Chiefs vs Bills: By the numbers

Another battle between the Chiefs and the Bills is in the books. Here is the story of Buffalo’s 24-20 victory in Kansas City by the numbers.

It likely wasn’t the game you expected, and it surely didn’t end in the way you were hoping. Regardless of our expectations and desires, the Bills overcame the Chiefs for the second regular season meet-up in a row. The 24-20 final score was underwhelming in comparison to the AFC Divisional game we saw the last time these teams met, but there is still an endless list of storylines to make note of.

Whichever angle you prefer to view the result of this game from—considering the Chiefs’ injuries, Josh Allen outperforming Patrick Mahomes, or the Chiefs hanging tight on a day that was far from perfect—you’ll end up in the same place as the rest of us. Kansas City is 4-2, and Buffalo is alone in the AFC driver’s seat at 5-1.

With each of the aforementioned perspectives of Sunday’s game sure to unfold over the coming days, let’s take an objective look at the numbers that made the game.

18

Josh Allen was simply better than Patrick Mahomes on Sunday. These games between the Bills and the Chiefs come down—almost exclusively—to quarterback play. Whether it is immaculate on both ends, or one-sided like Sunday, the outcomes of games between K.C. and Buffalo are determined by Allen and Mahomes. On Sunday, each of them did all they could to find success and there were 18 different receivers targeted between the two teams (8 different Bills receivers, and 10 different Chiefs).

We have become accustomed to Patrick Mahomes spreading the ball around, and this year he has really begun to take advantage of his full arsenal. However, with only seven of his 10 targeted receivers making catches on Sunday, there is a trend to take note of. The only other time this year that Mahomes has completed passes to less than eight receivers was in Week 3 against the Colts, where he connected with just six of his eight targeted pass catchers. In order for the Chiefs’ offense to fire on all cylinders, legitimate contributions are needed from all of Mahomes’ weapons.

The 18 different targets is worth mentioning for how it highlights just how deep this year’s Bills offense is. Again, we are used to seeing Mahomes take advantage of his whole roster, but to see Josh Allen doing it so effectively—week after week—goes to show how complete these Bills are. With 11 games to go this year, it will be interesting to keep a tab on just how diverse these two offenses can remain.

125

After such a stout beginning to the year, the Chiefs’ rushing defense has really tapered off the past two weeks. Josh Jacobs had a career day—154 yards—in Kansas City in Week 5 and the Bills followed that up with 125 rushing yards as a team on Sunday. Devin Singletary was phenomenal on first-down rushes and ended his day averaging five yards per carry. Josh Allen put his legs to use, as he always does and contributed 32 yards to the stat sheet as well.

With the Chiefs’ secondary so dramatically thinned out in this game, the Bills game planned to near perfection. They lost a fumble in the red zone and turned the ball over on downs twice in Kansas City territory, but were still able to commit to the ground game, tipping the scale in terms of TOP.

A couple of big plays that the Bills put together on the deep balls to Gabe Davis and Stephon Diggs were inevitable. Joshua Williams was left one-on-one in both instances and Josh Allen took advantage. Those big, fast plays are the ones that lead to shootouts and favor the Chiefs, but Sean McDermott has learned that lesson. If the Chiefs and Bills are truly on a collision course, destined to meet in the playoffs again, Kansas City will have to do a better job of maintaining Buffalo’s ground game to have a hope of taking back momentum in the rivalry.

315/3/0

Josh Allen threw for over 300 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions on Sunday. A feat that he’s now accomplished in his past three games against the Chiefs.

That is a sure-fire recipe for success against your greatest rival. Josh Allen repeatedly gives the Bills a fighting chance against the Chiefs, and, frankly, the only reason they are coming from behind in this rivalry’s record is Patrick Mahomes. Much like last year’s regular season matchup, Allen outplayed Mahomes, and it was the second matchup of the year—the important one—in which Mahomes rose to the occasion.

2

It really sucks to bring this up, given that Von Miller is a self-proclaimed “natural Chiefs hater,” but he was great on Sunday. His two sacks came in big moments, and he was responsible for a whole lot more pressure. After playing against Kansas City for so long as a Bronco, his knowledge and distaste for the Chiefs really made him the perfect addition to the Bills.

It’s a detail of his signing that went under the radar. Miller’s high-dollar contract was the main point of discussion around the Bills’ offseason, but the reason they chose him became apparent on Sunday. Just like the AFC West’s offseason efforts, the Bills approached this offseason with one thing in mind: overcoming the Chiefs. They didn’t just add a Hall of Fame talent to their pass rush when they signed Von Miller, they added fuel to the rivalry.

Another, more important, battle between these two teams seems all but inevitable, and the backstory of the rivalry only grew more complex on Sunday.