ClutchPoints
The Kansas City Chiefs entered Week 9 looking to send a message. Winners of five of their last six, teh Chiefs seemed poised to reassert their dominance over the AFC in a marquee showdown with the Buffalo Bills. Instead, they walked away from Highmark Stadium bruised, humbled, and searching for answers after a 28-21 loss that exposed the same flaws that have plagued them all season.
The Chiefs’ offense sputtered from the outset. Star QB Patrick Mahomes completed just 15 of 34 passes and failed to throw a touchdown for the first time in nearly a year. The Bills’ defense was led by a ferocious front anchored by Joey Bosa and Greg Rousseau. They kept Kansas City off balance all afternoon. On the other side, Josh Allen orchestrated a masterclass in control. He accounted for three total touchdowns while running back James Cook gashed the Chiefs for 114 yards on the ground.
Despite a late rally that briefly offered hope, Kansas City couldn’t complete the comeback. A potential game-tying field goal miss by Buffalo opened the door. However, Mahomes’ final Hail Mary fell incomplete as time expired. The loss dropped the Chiefs to 5-4 and marked their fifth straight regular-season defeat to Buffalo. Sure, the Chiefs usually flip the script in the postseason, but this is still a worrying trend.
Here we’ll try to look at and discuss the Kansas City Chiefs most to blame for their crushing loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 9.
Mahomes has built his reputation on poise, precision, and playmaking when the lights are brightest. On Sunday, though, he was none of those things. The Chiefs’ opening three-and-out set the tone for a disjointed offensive effort that never found rhythm.
Mahomes tallied a paltry 46.7 percent completion rate. That’s the lowest of his career. He finished with 186 yards and one interception. He was also sacked three times and hit nine more. Mahomes often hurried into off-platform throws that missed their marks. His timing with receivers like Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice was off all night.
It wasn’t just Buffalo’s defense that disrupted Mahomes. It was also Kansas City’s own lack of structure. Too often, plays broke down into chaotic scrambles. This forced Mahomes to improvise rather than operate within Andy Reid’s system. On a pivotal fourth-down play in the third quarter, he missed an open Rice in the flat. Instead, he opted for a deep shot that sailed incomplete. That sequence summed up his night: forcing big plays when the situation demanded calm execution. Mahomes’ greatness isn’t in question, but his frustration was palpable.
With star running back Isiah Pacheco sidelined, Kansas City turned to Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith to carry the load. Early on, it seemed to work. Hunt ripped off several chunk gains. He finished with 49 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs’ first score even came from a trick play. It...
