Tag: bills chiefs

National media reactions to Bills’ 2020 ride to AFC Championship

National reactions to the Buffalo Bills’ 2020 run to the AFC Championship game.

The Buffalo Bills had a heck of a ride in 2020. It caught the attention of those across the country. Unfortunately, the run fell short of the Super Bowl via a 38-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship.

Despite that, the national reaction following the Bills’ loss mostly kept things within the big picture. While most thought Buffalo underwhelmed vs. Kansas City, the overriding feeling was that the Bills will be back.

With that, here’s some national media reaction to the Bills’ season-sending loss in the AFC title game:

Kyle Brandt, Good Morning Football

Luke Russert

Wolf Blitzer, CNN

Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Marcus Spears, ESPN

Laura Rutledge, ESPN

Trey Wingo

Jake Tapper, CNN

Nick Wright, FS1

Adam Schein, CBS Sports

Ryan Clark, ESPN

Kevin Conners, SportsCenter

Pardon My Take, Barstool Sports

Summer Sanders

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LOOK: Bills’ Stefon Diggs is last player left on field after AFC title loss

Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs stays on field after loss to Kansas City Chiefs in AFC Championship game.

It was heart breaking enough just for the final whistle to go in a loss that leaves you one win short of the Super Bowl.

But that didn’t send Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs running for the showers right when the game ended. In fact, he might even still be out on the Buffalo sideline.

After the Bills’ 38-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game, Diggs was clearly going through a series of emotions. When everyone in red, white and blue left the field… Diggs remained. Walking up and down the sideline.

As the Chiefs started celebrating their win? Diggs stuck around.

Once thought of as a guy who doesn’t care… it’s prettyĀ  obvious to most now that he certainly does and then some. A couple of videos posted to social media captured Diggs sticking around on Buffalo’s sideline after the end of the game.

Check those out here:

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5 takeaways from the Bills’ 38-24 loss to the Chiefs

Takeaways from the Buffalo Bills’ 38-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship.

The magical run that was the 2020 Buffalo Bills season has come to an end. Many saw an improvement coming, but no one saw a close run to the promise land and Buffalo has plenty of reason to be proud about this team.

But we still have an AFC Championship game to breakdown. So let’s rip the Band-Aid off get right into it.

Here are five takeaways from the Bills’ 38-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game:

Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman. Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Bills defense gives up chunks seemingly every play

The Bills got off to a good start. Against the Colts and Ravens in their first two playoffs game that was certainly not the case. It took awhile for the Bills to get rolling, especially on offense, and the Bills did start up 9-0 on Kansas City.

Buffalo’s offense had to keep things closer in this one, no doubt, and while 24 point is pretty good against most, it’s not vs. KC. However, the Bills defense gave up big play, after big play… after big play from that ninth-point on. Not only did that extend drives for the Chiefs’ high-flying offense, it gave themselves less opportunity, too.

First, the Chiefs only punted once. Not an ideal start right there.

It just really felt like an over and over thing, again and again. On the Chiefs’ first touchdown drive alone, Kansas City had six plays of nine-plus yards. The next few scoring drives featured highlight-reel plays like Mercole Hardman’s 50-yard rush and Tyreek Hill’s 71-yard and 33-yard catch and runs. In between those plays there were just too many chunk plays that gave the Bills virtually no chance.

The bleeding was never stopped and while the Bills have great depth in their playmakers, the Chiefs showed what an offense filled with stars really looks like.

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WATCH: Bills recover muffed punt, score TD on next play vs. Chiefs

Buffalo BIlls Taiwan Jones recovers punt, tight end Dawson Knox scores vs. Kansas City Chiefs in AFC Championship game.

What a quick turn that was for the Buffalo Bills.

In the AFC Championship game, the Bills scored the game’s first touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs with six minutes left the first quarter thanks to a big takeaway by… running back Taiwan Jones?

After punting, Jones, a gunner on Buffalo’s special teams, recovered a muffed punt fumble by Chiefs returner Mecole Hardman. It set Buffalo up right at the KC goal line:

From there, the Bills offense wasted no time in scoring. On the very next play, quarterback Josh Allen found Dawson Knox for the score. Kicker Tyler Bass missed the extra point, but the Bills still added those six points to an early field goal to go up 9-0.

Check the game’s first touchdown out here:

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Bills at Chiefs: Game day inactives

Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs game day inactives for AFC Championship game.

Here are the full game day inactive lists for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the AFC Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium:

Buffalo Bills (13-3)

  • TE Tyler Kroft
  • LB Tyrel Dodson
  • WR Kenny Stills
  • CB Dane Jackson
  • DE Trent Murphy
  • OL Jordan Devey
  • QB Jake Fromm

Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)

  • LB Willie Gay (ankle)
  • WR Sammy Watkins (calf)
  • RB Le’Veon Bell (knee)
  • CB BoPete Keyes
  • DE Tim Ward
  • DT Khalen Saunders

Game previews:

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Report: Gabriel Davis ‘very iffy’ to play vs. Chiefs, Kenny Stills is backup

Buffalo Bills WR Gabriel Davis injury updates for AFC Championship game vs. Kansas City Chiefs.

