Here is who national experts predict will win Chiefs-Bills AFC Championship Game
Visiting Arrowhead Stadium in late January is becoming an annual trip for Jim Nantz and Tony Romo.
For the third straight year, CBS Sports’ top broadcast team will be calling the AFC Championship Game with the Chiefs playing host. They were also at Arrowhead last week for the Chiefs’ Divisional playoff game win over the Browns.
The Chiefs have a four-game postseason winning streak. Will that continue? Here is what 81 national experts are saying about the game, which kicks off at 5:40 p.m. and will be broadcast on CBS (Ch. 5).
A Chiefs victory is the prediction from Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times. Here is an excerpt of what he wrote: “The Chiefs are the clear favorites, particularly at home, but Buffalo should not be counted out. If its defense can play the way it did in the divisional round and (Josh) Allen can avoid mistakes, the Bills can turn this into quite a fight. But the most likely result is a Kansas City victory, which would give the Chiefs the chance to be the first team since the Patriots in the 2003 and 2004 seasons to repeat as Super Bowl champions.”
The Chiefs will win 28-26 says the Sporting News’ Bill Bender. He wrote in part: “Buffalo takes the early lead on a (Stefon) Diggs’ TD, and the Bills cling to a third-quarter lead before the (Patrick) Mahomes magic act begins. Second-half TDs to (Travis) Kelce and (Tyreek) Hill re-take the lead, and Kansas City closes the door behind the running game in the fourth quarter. If last week taught us anything, then it’s Andy Reid won’t hold back in crunch time.”
A 37-31 Chiefs win is the call from Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com. This is an excerpt of what he wrote: “Mahomes’ toe, which appeared to impact a few throws last week, is a concern, considering how often his legs have set up the Chiefs’ biggest playoff moments. But I’m picking Mahomes and Reid until proven otherwise, with the better quarterback and the better coach being the ultimate tiebreaker between two teams ready to win a title.”
A 33-31 Bills victory is the forecast from Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. He wrote in part: “There could be a combined 100 passing attempts in this game. The Chiefs have a ton of offensive weapons and can score in bunches, but the injuries to Mahomes are a real concern. Not just the concussion but the turf toe. Allen is playing like a young John Elway, and having Stefon Diggs and John Brown allows the Bills to stretch the field vertically.”
A 34-27 Chiefs win is the prediction from Yardbarker’s Chris Mueller. This is a snippet of what he wrote: “Kansas City’s situation is simple: If Mahomes can go, they’re in great shape, and there is no reason to think they can’t duplicate their win against Buffalo earlier this season.”
The Chiefs will win say Mike Florio and Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Smith predicts a 35-24 score. He wrote in part: “The Chiefs have played so many games recently in which they did just enough to win, that it almost feels like it has to come back to haunt them at some point, and they’ll let another team hang around too long and lose. But I just don’t see it happening on Sunday.” Florio sees a 31-27 score and wrote: “The Buffalo offense is nearly as good as Kansas City’s. But the Kansas City defense is better.”
Six of the eight CBS Sports writers think the Chiefs will win: Jason La Canfora, Pete Prisco, Dave Richard, Will Brinson, Jared Dubin and Jamey Eisenberg. The picks for the Bills: John Breech and Ryan Wilson. Prisco sees a 31-30 score. This is part of what he wrote: “Both defenses have improved since the Chiefs beat the Bills in Week 6, a game where Kansas City ran the football to win it. Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for 161 (yards) in Kansas City’s 26-17 victory. This time around, I think it’s more of an air game with both quarterbacks having good games. I picked the Chiefs to get to the Super Bowl before the season and I am sticking with that. But it will be close — even with Mahomes.”
Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd sees a 28-23 Chiefs victory:
Two of three Bleacher Report writers believe the Chiefs will win: Brent Sobleski (31-27 final score) and Brad Gagnon (24-20). The pick for Buffalo: Gary Davenport (34-33). “Kansas City also has less of a home-field advantage as usual with a limited capacity at Arrowhead, and it hasn’t been able to pull away from anybody lately,” Gagnon wrote in part. “Still, I don’t think the Bills have the backfield talent to take advantage of K.C.’s problems in run defense, and I’m not betting against Andy Reid at this point.”
The seven writers at USA Today think the Chiefs will win: Jarrett Bell (30-24 final score), Nate Davis (28-27), Jori Epstein (24-20), Mike Jones (31-24), Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz (30-24), Lorenzo Reyes (31-25) and Tom Schad (28-24).
Six of nine experts at ESPN think the Chiefs will win: Matt Bowen, Mina Kimes, Jason Reid, Laura Rutledge, Damien Woody and Seth Wickersham. Picking Buffalo: Mike Clay, Dan Graziano and Kevin Seifert.
A Chiefs win is the pick from five of 10 SB Nation writers: Ed Valentine, Pete Sweeney, Kyle Posey, David Fucillo and Ameer Tyree. The five picking Buffalo: James Dator, RJ Ochoa, Jenna Thomas, Brandon Lee Gowton and Alexis Chassen
All six writers at Sports Illustrated Monday Morning Quarterback see a Chiefs win: Gary Gramling, Mitch Goldich, Andrew Brandt, Albert Breer, Jenny Vrentas and Conor Orr.
Four writers at The Star predict a Chiefs victory: Blair Kerkhoff, Vahe Gregorian, Sam McDowell and Sam Mellinger.
Seven of the 10 members of the Dallas Morning-News went with the Chiefs: Michael Gehlken, Damon Marx, Craig Miller, David Moore, John Owing, Newy Scruggs and Calvin Watkins. Picking Buffalo are Tim Cowlishaw, Dana Larson and Kevin Sherrington.
Three of five NFL broadcasters at Radio.com picked the Chiefs: Jesse Pantuosco, John Healy and Dan Mennella. The Bills picks: Jordan Cohn and Tim Kelly.
The three writers at Athlon Sports picked a Chiefs win: Rob Doster, Ben Weinrib and Bryan Fischer.
Five of eight writers for USA Today’s Atlantic Region see the Chiefs winning: Art Stapleton, Steve Edelson, Sal Maiorana, Martin Frank and Tom Moore. Taking the Bills are Andy Vasquez, Bob Jordan and Dave Rivera.
