Bills Keys: Keep Josh Allen Clean
Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
The biggest game of the season for the Buffalo Bills takes place on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. On paper, this looks like a very winnable game. It might look that way, but this is still the back-to-back Super Bowl Champions they’ll be facing, as well as a team that has had their number in the biggest games. So what do the Bills need to do win? Let’s take a few keys to victory.
Keep Josh Allen Upright
On offense, it’s going to be most important that the Bills protect Allen. The Chiefs have had issues getting pressures and sacks this season, but this is still a talented defensive line. Even with just 19 sacks through 10 games (26th in the NFL), you can’t ever sleep on guys like Chris Jones.
Fortunately, the Bills offensive line has performed better than ever this season. Allen has a pressure rate this season of only 13.7%, the lowest he’s ever faced in his career. They must keep it up against the Chiefs defense because a couple of early sacks could spiral into a day of Allen spending too much time on his back.
Make Patrick Mahomes Uncomfortable
The Bills are coming off a four-sack performance last weekend against the Indianapolis Colts, and they have to be licking their chops thinking about this matchup. The Chiefs have struggled at the left tackle position this season. Both Wanya Morris and Greg Rousseau have spent a lot of time getting pushed into the backfield.
The one thing the Bills can’t do is let Patrick Mahomes sit back in the pocket and have however much time he needs to get his throws off. The Chiefs might not have as many playmakers as in years past, but with time, Mahomes can make any of his wide receivers look like stars.
Get the Chiefs off the Field
One of the reasons the Chiefs haven’t lost a game yet this season is because of their success on third down. Kansas City has converted 52% of their third down chances so far this season, and that must change for Buffalo to win this game. They’ll need to keep drives short, which means making stops early and often on third down. If the defense can keep the ball out of Mahomes’ hands and in Allen’s, they’ll have a shot.
Get Out to a Fast Start
With the Chiefs continuing to knock the Bills out of the playoffs (three out of the last four years), the Bills need to get off to a fast start. The crowd is going to be in it to start the game, and keeping them going crazy is crucial. If the Bills can jump out to a lead and create a turnover or two on defense, the crowd will be at a level where they can both disrupt the Chiefs’ offense and boost the confidence of the home team.
The Bills are slight favorites in Sunday’s game, but it’s not one that they can overlook. All the keys above are important, but this still probably comes down strictly to the quarterback position. If Allen can outplay Mahomes, the Bills will probably win, but if the Super Bowl champion quarterback is better in this game, the Bills are going to fall to 8-3. Buffalo and their fans hope that isn’t the case, though, and that after 60 minutes on Sunday, they’ll be only one game out of the No. 1 seed.
Up Next