2024 AFC Championship preview

Four years after falling just short of becoming conference champions, the Buffalo Bills are returning to the AFC Championship.

But to advance to their first Super Bowl in almost 30 years, they will have to defeat a foe they know all too well: the Kansas City Chiefs.

These two teams have faced off numerous times with their current quarterbacks under center. Josh Allen has defeated Patrick Mahomes for four consecutive regular season games, but Mahomes holds a 3-0 postseason record against Allen.

In the divisional round, the No. 1 ranked Chiefs flew past the No. 4 ranked Houston Texans to advance to their seventh straight conference championship.

The No. 2 ranked Bills edged out the No. 3 ranked Baltimore Ravens after Ravens tight end Mark Andrews dropped a game-tying two-point conversion catch.

When these two teams faced off in the regular season, Allen scored a 26-yard rushing touchdown to put his team up two scores before Mahomes threw an interception on the final play of the game.

But since this game, both teams have evolved tremendously.

Buffalo now has back tight end Dalton Kincaid, linebacker Matt Milano and wide receiver Keon Coleman, who were all out in Week 11 when they faced the Chiefs the first time.

Allen has been playing at an MVP level this season. He had his fifth straight 40+ total touchdown season, the first in NFL history, while also becoming the first player to ever score a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown all in one game.

"It's hard to beat a team twice. We understand that. We know that. It's a team that we beat early in the season, but it's not the same team. They got some guys back on their defense and their offense, and I can't tell you enough now,” Allen said.

The Bills’ defense forced three turnovers in last week’s divisional round against the Ravens. They also forced two turnovers against Mahomes earlier this season.

Pressure on Mahomes and guarding of tight end Travis Kelce will be needed by the defense if they want to advance.

Kansas City is undefeated at home this season, and their only loss came against Buffalo when playing their starters.

The Chiefs were without running back Isiah Pacheco and wide receiver Hollywood Brown for a good amount of the regular season, but both are now healthy and key pieces to the success of this offense.

Statistically, this has been one of Mahomes’ worst seasons, but that has not stopped them being one of the best, if not the best, team in the entire league.

It was also Kelce’s worst season in the numbers column. Nonetheless, the switch for Playoff Travis was flipped on.

Kelce led the team with seven receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown in the Chiefs’ divisional round victory, which was his highest number of 2024. He also broke a tie with Jerry Rice for the most postseason games with 100+ yards in NFL history with nine games.

Kansas City’s defense should look to do a better job limiting the rushing of Allen and running back James Cook, who has scored 16 touchdowns this season.

While the Chiefs are looking to get revenge after losing the Week 11 matchup, the Bills are looking to crush Kansas City’s dreams of a three-peat.

The 2024 AFC Championship game between the Bills and the Chiefs kicks off Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Ashley Mascaro is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email aem6398@psu.edu.