Smith Turns Montana Into Old Man : AFC:Bills’ defensive end makes Chiefs’ 38-year-old quarterback miserable as Buffalo rolls, 44-10.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. —  Bruce Smith still knows how to give Joe Montana headaches. And the Buffalo Bills still know how to win big games.

Smith forced an interception and recovered one of Montana’s two fumbles Sunday, and Jim Kelly threw four touchdown passes to lead the Bills past the Kansas City Chiefs, 44-10.

The game was a replay of last year’s AFC championship game, in which Smith helped knock out Montana with a concussion early in the second half and Buffalo won, 30-13, to earn its fourth consecutive Super Bowl berth.

This time Montana wasn’t injured, only ineffective.

The 38-year-old quarterback completed 12 of 21 passes for 124 yards and was sacked three times before being relieved in the third quarter by Steve Bono. Montana had three turnovers that led to 13 Buffalo points--including a fumble and an interception in the last two minutes of the first half that helped the Bills extend a 21-7 lead to 31-7.

Smith had seven hurries, six tackles and one sack in addition to the fumble recovery and forced fumble.

The Bills (5-3) came out of their bye week intent on making amends for an embarrassing loss to Indianapolis and proving they are still the team to beat in the AFC. The Chiefs (5-3) hoped a healthy Montana would be the difference against the team that has knocked them out of the playoffs two of the last three years.

Instead, Buffalo handed them their worst non-strike loss since 1984.

Andre Reed caught five passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns, and Pete Metzelaars also had two touchdowns for Buffalo. Kelly was 14 of 22 for 184 yards and the Bills forced five turnovers while giving away none for the first time all year.

In the second quarter, Buffalo had a 14-7 lead and a third-and-three from its 38 yard-line when Kelly connected with Reed for a gain of 57. It was Buffalo’s longest play from scrimmage until Kenny Davis ran for 60 yards in the fourth quarter.

Reed caught it in the flat at the Bills’ 43 and headed for the right sideline, racing to the five before he was knocked out of bounds by William White. Three plays later, Thomas ran around the left side two yards for a touchdown.

On the Chiefs’ next possession, Montana tried a wraparound handoff to Marcus Allen, but Allen never got the ball. Darryl Talley fell on it, and four plays later Steve Christie’s 49-yard field goal made the score 24-7.

Christie added two field goals in the second half. He got two chances to make the first one because an offsides penalty on the Chiefs nullified a block.

Christie is 15 of 15 this season, a new team record for consecutive field goals. The old mark of 13 was held by Scott Norwood.

Following Christie’s second-quarter field goal, the Chiefs went backward. Smith sacked Montana on first down, and on second down Cornelius Bennett grabbed Montana’s arm as he tried to throw and the ball came loose. Smith fell on it at the Chiefs’ 25.

Three plays later from the six, Kelly rolled left and found Reed in the back of the end zone to make the halftime score 31-7.