NFL Game of the Week: Bills vs. Chiefs

To call this next chapter between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs as anything other than one of the biggest and most anticipated NFL games of the season would be selling it short of what Sunday’s contest promises to be.

Ever since Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen began facing off as quarterbacks on the two opposing teams that will renew pleasantries this weekend, the games have been nothing short of eye candy. After all, these are two of the most athletically gifted and talented quarterbacks to have ever played the game. That point is hard to dispute within NFL circles.

Sunday’s game will be the sixth time that Mahomes and Allen have faced off in the NFL, and it will mark the fourth year in a row that the two teams have met in the regular season.

Of course, it’s hard to forget the dramatic, jaw-dropping playoff game that these two squads waged in the Divisional Round back in January of 2022. Kansas City came out on top of that contest 42-36 in overtime as they advanced back to the AFC Championship Game.

The Bills got some revenge though last October, beating the eventual Super Bowl champions 24-20 at Arrowhead. Sunday’s game will mark the fifth straight time that the Bills and Chiefs have faced off in Kansas City.

But even with all the history in mind, this is a game that may loom even larger than some of the prior Mahomes-Allen matchups. The main reason for that is that with only five games left in the season, both teams are still fighting for crucial playoff positioning.

The Bills come in with a record of 6-6, leaving them crowded in an ultra-competitive AFC wildcard battle. After the Steelers' loss to the Patriots on Thursday night, the Browns, Colts and Texans find themselves tentatively in wild card positions, with all three teams sporting marks of 7-5.

The Steelers are 7-6 and enter Sunday’s action just in front of the three-way tie at 6-6 between the Broncos, Bengals and aforementioned Bills.

So it goes without saying that a loss on Sunday could put the proverbial nail in the coffin of Buffalo’s playoff hopes, particularly with a schedule that includes the Cowboys and Dolphins in coming weeks.

But while a win is a dire need for Bills Mafia, the stakes are also high for Kansas City. A tough loss to the Packers on Sunday Night Football has the Chiefs as the No. 3 seed in the current AFC standings. While the Chiefs enter the weekend two games up on Denver in the division, a win is likely necessary to keep Kansas City in the hunt for the No. 1 seed and that all-important bye with Miami and Baltimore currently at the top.

The receivers in Chiefs Kingdom have been much maligned in recent weeks, as Mahomes and the offense have struggled to get on track and make plays late in games. But Mahomes still has the offensive wizardry of Andy Reid and reliable tight end Travis Kelce at his disposal. Don’t be surprised if Mahomes is looking at No. 87 early and often throughout Sunday evening’s game.

On the other side, Buffalo is coming off a bye and is well-rested. Facing much criticism in his own right throughout the 2023 season, Josh Allen had a “vintage” performance against the Eagles in Philadelphia back in Week 12. Still, his 420 all-purpose yards were not enough to pull out an overtime victory in a game that instantly brought back shades of the Divisional Round classic nearly two years ago.

In a matchup of two hot-and-cold teams with Super Bowl aspirations, Sunday’s game will come down to who can bring the heat in what will undoubtedly be a heavyweight brawl.

Kasey Kreider is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email kmk6865@psu.edu.