While the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills are not divisional rivals, they are well acquainted after meeting nine times over the past five seasons — including the playoffs. On Sunday, they’ll face off once more when the Chiefs travel to Orchard Park, New York.
The team knows what is in store. Before Wednesday’s practice, head coach Andy Reid praised the preparation of Buffalo’s Sean McDermott, who was on Reid’s staff with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2001 to 2010.
“Tough [and] well coached,” he said of McDermott’s squad. “He gets all phases involved. He’s very, very thorough. I had him when he was a pup — I joke that I had him when he had hair — but he’s very, very detailed in how he goes about things.”
Reid admires the combination of McDermott’s defense, an offense led by star quarterback Josh Allen and strong special teams play.
“Their offense is special,” remarked Reid. “Obviously, the quarterback is one of the best in the league at what he does, and he’s got a great surrounding crew — starting up front and moving on back. Then defensively, their front? They can bring it. They’ve got a solid front. Their linebackers [and] secondary? They’re well coached. The scheme [on] both sides of the ball and special teams are solid there, too — [and] well coached… They’re just an all-around good football team. There are not a whole lot of weaknesses there.”
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A lack of weaknesses on both teams has led to some nail-biter finishes in the series. Four of the last five contests between the teams have ended with single-score margins — with the exception being last season’s regular-season game: a nine-point Buffalo victory.
On Wednesday, quarterback Patrick Mahomes offered some insight into these close matchups — but doesn’t necessarily think these prior meetings will predict Sunday’s game.
“Every single game comes down to one play here or there that someone has to make,” he explained. “if that’s offense, defense [or] whatever it is. I think it just comes down to players making plays in big moments for us — and it’s worked out for them in other times.
“[But] to me, it’s just about the next time. It’s about going out there and playing against a great football team and knowing that it’s not like we can think that’s going to happen again. You’ve got to go out there and play with your best ability the next time you get the opportunity.”
Mahomes knows the plays Buffalo’s defense can make — even beyond capitalizing on turnovers.
“Turnovers are one thing,” said Mahomes, “but just in general, if you don’t stay locked in the entire game, they capitalize on the mistakes. If that’s even just a little missed assignment or a missed throw that you need to make to keep ahead of the chain, they get you in third-and-long, and then they come up with some type of blitz that’s unscouted. All of a sudden, you give the ball back to them — and that’s a great offense.
“So they do a great job of just capitalizing on your mistakes, having little wrinkles here and there so that you’re never really comfortable at the quarterback position. You have to be locked in the entire time — and when it’s not there, you have to find ways to get to the checkdown or wherever that is, just to stay ahead of the sticks so they can’t get you off the football field.”
Defensive end Mike Danna knows the defense must also stay locked in when facing the dual threat of Allen’s arm and legs.
“Rush-lane integrity for the D-line [and] for the front, I think that’s really big,” noted Danna. “Guys are staying in their lane so you don’t create any gaps [or] any holes. Also, just bringing him down — everybody knows he’s a big, tall lumberjack guy. So you’ve got to have all 11 guys to the ball and all 11 hats try to just bring him down. He was the MVP for a reason last year, so we’ve got our hands full this week, and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
That challenge also includes running back James Cook, currently fourth in the league with 842 scrimmage yards.
“He’s the best running back in the league right now,” Danna declared. “[They’re the] number one rushing offense, so we’ve got our hands full with that also. We’ve got to play some football, have some gap integrity, and execute our calls, our game plan, and have all 11 hats to the ball.”
Beyond the talent on the field, Buffalo’s home crowd also creates a hostile environment.
“I know it’s going to be like a playoff atmosphere,” running back Kareem Hunt predicted. “Buffalo’s a good team. They have a good fan base out there, so we’re going to have to really lock in and be on the same page.”
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The Chiefs will again travel to Buffalo in 2026, when the Bills expect to open a new stadium.
“They do not like the Chiefs, but it is a cool environment,” Mahomes said of the Buffalo crowd. “I love playing in historic stadiums — and that stadium has had so many great players play in it. Who knows? It might be the last time we get the opportunity to play there. It’ll be a great challenge for us. They’re loud, and that’s what you want. You want to go in and be in a hostile environment.
“That’s what football is when you watch on TV as a kid growing up — the environments you want to play in. Obviously, they’re not rooting for us, but you get to bond together as a team and go into a historic stadium and play in a great environment.”
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