The Buffalo Bills begin their final playoff push on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The playoffs have come early for the Buffalo Bills with five games left to play in the regular season. And if Buffalo (6-6) is going to make the playoffs for the fifth straight year, it’ll have to begin its run at a familiar place.
The Bills go out of the bye week and straight into the fire as they face the Kansas City Chiefs at 4:25 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium. In the last two regular season games at Arrowhead, the Bills have beaten Kansas City 38-20 in 2022 and 24-20 last season. The Chiefs (8-4) have won the two playoff games in their building 38-24 in 2021 and 42-36 in 2022.
The week has been anything but normal for Buffalo heading into a must-win game. Rather than another chapter in the Josh Allen vs. Patrick Mahomes rivalry grabbing the headlines, Bills head coach Sean McDermott has had to defend his character after his comments about 9/11 were unveiled in a Tyler Dunne article on GoLongTD.com on Thursday.
With the distractions and pressure heading the matchup between perennial AFC contenders, can McDermott block out the noise and coach the Bills to a win in their biggest game of the season? A win over a conference rival would start a tough five-game stretch on the right foot, but a loss would diminish Buffalo’s already slim playoff chances and cause even more chaos for a team that’s lived in it for much of the season.
The Chiefs will be down four starters on Sunday with running back Isiah Pacheco (shoulder), left tackle Donovan Smith (neck), defensive back Bryan Cook (ankle) and linebacker Drue Tranquill (concussion) being ruled out on Friday.
Buffalo tight end Dawson Knox is active for the first time in five games after having his 21-day practice window opened earlier this week. Knox suffered a wrist injury that required surgery, which landed him on the Injured Reserve.
Stay here for live updates and highlights throughout the game.
1ST QUARTER:
The Chiefs get the ball to start the game after Richie James calls for a fair catch on the opening kickoff.
Kansas City gets back-to-back first downs on a seven-yard pass from Mahomes to Travis Kelce on second down followed by a five-yard run by Clyde Edwards-Helaire on second and one.
After a 19-yard run by Kadarius Toney and a five-yard run by Edwards-Helaire, Mahomes is intercepted by A.J. Epenesa at the Bills’ 47-yard line.
End of possession
A screen to James Cook gains 13 yards to the Chiefs’ 41-yard line.
After a one-yard run by Cook, back-to-back incomplete passes bring the drive to a halt.
Sam Martin’s punt is run back six yards by James to the Chiefs’ 13-yard line with 9:50 left in the first quarter.
End of possession
A nine-yard pass followed by a six-yard run from Edwards-Helaire gives the Chiefs a first down.
Jerick McKinnon runs for three yards and then Mahomes throws an incompletion. On third and seven, Mahomes is sacked by Ed Oliver for an eight-yard loss.
Deonte Harty returns a short punt seven yards to the Bills’ 47-yard line.
End of possession
Allen runs for four yards and then he completes an 11-yard pass to Dawson Knox for 11 yards.
Allen runs for eight yards and then connects with Stefon Diggs for three yards for another first down at the Chiefs’ 27-yard line.
Cook runs for two yards and then Allen finds him for a 25-yard touchdown.
Tyler Bass’ extra point is good with 3:43 left in the first quarter.
Bills 7, Chiefs 0
End of possession
After a three-yard run by Edwards-Helaire, an incomplete pass followed by a false start led to Mahomes and McKinnon connecting for only five yards on third and 12.
Harty calls for a fair catch at the Bills’ 27-yard line with 2:19 left in the first quarter.
Cook runs for 11 yards on second and 10 for a first down.
Ty Johnson runs for five yards and then gains six on second down to move the chains again.
Allen throws it away, and before second down, the Chiefs call a timeout with six seconds left in the first quarter. Allen finds Cook who is wide open along the sideline for a 27-yard gain to the Chiefs’ 23-yard line on the final play of the opening quarter.
End of the quarter
2ND QUARTER:
After a three-yard pass to Diggs and an incomplete pass, Allen runs for six yards on third and seven. On fourth and one, Allen finds Dalton Kincaid for a four-yard gain to keep the drive alive and make it first and goal.
On second and goal from the six, Allen keeps it and runs it in for a touchdown.
On first and 25, Mahomes finds Rice for a 17-yard gain. Buffalo calls its second timeout with 1:52 left in the first half. Mahomes’ pass to Toney gains six yards. The Bills call their final timeout with 1:42 left in the second quarter. On third and two from Buffalo’s 18-yard line, Mahomes’ pass to James gains four yards and he gets out of bounds.
Mahomes’ pass on first down is incomplete, then he finds McKinnon on second down for six yards before he goes out of bounds. Micah Hyde is down on the field and being helped by trainers. On third and four, McKinnon runs it into the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown.
Harrison Butker’s extra point is good with 1:19 left in the first half.
Bills 14, Chiefs 7
End of possession
Butker’s kick goes through the end zone for a touchback.
Allen’s pass to Kincaid gains four yards and then he throws an incomplete pass on second down. On third and six, Allen finds Knox for 13 yards to extend the drive.
Allen’s pass to Diggs gains 10 yards for another first down. The officials are now reviewing if Diggs gained enough for a first down with 26 seconds left in the first half.
