KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs flipped the script on Sunday for the first time in what is now a five-game winning streak, and they have to be impressed with the results.
Their offense was not merely along for the winning ride this time. The Chiefs needed Alex Smith, Jeremy Maclin, Travis Kelce and Spencer Ware to make big plays to beat the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium. They delivered, and not occasionally, but consistently in the Chiefs' 30-22 victory.
Smith threw for 255 yards and a pair of touchdowns -- one to Maclin and the other to Kelce. Each of the receivers had a catch of at least 38 yards. Ware rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown.
The Chiefs had been scoring points at a rapid clip during their winning streak, but many of them were off turnovers created by the defense. But the offense had to pull its weight this time, scoring just three points following turnovers on Sunday.
The Chiefs picked a good day for an offensive outburst. The defense allowed more than 20 points in a game for the first time since an early October loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Chiefs also rallied from a 10-0 deficit; entering the game, they had lost 20 of their previous 21 games in which they trailed by at least 10 points.
One reason to be excited: The 6-5 Chiefs have victories over three teams who also figure to be in the race for a wild-card spot: the Bills, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Houston Texans.
One reason to panic: The Chiefs lost starting offensive linemen Eric Fisher and Mitch Morse with injuries. A third lineman, Jeff Allen, left the game temporarily with an injured ankle.
What were they thinking? Demetrius Harris jumped offsides in the third quarter when the Bills were facing a fourth-and-5 and in punt formation. The penalty gave the Bills a first down, and they went on to score a touchdown that cut their deficit to 24-22.
Fantasy watch: Maclin not only had a 41-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter but also 140 receiving yards. It's Maclin’s third game with 140 or more receiving yards this season.
Ouch: The Chiefs lost linebacker Justin Houston (knee), tackle Eric Fisher (head and neck) and center Mitch Morse (concussion).