Bills keep Chiefs reeling
Rookie cornerback’s INT stops Kansas City’s drive, seals road win.
Tyrod Taylor throws for 183 yards and a TD in return to starting lineup as Buffalo sends K.C. to its fifth loss in six games,
Tyrod Taylor
KANSAS CITY, MO. — threw for 183 yards and a touchdown in his return to the starting lineup, Tre’Davious White
intercepted Alex Smith with just over a minute remaining, and the Buffalo Bills held off Kansas City Chiefs 16-10 on Sunday.
Zay Jones had the touchdown reception and Stephen Hauschka
kicked three field goals for the Bills (6-5), but the story was their defense — or the Chiefs’ complete lack of offense.
Kansas City (6-5) managed only 236 yards while losing for the fifth time in six games.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid was asked after the game if he was considering benching the slumping Smith for rookie and No. 1 pick Patrick Mahomes III.
“No,” Reid said. “That’s now where I’m at right now. There’s a couple of other things I got to take care of.”
Asked if he had considered pull
ing Smith in this game, Reid simply said, “No, I didn’t.” Smith threw for 199 yards and a
touchdown, but even the Chiefs’ lone score came on a catch-andrun by Albert Wilson. They were unable to complete much downfield, and with a ground game going nowhere, the offense was soundly booed most of the game.
Especially when White stepped in front of Smith’s pass with 1:11 remaining and the Chiefs at the Buffalo 35. White nearly returned it for a clinching touchdown before Smith tracked him down.
It was an especially gratifying win for Bills coach Sean McDermott, who spent 10-plus seasons working for Chiefs counterpart Andy Reid in Philadelphia.
And it was even more so considering the heat McDermott had been under after his questionable quarterback change last week.
The Chiefs’ offense was dismal in the first half against a defense that had surrendered more than
210 yards per game rushing the past three outings. Kansas City went three-and-out on its first five possessions and, taking away 14 yards of quarterback scrambling, gained 43 yards by the break.
The Chiefs converted only 2 of 13 third downs in the game.
The Bills fared marginally better.
Taylor, getting the start again over pick-prone Nate Peterman, threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jones late in the first quarter. But that was the only offense the Bills could muster as the Chiefs began to bottle up LeSean McCoy
and put pressure on their elusive quarterback.
Kansas City finally snapped a streak of eight-plus quarters without a touchdown when Wilson hauled in a swing pass and went 19 yards midway through the third quarter. But the Bills answered quickly with a 49-yard field goal by Hauschka, giving them a 16-10 lead entering the fourth.
The Chiefs have averaged just 12 points a game in their string of three defeats after averaging 32.8 as they shot out to a 5-0 start that included victories over the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles.