Not that they aren't in most games during this six-game losing skid and 1-9 season.

It's just that the 5-5 Bills, after jumping out to a surprising 5-1 start, aren't in much better shape after losing four consecutive games and five of their last six.

They're making way too many turnovers during their losing streak -- 13, on eight interceptions and five lost fumbles -- while the Chiefs have been pretty good at forcing turnovers (10 over the past four games, while making only two).

And it's not like the Bills offense, which averages 307 yards and 22 points a game, has a tremendous edge over Kansas City's infamous 32 defense (its league ranking) that yields 402 yards and 27 points a game.

Sure, that's an offensive edge. But Buffalo's biggest advantage might be on special teams, where one of the NFL's most consistently solid units -- even with kicker Rian Lindell's miss on the game-winning 47-yard field goal in the final minute against Cleveland last Monday -- takes on a Chiefs squad that has a virtual revolving door on the office of special teams coach Mike Priefer.

The Bills lead the NFL in kickoff returns. Rookie Leodis McKelvin ranks No. 3 individually with a 29-yard kickoff return average, but he's had 12 more returns than the No. 2 guy and 24 more than the statistical leader.

The Bills' average drive start on kickoff returns is their own 32, a league-best mark.

Kansas City's kickoff coverage teams, in contrast, rank dead last in average drive starts. Opponents are starting at the Chiefs 31 this year, and Kansas City's defense isn't good enough to protect a short field.

Punt returns also are a concern. Buffalo's Roscoe Parrish ranks No. 2 league-wide in punt returns with a 14.7-yard average. The Chiefs as a team are giving up 10.3 yards on punt returns, one of the league's worst marks. They average only 5.2 yards on their own punt returns.

Coach Herm Edwards took special care to point out the special teams discrepancies this week.

"The really scary part right now is kicking the ball (to Buffalo)," he said. "You almost want to kick it out of bounds, give them the ball on the 40 and get it over with.

"Even when we were in New York (as Jets coach), Buffalo was always good on special teams. It dates way back to (Steve) Tasker. It seems like they've always had good kickers, good punters and return guys. It's become a tradition in Buffalo. They're dangerous, they're scary."

Especially so for a constantly changing Chiefs roster in which new additions end up on special teams within hours after joining the club.

"Our problem is we've had a lot of guys in and out, and a lot of young guys playing special teams," Edwards said. "Every week it seems like there are some guys changing in and out; there probably will be some more changes this week. You never get the same group of guys. That's always difficult, especially on coverage teams. If you look back at our (last) four games, special teams seem always to be involved (in momentum-turning plays)."

SERIES HISTORY: 37th regular-season meeting. The Bills lead in the regular season 19-16-1 and are 2-1 in postseason play dating back to the AFL years. The teams have split four games since the turn of the century, with Buffalo taking a 14-3 win in the last game in 2004 at Rich Stadium.