If Damon Huard keeps playing this well, the Kansas City Chiefs won't have a quarterback crisis while waiting for Trent Green to get back _ they'll have a quarterback controversy once he does.
Huard played almost flawlessly in a 41-0 rout of San Francisco on Sunday, hitting 13 of his first 15 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns while Kansas City seized a 24-0 half-time lead en route to its first shutout in almost four years.
Green was on the sidelines for the first time after sustaining a severe concussion three weeks ago. Days after doctors cleared him to drive, he was joking with teammates and even appeared to be suggesting plays for his backup, who'd hardly done anything besides carry a clipboard for six seasons until Green was knocked unconscious in the Sept. 10 season opener.
Huard finished 18-of-23 passing for 208 yards and two touchdowns.
All the while, Green huddled with Huard and coaches after every series, sometimes even stepping on to the field with coaches as they consulted during timeouts.
Dante Hall scored Kansas City's final touchdown on a 60-yard punt return, giving him 11 kick-return touchdowns for his career.
Larry Johnson rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns for the Chiefs, who handed the 49ers their first shutout loss since 2004 and only their second since 1977.
The 49ers, who had allowed only four sacks in three games, gave up five to Kansas City's improved defence, which did not yield a touchdown for the second straight game. Second-year quarterback Alex Smith was 13-for-25 passing for 92 yards and two interceptions.
Tight end Tony Gonzalez registered two career milestones. The 10-year veteran caught a 14-yard toss during the Chiefs' second touchdown drive and moved past Ozzie Newsome for second all-time among NFL tight ends with 663 receptions. He also passed Jackie Smith for third all-time in career receiving yardage at his position.
Huard hit Hall with a 13-yard touchdown pass in a 10-play, 73-yard drive on the Chiefs' first possession. Then the 49ers gave a preview of things to come when on their first four plays they had a sack, a delay-of-game penalty and Frank Gore's fumble. Jared Allen recovered and it led to former CFL star Lawrence Tynes' 22-yard field goal.
San Francisco cornerback Shawntae Spencer had a terrible day. He made his first bad mistake when he was flagged for pass interference against Hall in the second. The 19-yard penalty moved the ball to the one-yard line and Johnson scored.
His second big mistake came one play after Smith, who had thrown 115 passes this season without an interception, got picked off by Sammy Knight.
Eddie Kennison got behind the third-year cornerback on a fly pattern and beat him down the sideline for a 34-yard touchdown pass and a 24-0 lead.
Maurice Hicks fumbled the second-half kickoff and Jarrad Page recovered for the Chiefs and Tynes converted it into a 49-yard field goal.
Johnson's two-yard TD run put the Chiefs on top 34-0 early in the fourth.
It was the first shutout for the Chiefs defence since Dec. 1, 2002.
