The one-sided result may instead ultimately be one of those unexplained moments in time, one weak team ganging up on another on a glorious fall afternoon.

For now, and at least until they play again Sunday against the Cardinals in Arizona, the 1-2 Chiefs will cling to their belief the 49ers game will eventually carry much more meaning.

Tight end Tony Gonzalez said his belief was rooted not necessarily in the game’s lopsided final score, but in its well-rounded nature. Other Chiefs’ routs from recent seasons featured a monster performance by the offense while the defense and sometimes even the special teams were just along for the ride.

Not so against San Francisco. The offense was efficient but, with only 333 yards, hardly imposing.

The defense, meanwhile, strangled the 49ers while the special teams contributed a Dante Hall punt return for a touchdown plus a fumble recovery that led to another score.

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t be confident enough to say this is what we should be, what we will be,” Gonzalez said. “Maybe we won’t always be that dominant but still a very good team. You can’t get a win better than that. We did it on offense, we did it on defense, and we did it on special teams.”