The Buffalo Bills needed to win their matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. A loss would have given the Bills roughly a 5% chance of making the postseason, even though it wasn’t a playoff game. It would have been a defeat to a conference rival as well as a common foe of numerous teams vying for the best record among themselves. It would have been difficult to take. Buffalo managed to overcome an equally matched opponent on the road in a difficult game, something they hadn’t done all season.
Four lessons can be learned from a hard-fought victory in the Midwest. Everyone aspires to be elegant, refined, and perfect. Some of the best teams, known by moniker like “The Greatest Show on Turf,” “The Steel Curtain,” “Legion of Boom,” “The Cardiac Kids,” and so forth, appeared to have it all together. I’m not sure the Buffalo Bills have done enough, or not in a memorable enough way, to warrant a nickname. However, they earned a hard-fought victory this Sunday afternoon in Missouri by managing to just barely edge out a struggling Chiefs team. They prevailed messy and ugly. So be it if that’s what it takes. Nobody in Western New York will care.
Just six points were scored by the Bills during the second half of the contest. KC managed just ten points. This stat line was a result of both drab defenses and offensive schemes. This game was a clear indication of who the Bills and Chiefs are right now, even though it wasn’t particularly thrilling or a shootout. While the Chiefs are witnessing the loss of any chance to secure the top seed in the playoffs, as well as any confidence and fear factor they once possessed over other teams, the Bills are fighting for a postseason berth. Both the Chiefs’ loss and the Bills’ victory were messy.
The Bills defense has always had a strong appearance on paper and a passable performance when playing. It has been a true assessment, but the rub has been that they are unable to seal the deal. When it mattered most, the defense was not delivering the expected outcomes due to injuries, having too many men on the field, and poor secondary play with two minutes remaining in the game. The stars’ visits and the bright lights in Kansas City didn’t blind the defense. The banners that were flown or the rings that were on their rivals’ fingers didn’t concern them. It was successfully completed by the defense.
If there was a bright spot in the victory in Kansas City, it would be the defense, which triumphed not only over the Jets or Raiders but also over a team that had a former MVP, a quarterback who won a Super Bowl, and a popular figure on its roster. The Buffalo defense becomes problematic when you factor in the defense’s hopes of getting back players like Elam, Benford, and possibly Milano. We all know what a great defense means in big games, so if the Bills make the playoffs, this defense might just win them another ugly game.
Yes, after a poor read, Josh Allen threw another interception. Bills Mafia will have to put up with it, whether they like it or not. Josh Allen will not be satisfied with eating the ball by running a yard or tossing it away. At this stage of the season, Allen’s “settling” has changed to either locate the running back in the flat, check down to his new favorite target, Dalton Kincaid, or wait out the play to find a receiver. This is in contrast to ‘settling’ early on in the season, which meant forcing a ball into a closing window or zinging a deep ball to a covered Wideout, which resulted in incompletions and picks.
Though Allen’s aggression and chutzpah remain unaltered, he has recently infused his furious runs with a dash of cunning and intelligence. Josh Allen settling down and simply falling won’t result in that touchdown run. Additionally, his in-pocket choices demonstrate a higher degree of comprehension, better game management, and a pure desire to succeed. Although Allen still doesn’t have to do everything, his recent actions reveal everything you need to know about his drive and motivation.
Respect is earned, and often the hard way. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are two of the most respected figures in the NFL, and with good reason. Reid is a shoo-in at Canton once he retires. Mahomes is a generational talent and a marketing goldmine. They do things the right way. So, seeing them both behave, well, let’s be frank, immature and spoiled, was a head-scratching and awkward time.
It would be simple to argue that all coaches and players are treated equally by the NFL and the media. It would have to be taken back after we all laughed too much. Journalists and pundits would be vilifying Josh Allen and Sean McDermott with extreme prejudice if they had behaved in such a manner. Mahomes and Reid may have gained respect, but their petty and foolish outbursts cost them a lot of it. Matt Hasselback put it succinctly on SportsCenter: “They’re wrong.” It was whimpering and witless.
It’s hilarious that these two argue over a call when the entire season has been filled with incorrect calls and infractions, and that they throw up their hands and try to take the blame when the officials get it right. It was totally pointless and embarrassing. Usually, it’s the officials who are embarrassed. Rather, what was happening in Kansas City was a very depressing demonstration of bad sportsmanship, and it came from the most unexpected source. It was and remains a poor impression of Reid, Mahomes, and the Chiefs.
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