NFL ROUNDUP \ News and notes

Chiefs: The early-season schedule wasn’t a disaster. And the Chiefs persevered, pulled off a 30-16 victory in San Diego on Sunday as 12-point underdogs, and evened their mark at 2-2. Now they’ve won two in a row, are tied for the lead in the AFC West and have a division road win in the bank as they head into the sweet part of a schedule that suddenly seems much less treacherous. Starting with Jacksonville this Sunday, they play four of their next five and six of their next eight in Arrowhead Stadium, where their home-field advantage is unmatched by any club in the NFL since 1990. It’s a time to fatten up, to store away wins before that cold-weather road push in December. “Obviously, we wish we were in better shape than we are now,” coach Herm Edwards said Monday. “But we are what we are. We’re 2-2. But you’re looking at the games at home, you’ve got two at home, then you go on the road and then you come back for three out of the four at home again. If you’re going to make a run at anything, you’re going to have to make your run there.”

Texans: Houston’s loss to Atlanta was forgettable. Turnovers, sloppy play and the inability to convert short-yardage situations were the order of the day. The Texans lost two of their three fumbles, failed to convert three third-and-1 plays and missed a field goal. The defense was also unable to get off the field on third downs. “We’re very disappointed in our effort,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We did everything we could to lose a game. And you only get so many chances and then you go down there and throw one away, it’s very disappointing.”

Lions: Rod Marinelli thinks Detroit has the chance to become one of the NFL’s top teams. The Lions are 3-1 after Sunday’s 37-27 win over Chicago, matching their win total from last season, and the second-year coach doesn’t think they are overachieving. “If we can clean a few things up, we have a chance to be an elite team,” he said Monday. “I mean one of the best teams in the league — the top echelon.”

Ravens: Baltimore has lost two games this season because of their failure to score touchdowns after they get inside the 20-yard line. Baltimore gained plenty of yardage, held onto the football for nine more minutes and got inside the 20 on four different occasions at Cleveland. Yet the Ravens scored only one touchdown in a 27-13 loss Sunday. “That was the oddest looking stat sheet I think I’ve ever seen,” coach Brian Billick said Monday.

Buccaneers: Running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams and tackle Luke Petitgout will miss the rest of the season with knee injuries sustained Sunday. Williams hurt his right knee when he was tackled by Carolina safety Chris Harris at the end of an 18-yard run during the first quarter of the 20-7 victory over the Panthers. Petitgout was hurt when defensive tackle Kris Jenkins fell into his right leg in the second quarter.

49ers: Quarterback Alex Smith will miss Sunday’s game against Baltimore, but won’t need surgery on his separated right shoulder. Coach Mike Nolan said the 49ers won’t set a target return date for Smith until Thursday, after the swelling has subsided in his shoulder.

Panthers: Quarterback Jake Delhomme said he hopes a rigorous rehabilitation program will allow him to avoid undergoing season-ending surgery on his strained right elbow. A week after coach John Fox said Delhomme would not need to go under the knife, the quarterback acknowledged surgery is possible. “Maybe that could happen down the line. I don’t know, and that’s the God’s honest truth,” Delhomme said. “We don’t know yet.”

Rams: Quarterback Marc Bulger, nursing two broken ribs and coming off the first sub-50 percent passing day of his career, will play Sunday. Coach Scott Linehan has no thought of resting Bulger, who has thrown four interceptions, totaled 230 yards passing and produced zero touchdowns the last two weeks while operating behind an injury-riddled line.

Colts: Indianapolis could be without Marvin Harrison, Bob Sanders and Joseph Addai when they play host to Tampa Bay. Coach Tony Dungy was awaiting medical updates, yet acknowledged each of those players, along with linebacker Rob Morris and No. 2 tight end Ben Utecht, could be sidelined.

Bills: Backup linebacker Kevin Harrison is lost for the season because of a knee injury. Starting safety Jim Leonhard and starting cornerback Ashton Youboty are likely to miss next Monday night’s game against Dallas. All three were hurt in Buffalo’s 17-14 win over the Jets.

Dolphins: Middle linebacker Dan Morgan revealed for the first time that he has a partially torn Achilles tendon and is out indefinitely.

Cardinals: Wide receiver Anquan Boldin, inactive against Pittsburgh, was scheduled to see a doctor about his hip injury Monday.

Broncos: Running back Travis Henry had an MRI on his knee and ankle after being injured at Indianapolis. His status won’t be known until later this week.

Redskins: Running back Clinton Portis was limited in practice Monday despite a full week to rest after a bye because of concern over his persistently ailing knee.

Seahawks: Seattle lost Alvis Pearman, who was emerging as a valuable special teams player, for the season after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.

Chargers: Coach Norv Turner said fullback Andrew Pinnock had arthroscopic knee surgery and will be out three to four weeks. Left tackle Marcus McNeill has a sprained MCL in his left knee and will be limited in practice this week, as will defensive tackle Jamal Williams (sore knee) and wide receiver Craig Davis (strained ankle tendon). Linebacker Marques Harris has a slight concussion.

Associated Press