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“It was stuff after the play, where they’re trying to get a guy’s arm out of socket or trying to twist a guy’s head under a pile,” Wood said. “We’re not going to stand for that.”

Right after Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 10-yard dart to Scott Chandler put the Bills up 21-0, a skirmish needed to be dispersed so the extra point could kicked.

“Two plays in a row they were taking cheap shots at us,” Wood said. “They did the same thing last year in Kansas City [a 41-7 Bills victory]. You start getting a team down, and you’ll see their true colors, and they came out the past two years.

“We’re not just going to sit back and take it. We’ve got a physical group up front, and if they want to take shots at us, we’re going to take them back at them.”

For a symbol of the Chiefs’ problems, start with their knuckleheaded star receiver pointing to the name on the back of his jersey after scoring an irrelevant fourth-quarter touchdown. Romeo Crennel is in charge of what might become the most talented 3-13 team in recent league history.

Pioli, of course, oversees it all with a misplaced faith in Matt Cassel and an overly conservative and think-too-much style that’s four years into trying to replicate what Bill Belichick and Tom Brady created in New England.

Four years is enough time to fairly judge an NFL GM, and so far Pioli looks like a substitute teacher. He is failing — badly — and to save his football reputation, and shelve serious questions about his job, he needs the kind of turnaround over the next 14 games that is quite unfathomable at the moment.

“It’s something that we have to find out what it is,” cornerback Brandon Flowers said. “We have to get together as a team and find out what’s going on, because I feel we have the players to go out there and make it happen.”

The Chiefs weren’t able to make anything happen against C.J. Spiller and the Bills. Spiller, starting in place of the injured Fred Jackson, scored twice and finished with 123 yards rushing a week after Buffalo was routed in its opener against the New York Jets.

On 17 combined attempts, the Chiefs’ two star backs gained only 69 yards. And that output, coupled with another breakout week by Buffalo running back C.J. Spiller, doomed the Chiefs in their first road game.

Spiller was already nearing 100 yards rushing as the first half came to and end. He finished the contest with 123 yards and two touchdowns on just 15 attempts.

The defense held its own against Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick through the air and limited Buffalo receivers. The Harvard alum finished with only 178 passing yards on the day.

By the time camp concluded, Cassel felt comfortable throwing it up to his big receiver. More often than not, he came down with the ball. So with Sunday’s less-than-desirable average yards gained per pass play (5.8) and third down conversion rate (5-14), in mind, a player like Baldwin can help this offense rebound by becoming that go-to guy when the games actually count.

“We have to do a better job of staying ahead on downs – first and second downs – and creating positive plays,” said Cassel after the 35-17 week two loss. “It’s hard to convert on third and long in this league. We have to sustain drives.”