Here are the Kansas City Chiefs’ keys to victory in highly anticipated AFC showdown vs. Buffalo Bills
One of the NFL’s most highly anticipated Week 5 showdowns is set for prime-time in Kansas City Sunday night when the Chiefs play host to the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium.
Not only does it feature two AFC heavyweights, it’s a rematch of the last year’s AFC Championship Game, which the Chiefs won to advance to Super Bowl LV.
Sunday marks the teams’ 51st all-time meeting. Buffalo holds a 26-23-1 advantage, but the Chiefs have won five of the past six since Andy Reid’s arrival in KC. During that span, Reid’s Chiefs (currently 2-2) have outscored the Bills (3-1) by a 144-105 margin.
The Chiefs and Bills boast two of the NFL’s top offenses and are tied for second in scoring at 33.5 points per game. Defensively, though, the Bills have been dominant, with two shutouts through four weeks. The Chiefs have allowed an average of 31.3 points.
Here are four key areas to monitor as the Chiefs seek to get back above .500.
MINIMIZE TURNOVERS
The Chiefs’ six turnovers during their two-game losing streak were a glaring issue, but they turned it over just once, on a Patrick Mahomes interception, last weekend in Philly.
Against Buffalo’s opportunistic defense, the Chiefs must protect the football at all costs. The Bills are tied for first in turnover margin at +7 and have 11 takeaways, including seven interceptions.
Buffalo can also get after the quarterback: The Bills have 12 sacks, sixth-most in the league.
“I think (Bills) Coach (Sean) McDermott and Coach (Leslie) Frazier do a good job of knowing what you’re good at and trying to take that away,” Mahomes said of the Bills’ head coach and defensive coordinator. “They always have a wrinkle each and every week, so it’s definitely a good defense, a really, really good defense.
“We’re going to have a great challenge for us, and we have to make sure we execute every single play because they look for those chances and they try to capitalize on them.”
TRIPLE-HEADED THREAT
Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who led the league with 127 catches for 1,535 yards and eight touchdowns in 2020, is quarterback Josh Allen’s clear No. 1 target.
Cole Beasley is one of the top slot receivers in the league, and newcomer Emmanuel Sanders is a deep threat. The Chiefs have the NFL’s 27th-ranked pass defense, allowing 291.8 yards per game.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said the Chiefs must be prepared for anything Sunday night.
“This particular team has three guys that I think you have to worry about, so we have to find a way to even that out and maybe get in situations where we can dictate it,” Spagnuolo said.
Adding to the Chiefs’ dilemma is tight end Dawson Knox, whose four touchdowns lead Buffalo’s offense. Knox has emerged as Allen’s favorite red-zone target.
Getting cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Rashad Fenton back in the lineup should boost the Chiefs’ chances. Ward has missed the past two games with a quad injury, while Fenton suffered a concussion in Week 3. Both practiced fully on Wednesday and Thursday, a good sign for their availability Sunday.
RUN THE HOT HAND(S)
The Bills rank fourth against the run (68 yards allowed per game), but the Chiefs should keep feeding running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Anchored by their second-year pro, the Chiefs’ running game has flourished over the past two games, stacking up 386 yards. Edwards-Helaire has two straight 100-yard rushing efforts, while Darrel Williams has chipped in with 70 total yards.
Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy appreciates his running backs’ production behind an offensive line with new starters at every position.
“The more yards you can put on the ground — this is the former running backs coach talking now — the more pressure that it applies to the defense,” Bieniemy said. “It’s been good watching these guys do what they do.
“More importantly, it’s been fun watching the O-line open up those seams up front. And that’s the thing that I love: These guys are developing a chemistry together.”
If the Bills attempt to take away the Chiefs’ downfield-passing attack, Kansas City can lean on its ground game. Of note, Edwards-Helaire rushed for 161 yards on 26 attempts, averaging 6.2 yards per carry, against the Bills in Week 6 of 2020.
GET AFTER ALLEN
Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna is on a hot streak — three sacks over the past two games — and he’ll need to keep up the pressure Sunday night against one of the league’s top quarterbacks.
Allen leads a 12th-ranked passing offense that’s averaging 258.8 yards. He’s completed 99 of 157 passes for 1,055 yards and nine touchdowns with two interceptions and has been sacked five times.
The 6-foot-5, 237-pound Allen is mobile, too, capable of gashing an opponent with his legs. His 129 yards rushing are third-most for the loaded Bills behind running backs Devin Singletary (259) and Zack Moss (147).
“I think we know who they are, and it’ll be a great matchup,” Chiefs safety Daniel Sorensen said. “We’re excited to compete against them. They’re a great football team. They’re coming into Arrowhead, so it’ll be a fun game.”
Rookie Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton agreed.
“They’re a talented group up and down on the offensive roster,” he said. “Great receivers, great quarterback and the running backs are also playing really well. So it’s up to us to go out there and compete and step forward to the task we have at hand.”
This story was originally published October 8, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