The Bills won’t know until warmups if rookie wide receiver Gabriel Davis will play vs. the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.

According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Davis is considered “very iffy” to suit up. Essentially he’s going to see how his ankle injury is feeling prior to the game and if he’s deemed not well enough, it’ll be Kenny Stills who plays instead:

On Saturday, Stills was called up to Buffalo’s active roster via the practice squad along with cornerback Dane Jackson. Wide receiver Cole Beasley was listed on the injury report this week due to his prior knee injury, but he’s expected to play.

Since signing with the Bills earlier this month, Stills has yet to play in a game with Buffalo. He’s spent both playoff games vs. the Colts and Ravens, respectively on the practice squad and inactive.

Be sure to check back at Bills Wire 90 minutes before kickoff. We will bring you the Bills’ official game day inactive lists as soon as they are released.

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Bills at Chiefs: QB Patrick Mahomes ‘not 100 percent’

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will reportedly “not be 100 percent” vs. Buffalo Bills due to toe injury.

Make no doubt about it, the Chiefs will have quarterback Patrick Mahomes against the Bills in Sunday’s AFC Championship game.

That doesn’t mean he will be fully healthy though, according to one report.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Mahomes is battling turf toe. The QB was diagnosed with that injury following the Chiefs’ win over the Browns last week and the issue was said to “limited his effectiveness” in practice this week. During that Divisional round game, Mahomes was clearly limping throughout the game.

On Friday, Mahomes said in regard to the toe “the next day was very sore, and every single day since then it’s gotten a lot better,” per Chiefs Wire.

All throughout the week prior to Sunday’s game, Mahomes’ highlighted issue was a concussion he also suffered vs. the Browns. He’s since been cleared from that.

If the toe situation was to worsen vs. the Bills, backup Chad Henne would take over. Henne was 6-for-8 passing against the Browns with an interception. He did complete a game-sealing pass on fourth down, though.

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Chiefs’ Clyde Edwards-Helaire to play vs. Bills, Sammy Watkins less likely

Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire will play vs. Buffalo Bills in AFC Championship while RB Le’veon Bell, WR Sammy Watkins will not

Early reports ahead of Sunday’s AFC Championship game indicate that the Chiefs will have the services of one familiar name, while two others are trending in the direction of being out.

Starting with the latter, former Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins (calf) missed last week and was limited in practice this week. However, the former Bills first-round pick doesn’t “sound optimistic he will play” vs. his former team, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Since being traded in 2017, Watkins has never faced the Bills. He also did not play in Kansas City’s 26-17 win over Buffalo in Week 6.

In addition to Watkins, former Jets running back Le’Veon Bell, who was traded to KC earlier this year, will be out. He re-injured a knee in practice on Wednesday this week and then missed Thursday and Friday’s practices.

On the positive side for the Chiefs, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire will suit up. Dealing with ankle/ hip issues, he was limited all week in practice, according to his team’s injury reports, but he’ll be good to go. The rookie had 161 rushing yards against Buffalo in Week 6.

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Report: Josh Allen’s father hospitalized this month

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been playing with a lot on his mind again. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, Joel Allen, the father of the Bills quarterback, has been in the hospital this month. He was recovering from …

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been playing with a lot on his mind again.

According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, Joel Allen, the father of the Bills quarterback, has been in the hospital this month. He was recovering from pneumonia and reportedly COVID-19 is part of the picture for Joel Allen as well.

Earlier this season, Allen played with a heavy heart when his grandmother, Patricia Allen, passed away. Allen’s father evidently travels often to follow the team when he can to watch his son play.

Due to the situation, Joel Allen will not be at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday for the AFC Championship game.

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Bills elevate Kenny Stills, Dane Jackson from practice squad

Buffalo Bills called WR Kenny Stills, CB Dane Jackson up from practice squad ahead of AFC Championship game vs. Kansas City Chiefs.

The Bills announced a few practice squad-related moves ahead of their AFC Championship meeting with the Chiefs.

Cornerback Dane Jackson and wide receiver Kenny Stills were elevated from the team’s practice squad. The team announced the move on Saturday.

While brought up, it’s still unknown if either would see any game action. Jackson was among two players elevated to the roster last week only to be an inactive player on game day vs. the Ravens. The Bills also elevated two players ahead of their postseason game vs. the Colts… that pair was also inactive.

Of the two just elevated, it would appear Stills has a better chance to play because wide receiver Gabriel Davis (ankle) was listed as questionable on Buffalo’s final injury report on Friday. Along with Davis, only defensive tackle Vernon Butler (quad) was also considered questionable to play.

The Bills and Chiefs will announce their game day inactive lists 90 minutes before kickoff on Sunday. That’s when we’ll know if either Jackson or Stills could actually suit up.

In another practice squad move, the Bills confirmed a Friday report that they added kicker Tristan Vizcaino to the taxi squad. In a corresponding move, defensive back Josh Thomas, an undrafted rookie, was released.

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