KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- As overworked as the "revenge" angle often is, sometimes it does apply.

Such as now in Kansas City.

The New England Patriots beat, stomped and humiliated the Chiefs a year ago in Foxboro. The 40-10 final score hardly tells the story of a tail-kicking that saw the Patriots mount a 34-0 lead and rush for 206 yards while holding the hapless Chiefs to 14 yards on the ground.

Then, say the Chiefs, some of the Patriots and many of their fans even took some verbal swipes as the whipped-dog visitors went slinking off the field.

On Sunday in Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chiefs (2-2) are unbeaten this year and 28-6 since 1995, maybe -- just maybe -- it will be payback time for the Pats.

"We have not forgotten," is all coach Gunther Cunningham is willing to say.

A few of his players say more.

"It's still on our mind that they beat us the way they did last year and really didn't show us any respect, either," said safety Reggie Tongue. "We kind of deserved what we got. But if there's one game we have something to prove, it would probably be this one."

"I think this is definitely a team we're going to enjoy playing because of what happened last year," said guard Dave Szott.

Looking back, the Chiefs see more than merely a humbling defeat. That game touched off a ruinous six-game skid which led to their first losing record in 10 years in what turned out to be Marty Schottenheimer's last season as head coach.

"What goes around, comes around," said fullback Tony Richardson. "You might have your day when you beat a team pretty bad. But the best thing to do is keep your mouth shut, 'cause you never know when you'll have to see those guys again. I don't look at it as revenge. We're just going to go out and try to get a victory against a good team."

The Patriots (4-0), with Drew Bledsoe sporting the best quarterback rating (104.4) in the AFC, come into the game as one of the NFL's three remaining unbeaten teams. But they remember last year, too.

"Historically, they're extremely tough to beat in Arrowhead," said Bledsoe. "We know they're going to remember what happened last year and they'll want revenge for that. We expect them to come out fired up against us."

The Patriots, who have not held a lead at halftime yet this year, are the best team the Chiefs have faced. They have averaged almost 385 yards in total offense. Last week at Cleveland, Terry Glenn caught 13 passes for 214 yards, both team records.

But they have scored more than two-thirds of their points in the second half.

"We are 4-0. But we don't feel like we're playing our best football. There's a lot of room to improve," said Bledsoe.

Bledsoe hasn't thrown an interception in three games, or 120 straight passes. Elvis Grbac, his counterpart on the Chiefs, has been intercepted six times and totes a rating of 71.3.

Even though he was sacked four times and intercepted once by the Patriots last year, Grbac refuses to see this as a revenge game.

"We have more important things to think about," he said. "We'll get satisfaction if we execute right and score some points."

Second-year running back Rashaan Shehee, who gained 86 yards at San Diego last week, will get his second straight start at halfback.

In addition, the game plan is certain to include Kevin Lockett, the third-year receiver who week-to-week is becoming more a part of the offense. Lockett, like most of his teammates, wants something more positive Sunday than the Chiefs got in New England in October 1998.

"It's a sour feeling we have," said Lockett. "We were pretty much dominated in all phases of the game, offense, defense and special teams. At one time we were down 34-0 and completley bewildered.

"But now they're coming into Arrowhead and it will be a good matchup.

"I'd like to see New England go home the way we did last year. But in order to do that, we've just got to be consistent in what we do."

NEW ENGLAND Season schedule and results

KANSAS CITY Season schedule and results

September 12 @NY Jets W 30-28 September 19 Indianapolis W 31-28 September 26 NY Giants W 16-14 October 3 @Cleveland W 19-7 October 10 @Kansas City 1:00pm ET October 17 Miami 1:00pm ET October 24 Denver 1:00pm ET October 31 @Arizona 4:05pm ET November 15 NY Jets 9:00pm ET November 21 @Miami 1:00pm ET November 28 @Buffalo 1:00pm ET December 5 Dallas 8:20pm ET December 12 @Indianapolis 1:00pm ET December 19 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET December 26 Buffalo 1:00pm ET January 2 Baltimore 1:00pm ET

September 12 @Chicago L 17-20 September 19 Denver W 26-10 September 26 Detroit W 31-21 October 3 @San Diego L 14-21 October 10 New England 1:00pm ET October 21 @Baltimore 8:20pm ET October 31 San Diego 1:00pm ET November 7 @Indianapolis 1:00pm ET November 14 @Tampa Bay 1:00pm ET November 21 Seattle 1:00pm ET November 28 @Oakland 4:15pm ET December 5 @Denver 4:15pm ET December 12 Minnesota 8:20pm ET December 18 Pittsburgh 12:40pm ET December 26 @Seattle 4:05pm ET January 2 Oakland 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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