Buffalo Rumblings
The Bills have a two-point lead at the break
The Buffalo Bills lead the Kansas City Chiefs 16-14 at halftime in a game where points have been at a premium. Things could not have started better for Buffalo, which, after winning the coin toss, saw safety Taylor Rapp steal a possession back thanks to an errant early pass by quarterback Patrick Mahomes. It was the exact play the Bills needed to find in hopes of properly establishing momentum.
Quarterback Josh Allen and company took over from there, marching down the field to strike first thanks in large part to a pretty one-handed catch by wide receiver Amari Cooper, but kicker Tyler Bass erred on his extra point attempt. Buffalo was still ahead, and eating clock while implementing a flustering brand of defense that saw Mahomes struggle to settle in quickly.
But Mahomes eventually found his groove, which was aided by a surprisingly productive first quarter by rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who finished the first 15 minutes catching four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown.
After a first quarter that saw the Bills dominate in most phases, things began to level off. The Bills could have had more if not for a terrible decision by Allen met by a head-scratching choice by tight end Dawson Knox to stop in his tracks, allowing the football to go back to KC. Another methodical drive by the Chiefs led them to a 14-13 lead they held just until before halftime, when kicker Tyler Bass made a 33-yard field goal following a two-minute drive by Allen and the offense.
There have been four lead changes already, just as you’d expect a Bills-Chiefs game to play out. The return of Amari Cooper has played a key role in Buffalo getting down-field in the first half. Cooper has two catches on three targets for 55 yards and his wrist seems to be holding up well. Though rushing yards are difficult to come by, running back James Cook (seven carries, 17 yards) has a far-more-important number of 12 points.
Despite Allen’s interception, he’s 15-of-23 for 167 yards at the break. I had predicted Allen would be a far more active runner this afternoon, so I’ll be looking for offensive coordinator to get Allen more touches there in the second half.
By and large, Kansas City has once again operated out of an offense that’s far more interesting and explosive before the snap — but it works well for them. The Bills would benefit from picking up the intensity a bit on offense to stress the Chiefs’ ability to burn clock and reduce scoring chances. That’s how things started for Buffalo, and how they should end if they hope to improve to 9-2.
Here’s your second-half thread for the remainder of today’s game. As always, be kind to one another, and in all things... Go Bills!
