<\/p>\n
In what has been one of the NFL\u2019s premier rivalries, the 5-3 Kansas City Chiefs are taking on the 5-2 Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.<\/p>\n
This AFC showdown (which will be available to the entire country on CBS<\/em>) will feature two of the league\u2019s best quarterbacks \u2014 Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen \u2014 in what is expected to be one of the regular season\u2019s best games. Kansas City needs a win to keep pace in the AFC West and stay alive for the No. 1 seed. Buffalo needs a victory to keep up with the New England Patriots in the AFC East.<\/p>\n While the Bills have recently gotten the better of the Chiefs in the regular season \u2014 holding a 4-1 record in their the last five matchups \u2014 Kansas City has prevailed when it matters most: in the playoffs, where it has won four straight. This game will likely be decided by only a few plays.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This rivalry is built upon the emergence of Mahomes and Allen as two of the league\u2019s top quarterbacks. Last season, Allen won his first MVP award \u2014 but this year, Mahomes looks like he\u2019s on a quest for his third.<\/p>\n In 2025, Mahomes has accumulated 2,099 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and a 103.1 passer rating \u2014 while Allen has recorded 1,560 yards with 14 touchdowns and a 103.6 rating. Both are in the midst of elite seasons they guide their offenses toward the playoffs. In the games between them, Mahomes holds a 5-4 edge \u2014 and these games typically come down to the fourth quarter. Sunday\u2019s contest should be no different.<\/p>\n This season, Buffalo\u2019s defense has taken a step back \u2014 largely due to its run defense. The Bills have allowed 150 rushing yards per game, which is second-worst in the league behind the Cincinnati Bengals.<\/p>\n A depleted defensive front will be without defensive tackles Ed Oliver (now on the team\u2019s Reserve\/Injured list) and DaQuan Jones (who has been declared out for Sunday) may be susceptible to Kansas City\u2019s ninth-ranked rushing offense.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While many of the Chiefs\u2019 rushing yards have come from Mahomes\u2019 legs, Kansas City\u2019s offensive line and running backs have performed well in recent weeks. Running back Isiah Pacheco and left tackle Josh Simmons are listed as out for the game, but running backs Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith could be poised for breakout games. The savvy veteran has looked better week by week, while the rookie has been working his way into the Chiefs\u2019 offense one step at a time.<\/p>\n Kansas City could also benefit from the return of its lead mauler: left guard Trey Smith, who missed last week\u2019s matchup with back spasms but has a chance to play. The Chiefs would be wise to empty the toolbox in the ground game: not only zone looks, but also power, counter, trap and pin-and-pull plays.<\/p>\n Allen is the catalyst for Buffalo\u2019s offensive success \u2014 and Kansas City must be prepared to contain him. One of the league\u2019s best from the pocket (and on the move), Allen can dice defenses any way he chooses. The Chiefs will need a quality plan.<\/p>\n In past matchups, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has elected to keep Allen in the pocket with disciplined pass-rushng lanes while mixing coverages to keep him guessing. Because Allen breaks contain as well as anyone, Kansas City\u2019s edge rushers will need to stay disciplined, preventing him from running wild or throwing on the move.<\/p>\n Linebackers Drue Tranquill, Nick Bolton and Leo Chenal will have the tough task of patrolling the open field, while the defensive ends must remain assignment-sound in their lanes. Stopping Allen will be nearly impossible \u2014 but containing him can provide the basis for a win.<\/p>\n Allen\u2019s backfield counterpart is coming off a 216-yard performance against the Carolina Panthers and ranks second in the league with 753 rushing yards. Cook has been central to the Bills\u2019 success since he was drafted in 2022 \u2014 and he\u2019s on pace for a career season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Under Spagnuolo, Kansas City\u2019s defense has typically been strong against the run \u2014 and this year is no different. The Chiefs rank 11th in rushing defense at 100 yards per game \u2014 and over the last three, they\u2019ve allowed just 61 per game \u2014 the league\u2019s third-best mark.<\/p>\n Sunday\u2019s game will stress the Chiefs\u2019 defensive line and linebackers \u2014 but the unit should get a boost with defensive tackle Mike Pennel rejoining the team. Pennel has been a stalwart the the team\u2019s previous run-stopping efforts \u2014 and will likely see key snaps on early downs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Stopping Cook\u2019s cutback lanes will be critical \u2014 and Kansas City must be ready to manhandle Buffalo at the line of scrimmage.<\/p>\n In a matchup of high-powered offenses, the team that forces a turnover will likely win.<\/p>\n The Chiefs hold a +5 turnover margin for 2025, while the Bills sit at +2. Kansas City is the NFL\u2019s only team that has yet to lose a fumble this season; its four turnovers have all been Mahomes interceptions. Buffalo has a similar record, with one lost fumble and four Allen interceptions.<\/p>\n So this is where one of the secondaries could swing the game. With pressure on both quarterbacks, watch to see if either defensive backfield jumps a passing lane.<\/p>\n In a game loaded with offensive firepower, the team that creates the first mistake will have a distinct advantage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kansas City versus Buffalo. What else needs to be said?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":36993,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36992","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kansas-city-chiefs"],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n1. Patrick Mahomes versus Josh Allen<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
\n2. Exploiting the Bills\u2019 run defense<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
\n3.\u00a0Containing Josh Allen<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n4. Stopping running back James Cook<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
\n5.\u00a0Forcing turnover<\/strong>s<\/h2>\n