A close game until the closing frame
The Buffalo Bills hosted the Kansas City Chiefs for their annual regular-season game in a high-stakes contest for AFC dominance. The two teams traded blows for much of the game, but Buffalo pulled ahead in the fourth quarter and never looked back.
Kansas City started with the ball at the 30 courtesy of a Tyler Bass touchback. KC started with a little trickery to get the ball to Xavier Worthy for seven yards. Looking to go down the middle of the field, Patrick Mahomes was caught from behind. Trying to heave the ball ahead, the fluttering ball landed in the hands of Taylor Rapp. A.J. Epenesa was flagged for unnecessary roughness. A sigh of relief (and boos) echoed across the stadium as at least it was after the interception counted.
Josh Allen came out trying to quiet a raucous crowd and get the Bills going. Two touches by James Cook (pass and rush) gained a mere three yards. Allen looked deep to the returning Amari Cooper (COOOOOP!) for 30 yards to keep Buffalo on the field. Khalil Shakir gained another first down immediately after with an 11-yard pass with a good chunk of that being RAC. Pressure led to a throwaway, which was followed by a short gain by Cook. Curtis Samuel found some room to run, bringing the ball down to the three-yard line. Cook ran to the right side for the game’s opening score. Tyler Bass returned to the hot seat with a missed point after. The Bills made us want to “shout,” though not always for the same reason.
Kansas City took the field again A tip by Epenesa denied a first-down completion. KC responded with a five-yard Kareem Hunt run to bring up the train whistle (third down). Terrell Bernard dropped Mahomes behind the line for a sack to end KC’s second drive of the afternoon.
Brandon Codrington brought the Matt Araiza punt back for 10 yards. Kansas City was called for illegally going out of bounds, giving the Bills another five yards to start at their own 40. Tight coverage by Kansas City led to an incomplete throw to Cooper. Ray Davis was dropped after a gain of one. On 3rd & 9, Josh Allen made an adjustment on the line after KC tipped their hand on the play call a bit early. Allen was pressured but made a throw on the run to Shakir for 15 yards to cross midfield. Two short gains were followed by good pressure from KC. Allen was barely able to get the ball away to avoid a sack. The Bills kept the offense on the field, but only to try to draw an offside call to make the 4th down a little more reasonable. Taking the delay of game flag, Sam Martin was brought out to punt the ball, which was fair caught at the 12.
Kareem Hunt carried the ball for four yards, followed by a five-yard grab from Deandre Hopkins. Sean McDermott inexplicably elected to challenge the catch, effectively just taking a time out for the heck of it. Kansas City got their first, first down of the night directly after the break with another Hunt run for four. Mahomes tossed it deep to Worthy to flip the field. Kansas City moved methodically down the field from there, ending the first quarter at the Buffalo 10-yard line. The first play of the second quarter would be a touchdown by Xavier Worthy to put Kansas City ahead by one.
Buffalo got off to a shaky start, but a defensive holding call on third down gave Buffalo a free first. The Bills squeaked out their next first down, then Allen hit a 24-yard pass to Dawson Knox to the left sideline. Dawson Knox’s eyes were scraped on a short loss by Cook. A long pass to Amari Cooper was challenged and upheld, placing Buffalo with a first down at the KC six. Speaking of six, James Cook brought in the next play for that many points after surviving a devastating collision. Bass’ kick was good, putting Buffalo up 13 – 7.
Xavier Worthy saw a deep target to start the next Kansas City Drive, but was a pinky toe out of bounds to the relief of Bills Mafia. A QB knockdown forced an incompletion which was immediately followed by offsetting personal fouls to bring up 3rd & 10. The Bills’ defense clamped down on the drive with a ten-yard sack by Von Miller after pressure by Greg Rousseau.
Brandon Codrington wiggled his way to the KC 40-yard line on the punt return to give Buffalo a fantastic start. Buffalo sputtered on offense. Going for it on 4th & 3, Josh Allen was picked off by Chamarri Conner, who returned it to the Buffalo 40.
Kansas City found a better groove this go around, moving quickly into the red zone. Buffalo slowed them down inside the ten, but were unable to prevent a two-yard touchdown pass to Noah Gray to take back a one-point lead.
