FOR A TRUE RIVALRY, TRY CHIEFS-CHARGERS.

Byline: Associated Press 

On one side are Neil Smith, Derrick Thomas, Marcus Allen and the Kansas City Chiefs' uncanny ability to dominate.

On the other side are the San Diego Chargers' cannon and the red-hot Stan Humphries-to-Tony Martin tandem.

The scores may be on the low side, but there's always emotion and excitement when the Chiefs and Chargers renew their AFC West rivalry.

Sunday's fight for first place in San Diego will be no different. The Chiefs are 4-0 for the first time in the franchise's 37-year history, and have won 12 straight against division foes dating to the last game of 1994. The Chargers (3-1), two weeks removed from their debacle at Green Bay, want their share of the division lead.

To the Chargers, this has become a bigger rivalry than with the Oakland Raiders.

``I think maybe the Chiefs rivalry goes all the way up through the front office and all the way up to the top, maybe,'' Humphries said. ``I think the Raider game is a fan rivalry that just kind of pushes over into the players, and the Kansas City game is a player rivalry that goes to the fans.''

Bad blood, bruised quarterbacks - 61 sacks in the past 10 games - and close scores befit a rivalry between teams that have split the past four division titles. Whether it's Smith driving Humphries into the turf or coach Marty Schottenheimer jawing with tackle Stan Brock in an on-field scrum three years ago, there's always something to remember.

``These games just build and build and build, and each time they become more intense,'' said Chiefs defensive tackle Joe Phillips, a former Charger.

Smith, who loves to pop off about the Chargers, has an amusing explanation for why the Chiefs win in San Diego.

``I think it's because of that cannon you guys got down there,'' the defensive end said, referring to the cannon in one corner of Jack Murphy Stadium that fires after every Chargers score. ``It gets us fired up.''

More than one visitor has been startled by the cannon booming.

``That's why I hate that,'' said Smith, who helped hold the cannon to one shot last year. ``But I really hate the Chargers' song. That rings in my head constantly.''

That would be the ``San Diego Super Chargers'' song dating from the Air Coryell years.

Atlanta (0-3) at San Francisco (2-1): Elvis Grbac, who was 3-2 filling in for Steve Young last season, gets a good situation for his first start of 1996 with Young ailing again. The 49ers have handled the Falcons with little trouble lately, winning their past four meetings in San Francisco by a margin of 184-71. What's more, Jerry Rice has caught more passes (125) for more yards (2,000) and more touchdowns (21) against the Falcons than any other team. Bobby Hebert starts for the Falcons at quarterback in place of suspended Jeff George.

N.Y. Jets (0-4) at Washington (3-1): Rich Kotite is on the hot seat after last week's loss to the Giants kept the Jets winless and dropped his record as their coach to 3-17. Add on seven straight losses at the end of his term in Philadelphia and Kotite is 3-24. Maybe he can take heart from Washington, 13-35 since 1991 before opening this season at 3-1.

Houston (2-1) at Pittsburgh (2-1): Recycled running back Jerome Bettis has two straight 100-yard games for the Steelers, and the Oilers have gotten big mileage out of Eddie George.

Green Bay (3-1) at Seattle (1-3):The Packers lost at Minnesota last week, dropping the Packers' record on artificial turf to 2-10 over the past three seasons. Seattle may need more than that stat against the Packers, who still believe they're the league's best team.

Minnesota (4-0) at N.Y. Giants (1-3): The Vikings continued their strong start by knocking off heavyweight Green Bay last week while the Giants got their first win against the lightweight Jets.

Oakland (1-3) at Chicago (1-3): Both of these teams have been huge disappointments thus far. Veteran QB Dave Krieg, playing for his fourth team in four years, starts for the Bears with Erik Kramer injured. The Raiders had lost eight straight before winning two weeks ago but then struggled again last Sunday.

Carolina (3-0) at Jacksonville (1-3): Don't count on the Panthers falling apart anytime soon. A soft upcoming schedule could keep them close to the 49ers in the NFC West well into the season.

Detroit (2-2) at Tampa Bay (0-4): New coach Tony Dungy continues to look for his first victory with the Bucs. His dreary team has lost four straight to Detroit, and Barry Sanders has rushed for more yards (1,690) against Tampa Bay than any other team.

Denver (3-1) at Cincinnati (1-2): The Broncos' Terrell Davis (3-1) leads the NFL in rushing with 461 yards, and had a 65-yard TD in last week's loss at Kansas City. Cincinnati is coming off a bye week.

New Orleans (0-4) at Baltimore (1-2): The Saints may put their fans back in those paper sacks after losing to the previously winless Cardinals at home last week. The Ravens (1-2) have dropped two straight after winning an emotional opener against the Raiders in Baltimore.

St. Louis (1-2) at Arizona (1-3): This is a matchup of St. Louis franchises past and present. The Cardinals unveiled a big-time rusher in LeShon Johnson, who ran for 214 yards against New Orleans.

Dallas plays at Philadelphia on Monday night. Indianapolis, Miami, Buffalo and New England are idle.

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Photo

Photo: San Diego's Stan Humphries has worked magic with rec eiver Tony Martin so far this season.

Associated Press