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Final Score: Chiefs 17 – Bills 13**

Location: Orchard Park, NY – Ralph Wilson Stadium

W-L records: Buffalo (5-4); Kansas City (6-3)

In a Nutshell:

In a pivotal AFC contest between a pair of 5-3 clubs, the Bills took an early lead and maintained it through three quarters of play, before a costly fumble on a punt return handed the Chiefs prime field position and ultimately a touchdown in a 17-13 win over Buffalo.

The Bills defense controlled the game for the first three quarters holding Kansas City's top 10 rushing attack in check while getting pressure on QB Alex Smith, who was sacked six times in the game.

But one of the most efficient offenses in football took advantage of a fumbled punt by Leodis McKelvin turning it into a touchdown as Alex Smith ran in a read option keeper from eight yards out for what proved to be the game-winning points.

Kyle Orton hooked up with Chris Hogan on a 25-yard touchdown to open the scoring and it wound up being Buffalo's only touchdown of the day. Buffalo's offense struggled once they cracked the Chiefs' 20-yard line going 0-for-4 in the red zone.

The loss was a costly one for Buffalo as they fell to 5-4 on the season and 2-3 on their home field.

How it went down:
--For the second straight game this season the Bills scored on their opening possession to take an early 7-0 lead. Kyle Orton found Chris Hogan down the seam for a 25-yard touchdown to finish off a seven-play 51-yard drive with 9:51 left in the first quarter.

--Kansas City answered with a field goal drive on the ensuing possession as Cairo Santos hit from 35 yards away with just over five minutes remaining in the opening stanza.

--Nigel Bradham forced a fumble on a 2nd-and-4 carry by Chiefs' RB Knile Davis dropping him for a five-yard loss. DE Jarius Wynn recovered at the Chiefs 31-yard line. Buffalo's offense got a field goal off the turnover as Dan Carpenter was true from 26-yards out for a 10-3 Bills advantage midway through the second quarter.

--Buffalo tacked on another field goal late in the third quarter at the end of a five-minute drive that covered 73 yards with Carpenter putting a 21-yard attempt through the uprights (13-3).

--Kansas City tightened the game up considerably early in the fourth quarter when a pitch to Jamaal Charles on a 4th-and-one not only got the first down, but a touchdown as well with Charles busting off  a 39-yard scoring run to pull the Chiefs to within a field goal (13-10) with 13 minutes left in regulation.

--Set to get the ball back in decent field position Leodis McKelvin was stripped of the ball on a punt return and Kansas City recovered at the Bills' 26-yard line. Two plays later Alex Smith ran a read option keeper in from eight yards out for the Chiefs first lead of the game with nine minutes remaining (17-13).

Stat lines
--Kyle Orton was 28 of 47 passing for 257 yards and one touchdown with a passer rating of 76.4.

--Sammy Watkins managed four catches for 27 yards in the game.

--RBs Bryce Brown and Boobie Dixon combined for 97 yards on 16 carries for an average of 6.1 yards per rush.

--The Bills offense was 0-for-4 in the red zone.

--Buffalo's defense held Kansas City to just three third down conversions on 13 opportunities.

Quotes from the locker room

"It's very frustrating, as you know. We're going out there doing the best we can as a team, as a unit and to come up short like that really hits you where you don't want to be hit. It's like a gut check."
--DT Marcell Dareus

"I think that, at the end of the day, when you make those mistakes or you don't take advantage of some of the opportunities that you have, that's what happens when you play a good football team. We've got to keep our focus and preparation to get ourselves better in that. Then, when we do, that will change the results. That's the key."
--Head coach Doug Marrone

"Each game is very important no doubt about it and this game coming up Thursday night is going to be very important for us. It's probably good that we turn around right away and not think about this one. Move on to Miami and have a good three days to get ready for them and travel down and try to beat a good football team."
--QB Kyle Orton

Subplots:
--Buffalo fumbled a ball through the end zone and lost possession on a fumbled punt return. The two plays took points off the board for the Bills and gave Kansas City seven points. At the very least it was a 10-point swing on the scoreboard.

--The Jamaal Charles 39-yard touchdown run given up by the Bills early in the fourth quarter was the longest run allowed this season.

--There were a pair of controversial calls that worked against the Bills in the game. On a 4th-and-1 at their own 46, Buffalo was going for it and a hard count by Kyle Orton appeared to get the Chiefs to jump offsides, but Seantrel Henderson was instead flagged for a false start, forcing the Bills to punt.

--Scott Chandler on the next possession had a first down on a 3rd-and-8 at the Bills' 34-yard line, but was flagged for what appeared to be a phantom offensive pass interference call forcing Buffalo to eventually punt.

--Punter Colton Schmidt was gigantic late in the fourth quarter with a pair of punts that pinned Kansas City inside their own 10-yard line to get favorable field position for Buffalo's offense late.

--Fred Jackson and Sammy Watkins both participated in Sunday's game despite groin injuries, but Jackson played a supporting role to Boobie Dixon and Bryce Brown. Watkins appeared to play his regular role in the passing game.

Inactives:
WR Mike Williams, S Jerome Couplin, CB Ron Brooks, RB Phillip Tanner, LB Randell Johnson, G Cyril Richardson, WR Marcus Easley.

Up Next:
The Bills have a quick turnaround as they play the Dolphins in Miami on Thursday night for an 8:25 p.m. kickoff.