Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes were set to duel for their fifth consecutive regular season matchup, for what was sure to be an exciting game. Both offenses were shorthanded, with Mahomes missing Isiah Pacheco, Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown, and Allen without Keon Coleman, Dalton Kincaid, and Spencer Brown. The NFL on CBS crew jumping through tables outside Highmark Stadium was the perfect tone-setter for another edition of this classic QB rivalry.
Buffalo’s Hot Start
The Chiefs started with the ball, but that didn’t last very long. On their second play of the game, Mahomes stepped up in the pocket, and was almost taken down by DaQuan Jones for a sack near the line of scrimmage. Before going down, Mahomes was able to get the throw off, but overthrew his intended target. Instead, the ball landed right in the hands of Taylor Rapp for an early turnover.
Facing an early third down, Allen threw a perfect ball to Amari Cooper down the sideline, and the newly acquired receiver was able to haul in the pass with one hand for a gain of 30 yards. A 15 yard completion to Curtis Samuel moved the chains on third down, setting up a three yard James Cook touchdown run to open the scoring. Tyler Bass missed the extra point, giving the Bills a 6–0 lead.
KC would go three-and-out on the ensuing drive, thanks to a sack by Terrel Bernard on third down.
Let. James. Cook.
Buffalo faced an early third and long, but a 15 yard completion over the middle to Khalil Shakir was enough to pick up the first down. Three plays later, Buffalo’s luck on third down finally ran out, with Allen’s pass falling incomplete.
KC heavily featured Xavier Worthy on their next drive, the receiver they infamously drafted when Buffalo traded back with the Chiefs on draft night back in April. Worthy totaled four receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown on the drive, which happened to be his only four catches of the game. The 31 yard completion from Mahomes to the rookie moved them downfield quickly, and the 10 yard touchdown displayed his speed in the open field.
Allen was able to connect with his receivers for more chunk plays, including a 24 yard corner route to Dawson Knox and a beautiful 25 yard over-the-shoulder completion to Cooper. On the next play, Cook powered his way up the middle for a six yard touchdown, retaking the lead for the Bills.
The Chiefs would go three-and-out again, thanks to the pass rush getting home on third down. Despite only rushing three, all three pass rushers pressured Mahomes on the play. Greg Rousseau forced Mahomes to step up in the pocket, right into the awaiting arms of Von Miller, while Ed Oliver helped the future Hall of Famer bring the QB down.
KC Answers
Following a 25 yard punt return from Brandon Codrington, Allen and the offense had good starting field position. Head Coach Sean McDermott was aggressive on 4th and 3, opting to go for it at KC’s 34 yard line. Allen and Knox weren’t on the same page, leading to Allen throwing an interception on the play. Chamarri Conner ran the pick back 29 yards, suddenly giving the Chiefs good starting field position.
Mahomes threw a ridiculous pass into a sea of traffic as he was rolling to his right, somehow completing it to tight end Peyton Hendershot inside the five yard line. On 3rd and Goal, Mahomes found tight end Noah Gray over the middle for a touchdown and a 14–13 lead.
Unsuccessful Double-Dip
Before halftime, the Bills were able to put points on the board with a 33-yard field goal from Bass. A 21 yard completion to Samuel quickly put them in range, and a 12 yard catch from Hollins made it a chip-shot for the kicker. Receiving the second-half kickoff, the Bills were unable to double-dip, punting after just three plays.
Scoreless Third Quarter
No points were scored in the third quarter, with the Bills hanging onto their 16–14 lead. Oliver stuffed Kareem Hunt at the line of scrimmage on a 3rd and 1 run up the middle, forcing KC to punt. Allen threw an inaccurate pass to Shakir on 3rd and 7, bringing up another punt after gaining just one first down. A 10 yard holding penalty by KC led to a 3rd and 14, with Cam Lewis stepping up to tackle Travis Kelce after a gain of just six yards. Samuel drew a 22 yard defensive pass interference call, and a 22 yard catch-and-run from Shakir set up Buffalo in scoring range as the quarter ended.
