Tag: Bills vs. Chiefs

Bills’ James Cook: ‘We got something we’re playing for’

#Bills teammates were impressed with RB James Cook against the #Chiefs:

Second-year Bills running back James Cook had a big game in Buffalo’s 20-17 win against Kansas City on Sunday.

He cooked the Chiefs for 141 all-purpose yards and had a touchdown catch on a called play while leading all Bills receivers going a perfect five catches on five targets for 84 yards including a career-high 64 yards receiving in the first half en route to a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeted against Kansas City, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). He also led the team on the ground with 58 yards on 10 carries.

“He was awesome,” QB Josh Allen said in his postgame press conference. “He’s been working hard and probably had his best week of practice this week and getting more comfortable with him catching passes out of the backfield. He had a lot of opportunities and took advantage. I thought he ran the ball well.”

Cook leads all NFL running backs in average yards before contact (2.03), is third in scrimmage yards (1,180), seventh in all-purpose yards (1,180), and ranks first in Bills team history for average yards per carry by an RB (5.14).

“Jimbo was doing a lot today,” TE Dalton Kincaid said to the press. “It was awesome to see him, and he runs hard. Every time he runs the ball, he’s running 100 miles per hour. So, he’s special anytime he gets the opportunity to do something. … (He) just adds another level that the defense has to cover. I think he’s a great receiving threat.”

The Bills RB1’s offensive line notices the presence he brings as well.

“It just brings this unique energy to the huddle,” OL Spencer Brown said, per The Buffalo News. “Doesn’t say much. But we put the ball in his hand, he makes plays and it’s fun to watch.”

The second-round pick by Buffalo in the 2022 NFL Draft lets his play and endzone celebrations do much of the talking, whether leaping into a home crowd with Bills Mafia or flipping in for a score on the road in Kansas City.

“James Cook is a phenomenal football player, a guy who brings a lot of energy, even though he can seem stoic, to say the least,” C Mitch Morse said postgame. “(He’s) a guy who runs hard, wants to run the ball, wants to take a few hits, and then like you saw is available for Josh in those tough times.”

Cook also was humble while keeping things simple when asked about his performance.

“Just getting open, and Josh finding me and making a play,” Cook said to the press. “That’s about it.”

After logging season highs in catches (six) and targets (seven) for 57 yards with 43 yards on 16 carries rushing in a loss to Philadelphia, headlines weren’t about his overall performance but for a dropped touchdown pass.

“I thought he rebounded from last week, in terms of the passing game,” McDermott said about Cook. “And that showed up in practice, like I mentioned earlier in the week. He’s growing, he’s developing, and it’s a joy as a coach to watch a player continue to take steps in terms of his development.”

The bounce-back score against KC also came by way of the team’s preparation during the bye week.

“We ran this play all week at practice, so the safety moves over,” Cook noted. “It was smooth, same way,” he added. “It kind of gave me flashbacks, ‘cause it happened the same exact way in practice. So, it was good on our part.”

With the Bills playoff hopes alive, he knows what lies ahead of them

“We got something we’re playing for,” Cook said. ” So, keep going, and keep going 1-0.”

[lawrence-related id=128117,128282,120409]

Bills react to late penalty vs. Chiefs: ‘Fortunately it came on our side’

#Bills react to late penalty vs. #Chiefs: ‘Fortunately it came on our side’

The Buffalo Bills came out of their bye week on a mission.

With a 6-6 record entering a critical game to the AFC playoff picture and their postseason chances, a win in Sunday’s rematch with a familiar foe in the Kansas City Chiefs was sorely needed.

Buffalo was undefeated following the bye at 6-0 since Sean McDermott became head coach, and after an eventful week riddled with off-the-field headlines they were looking to improve on that record and extend their regular season win-streak at Arrowhead to a third consecutive victory.

And they did just that.

In a nail-biter the Bills special teams and defense came through in the end to seal a 20-17 road victory, keeping their postseason hopes alive while becoming the first NFL team to log three regular season victories against Patrick Mahomes.

But it wasn’t without an all-to-familiar close-call.

TE Travis Kelce, who had a huge play on the season-ending Chiefs win against Buffalo in the 2021 AFC Championship game, had a 29-yard catch on the Chiefs final drive Sunday which he then threw what would have been a 20-yard lateral pass to Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney as he ran untouched in for a touchdown.

“That’s the ballsiest play I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” Allen told NFL Network’s James Palmer after the game. “That was unbelievable.”

The play was waved off, another feeling Buffalo knows all too well themselves, due to an offsides penalty on Toney for being in the neutral zone back at the line of scrimmage.

“In the moment I thought it was one of the best plays I’ve ever seen and he’s done that before, but fortunately it came on our side,” Bills safety Jordan Poyer noted per The Buffalo News.

