Bills cherish home-field advantage
As much respect Josh Allen has for friend and occasional offseason golf partner Patrick Mahomes, the Bills quarterback still can’t forget when his Chiefs rival got the last laugh at his expense.
The two were teammates in a madefor-TV golf event in June 2022 when Mahomes was asked to describe Allen’s biggest fear. Pausing for a moment, Mahomes said, “A coin toss,” as Allen smiled and lowered his head.
The Chiefs quarterback, of course, was referring to the Chiefs’ 42-36 overtime win in a 2021 season AFC divisional-round game that Bills fans have dubbed “13 Seconds.” That’s the amount of time it took Mahomes to march the Chiefs 44 yards to set up a tying field goal as time expired, after which the Chiefs won the coin toss and ended the game with a TD on the first overtime possession.
On Sunday night, the Bills (12-6) and Chiefs (12-6) will meet in the playoffs for the third time in four years and once again in the divisional round, and the past is the last thing on Allen’s mind.
“We don’t need to bring that up,” Allen said Wednesday. “I’m sure people will bring up what I’m afraid of but, nah, I got a lot of respect for him and his game and who he is off the field.”
At least two things have changed since the last Bills-Chiefs playoff meeting.
The Bills’ loss prompted the NFL to change its postseason overtime rules to ensure both teams get a possession.
After having their 2020 and ’21 seasons end at Arrowhead Stadium with playoff losses, it’s the Bills’ turn to host the Chiefs in what will be Mahomes’ first playoff road game. It will also mark Mahomes’ first time experiencing the full roar of fans at Highmark Stadium. His only other game at Buffalo was played in an empty stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“Even though I know it’s going to be hostile and there are going to be people talking trash and everything like that, I’m excited for it because it’s one of the best environments in football,” Mahomes said.
Although the teams had the same record in the regular season, the Bills won the tiebreaker — and the right to host — with its 20-17 win at Kansas City last month. That was the first of six straight wins for the Bills, including Monday’s wild-card round win over the Steelers. Snow isn’t in the forecast, though cold temperatures are. The Bills are used to the cold, while the Chiefs beat the Dolphins last weekend with a game-time temp of minus-4 Fahrenheit and wind chills that made it feel 20 degrees colder. The game carries plenty of subplots. Bills coach Sean McDermott’s first NFL job was on current Chiefs coach Andy Reid’s staff in Philadelphia in 1999.
“Smart, tough and works hard,” Reid said of McDermott.
And McDermott bears no grudge for Reid’s decision to fire him as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator after the 2010 season.
“I think it doubled down on my work ethic,” said McDermott, who then spent six years as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator before the Bills hired him in 2017. “In some ways, I’m extremely grateful for it.”
There’s also the familiarity between non-division rivals who have split their past six meetings since 2020.
“There’s no secrets,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said.
Wherever the setting, Allen appreciates how difficult it will be to beat the defending Super Bowl champions.
“They’re at the top of the mountain. They know what it takes to get there. We’ve yet to do that,” Allen said. “As a competitor, to be in a situation like this is something you dream about.”
WR Davis, CB Benford among Bills ruled out against Chiefs: Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis and cornerback Christian Benford, both starters, will miss the team’s AFC divisional playoff game against the Chiefs on Sunday because of knee injuries. Bills coach Sean McDermott also said Friday that backup safety Taylor Rapp (calf ) and backup linebacker Baylon Spector (back) won’t play against the Chiefs. Wide receiver Andy Isabella was elevated Saturday from the practice squad for a second straight week to add depth at the receiver position with Davis out. The Bills also elevated linebacker A.J. Klein and released punter Matt Haack from their practice squad in a move that indicates Sam Martin has been cleared to play. Klein’s elevation comes with starting linebacker Terrel Bernard’s status uncertain.
Lions LB Houston progressing, but questionable for matchup against Bucs: Lions edge rusher James Houston is progressing in his bid to return from a broken fibula, however a decision has yet to be made on whether he will play when the Lions host the Buccaneers in an NFC divisional playoff game on Sunday.
Lions rookie tight end Sam LaPorta (knee) is also listed as questionable after being limited in practice Thursday and Friday. Punt returner and receiver Kalif Raymond (knee) was ruled out for the second straight game. Meanwhile, the status of Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett (ankle) and backup running back Chase Edmonds (toe) is up in the air.