It's another playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Kansas City and this time around, the Bills are insisting it will be a different outcome. In past meetings in the post-season, the Chiefs have had it their way, including the miraculous "13 second" comeback win against the Bills in the 2021 AFC divisional round when Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes got the team into field goal position with just 13 seconds left in the game. They were able to tie it up and then win the game in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl.
But . . . that was then and this is now.
The Bills have owned the Chiefs in regular season meetings in recent years, but just cannot seem to get over the hump when they meet them in the playoffs. Well, this time Bills QB Josh Allen and company can get it done with the plethora of weapons they have on offense, including a solid running attack with (running back) James Cook and Allen himself, who scored twelve rushing touchdowns in the 2024 regular season and he added another last weekend in the divisional round win against the Baltimore Ravens.
On defense, the Bills have been getting healthy and have linebacker Matt Milano back in the fold for this game. The Bills feature a good mix of young and veteran talent on defense and as long as they don't allow the big play from happening (Mahomes to tight end Travis Kelce) that has haunted them so often in the past playoff meetings with Kansas City, they definitely have a chance to get to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1993 season.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, just keep rolling along and getting it done with Mahomes working his magic and leading clutch drives with the game on the line. Kansas City has won eleven one-score games this season and they do not panic when things can go awry early in a game. With several reliable wide receivers and (tight end) Kelce in tow, along with running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, the Chiefs provide a steady offensive attack.
A big key for this game will be the Bills offensive line protecting Josh Allen from a dynamic Kansas City pass rush, which sacked Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud eight times last week in the divisional round win. Allen can take off and run for big yardage and he did so in the regular season Bills win (30-21) over the Chiefs, including a game changing touchdown sprint that put the game away in the final quarter. Look for another classic battle between these two teams and it could go either way, but until proven otherwise, take the Chiefs at home with Mahomes and company getting it done yet again as they look to advance and try to win an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl.
PICK - Kansas City 23, Buffalo 20
Last Week's Record - 2-2
PLAYOFFS RECORD - 5-5
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