Josh Allen is still seeking his first postseason victory against Patrick Mahomes. In their first playoff meeting, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game, thwarting the latter’s hopes of reaching Super Bowl LV.
A year later, the Bills looked poised to even the count with 13 seconds left in regulation. However, the Chiefs forced overtime and snatched the victory away from Buffalo after scoring a touchdown in extra time.
As this brewing rivalry heads into its third chapter, Allen and the Bills hope to finish what they’ve started this time. They will have the home-field advantage during a Divisional Round game that might be played under freezing conditions.
For the 3rd time in 4 years, the Chiefs and Bills meet in the #NFLPlayoffs.
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) January 18, 2024
Who will win this round? pic.twitter.com/GDTPWqlO4v
Both teams are unfazed by the cold weather, as proven by their Wild Card Round performances. The Chiefs dominated the Miami Dolphins, while the Bills eliminated the Pittsburgh Steelers.
However, the Bills will have home-field advantage against Kansas City, which didn’t happen during their first two playoff encounters. They have defeated the Chiefs in the regular season and are looking to replicate that success in the postseason.
Taking care of the ball will be essential to their victory, especially for the Bills. NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe shared that Allen is 17-0 if he doesn’t have a turnover, be it an interception or a fumble. Therefore, he must learn to pick his spots and choose the best option in every play.
Likewise, the Bills will need more production from Stefon Diggs to overcome the Chiefs’ dominance over them. Diggs finished with seven catches for 52 yards against the Steelers. He must impose his presence and complete a monster game to help Buffalo win.
Finally, the Bills defense must find more ways to generate pressure on Patrick Mahomes. They had just one sack and six quarterback hits against Mason Rudolph. That production level won’t work against an agile signal-caller like him.
The Bills and the Chiefs will face on Sunday, January 21, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
-Lance Fernandez