Codrington returned the ensuing kickoff, getting the ball only back to the 23. A toss to Knox ran out the clock down to the two-minute warning. Ty Johnson gave the Bills a first and a the Bills quickly got into Bass’ hypothetical range right after with a long catch by Curtis Samuel for 21. The Bills continued chewing clock with short work to make sure Kansas City had little time left in the half to retaliate. Buffalo settled for a 33-yard field goal from Bass, but used up the remaining clock in the process to enter halftime up by two (16 – 14).
The second half started with a touchback to put the Buffalo Bills at the 30. A three-yard pass to Cook was followed by a tipped pass and an overthrow toward Dawson Knox for a quick three-and-out for Buffalo to start the half. A fantastic punt from Sam Martin pinned KC back at their 20.
Kansas City opened up on the ground for seven yards. Travis Kelce’s first catch of the game resulted in third and short and a loud Highmark Stadium. We’ll never know if the noise was a factor, but Kareem Hunt was stopped short of the sticks. Andy Reid sent his offense back out, despite being backed up on their own 29. The Bills didn’t take the obvious bait and one intended delay of game flag later, Brandon Codrington was back to return the punt, gaining 15 yards to put Buffalo at their own 33.
Buffalo worked in Zach Davidson for a five-yard pass after Cook opened up the drive with two yards. That was Davidson’s first ever catch in the NFL. Dawson Knox moved the chains on third down to avoid a second three-and out. Two short gains (Allen and Ray Davis) set up a 3rd & 8. An incomplete to Shakir forced the second punt of the half.
Sam Martin and Cameron Lewis pinned Kansas City at the 14 in the second half field position battle. Kansas City avoided a three-and-out as well, swiftly picking up two firsts. Buffalo’s pressure stepped up again, leading to an offensive holding call on Wanya Morris trying to protect Patrick Mahomes. A deep shot to Deandre Hopkins was broken up by Christian Benford to force 3rd & 14. Mahomes checked down to Travis Kelce who couldn’t break free from a tenacious Cam Lewis around his left ankle.
Buffalo nearly blocked the ensuing punt, with Codrington dancing up the sideline for six yards before physics led to him stepping out at the Buffalo 17. Buffalo’s offense continued to struggle, with two gains of one yard to start the series. Forced to throw deep, Curtis Samuel went up for the ball and was held blatantly back by Conner draping over him as for a long defensive pass interference call of 22 yards. Buffalo managed to get back to 3rd & 1 and Josh Allen blasted through the middle for the first down. Allen found Shakir at the sideline behind the line of scrimmage, but in typical Shakir fashion he broke out some RAC, gaining 22 yards to end the third quarter on the KC 27. Buffalo continued an efficient drive culminating in a 12-yard Curtis Samuel touchdown. Feet skittering like Mario on an ice level to make the catch, Samuel found his footing and accelerated to paydirt to extend Buffalo’s lead.
Down two scores with less than a quarter to go, Kansas City picked up the pace, moving inside the Buffalo 20 with a small handful of plays. Buffalo’s defense, who had been holding their own all game, looked helpless to stop Kansas City. A defensive pass interference call on Christian Benford moved Kansas City from the five to the one. The Bills stopped Kareem Hunt on his first carry but couldn’t prevent Noah Gray from catching another touchdown from Patrick Mahomes.
With just over half a quarter left and a narrow lead of two points, Buffalo got the ball back at the 30 following a touchback. Buffalo began this crucial drive with yet another disappointing first down run. Mack Hollins moved the chains on 2nd & 11 with a 15-yard catch. Josh Allen failed to connect with a wide-open Quintin Morris downfield. Buffalo called a timeout to avoid a possible delay of game flag. Two Allen runs (scramble and “sneak”) got another first. Buffalo once again faced a third and long (nine yards), but converted on a fantastic grab by Khalil Shakir for 10. Dion Dawkins was hurt during a second down Josh Allen scramble. No gain on 3rd & 2 led to the Bills going for it on fourth down. Josh Allen didn’t see anyone open on the down, and ran it. He ran for the first. He ran for RAC. He ran for a 26-yard touchdown.
Kansas City started off with an 11-yard pass to Samaje Perine to hit the two-minute mark. Cameron Lewis made a tackle for a loss then nearly picked off Mahomes to force 3rd & 13. Gaining back ten with a throw to Justin Watson was followed by a long scramble by Mahomes which was called back thanks to an offensive holding call. On a desperate fourth down heave, Terrell Bernard continued earning his “Terror” by picking off Mahomes to end the game.