Loss means film session for K.C.

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003 | 9:39 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

The Kansas City Chiefs awoke to a cold, rainy Monday morning that perfectly captured their mood.

"You wake up and there's a big, giant thunderstorm outside. We had to drive in through a rainstorm," said defensive end Eric Hicks. "It was kind of depressing."

For nine consecutuvie weeks the Chiefs enjoyed what they call "Victory Monday," when coaches reward winning by not requiring anyone to come in and view film. But on this dark and cloudy Monday, for the first time all year, everybody had to show up. No one was excused.

Making good on wide receiver Chad Johnson's boast, the long-woeful Cincinnati Bengals, of all teams, had beaten them 24-19.

Goodbye, perfect record. Goodbye to being the talk of the league.

"It's one thing to lose a game. It's another to get called out," said Pro Bowl tackle Willie Roaf, describing the mood of the team as "angry."

Week after week as they remained the league's only unbeaten team, talk of a perfect season picked up steam. But then they went into Cincinnati, a team that's had at least a six-game losing streak in each of the past six seasons, and got pasted in every phase.