ATLANTA _ Michael Turner ran for three touchdowns and the Atlanta Falcons scored the first 24 points to beat Kansas City 38-14 today, giving the Chiefs their 12th straight loss.

Turner had scoring runs of 4, 1 and 2 yards, his first game with three rushing touchdowns, while leading the Falcons with 104 yards rushing. Jerious Norwood added 75 yards rushing.

Turner's 1-yard scoring run in the second quarter gave Atlanta (2-1) a 24-0 lead.

Tyler Thigpen, the third starting quarterback in three weeks for Kansas City (0-3), threw three interceptions in his first career start. The third interception, by cornerback Chris Houston, was returned 10 yards for a touchdown with 1:01 left in the game.

Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said during the week he would turn to veteran Damon Huard if Thigpen struggled. Thigpen played the full game and was 14-for-36 passing for 128 yards with one touchdown.

Atlanta led 24-0 when Thigpen led a 13-play touchdown drive capped by his 15-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Bowe with only 3 seconds left in the first half.

The Chiefs' comeback continued when Larry Johnson's 48-yard run set up his 1-yard scoring plunge to open the second half, cutting the Atlanta lead to 24-14. It was Johnson's first rushing touchdown of the season.

Johnson, who had 96 yards rushing in his first two games, had 24 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown.

The Falcons had a quick answer to Johnson's touchdown. Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, making his third start, had a 15-yard run and a 17-yard pass to Roddy White to set up Turner's third touchdown, a 2-yard run.

A fumble by Falcons punt returner Adam Jennings, recovered by linebacker Demorrio Williams, gave Kansas City the ball with 8:42 left to play. The Chiefs held the ball for 5 minutes but were stopped on a fourth-down run by Johnson from the 2.

Ryan was 12-for-18 for 192 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown pass to White late in the first quarter, and no interceptions.

White was 5 yards behind cornerback Dimitri Patterson and safety Jarrad Page when he caught the ball. White celebrated with a back flip in the end zone.

The Chiefs started two rookie cornerbacks and rookie left tackle Branden Albert, who lined up against Falcons pass-rush leader John Abraham.

Abraham recorded his fifth sack of the season on the Chiefs' first snap. Abraham beat right tackle Damion McIntosh, not Albert, on the play.

Kansas City was held without a first down until an 11-yard run by Jamaal Charles with 9:04 left in the first half.

The Chiefs were stopped on downs on their first five possessions. Their next two drives ended with interceptions by Erik Coleman and Brent Grimes.

Abraham beat Albert for his second sack of the game, and sixth of the season, when he hit Thigpen and caused a fumble that was recovered by McIntosh on the final play of the third quarter.

The Chiefs' 12th straight loss came on the 11-month anniversary of their last win. They lost their last nine games in 2007 after a 12-10 win at Oakland on Oct. 21, 2007.