ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — After Josh Allen spent much of the past week downplaying Buffalo’s showdown against Kansas City, the Bills quarterback revealed there was more to the rivalry than he let on.
Turns out beating the Chiefs — a team that has blocked Allen and the Bills’ path to the Super Bowl for much of the past five years — meant something more to Allen. And the NFL’s reigning MVP had a near-perfect performance in a 28-21 victory Sunday.
“They’re the pinnacle of what you want your franchise to be. They’ve been that for the last eight years,” Allen said. “Any time you get a chance to play the best and you can come away with a victory, you’re going to be feeling pretty good.”
Allen put aside questions and criticisms of how Buffalo’s passing attack has sputtered over the past month by throwing one touchdown pass and running for two other scores rushing. The eighth-year player set the franchise record for completion percentage by going 23 of 26 (88.5%) for 273 yards.
He also outdueled Buffalo’s arch nemesis, Patrick Mahomes. Though the Bills have won five straight regular-season meetings against Kansas City, they’re 0-4 in playoff meetings dating to the 2020 postseason, including last season’s AFC championship game.
Mahomes, by comparison, finished with his worst completion percentage — 44.1% — while going 15 of 34 for 250 yards and an interception. The two-time NFL MVP had previously never finished a regular-season game completing fewer than 50% of his passes over his nine-year career.
The Bills' defense played a major role in harassing Mahomes, who was sacked three times and hit 15 more.
“We’ve had great moments, we’ve had bad moments. We have to be more consistent as a team,” Mahomes said. “I have to be more consistent as a quarterback. And we have to be able to battle.”
The Bills (6-2) suddenly have the upper hand in the playoff seeding race by opening a 2 1/2-game edge over the Chiefs (5-4). Buffalo, however, is still chasing New England (7-2) in the AFC East standings after losing to the Patriots last month.
The Chiefs, meantime, opened a season with four or more losses through nine games for just the third time since Andy Reid took over as coach in 2013.
“Against a team like this, you have to be able to score touchdowns, not field goals,” Reid said.
Kareem Hunt and Rashee Rice scored on touchdown runs, and Harrison Butker hit both field goal attempts for the Chiefs.
The game was decided in the final 17 seconds, when Mahomes threw three straight incompletions from Buffalo’s 40. The last throw fell short of the end zone and was batted down by rookie Maxwell Hairston, who earlier intercepted Mahomes.
The Chiefs' drive began at Kansas City’s 42 after Matt Prater’s 52-yard field goal attempt for the Bills struck the right upright.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid led Buffalo with 101 yards receiving and James Cook had 114 yards rushing.
Bills coach Sean McDermott credited his team for coming together to pull out what stands as a signature victory. Buffalo’s previous five wins came against opponents that entered Week 9 with a combined record of 11-30, while they lost to New England and Atlanta.
“We’re not where we need to be, but I saw the team come together and when it got tough,” McDermott said, "they stood tall.”
Allen opened the scoring with a 23-yard TD pass to Kincaid. The quarterback also scored on a pair of 1-yard runs in a game where the teams traded leads twice.
After the Chiefs built a 10-7 lead on Butker’s 46-yarder 5 1/2 minutes into the second quarter, the Bills responded by scoring touchdowns on their next two possessions.
Ty Johnson capped a five-play 70-yard drive with a 3-yard run for the go-ahead score.
The Chiefs followed by gaving up the ball on downs at Buffalo’s 40 when Cole Bishop broke up a pass attempt to Rice on fourth-and-3. Allen then marched Buffalo on a seven-play, 60-yard drive that he capped with the first of two touchdowns.
The Bills defense got impact plays from two youngsters.
Hairston, a rookie first-round pick was appearing in just his second career game after missing the first six with a knee injury. Bishop is a second-year player, who only took over the starting job this season and finished with a team-best seven tackles and was credited with four passes defended.
“Games like this is the games that I prayed for growing up,” Hairston said. “And the fact that I was part of this game tonight, man, was like truly a dream come true.”
Allen milestones
Allen’s first TD run was the 78th of his career, including the playoffs, breaking the NFL record for quarterbacks he shared with Cam Newton. With his three TDs, Allen has 282 (passing and rushing), moving ahead of Mahomes for second among players before the age of 30. Allen, who turns 30 in May, now trails only Peyton Manning (288).
Injuries
Chiefs: Starting RT Jawaan Taylor hurt his right ankle.
Bills: McDermott announced DE Michael Hoecht tore his right Achilles tendon. He was hurt in non-contact situation in the fourth quarter.
Up next
Chiefs: Bye week before they travel to play the Denver Broncos on Nov. 16.
Bills: Travel to play the Miami Dolphins next Sunday.
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