The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

KANSAS CITY (12-6) at BUFFALO (12-6)

6:30 p.m., CBS Bills by 2.5, per FanDuel

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■ OPENING LINE:

Sportsbook.

■ LAST MEETING: Bills beat Chiefs 20-17 in Kansas City on Dec. 10.

■ LAST WEEK: Chiefs beat Dolphins 26-7; Bills beat Steelers 31-17.

■ CHIEFS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Patrick Mahomes. He hasn’t lost in five divisional playoff games, though all of those have been played at Arrowhead Stadium. This will be the first time he has played on the road in the postseason. Mahomes won at Highmark Stadium the only time he played there, but that was during the pandemic season of 2020 with no fans in attendance. He also seems to have the Bills’ number, ending their season twice in the past three years.

■ BILLS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Josh Allen. He will be asked to carry an even heavier load to offset a defense that could be missing several key starters. Allen is coming off a no-turnover, four-TD game, which included a franchise playoff-record 52-yard scoring run. In two previous playoff meetings — both losses — against the Chiefs, Allen has gone 55-of-85 for 616 yards, with six TDs and an intercepti­on.

■ KEY MATCHUP: Bills defense vs. Chiefs TE Travis Kelce. As a result of injuries, it’s yet to be determined who on Buffalo’s depleted defense is going to draw the daunting challenge of covering Kelce. In two playoff meetings against Buffalo, Kelce has 21 catches for 214 yards and three touchdowns, including a winner in overtime two years ago. Kelce could have been a key factor in the Chiefs’ loss to Buffalo last month. A rare offensive offside penalty on WR Kadarius Toney wiped out Kelce’s lateral to Toney for a go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes.

 ?? VERA NIEUWENHUI­S/ASSOCIATED PRESS — ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Jared Goff has led Detroit to wins in 21 of its past 28 games, including the team’s first playoff victory since the 1991 season last week against the Rams.
VERA NIEUWENHUI­S/ASSOCIATED PRESS — ASSOCIATED PRESS Jared Goff has led Detroit to wins in 21 of its past 28 games, including the team’s first playoff victory since the 1991 season last week against the Rams.

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