Kansas City, Mo. ? Any fair and objective midterm report card for the Kansas City Chiefs would include a full range of grades, excellent in some areas, failing in others.

In the subject that counts most, the won-lost record, the Chiefs get no better than a “D.”

At 3-5, it’s already too late to match the 13-3 mark that propelled them to the head of the class of 2003. Two more losses — which might come quickly if Priest Holmes stays gone for long — almost certainly would doom the unhappy residents of Arrowhead Stadium to their sixth non-playoff campaign in seven seasons.

Overall offense: One solid A. Holmes & Co. scored 101 points in consecutive games, missing the NFL record by only one point. Then last week at Tampa Bay, they scored 35 against one of the league’s toughest defense. KC is on a pace for 36 rushing TDs, which would tie the record set by the Green Bay Packers in 1962. If Holmes quickly gets back to full strength, team records for first downs and total yards also could take a tumble.

Quarterback: A. How could Trent Green get anything less? He never has missed a start since joining the Chiefs before the 2001 season and has had a quarterback rating over 100 in five of the last six games. His pocket poise and cool, confident leadership are reminiscent of Hall-of-Famer Len Dawson.

Running back: A-plus. It would be a shame if the knee injury Holmes sustained last week against Tampa Bay wrecks what is shaping up as another monster season. Holmes leads the NFL with 892 yards rushing and 90 points and is on pace to erase the NFL record he set last year with 27 touchdowns.

Tight end: A-plus. Nobody’s as good as Tony Gonzalez. Nobody. In his last two games, Tony G. has 17 catches for 248 yards and three TDs.

Offensive line: A. Just ask Green and Holmes how good these guys are.

Wide receiver: C-plus. Johnnie Morton is having his best year in several seasons, and Eddie Kennison is getting open. Of course, he’s also getting caught from behind and fumbling away sure touchdowns.

Overall defense: C-minus. That may be charitable. But former and current defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham has forged significant improvement in run defense. The Chiefs are in the middle of the pack with an average yield of 114.3

Secondary: F. Opponents have been burning the Chiefs for almost 236 yards a game through the air. Such things are never solely the fault of the secondary. But the Chiefs have had trouble getting in sync. Cornerback Eric Warfield is tied for second in the league with four interceptions. But safety Jerome Woods, a Pro Bowler last year, has struggled, and they still can’t find a second reliable cornerback.

Defensive line: C. Nobody here is headed for the Pro Bowl. But overall, there has been improvement. Newcomers Lional Dalton and rookie Jared Allen have played well.

Linebackers: C. There have been too many injuries for anyone to hope for much more. Now outside linebacker Shawn Barber is probably out for the year, putting even more pressure on young and inexperienced backups.

Special teams: B. Everyone talks about Dante Hall’s failure to get a touchdown return. But on those rare occasions when opponents do punt to the Chiefs, they’re No. 2 in the league with a 14.6-yard return average.