Allen had a first-quarter passing touchdown in the air to running back James Cook, adding another one on the ground in the second quarter thanks in part to a rugby-like push from his teammates to help power into the endzone against roughly half the Chiefs defense.

In the second half Kansas City fought back, scoring in the third quarter and fourth quarters to pull even and tie the game at 17.

While Buffalo struggled to find the end zone throughout the second half, two second-half field goals by kicker Tyler Bass kept them in it, including one kick with under two minutes left in the game to give Buffalo back the lead.

Them came the final drive by the Chiefs.

Buffalo hasn’t typically come out on top in one-score games, and for a moment it seemed like history could repeat itself.

“As the play unfolded, I think it was Kelce that was wide open there and the play after he caught the ball, I’ve never seen a play like that, not in the NFL,” head coach Sean McDermott said to the media. “But, thankful and, you know, then, I saw the referees signaling that direction. So, I didn’t know if it was a pick or what it was, and then it turned out to be the offsides there.”

[lawrence-related id=128282,120409,128247]

Bills’ Ed Oliver post-Chiefs win: ‘That’s exactly what we get paid to do’

#Bills’ Ed Oliver post-#Chiefs win: ‘That’s exactly what we get paid to do’

The Bills traveled to Kansas City on Sunday for a game against the Chiefs with Buffalo’s playoff hopes hanging in the balance, and left with a 20-17 victory.

Sean McDermott’s squad has now won their third consecutive head-to-head regular-season matchup in Kansas City.

He has emphasized complimentary football in his time as Buffalo’s head coach, competing in all three phases of offense, defense, and special teams as a means to victory.

In big matchups with QB Josh Allen under center, the Bills offense has often done its part to put the team in a position to win, but had their defense fail to get stops or special teams not always come through in clutch moments to close out games and seal victories.

Perhaps no more visibly than a now infamous AFC Championship game loss to Kansas City during the 2021 NFL postseason.

But in Sunday’s victory, Allen pointed to the team’s defense as a key to their win.

“Wasn’t the prettiest of wins, we all know that, lot to clean up,” Allen said to the media. “But defense played fantastic, went out there made a two-minute stop which is great to see and they played great all night.”

The two teams reminded all who were watching why they are among the top rivalries in the NFL, locking into a neck-and-neck 17-17 score through much of the second half after the Chiefs fought their way back to tie the game.

And in the final two minutes of the game, they found themselves in a familiar position.

The Bills defense, who has struggled at times to get key stops late in games to close out wins, was again facing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense with the game on the line.

And on third and long with a three-point lead and about a minute left to play, Buffalo defensive tackle Ed Oliver batted a pass by Mahomes incomplete to force a 4th &15 in their own territory.

And it proved to seal the game for a needed Bills win as Mahomes threw an incomplete pass under pressure, giving Buffalo to improve to 7-6 while keeping their playoff hopes alive.

“That’s what they paid me for — to impact the game like that late in the game,” Oliver said to the press. “We need to get off the field and all the guys just rushing together and just getting after Mahomes. I know he was a little flustered at the end. So that’s exactly what we get paid to do.”

He also noted that the Bills’ defense came prepared for just that type of situation.

“You know it’s kind of cliche but we literally did this in practice,” Oliver added. “You know they say practice how you play, but literally we had a two-minute drill at the end of practice specifically for this moment to close our games. So I guess when you practice the situation, and we was put in the situation and we W, I think it has a lot to do with practice.”

[lawrence-related id=128220,128212,128202]

Bills’ Dawson Knox on game-winning TD: ‘Never a doubt’

#Bills’ Dawson Knox on game-winning TD: ‘Never a doubt’:

The Buffalo Bills are entering their bye week with a 5-1 record and in good standings atop the AFC, thanks to a big win in Sunday’s rematch with a familiar foe in the Kansas City Chiefs

With 64 seconds left on the game clock in the fourth quarter, Bills QB Josh Allen found TE Dawson Knox with a 14-yard laser pass for a touchdown.

That would put the Bills up 24-20 in what would be the final and deciding score at Arrowhead Stadium.

While Chief’s TE Travis Kelce made a play in the two teams’ postseason meeting last year that helped a scoring drive to end Buffalo’s season, this time around it was the Bills TE that helped make the difference in who was victorious.

“Never a doubt,” Knox said to the media after the win. “This is how we play, man. You’ve got to take it one play at a time and execute that play. When we do that, we know it’s hard to beat us.”

While it was the Bills TE’s quick move on Chiefs S Justin to get the separation and make the scoring catch, he was quick to praise his teammates for creating that opportunity.

