned the momentum, and Hill added his long touchdown reception to make it 21-7 at the break.

The Saints drew within a touchdown on Mark Ingram’s catch midway through the third quarter, but the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner fumbled inside the Kansas City 10 with 8:26 left in the game and the Chiefs leading 24-14.

New Orleans got the ball back and eventually scored, but the wasted time proved costly.

LOTS OF LAUNDRY

The Saints struggled with the crowd noise in Arrowhead Stadium, getting flagged for four false starts and a delay of game. They also got hit with two unnecessary roughness penalties, including one with just over two minutes left that kept them from getting the ball back.

REID ROLLS 300

The Chiefs’ Andy Reid coached his 300th game Sunday. Most of those were over his 14 seasons in Philadelphia, where he was 140-102-1. He is now 36-21 in his fourth season in Kansas City.

INJURY REPORT

Saints: LB Dannell Ellerbe (quad), LB Stephone Anthony (hamstring) and CB Delvin Breaux (broken leg) left New Orleans without three defensive starters, while starting LG Andrus Peat (groin) was also out. Backup LG Senio Kelemete later left with a stinger, forcing Tim Lelito into the lineup.

Chiefs: Starting CB Phillip Gaines (knee) was inactive, while RB Jamaal Charles (knee swelling) was active in a limited role. He had just one carry early in the game.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have traded backup running back Knile Davis to the Green Bay Packers, who desperately need to add depth to their injury-riddled backfield.

The Packers gave up a conditional draft pick Tuesday for Davis, who has already started practicing with his new team.

The Packers needed help at running back with Eddie Lacy nursing a bothersome ankle and James Starks undergoing knee surgery. Lacy was their only active running back against Dallas on Sunday, when he rushed for 65 yards on 17 carries in a 30-16 loss.

Starks will be out a couple of weeks. Lacy was being held out of practice Wednesday because the ankle was “very sore,” coach Mike McCarthy said.

That means the Packers will have to get Davis up to speed on the playbook quickly if he’s going to be ready when the Chicago Bears visit Lambeau Field on Thursday night.

“It’s obviously a big challenge when you’re on a short week, but he’s definitely a talented young player,” McCarthy said. “So just looking forward to getting him into the mix and get going.”

Top cornerback Sam Shields, who has been out since the season opener with a concussion, was placed on injured reserve to make room for Davis on the active roster.

The Packers have been struggling in the passing game, and the injuries to Lacy and Starks have added to their issues on offense. McCarty got a look at Davis in Green Bay’s last preseason game, when he ran for 58 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries in the Chiefs’ 17-7 win on Sept. 1.

Davis had been passed over by Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West on the Chiefs’ depth chart, and the return of Jamaal Charles from his knee injury made him expendable.

“I feel like I’m off the reins,” Davis said after practice Tuesday. “I’m just excited to be a part of Green Bay and do I can here. Hopefully my role is bigger.”

The Kansas City Star first reported the trade.

Davis, the former Arkansas standout, was the Chiefs’ third-round pick in 2013. He was expected to team with Charles in a power-and-lightning backfield. But issues with fumbles that plagued him in college continued in the NFL, and he gradually lost playing time to other running backs.

His best season was 2014, when he ran for 463 yards and six touchdowns. But he’s only carried 29 times for 70 yards and a touchdown the past two seasons combined.

Davis was a longshot to make the Kansas City roster out of training camp, but his special teams ability may have made the difference. He’s averaged 27.2 yards on kickoff returns during his four-year career, and returned three kicks for touchdowns.

The fact that the Chiefs and Packers were trade partners is hardly surprising. Chiefs general manager John Dorsey played for the Packers in the 1980s, spent most of his career in their front office and rose to director of football operations before joining the Chiefs prior to the 2013 season.

Davis was the third player he drafted in Kansas City.

CHIEFS MOVES

The Davis deal was the start of a slew of roster moves on Tuesday for Kansas City. The Chiefs signed free agent defensive lineman Kendall Reyes, who was Washington for two games this season. He previously played four years in San Diego.

