KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The Kansas City Chiefs had the ideal punching bag for a division title celebration.
Priest Holmes rushed for three touchdowns and Trent Green passed for three scores as the Chiefs clinched the AFC West title with a 45-17 rout of the Detroit Lions, who matched an NFL record with their 23rd straight road loss.
The Chiefs (12-2) rebounded from last week's embarrassing 45-27 loss at Denver to claim their first divisional crown since 1997. They also remained tied with New England for the NFL's best record.
"Needless to say, we're excited but this is the first phase of a championship and we had a number of goals," Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said. "A week ago or so we reached goal one which was to make the playoffs. The number two goal was to win our division, which we did. Now the next level of competition will be a lot tougher."
"It's a team accomplishment," Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt said. "I'm not tired at all. I've had a lot of rest the last six years without winning one."
Meanwhile, the Lions (4-10) continued their futility away from home in tying the longest road skid in NFL history, set by the Houston Oilers from 1981-84. Detroit has not won on the road since a 10-7 victory over the New York Jets on December 17, 2000.
"It's hard, and we're one of a handful of teams that hasn't had any luck on the road this year," Lions coach Steve Mariucci said. "And that happens every year. It just so happens that it's been three years in a row here. And that's hard to deal with."
The Lions conclude their road schedule next Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, who are in first place in the NFC South.
Holmes and Green took the suspense out of this one early. Holmes had touchdown runs of 14 and nine yards and Green had TD passes of 27 and 63 yards in the opening half, when the Chiefs built a commanding 28-10 lead.
Kansas City scored on its first four possessions in the opening half, rolling up 300 total yards against the NFL's worst defense before intermission.
In the second half, Holmes and Green continued to have their way. Holmes ran three yards a touchdown in the third quarter and Green found tight end Tony Gonzalez from nine yards for a score, pushing the lead to 45-27.
With things in hand, Holmes and Green sat out much of the fourth quarter.
Holmes finished with 94 yards on 18 carries and his three touchdowns gave him a league-leading 22 on the season. Marshall Faulk holds the NFL record for a touchdowns in a season with 26, set in 2000.
Green had his second straight huge game as he completed 20-of-25 passes for 341 yards. He threw for 397 yards in last week's loss.
"We were really concerned with winning this game," Green said. "We wanted so much to win the division here at home. Obviously no one here was too happy with the way things went in the second half against Denver."
Shawn Bryson rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown and Joey Harrington passed for a score for Detroit.
