Bills 41, Chiefs 7
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw four touchdown passes – including a pair to tight end Scott Chandler – and the visiting Buffalo Bills handed the Kansas City Chiefs their worst season-opening loss with a 41-7 drubbing on Sunday.
Buffalo recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff and raced to a 20-0 lead late in the first half en route to its fourth victory in its last five meetings with Kansas City.
The Chiefs hardly resembled a team that improved by six wins in 2010 and won the AFC West title as they fell to 15-8 in their last 23 home openers.
Kansas City, which rushed for an NFL-best 164.2 yards last season, had 84 on Sunday. The Bills allowed an NFL-worst 169.6 yards in 2010.
Jamaal Charles, who finished second in the NFL with 1,467 yards rushing in 2010, was held to 56 on Sunday.
The Chiefs committed three turnovers, the first when Dexter McCluster fumbled away the opening kickoff. Five plays later, Fitzpatrick hit Chandler with a 4-yard touchdown pass.
An uncovered Chandler scored on an 11-yard catch to give Kansas City a 27-7 lead in the third quarter.
Fitzpatrick finished 17 of 25 for 208 yards for the Bills. Matt Cassel was 19 of 31 for 116 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The Bills improved to 21-31 in openers, the fifth-worst record in the NFL.
The Chiefs’ worst losses in history were 45-0 at Seattle in 1984 and against Pittsburgh in 1976.