“I mean, Josh threw a dime,” he added. “I got a corner route, Stef has a little option route underneath. The fun part about playing with a receiver like Stef is he’s going to attract a lot of attention, so it kind of leaves me one-on-one in some situations, and, I mean, Josh just put it to where no one else can get it.”

Recent months have been filled with great ups and downs for Knox, whose younger brother, Luke, died on August 17th of this year. The TE would sit out a preseason contest against the Broncos to be with his family back home in Tennessee. After rejoining the team, he was given a four-year contract extension by the Bills prior to the season opener.

After the big scoring catch on Sunday, Knox looked up, pointing his finger toward the sky.

“He’s been battling through some stuff this year,” Allen said of his TE during a postgame interview with CBS. “I love the guy… He deserves that.”

As he’s navigated overcoming the adversity of a deep, personal loss Knox has been playing through it all. After logging 12 receptions for 111 total yards in Buffalo’s first four games, and missing the team’s Week 5 victory against Pittsburgh due to injuries to his hip and foot, Knox was due for his return to form.

And his head coach felt confident in knowing that time was coming.

“You watch guys go through the journey of life off the field, and he’s been through it,” Sean McDermott said during his postgame press conference. “He’s stuck with it, stuck with it, been resilient, and then he’s been banged up a little bit. You just knew his time was coming. You just knew he was going to make a big play, and he did. My hat goes off to him.”

While Knox also caught an important TD the last time the two teams met, the Chiefs would end up winning that playoff matchup. And the significance of getting the win in Kansas City, which has been the site of postseason heartbreak for the Bills, was not lost on the Bills TE.

“A win is a win,” Knox added. “We treat every game every week like it’s the biggest game just because it’s the next one. So, obviously, it’s great getting a road win against an opponent that’s really good across the board. There were still some bad memories from this place last year. So it’s kind of nice to wipe that off of our minds and to get a win and keep moving on, especially a win going into the bye week makes everything nice.”

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw1j59gmjw5gdj player_id=none image=https://billswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[lawrence-related id=107421,107031,107395]

Bills defense breaks down Taron Johnson’s game-winning INT vs. Chiefs

#Bills defense breaks down Taron Johnson’s game-winning INT vs. #Chiefs:

The Bills won their regular season matchup with their AFC rival Chiefs in Kansas City Sunday 24-20 in a close competition that was sealed in the final minutes of play.

A lazer TD pass to Dawson Knox from QB Josh Allen put Buffalo ahead, and the Chiefs got the ball back with 1:04 left in the game.

The Bills know all too well the importance of closing a close game out against Kansas City in all three phases of football, as their special teams and defense came up short in overtime of their meeting during last year’s playoffs.

A critical 13 seconds of overtime play in that contest allowed Kansas City to knock Buffalo out of the 2021 postseason. But this time around things went differently, as it was the Bills turn to end a game for the Chiefs in 13 seconds of gameplay.

In those 13 seconds, CB Taron Johnson made a game-sealing heads-up play to intercept Chiefs QB and insurance rate enthusiast Patrick Mahomes. The play was reviewed by officials and upheld.

With less than a minute left on the game clock, the Bills offense was able to kneel and run the time off to complete the victory.

During the review of Johnson’s pick, S Jordan Poyer asked him about the play.

“I just asked T – I said, ‘T, did you catch it?” Poyer said per The Buffalo News. “‘Yeah, I caught it.’ I said, ‘All right!’ I trust T, ‘cause he said he caught it, so I believed him.”

And he was right to do so, as the 2018 fourth-round pick out of Weber State came through in a big moment in helping the Bills get the win.

“We loaded the coverage,” Poyer continued. “We were playing zone, and (Johnson) just read it perfectly. I told him it was probably one of the greatest plays, other than Micah’s pick last year, that I’ve ever seen on the field.”

A veteran leader on defense for Buffalo, he also pointed out how persistence won the day on the defensive side of the ball.

“Nobody played perfect today, and it was always just, ‘Hey, next play, next play, next play.’ And at the end of the day, T came up with the biggest play of the game.”

Two other members of the Bills defense who were attacking on the play also shared how the play unfolded from their perspective as well.

“Me, in my head, I’m thinking I just gotta get him down, get down,” OLB Von Miller said during his press session. “Made an inside move, he flushed out, and we had Taron Johnson right there for the interception. A great team play, it just feels good to go out there and do your job.”

Bills CB Christian Benford dropped back out on the play and drew the attention of Mahomes who was eyeing a corner route. And as he tried to reset and quickly throw to his receiver (Moore) Bills LB Matt Milano was in his way, and when he did throw the pass on the third needed reset Johnson was there to swoop in and take the ball away.

