Arrowhead Pride
On Sunday afternoon, the Kansas City Chiefs recorded a 28-21 road loss to the Buffalo Bills that dropped their record to 5-4.
From the start, the Bills were committed to using an effective ground game to attack the Chiefs’ linebackers in pass coverage — primarily with tight ends like Dalton Kincaid, who scored on the opening drive by dusting linebacker Drue Tranquill in man-to-man coverage for a 23-yard touchdown.
Buffalo’s second touchdown — an 18-yard completion to the Bills’ third tight end Jackson Hawes — was set up a 47-yard catch-and-run by Kincaid. Tight end Dawson Knox gained 30 yards on a deep pass later in the first half, preceding the third Buffalo touchdown and a 21-13 lead at halftime.
The entirety of the Chiefs’ coverage deserves blame for the holes allowed in zone coverage. Safety Bryan Cook was the early standout for Kansas City, ending a drive with a strong pass breakup on fourth down. But on one play, he was sucked up on a quick-pass fake, leading to a completion behind him. The Buffalo play-action did its job, enticing Chiefs’ defenders toward the line and giving Bills’ playmakers enough space to catch-and-run away from them.
The efficiency of the Bills’ offense led to quarterback Josh Allen completing 23 of 26 passes. All of that was set up by running back James Cook, who was a constant headache. He had the primary attention of Chiefs’ defenders throughout the game, finishing with 114 rushing yards on 27 carries.
On the Chiefs’ second possession, the first touchdown of the game came off creative play design: wide receiver Rashee Rice received the direct snap, followed blockers, and easily ran past the goal line to tie the game early.
After that, the Chiefs seemed to soften in situational football — unlike their success in short-yardage scenarios in recent wins. The team converted only three of 13 third downs. Some were doomed by early-down failure — including a third-and-12 in the second quarter featuring a play designed short of the sticks — but others were simply a matter of mentality.
After enough of the first half to prove running back Kareem Hunt was finding room against the Buffalo defense, the Chiefs ran into a third-and-3 inside the Bills’ 40-yard line. The pass call failed, then another pass fell incomplete on the ensuing fourth down; Mahomes threw a quick, hurried pass over the middle that Buffalo broke up with tight coverage.
Right before halftime, Mahomes made two heroic plays that put Kansas City within a yard of the end zone with 20 seconds left. Somehow, the possession ended with kicker Harrison Butker booting a field goal instead of the offense finishing with a touchdown.
Those decisions added up and put the Chiefs in a 28-13 hole that they could not escape.
The three-and-out to begin this contest foreshadowed the rest of...
