The AFC Divisional round is closing in with a highly-anticipated playoff rematch when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night in Arrowhead Stadium.
In their last face-off, the Bills destroyed the Chiefs 38-20 in Week 5. The defense was shattered, and the offense couldn’t get much going no matter what they called; however, one player still shined despite that, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Kelce has always fared well against the Bills in recent memory. With the big game closing in, let’s take a gander at Kelce’s performances against Buffalo to see his recent track record.
Week 5, 2021
As stated above, the Chiefs lost their last matchup against the Bills 38-20. Kelce performed well despite the loss, catching 6 passes on 10 targets for 57 yards and 1 touchdown. He was third on the team in receiving yards that day. He had a solid game overall, but he can only do so much when the Chiefs lose by 18.
2021 AFC Championship
Where Kelce truly shined against Buffalo was in their AFC Championship matchup. He had 13 catches on 15 targets for 108 yards with two2touchdowns. This is the only logged game where he had more than 100 receiving yards against the Bills, and he set a record for most receptions by a Chief in a single postseason game. Kelce also has the fourth-most receptions in a single postseason game, behind James White (14 & 15) and Darren Sproles (15).
Kelce’s performance aided them to Super Bowl LV, where the Chiefs lost 31-9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While that is true, Kelce’s performance still ranks as one of the best in Chiefs’ history. It was an emphatic game that many believe he could replicate next Sunday.
Week 6, 2020
This is the first time the Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes II duo faced off against the Buffalo Bills in their career. The Chiefs would win this bout 26-17 with a solid game from Kelce. He had 5 catches for 65 yards, averaging 13 yards per catch. Furthermore, Kelce hauled in 2 touchdown throws from Mahomes to secure the win.
Kelce was utilized as a red zone threat that day, with both touchdowns coming from the 11 and 12 yard-line. He and the rest of the Chiefs’ offense showed no mercy in that matchup. It was a staple of things to come.
Overall Performance
Overall, Kelce has faced the Bills seven times in his career, six in the regular season and one in the postseason, as explained more thoroughly above. Kelce has totaled 20 catches on 30 targets in the regular season for 249 yards and four touchdowns; he averages 12.45 yards per catch and has lost one fumble in their games against one another.
Furthermore, Kelce has a 4-2 overall record against the Bills, He sat for their first matchup in 2013 when he was on the roster as he was on injured reserve that season. His best game against them was in the 2021 AFC Championship, as talked about earlier, and his worst game was in Week 10 in 2014, where he had two catches for 19 yards.
How do you think Kelce will fare against the Bills in this AFC Divisional matchup? Leave a comment down below to join the discussion. Thanks for reading, and have a fantastic day.