By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Bengals have a chance to interrupt history today, and a little bit of history is on their side.

The Kansas City Chiefs come into Paul Brown Stadium as just the 10th NFL team to open the season with a 9-0 record or better.

Only one of the 9-0 teams - the 1972 Dolphins - remained undefeated.

Eight teams did lose during the season, and the Bengals-Chiefs game today fits at least part of the profile.

Six of the eight undefeated teams lost on the road. Check.

Five of the eight spoilers did not end up making the playoffs, so they were not great teams. Check.

Three teams, like the 4-5 Bengals, came into the game with a losing record. Check.

Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil knows trouble lurks in Week 11.

"There's only been 10 teams to do it since 1970, so no one can predict that," Vermeil said. "I thought we'd be a very good football team and I thought it was the best chemistry group I had ever been around going into a third campaign within a program.

"I thought if we could stay healthy with that chemistry and the talent level that we have on our team that we'd be a very good team."

The Chiefs are the first team since the 1998 Broncos to start 9-0. Denver was one of the seven 9-0 teams to make the Super Bowl and one of the five fast starters to win it.

The Bengals are another David staring at Goliath.

But coach Marvin Lewis said he tries to eliminate such thoughts among his players.

"Well, you don't worry about the upset," Lewis said. "You just win the football game. Doesn't really matter to us what they call it. You're working to win the football game. And we work to win them every single day we go out there.

"And I don't care - it doesn't really matter the other team's record. You've got to go play the game."

Despite improvements in their defense - they are fourth in the NFL in points allowed (16.7 a game) - the Chiefs still are primarily known, and rightfully so, as an offensive powerhouse.

Through nine games, the Chiefs lead the NFL in:

• total points, 287;

• point differential, plus-137;

• touchdowns, 37;

• rushing touchdowns, 14;

• touchdown returns, seven;

• first-half points, 157; and

• turnover differential, plus-18.

Vermeil's in his third year with the Chiefs. His first two years in Kansas City ended with 6-10 and 8-8 records.

How does a team go 9-0?

"Good football players," Vermeil said. "It's a great group. I felt that coming last season and then the offseason. ... You could just feel the confidence they were gaining as they go along. Now the performance is a byproduct of all that work."

The Chiefs have a four-game lead ahead of Denver in the AFC West. The second-place Bengals are one game behind Baltimore in the AFC North.

The combination of an undefeated team and an up-and-coming Bengals squad - they've won four of their last six and three in a row at home - have resulted in a sell-out crowd.

"It will be exciting. I'm confident they'll see a great football game," Lewis said. "We're going to work to do our part to make that one (heck) of an experience on Sunday."

Much of the pressure will be on Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna. The Bengals need to maintain possession to keep the Chiefs' high-scoring offense off the field.

Asked how big of a statement the Bengals could make, Kitna this week said: "It's not a statement game for us. It's an opportunity for us to continue to be in control of our destiny.

"The reality is, you're playing a team that's 9-0, so this is a great challenge for us and a chance for us to see where we're at."

Perfection denied

Year	Team	Record	First loss	Score	Opp. rec.
1973	Vikings	9-0	at Atlanta	20-14	6-3
1975	Vikings	10-0	at Washington	31-30	6-4
1984	Dolphins	11-0	at San Diego	34-28, OT	5-6
1985	Bears	12-0	at Miami	38-24	8-4
1990	Giants	10-0	at Philadelphia	31-13	6-4
1990	49ers	10-0	vs. L.A. Rams	28-17	3-7
1991	Redskins	11-0	vs. Dallas	24-21	6-5
1998	Broncos	13-0	at N.Y. Giants	20-16	5-8

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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