Chiefs defense, special teams lead rout of Pittsburgh

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Eric Warfield is having fun again playing cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs.
"It's a lot better this year," said Warfield, who had the last of the Chiefs' three interceptions Sunday in a 41-20 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. "I can go out there and do my own job and have fun with it."
One factor in the defense's newfound job satisfaction is a rejuvenated pass rush that sacked Tommy Maddox four times and has seven sacks in two games.
"The dogs are back out there," safety Jerome Woods said.
Woods, who missed last season with a broken leg, also has helped revive a defense that was the NFL's most porous in 2002, giving up a team-record 467 points.
He returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, and set up Priest Holmes' third TD run by forcing and recovering a fumble in the fourth.
"I think now, because of missing an entire year, that he better appreciates his opportunity to play," coach Dick Vermeil said.
Holmes leads offense
Holmes ran for 122 yards -- including a twisting, juking 31-yard TD dash that put away the Steelers (1-1) in the fourth quarter.
He also scored on runs of 3 yards in the second quarter and 4 yards in the fourth as the Chiefs (2-0) came back from a 10-0 deficit that was largely their own doing.
"We just wanted to get the ball back into the offense's hands," said defensive tackle Ryan Sims, who had two sacks. "We know they were struggling at first -- but that's what a good defense does, try to get the ball back to a powerful offense."
As well as the offense and defense meshed Sunday, it was special-teams play -- two special-teams plays, actually, both by Dante Hall -- that made the difference.
Steelers led 10-0
The first came in the first quarter, with the Steelers leading 10-0 on Chad Scott's 26-yard interception return and Jeff Reed's 20-yard field goal.
Hall took Reed's kickoff 2 yards deep in the end zone, took off down the left side and didn't stop until he was in the other end zone with the second-longest kickoff return in team history behind Noland Smith's 106-yarder in 1967.
"Everything that we'd done offensively and defensively to that point, that one play took it out," Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher said. "It was one of the biggest plays of the game, because it got them right back in it."
Hall's 45-yard punt return set up Holmes' 4-yard run for a 34-20 lead early in the third quarter.
20 unanswered points
Late in the first, Maddox made it 17-7 with a 33-yard TD pass to Plaxico Burress -- but then the Chiefs went on a 20-0 tear, scoring on their next two possessions and one of Pittsburgh's.
Holmes' 3-yard run got Kansas City to 17-14, and Trent Green's 3-yard pass to tight end Jason Dunn gave the Chiefs a 21-17 lead. Four plays later, wide receiver Antwaan Randle El tipped Maddox's pass, Woods caught it and it was 27-17.
"That felt really good," Woods said. "I had kind of a sour taste in my mouth from last week, not coming up with the ball."
Reed made a 51-yard field goal as the first half ended.