The mighty Bills from Buffalo will take the AFC this year.
For two decades I watched people say the Patriots window was closed, that their time was dwindling, that it was all over… seemingly every time those predictions happened, the Patriots went and won another Super Bowl.
A lot of doom talk simply because we lost to the Bengals in the playoffs. Let us not forget that the Bills watched their brother DIE on the field just a few weeks prior. Their heart was simply not in it. If it had been, the Bills would have captured the AFC last year.
The Bills have won 2 of their last 3 in Arrowhead and they’re ready to make it 3 of the last 4.
Originally Posted by Bob Dole:
I’ll be shocked if Buffalo gives 100%. I mean, with the referee situation, what’s the point? It doesn’t matter what the Bills do, the league is going to make sure Mahomes wins.
It may add extra stress or the feeling like they have to do more. Perhaps get them to pushing once the flags start.
I don't think the fans/media see how these narratives play into our hands... [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bob Dole:
I’ll be shocked if Buffalo gives 100%. I mean, with the referee situation, what’s the point? It doesn’t matter what the Bills do, the league is going to make sure Mahomes wins.
Yep. This will be especially true once the totally undeserved flags start flying. I mean, what's the point in trying when the refs are just going to call you for some bullshit? [Reply]
Originally Posted by RedinTexas:
Yep. This will be especially true once the totally undeserved flags start flying. I mean, what's the point in trying when the refs are just going to call you for some bullshit?
Chiefs better not do that. #3 is on the line. [Reply]
At this point they've lost to us so many times in the playoffs that they think they're playing with house money. If they don't win, what difference doesn't make? Is there going to be a "Josh can't beat Mahomes when it counts" narrative? They're already living in that right now.
Thus, the whole lot of them are on the WE'RE GONNA KICK THEIR ASSES!!!! sauce [Reply]
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
At this point they've lost to us so many times in the playoffs that they think they're playing with house money. If they don't win, what difference doesn't make? Is there going to be a "Josh can't beat Mahomes when it counts" narrative? They're already living in that right now.
Thus, the whole lot of them are on the WE'RE GONNA KICK THEIR ASSES!!!! sauce
That sauce is only good so long as things are close. If the Bills fall behind by 10-14, it can go south quickly. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bl00dyBizkitz:
I don't remember it like that at all...
Peyton always had the numbers and Brady always had the hardware. It felt like Manning always lived in Brady's shadow cause he couldn't get past him in the playoffs, and if he did, he could never make it all the way.
I mean, everyone will 100% crown Allen if he beats us in the playoffs, but I highly doubt anyone would start some Allen > Mahomes nonsense after a single Super Bowl.
Dude, where have you been? NFL fans and the media are ALREADY saying Allen > Mahomes and he hasn't even been to a SB, let alone won one. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Dude, where have you been? NFL fans and the media are ALREADY saying Allen > Mahomes and he hasn't even been to a SB, let alone won one.
Hell, Allen is only going to be playing his 2nd AFCCG on Sunday. Mahomes will be playing in his *checks notes* 7th. Oh yes, 7th in a row. What's that? Oh yes, 7th in a row in 7 years as a starter. [Reply]
This game feels like a coin flip to me. Both teams truly have the answers to each other, so it will just come down to turnovers and execution.
The Chiefs run defense has significantly weakened in the last month or two of starter play. Pennel is not nearly the force he was to start the season, so if the Bills stick to the run and Allen carries it 10+ times and Cook gets a bellcow share, it's going to be really hard to stop this team, because their passing game is basically the Chiefs' passing game from 2022, where Allen has a ton of B and B+ options at his disposal, and he's making excellent decisions. The Chiefs secondary is as well built to stop this passing offense as any secondary in the league, but even they're going to have problems with it, Kincaid in particular, which is a matchup nightmare against us.
If the Chiefs can get to Allen, all bets are off, however. But no team has gotten to Allen a lot this year, including us (even though we didn't have Omenihu).
The Bills have a good run defense, but the Chiefs are more invested in passing anyway. They run purely to keep the defense honest, and I think if they stick with Kareem this week, they're going to get their three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust game going.
But it's the passing offense. The Chiefs just put up 23 points on an excellent defense last week without really using their WRs. I gotta imagine they open up the playbook more this week. The Bills will come out with a couple weird adjustments to catch the Chiefs off balance for a couple drives -- which will be enough for Allen to build an early lead. After that, Mahomes is too smart for zone, and Andy Reid's playcalling is too clever for man, and they're going to start moving the ball for those 6- and 7-minute drives. But they have to kill it in the red zone this week. Going 2-for-6 in the red zone this week might doom you.
This might be a week for Humphries to get the snaps at LT. The Bills best passrush comes from the interior, and having them face off against Thuney-Humphrey-Smith should stymie them a lot. Oliver spanked Smith a ton last time these teams played, so if the Chiefs can't adjust to Oliver, all bets are off.
The game just feels like a 50/50 to me. Every time I start leaning one way, like the Bills are better, or no wait, Mahomes never loses to the Bills, the counterarguments eat me up. I don't know if either team has an edge, but I'm very, very glad it's in Arrowhead. [Reply]