Kansas City added cornerback Terrance Mitchell, defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches and linebacker Ramik Wilson from its practice squad.

Defensive end Allen Bailey and linebacker Justin March-Lillard were placed on injured reserve. Defensive lineman Nick Williams was waived.

— Associated Press —

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — With two weeks to stew over a lopsided loss, the Kansas City Chiefs went back to basics and put together a balanced offense that allowed the running game to shine.

Spencer Ware ran for a career-high 131 yards and a touchdown, Alex Smith picked apart Oakland’s struggling defense and the Kansas City Chiefs shut out Derek Carr and the Raiders in the second half of a 26-10 victory Sunday.

“That’s the game we play,” said defensive lineman Dontari Poe, who got into the act on offense with a TD run of his own.

“You come out sometimes and it doesn’t go your way, but you got to make sure it goes your way the next time. Can’t keep on the downward spiral. You got to get it back up.”

In their first game since getting blown out by 29 points in Pittsburgh two weeks ago, the Chiefs (3-2) efficiently handled a Raiders team that had overcome defensive shortcomings with a big-play offense to lead the AFC West.

Smith completed 19 of 22 passes for 224 yards and the Chiefs forced two turnovers by Carr to dampen a fast start to the season by the Raiders (4-2), who are trying to end a 13-year playoff drought.

“I felt like we did a great job taking our shot today and when we did, hitting them,” Smith said. “But certainly the running game got us going and staying with that. Those guys drove it down in the beginning.”

Marcus Peters set up Ware’s TD run with an early interception of Carr and Dee Ford forced a fumble from Carr in the fourth quarter to end any hopes of a late comeback.

After allowing a touchdown on the opening drive, the Chiefs held the Raiders to one field goal the rest of the way.

“It hurts man,” Carr said. “We didn’t do good enough at all. That was bad. That was a bad performance by us.”

BIG-MAN TD: The 346-pound Poe showed off some versatility. With the Chiefs facing 3rd-and-goal from the 1 in the third quarter, Poe came in as an eligible receiver. He initially lined up in the backfield before shifting out wide right. He then took a lateral from Smith and bulled with way into the end zone for the TD . It was the first TD run by a defensive player since Poe had won last year against San Diego.

“I’m taking credit for that one for all the chubby guys out there,” coach Andy Reid said. “He’s got phenomenal hands. … It’s just a matter of looking it in, be patient and then cut the beast loose.”

WELCOME BACK: After getting only two carries in his first game back from a torn ACL, Jamaal Charles played a bigger role this week. He scored his first TD since Sept. 28, 2015, with a 4-yard run midway through the second quarter. Charles finished with nine carries for 33 yards and two catches for 14 yards.

QUICK TURNAROUND: Just when it looked as if the Chiefs would add on to a 13-7 lead late in the first half, there was a major momentum shift. Spencer Ware was stopped for a 2-yard loss on third-and-1 by Stacy McGee and Cairo Santos missed a 38-yard field goal. The Raiders took over with 25 seconds left and one timeout. But Carr quickly completed three passes for 44 yards and then spiked the ball with 1 second left, setting up a 46-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski that cut Kansas City’s lead to 13-10 at the half.

All that momentum was erased when Kansas City took the second-half kickoff and drove down for a touchdown.

“To come out and let them go right down the field to start the second half, that’s a major can’t do,” coach Jack Del Rio said.

HAPPY HOMECOMING: For the second straight year, Peters had an interception in his return to his hometown. Peters left the game for a bit in the second half to go through the concussion protocol, but was cleared and able to return.

FAST START: The Raiders jumped out early, thanks to a 50-yard return of the opening kick by Jalen Richard. Carr completed four of five passes on the ensuing drive, including a 3-yarder to Andre Holmes that made it 7-0 with Oakland’s second first-drive TD of the season. That was about it for highlights for the Raiders as Carr struggled in the rain and wasn’t helped by dropped third-down passes from Seth Roberts and Richard.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Derrick Johnson saw everybody else picking off passes for Kansas City and decided to join the party.

