KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County. Share your story idea with Tod.
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Kansas City’s offense had become unstoppable, Buffalo’s defense was banged up and the Chiefs entered Sunday’s game as a betting favorite even though it was at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.
But the matchup didn’t play out as expected on paper.
Instead, the Bills — even with defensive tackle Ed Oliver and safeties Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin on injured reserve — overpowered Patrick Mahomes and company during a 28-21 win, the fifth straight regular-season win for Buffalo against Kansas City.
“They had a really good plan,” Mahomes said. “They have good pass rushers, and they had a good plan of doing some games and stuff up front and pushing the pocket. Credit to them — they had a great plan and they have great players and they made a lot of plays today.”
With all its weapons available after Rashee Rice returned from suspension, Kansas City’s offense had been humming, averaging 433 yards and 28 first downs per game with at least 34 minutes of possession.
But the Chiefs managed only 305 yards, a season-worst three third-down conversions and 22 first downs, tied for the fewest since an 0-2 start, against Buffalo.
Led by former Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa and Gregory Rousseau, the Bills were credited with 15 quarterback hurries, a season-worst for Kansas City, and also had three sacks.
“Those defensive ends are top notch, so they can roll them in and they’ve got three or four of them that can bring it,” Reid said.
The Chiefs, who went to great lengths to shore up a porous offensive line after losing Super Bowl LIX against Philadelphia in February, had only allowed 20 hurries in the previous five games.
“That’s a good football team,” Mahomes said. “I know that they had some guys down, but they’re coached very well, they play extremely hard and they did a great job today.”
Andy Reid took his share of the blame, which he always does after losses.
“You can’t start the second half the way we did,” Reid said. “Again, that’s my responsibility.”
Mahomes — who had a completion percentage below 50% for the first time in his career, finishing 15 of 34 for 250 yards — held himself accountable, too.
He said he missed open throws “on certain plays and they did a great job of being in the zones that we wanted to throw it in.”
Mahomes added: “They did a good job of pushing the pocket, but I’ve got to be better at working the pocket and finding lanes to step up through.”
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