Arrowhead Pride
Let’s see what AP staffers (and readers) think about Sunday’s game between Kansas City and Buffalo.
Before the Kansas City Chiefs’ Divisional round matchup with the Houston Texans, Arrowhead Pride contributors were united: Kansas City would advance to the AFC Championship. The panel’s aggregate prediction for a 27-17 win had eight points of error compared to the 23-14 final: it missed the point spread by one point, the Chiefs’ score by four points and the Texans’ score by three. It was the second most-accurate prediction of the season. A plurality of our readers agreed that Kansas City would get an easy win — although more than one in 10 thought the Chiefs would win in a blowout.
On Sunday, the Chiefs face the Buffalo Bills on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in the AFC Championship. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Kansas City is favored by 1.5 points.
Let’s see what the staff — and our readers — think about the matchup.
Like most of these Chiefs-Bills matchups, this is a coin flip for me. The quarterbacks, coaching staffs, and rosters are all elite. The teams have lots of familiarity with each other; each pretty much knows what to expect from the other. Most of the matchups between them come down to one or two plays. On Sunday, I think the Chiefs will get those plays, because they’re at home — and will have a rematch after a loss. Kansas City will make just enough plays on both sides of the ball to escape with a win against what I believe to be the league’s second-best team — in the toughest matchup it will have this season.
Chiefs 30, Bills 27
After handing Kansas City starters their only loss of the season, I imagine the Bills are pretty confident they can come to Arrowhead and punch their ticket for New Orleans. But I think that loss will be on the Chiefs’ minds when they walk onto the field on Sunday — and I don’t think that will be good news for Buffalo.
Chiefs 30, Bills 20
The Chiefs face a tough challenge against the Bills, the only team to beat their starters this season. But key players like Charles Omenihu, Harrison Butker, Jaylen Watson and Isiah Pacheco are back for this one, providing a critical boost on both sides of the ball. This game will hinge on a few pivotal plays — but in high-pressure moments, it’s hard to bet against Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. With the home-field advantage at Arrowhead — and a defense bolstered by Watson’s return — the Chiefs will find a way to edge out Buffalo and advance to the Super Bowl, keeping their three-peat dream alive.
Chiefs 27, Bills 21
The Chiefs-Bills matchup feels like the right one for the AFC title game: the conference’s top two teams, led by the NFL’s top...
