AFC Championship preview, prediction, what to…
An inside take a look at the Chiefs-Bills AFC Championship battle in Kansas City, Mo. on Sunday night time:
Marquee matchup
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce vs. Bills secondary
Bills beginning security Taylor Rapp, who had to be carted off the sector final week with a hip damage, is out for the sport, which implies rookie Cole Bishop beginning in his place.
Travis Kelce AP
Kelce will probably be at the least some of Bishop’s duty, which will probably be one thing to watch.
Bishop struggled in cross protection this season, permitting 18 completions on 25 targets and a 127.4 cross ranking when focused.
Kelce, within the Chiefs’ three playoff wins over Buffalo, has 26 catches for 289 yards and 5 TDs.
He was, nevertheless, held in verify within the groups’ regular-season assembly, catching simply two passes for 8 yards.
The Bills typically performed bracket protection on Kelce with two defenders in that sport. Kelce may also see a lot of security Damar Hamlin in addition to Buffalo cornerbacks.
Damar Hamlin AP
“He’s going to go down as the greatest tight end to ever play the game,” Buffalo defensive coordinator Bobby Babich stated this previous week. “We’ve got to try to put a plan together as best we can to make sure that we at least keep him contained.”
Good luck with that.
Cann’s call
It’s Buffalo’s time.
The Bills have the more full staff, and so they appear to have discovered how to close out video games, which has been a earlier situation for them within the postseason.
Josh Allen throws a cross during the Bills’ AFC divisional spherical win over the Ravens. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Josh Allen lastly overcomes Patrick Mahomes within the playoffs, and possibly the Bills lastly win a Super Bowl after all these years.
Bills 30, Chiefs 28
Four downs
Special remedy? There’s been a lot hand-wringing of late concerning the referees’ kid-gloves handling of Patrick Mahomes when it comes to throwing flags for roughing the passer and late hits.
The Texans had been penalized twice for hits towards Mahomes in final week’s divisional spherical sport that simply couldn’t have been known as. Both prolonged Chiefs scoring drives.
Patrick Mahomes throws a cross during Chiefs’ observe on Jan. 24, 2025. AP
“We knew it was going to be us versus the refs,’’ stated Texans DE Will Anderson Jr., who was flagged for a very questionable roughing-the-passer penalty within the sport. Mahomes this week instructed reporters, “I don’t really feel that means,’’ referring to particular remedy from the refereeing crew.
The numbers would recommend otherwise.
Since the 2021 season, within the playoffs the Chiefs have been known as for 36 penalties to 66 for his or her opponents.
Of these, Kansas City’s opponents have been flagged for seven roughing-the-passer penalties to one for the Chiefs, and 11 cross interference or defensive holding penalties to two for the Chiefs.
In the 11 playoff video games in that span, the Chiefs have been known as for fewer penalties than their opponents 10 instances.
Turnover watch: These two groups flip the ball over the least of any within the league, so one thing could have to give on this sport.
The Bills haven’t misplaced the turnover battle in 21 consecutive video games.
Buffalo led the NFL in turnover margin this season by a landslide at plus-24, with Pittsburgh No. 2 at plus-16.
And, in accordance to CBS, there have been 280 turnovers dedicated within the NFL since Week 12, and the Chiefs don’t have a single one of these, going eight consecutive video games with out a turnover — the longest streak by any staff within the Super Bowl period, together with playoffs.
On third thought: The Bills protection has struggled getting opposing offenses off the sector.
The Ravens transformed 7 of 10 third downs final week, marking the second time this season Buffalo has allowed an opponent to convert at the least 70 % of third-down makes an attempt.
The Rams went 11-for-15 on third down in a 44-42 win on Dec. 8.
The Bills protection struggled within the common season on third downs, permitting a 43.8 % conversion charge, fourth-worst within the league.
On the run: The Bills own the higher speeding assault.
The Chiefs ranked twenty second within the NFL in speeding yards and twenty ninth in yards per attempt.
Marlon Humphrey grabs James Cook’s hair during a working play within the Bills’ AFC divisional spherical win over the Ravens. AP
Their main rusher was Kareem Hunt, who had 728 yards and 7 TDs.
Isiah Pacheco, who had 310 speeding yards however missed 10 video games with a leg damage, is a wild card of types, as a result of if he’s healthy he could be harmful.
The Bills ranked ninth in speeding yards, however first in speeding TDs with 32 thanks to James Cook’s 16 to go together with his 1,009 speeding yards and Josh Allen’s 12.
Cook has rushed for more than 100 yards in three of the Bills’ previous six video games.
Ray Davis and Ty Johnson add key depth at working back, which the Chiefs don’t have.
The Bills final week rushed for 147 yards and three TDs on 36 carries towards the Ravens’ No. 1 ranked speeding protection.
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