In power switch, Bills are the ones in charge

Kawika Mitchell, celebrating his interception, is a big reason why the Bills are 5-1. (David Duprey/Associated Press)

The power was out at Ralph Wilson Stadium and the play clock wasn't working, leaving Kawika Mitchell so out of sorts that he tripped over himself and fell while dropping back to cover a pass.

That was the first quarter. By the fourth, the Buffalo Bills linebacker had picked himself up to provide all the spark his team needed, helping secure a 23-14 win over the San Diego Chargers yesterday at Orchard Park, N.Y.

Mitchell had a key interception and also forced a fumble in the final four minutes to lift an injury-depleted defense, and allow the AFC East-leading Bills (5-1) to show that they are, in fact, for real.

"We're building, that's for sure," Mitchell said. "It's definitely a big win to get against a team like that, it means a lot to our team."

Buffalo matched its best start since 1995, and came out of its bye week by bouncing back from a dreadful 41-17 loss at Arizona. Buffalo quarterback Trent Edwards showed he's recovered from a concussion by going 25 of 30 for 261 yards and a touchdown, while directing an offense that put up 370 yards.

And it all happened during a game in which the power was out for most of the first half inside the stadium after three helium balloons became entangled in power lines across the street from the facility.

Mitchell turned the game around by intercepting a pass from Philip Rivers a yard inside the end zone to thwart a potential go-ahead score with 3:17 left. The turnover led to Rian Lindell's 44-yard field goal, which put the Bills up, 23-14.

Then, on the Chargers' next possession, Mitchell came flying in from the left side and hit Rivers, forcing a fumble that the Bills recovered to run out the clock.

For San Diego (3-4), the loss was the latest in a string of inconsistent outings. Rivers committed three turnovers, including two fumbles, which resulted in Buffalo scoring 10 points.

Bears 48, Vikings 41
Kyle Orton threw two TD passes, special teams chipped in two more scores, and host Chicago intercepted Minnesota's Gus Frerotte four times, but the Bears barely survived after allowing their most points in a victory in team history.

Chicago (4-3) scored its most points since beating Tampa Bay, 48-14, Dec. 7, 1986. Yet this one wasn't over until the Bears survived a late push by Minnesota (3-4) after building a 17-point lead.

Frerotte hit Bernard Berrian with a 5-yard TD pass to make it a 7-point game with three minutes left, but after the Vikings got the ball back with just over a minute to play, Frerotte was picked off for a final time, by Zackary Bowman, to seal it.

Packers 34, Colts 14
A bad game by Peyton Manning has Indianapolis (3-3) off to its worst start since 2001. Both of Manning's interceptions were returned for TDs as safety Nick Collins ran one back 62 yards in the third quarter and Aaron Rouse returned one 99 yards to put the game out of reach in the fourth, and Green Bay (4-3) was never threatened at Lambeau Field.

Aaron Rodgers gutted out his third straight game with a sprained right shoulder, going 21 of 28 for 186 yards and a TD despite 30-m.p.h. wind gusts. Ryan Grant carried 31 times for 105 yards and a score.

Manning finished 21 of 42 for 229 yards and the two picks.

Titans 34, Chiefs 10
LenDale White rushed for 149 yards and three TDs, including an 80-yard sprint, and Chris Johnson unfurled a 66-yard TD gallop while rushing for 168 yards to help visiting Tennessee (6-0) run up a team-record 332 yards on the ground and improve on its franchise-best start.

The Titans scored 10 points on their first two possessions and were never threatened by the Chiefs (1-5), who learned after the game that quarterback Brodie Croyle would be out the rest of the season with a sprained right knee.

Panthers 30, Saints 7
Carolina's improved defense did a number on the league's No. 2 offense, hounding Drew Brees all day, knocking out Reggie Bush with a knee injury, and twice stopping visiting New Orleans (3-4) on fourth down in the second half.

Brees finished 21 of 39 for 231 yards, his lowest total since Week 2. Ken Lucas intercepted him in the third quarter, leading to Jake Delhomme's 4-yard TD pass to DeAngelo Williams that gave the Panthers (5-2) a 27-7 lead.

Raiders 16, Jets 13
Sebastian Janikowski's team-record 57-yard field goal with 2:30 left in overtime gave coach Tom Cable a victory in his home debut for Oakland (2-4).

The game only went to OT because Cable called a late timeout that negated Jay Feely's missed field goal at the end of regulation. Feely then made good on a 52-yarder with three seconds left. That was after Brett Favre led the Jets (3-3) from their 5 into field goal range, starting the drive with 1:24 left and no timeouts.

Redskins 14, Browns 11
At Landover, Md., Clinton Portis broke a scoreless tie with a 3-yard TD run in the third quarter and rushed for 175 yards, and Santana Moss spun his way to an 18-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter as Washington (5-2) slipped past Cleveland.

The Browns (2-4) made things interesting with a late TD and a 2-point conversion, but Phil Dawson missed what would have been a career-long 54-yard field goal with 25 seconds to play.

Giants 29, 49ers 17
Brandon Jacobs ran for two TDs, Eli Manning threw for one, Michael Johnson had two interceptions, and New York (5-1) prevailed at home - primarily because it made fewer mistakes than San Francisco (2-5) in a sloppily played game.

Ravens 27, Dolphins 13
Joe Flacco threw only his second TD pass this season and Willis McGahee ran for 105 yards and a score, more than enough for Baltimore (3-3), which had its way with host Miami (2-4).

Bucs 20, Seahawks 10
Jeff Garcia threw a 47-yard TD pass to Antonio Bryant on Tampa Bay's first drive - the longest pass play of the season for the Buccaneers (5-2) - and set in motion an easy home win over struggling Seattle (1-5), which was outgained, 402-176.

Steelers 38, Bengals 10
Injury fill-in Mewelde Moore rushed for 120 yards and scored three TDs for visiting Pittsburgh (5-1), and the Steelers defense took it from there, piling up seven sacks against Cincinnati (0-7).

Texans 28, Lions 21
Owen Daniels caught two TD passes from Matt Schaub, the first and last scores for host Houston in a game the Texans (2-4) led, 21-0, but didn't wrap up until Detroit (0-6) fumbled in the final minute.