You already know the cast of characters. Josh Allen. Patrick Mahomes. Andy Reid. Sean McDermott. For the 10th time since the 2020 season, the Bills and the Chiefs face off in a battle of two AFC titans.
The Bills have actually won four out of the five regular-season meetings over that span, but Mahomes, Reid and the Chiefs have dominated when it matters most, winning all four playoff matchups, the last three of which have been decided by a single posession.
Though both teams appear to be playoff-bound, per usual, this matchup has a bit of a different look from the norm. The Chiefs (5-3) sit not only third in the AFC West behind the Broncos and the Chargers but seventh in the AFC as a whole. In order to keep pace not only in the division race but for the final playoff berth in the conference, they’ll need a win Sunday in Buffalo. Speaking of Buffalo, the 5-2 Bills are a surprising second in the AFC East, behind the 6-2 Patriots.
Keep in mind that Kansas City has won nine straight AFC West crowns while Buffalo has won the AFC East five years running.
Bills vs. Chiefs matchups: Which team has edge at each position in Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen showdown?
Garrett Podell
Where to watch Bills vs. Chiefs live
- Date:Â Sunday, Nov. 2 |Â Time:Â 4:25 p.m. ET
- Where:Â Highmark Stadium — Orchard Park, New York
- TV:Â CBS |Â Stream: Paramount+
- Follow:Â CBS Sports App
- Odds: Chiefs -1.5; O/U 52.5 (via FanDuel)
Bills vs. Chiefs: Need to know
- Mahomes vs. Allen, Chapter 10:Â Allen’s four regular-season wins over Mahomes are more than anyone else in the NFL. In fact, no one else even has three. Allen has, in fact, been the better player in the five regular-season meetings, too: He has a 10-3 touchdown to interception ratio (compared to 10-7 for Mahomes), has taken only four sacks to Mahomes’ nine. He has also run for 220 yards and three touchdowns in those games, compared to Mahomes’ 126 and zero, respectively. These two always produce memorable battles, and Sunday should be no different in that regard.
- Rashee Rice has been a huge difference maker:Â In the two weeks since returning from a six-game suspension, Rice has 16 catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns. Kansas City’s success rate both through the air and on the ground has ticked up with Rice on the field, and his yards-after-catch ability adds a key element to the Mahomes-led attack.
- Bills must tighten up run defense:Â Buffalo is allowing 5.5 yards per carry, second-worst in the NFL only ahead of the Giants, and to make matters worse, standout defensive tackle Ed Oliver (biceps) just landed on injured reserve. The Chiefs may be without leading rusher Isiah Pacheco, but Kareem Hunt is tough to stop near the goal line, rookie Brashard Smith is a good pass catcher, and Mahomes himself is on track for his best year as a runner.
Bills vs. Chiefs pick, prediction
The Chiefs are absolutely rolling of late, and though Buffalo has dominated the regular-season meetings between Mahomes and Allen, this feels like another spot in which Kansas City shows it’s truly “back” after an uncharacteristically slow start. Pick: Chiefs -1.5; Over 52.5
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