the Buffalo Bills I’ve waited years for this moment. Now they are back and facing a familiar enemy. Once again, the fate of the AFC rests on a matchup between the Bills and Chiefs, but this is the first time since 2021 that they have met in the championship game.
For Buffalo, it’s about turning the page. Getting the monkey off their back. Finally killing off a football giant that has ended its season in three of the past four years. So what has changed? And why could this 2024 campaign end differently for the Bills than their previous failures?
No. 1: Better weapons
I know Bills fans bristle at the suggestion that anyone is better than Josh Allen, but there is still a gap between Patrick Mahomes at the top, and every other quarterback in the NFL. However, it has been a very disappointing year for Mahomes as an individual, as this season was the year where the Chiefs’ front office may have pushed him too far due to a lack of weapons on the offensive side of the ball.
Travis Kelce has been great on and off, but he’s far from the consistent threat the Chiefs have relied on every game in recent years. The injury to Hollywood Brown has hurt his outside passing game, DeAndre Hopkins has not meshed with the offense yet, and a lot of pressure is being put on rookie Xavier Worthy to be a difference maker.
The other side of the ball is a completely different story. While Josh Allen doesn’t have a true signature weapon, he does have a wealth of talent that can be taken advantage of. The Bills thrive on turning anyone into a threat depending on range and distance, which has allowed Khalil Shakir, Keion Coleman, Dalton Kincaid and others to succeed this season.
No. 2: Own the ground game
There is no doubt that Buffalo is better suited to playing power-playing offensive football. James Cook has had a lot of success this season with a career-high 16 rushing touchdowns, while the ever-present threat of Josh Allen’s running ability can keep the defense off balance. It’s an element of this game the Chiefs can’t match, especially considering they rank 22nd in the NFL in rushing yards this season.
If the Bills can turn this game into a defensive battle where neither QB can make a difference through the air, they will win this easily. Buffalo is simply better equipped to pick up yards on the ground — and has much better efficiency when it comes to the rushing offense versus the Chiefs’ defense, and vice versa.
- Bills: 9th in rushing offense, 12th in rushing defense
- Chiefs: 22nd in rushing offense, 8th in rushing defense
This disparity can make a difference.
No. 3: Josh Allen
The presumptive NFL MVP for the 2024 season is the biggest factor in this game. His dual-threat ability is something teams will have to keep in mind with every loss, and will put tremendous pressure on the Chiefs’ defensive line.
Allen had a great game in Week 11 against Kansas City when he threw for 262 yards, rushed for another 55 yards, and scored twice in the Bills’ win. This shows that Joe Brady and the Buffalo offense know how to target Steve Spagnuolo and KC.
The Bills QB has been comfortable taking on the role of hero ballplay more and more as the season has progressed, and it has paid dividends. At this point, the success of the Bills offense is closely tied to Allen, and he has proven he can do just that.
Most seasons, it would be Mahomes who would have the advantage against Allen, but not this year – and that could be the biggest difference maker in a Bills win.