Then he figured he might as well score, too.

The veteran linebacker snagged one of six interceptions thrown by Ryan Fitzpatrick, scored one of the Chiefs’ two touchdowns off turnovers, and put an exclamation mark on a rather bizarre 24-3 victory over the hapless, turnover-prone New York Jets on Sunday.

“We put an emphasis on taking away the ball all the time,” said Johnson, who scored his fourth career TD. “If you can get a turnover, it’s a big momentum changer. And if you can score, it’s even bigger.”

A turnover? How about get eight.

Marcus Peters had two of the interceptions for the Chiefs (2-1), including the first of four in the fourth quarter. Johnson, Daniel Sorenson and D.J. White grabbed the others as the Jets piled up their most turnovers since setting a franchise record with 10 in a loss to the Patriots on Nov. 21, 1976.

“I’m stunned, disappointed … mad,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said. “We could have come out prepared. We could have come out and executed better. There’s 50 million things when you lose and we lost. Pick any one of them.”

Alex Smith was 25 of 33 for 237 yards and a touchdown for Kansas City, while Spencer Ware added 75 yards rushing. But it was the performance of the defense — and all those Jets turnovers — that helped the Chiefs bounced back from their first regular-season defeat in 12 games.

Eric Berry picked off a pass in the end zone late in the third quarter, and a fumbled kick return by the Jets’ Jalin Marshall was returned 27 yards by Demetrius Harris for another score.

“I think it stemmed from practice this week,” Berry said. “Everybody had a great practice. The emphasis was on finishing plays and not being too concerned with the score.”

The Jets’ Matt Forte, who scored three times against the Bills, was held to just 65 yards rushing, while wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker were held in check.

But it was Fitzpatrick who was downright dismal a week after torching Buffalo, going 20 of 44 for 188 yards. His six picks tied a franchise record while establishing a career high, surpassing the five that he threw for St. Louis against Minnesota on Dec. 11, 2005.

“I’ve had some bad ones,” he said, “so all I can do is put it behind me and move on.”

CHIEFS NOT INFALLIBLE

Kansas City appeared to take a 24-3 lead in the third quarter when Ware stretched the ball into the pylon for a touchdown. But officials reviewed the play and saw the ball beginning to come out, and decided that it was a fumble resulting in a touchback for New York.

“You don’t want them dropping the ball,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, “but it’s hard to tell them not to stretch.”

TURNOVER TROUBLE

Things could have been worse for New York. Berry and Sorenson dropped picks moments before Sorenson hauled in his interception, and Fitzpatrick fell on his own fumble earlier in the game.

PETERS A ‘PICKER

It was the second straight two-interception day for Peters, who has quickly become one of the league’s top cornerbacks. He had eight as a rookie in the regular season a year ago.

“When things are happening like today,” Peters said, “you enjoy. You embrace the opportunities.”

DECKER MIA

Decker had his streak of touchdowns in six straight games come to an end. The Jets wide receiver, who has scored 15 times in his last 19 games, had his only catch in the fourth quarter.

MARSHALL PLAYS

Marshall was active after missing practice earlier in the week with a slightly sprained knee. But shadowed by Peters and Berry, the star wide receiver had a tough time getting open. He finished with three catches for 27 yards, on several occasions complaining about the tight coverage.

INJURY REPORT

Jets: CB Darrelle Revis was evaluated for an eye injury and missed the final series of the first half. He returned after the break. … DL Lawrence Thomas left in the first half with a shoulder injury. … LB Erin Henderson was inactive because of a foot sprain.

Chiefs: RB Jamaal Charles (ACL surgery) remained inactive for the third straight week, but coach Andy Reid insisted the four-time Pro Bowl selection is getting closer to playing.

— Associated Press —