Fireworks in the Fourth Quarter
KC sent a six-man blitz, but Allen was able to evade the free rusher and find an open Samuel in the flat. The receiver turned upfield and jogged into the endzone for a touchdown. However, Buffalo wasn’t able to hold onto their two possession lead for long.
The Chiefs answered with a methodical 10 play drive, moving the ball with ease on Buffalo’s defense. Hunt registered a 17 yard run, and completions of 11 and 16 to DeAndre Hopkins and Justin Watson moved KC into the redzone. On 2nd and Goal, Mahomes rolled right and found Gray in the back corner of the endzone for his second touchdown of the game.
“The play of the year in the NFL”
Looking to protect the two point lead the Bills held, it was time for Josh Allen to put on his superhero cape with a game-sealing drive. A 15 yard completion to Hollins moved the Bills to midfield. Allen ran for gains of nine and two to move the chains into KC territory. Facing 3rd and 9, Allen threw a dart over the middle to Shakir, who immediately absorbed a big hit. Somehow, he was able to hold onto the football for a first down. Facing 3rd and 2, a run up the middle with Ty Johnson was stuffed for no gain, bringing up 4th and 2 from KC’s 26 yard line. A 43 yard field goal wasn’t a guarantee from Bass, and it would only put the Bills up by five. So, McDermott kept the offense on the field.
Sending Johnson in motion to the left, Allen took the snap with Shakir still in the backfield. The Chiefs only rushed four, with O’Cyrus Torrence moving All-Pro Chris Jones out of the way to open up a rushing lane. Allen cut upfield after a pump-fake, weaving in between defenders as he shook off hits from his left and right. Ultimately, the QB barreled into the endzone for a ridiculous 26 yard run that Jim Nantz called “the play of the year in the NFL”.
A diving Terrel Bernard interception would clinch the win for Buffalo, handing KC their first loss on the season.
Afterthoughts
What. A. Game. Even though the Bills won by two possessions, it still came down to the wire between the two best QBs in the NFL.
Shorthanded on offense, Joe Brady and Josh Allen finally got Curtis Samuel more involved, with the receiver hauling in five of six targets for 58 yards and a touchdown. He also drew an important pass interference penalty to keep a scoring drive alive. Cooper only caught two passes, but they were both chunk plays, once again showcasing his reliability down the field.
The run game didn’t produce much, despite Brady’s insistence on running early and often on drives. 19 carries by Buffalo’s runningback trio tallied just 49 yards, and led to many third and long situations. Despite this, the Bills were efficient on third down, going 9/15 on the day. Ryan Van Demark filled in admirably for Spencer Brown at right tackle, and not having #79 on the field may have been a factor in Buffalo only committing three penalties.
The defense had one of their best performances of the season, picking off Mahomes twice, sacking him twice, and holding KC to just three scoring drives. Despite KC’s talent along the interior of the offensive line, Buffalo seemed to control the line of scrimmage for the majority of the game. Hopkins and Kelce combined for just five catches and 37 yards.
Game Awards
Offensive Player of the Game: Khalil Shakir
Eight catches for 70 yards, Shakir was once again a source of reliable hands and run after catch ability. His dependability is critical to this offense, as he has emerged as one of the best slot receivers in the NFL this season.
Defensive Player of the Game: Terrel Bernard
A third down sack and a game-sealing interception, plus eight tackles, Bernard was always in the right spot for key moments when the defense needed a play.
MVP: Josh Allen
Yes, there are throws he’ll want back, like an underthrown deep-shot to Quintin Morris that could’ve been a touchdown. However, Allen carried this offense down the field more than once to ensure a victory. The QB finished with 262 passing yards and a touchdown through the air, plus 12 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
What’s Next: Bye Week, then SNF vs 49ers
What a perfect time for the bye week. Hold onto the emotions of a big win over KC, and allow the team to get as healthy as possible. For Sunday Night Football against a struggling 49ers team, Buffalo should have Coleman, Kincaid, and Brown back in the lineup, plus a potential debut for Matt Milano coming off IR.
Editor’s babble: Having Milano back would certainly bring holiday cheer! Many thanks to Colin Richey for his contributions to our blog. You can also find Colin on Xwitter @whatthef00tball.
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