Buffalo Rumblings
Everything you need to know as the Bills look to earn a signature win and knock off the undefeated Chiefs!
The Buffalo Bills (8-2) have won their last five games to take a five-game lead in the AFC East, but they have their toughest test of the year when the undefeated, two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (9-0) come to Orchard Park, NY Sunday afternoon for the NFL’s game of the season.
This week on the Billieve podcast, host John Boccacino gets you ready for Sunday’s showdown, which features two of the NFL’s best QBs and the two winningest franchises over the last five regular seasons. The hype has been building for this game ever since the schedule was released, and this game appears to be one that should live up to expectations. This matchup could very well be a playoff preview as these two teams have met in three of the last four postseasons.
Buffalo is looking to extend its winning streak to six games and would love nothing more than to knock the Chiefs from their perch as the last undefeated team in the league. On the podcast, we discuss how, despite the fact that Kansas City is undefeated, they have overcome plenty of mistakes along the way and have been far from flawless in winning their first nine games of the year. We also revisit the Mahomes-Allen rivalry, as this will be their eighth career matchup. Allen is 3-1 in the regular season but 0-3 in the playoffs, and explore how, if the Bills want to claim the No. 1 seed in the AFC and home field throughout the playoffs, they need to find a way to beat the Chiefs.
We examine what it would mean for Buffalo’s offense to have wide receiver Amari Cooper and starting right tackle Spencer Brown on the field; how Cooper’s return would improve the potency of Buffalo’s offense and free wide receiver Khalil Shakir to continue doing damage over the middle of the field; and how, regardless of who starts at right tackle, they will face a problematic matchup when going against talented DE George Karlaftis — who leads the Chiefs in sacks (4.0) and is second on the team in pressure rate (11.2%).
We run through the keys to a Bills victory, including how head coach Sean McDermott needs to continue to make critical second-half adjustments and how Buffalo’s offensive line needs to find a way to slow down Karlaftis and fellow DE Chris Jones. We also explain why Cooper, running back James Cook, center Connor McGovern, linebacker Terrel Bernard, cornerbacks Christian Benford and Rasul Douglas, and defensive end A.J. Epenesa are among the Bills who need to step up and make a difference on Sunday; and how Jones, tight end Travis Kelce, running back Kareem Hunt, left tackle Wanya Morris, and cornerback Trent McDuffie are among the difference-makers for the Chiefs.
I close by offering up score predictions as the Bills look to remain undefeated at home...