Still, it was Benford who first thought it was coming to him with his coverage.

“I’m gonna be honest, I thought I was about to have it,” the Buffalo CB said per The Buffalo News. “But then I saw him come out of nowhere and catch it, and I was hype. Like I was hype for him. I kind of was too hype for him, because I forgot to block, but I was hype.”

The win was Buffalo’s second consecutive regular-season victory over Kansas City, and a game with potential playoff implications as the two clubs have clashed in each of their last two postseasons. In those meetings, Kansas City came out on top, but the Bills reloaded this offseason adding to their roster through the NFL Draft and free agency.

Buffalo is hoping this year to make the playoffs and for things to end differently there as well.

They showed their improvement on defense against KC on Sunday, intercepting Mahomes twice during the game, as the team’s first-round selection in this year’s draft, rookie CB Kaiir Elam, grabbed a pick as well on the Chiefs first offensive drive. He now has takeaways in back-to-back games, though he directed credit to Johnson.

“That was way bigger than my interception, I think,” Elam said to the press. “It was something that was much needed.”

As for Johnson, he was quick to point to the impact of his teammates in making the play possible.

“Thankful for the pressure – Matt (Milano) and Von (Miller) just getting after him,” He said to the media. “And I see 2-4 (receiver Skyy Moore) coming across the field, and just got in front of the pass.”

The end of the last meeting between these two teams loomed over the Bills offseason, and Johnson knew it would take making a play when needed this time around for things to end differently.

“We knew we needed to make a play,” the CB added. “Last time, we didn’t make (a) play. So, just making sure that when we have the opportunity, just coming up with the ball.”

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw1j59gmjw5gdj player_id=none image=https://billswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[lawrence-related id=107395,107390,107374]

ESPN analysts pose potential ways NFL could fix overtime rules

ESPN analysts pose potential ways NFL could fix overtime rules:

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw1j59gmjw5gdj player_id=none image=https://billswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The Buffalo Bills season ended suddenly on Sunday, thanks in part to the current structure of the NFL’s overtime rules.

The coin-flip winner in OT has a lopsided advantage, as the winner of that coin toss has a 10-1 record in the 11 playoff overtime games that have taken place under the current rules.

Sunday’s coin toss resulted in a Kansas City Chiefs possession turned-game-winning drive that has raised the question of parity, sparking conversation around the topic of the league’s overtime structure and whether it needs to change.

ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes shared her thoughts on the OT format, making a case for changing the length of the overtime period from 15 minutes to 10 (the length of regular-season OT’s), sudden-death-after-first possession, a spot and choose rule, and allowing the other team to choose whether they play offense or defense.

And ESPN’s Bill Barnwell did a full breakdown of potential OT rule changes also. His included playing out the full 15-minute overtime, deciding the first possession of overtime before the end of regulation by assigning the opening possession of overtime to the team that wins the pregame coin toss or to the home team, playing to eight points, and the spot and choose concept as well.

The spot and choose concept is one that the Baltimore Ravens proposed, in which the overtime kickoff is eliminated while a team gets to choose the yard line from which overtime will begin while the other team decides whether to begin overtime on offense or defense.

Despite the game’s outcome, Bills coaches and players aren’t ones to make any excuses, instead opting to take responsibility for what they could have done differently. QB Josh Allen did just that after the game, despite never making it back on the field after that fateful coin toss, bringing an end to a historic streak of play.

After all, a defensive stop on any of the Chiefs scoring drives in the final minutes of regulation would have given Buffalo the victory, just as one in OT would have given them possession. Similarly, had special teams not kicked the ball into the endzone with 13 seconds left in regulation, time would have run off limiting the Chiefs’ chances to tie to go to overtime.

The lack of parity in the coin-toss possession with the ability to end the game with a TD and eliminate an opponent’s chance to compete does present a problem, however. And while the league has been resistant to changes to the OT rules, even just eliminating the TD-wins rule and letting the teams play out the 15 minute overtime period the same as the rest of the game could be a simple enough fix.

The last time the postseason OT rules were changed, it was because the New Orleans Saints beat Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings with a field goal in the 2009 NFC Championship game. That the Hall of Fame QB never made it back on the field motivated the league to make a change from a field goal being what wins to a touchdown.

The overtime rules are something the NFL may be more likely to once more take a look at after Josh Allen and the offenses’ memorable performance versus the ultimate outcome of Sunday’s game.

[lawrence-related id=96069,96067,96059]

Bills’ Josh Allen went on record-setting scoring pace in playoffs

#Bills’ Josh Allen went on record-setting scoring pace in playoffs:

Bills QB Josh Allen has been playing at a historic level this season and continued that trend in Sunday’s division-round game against the Chiefs.

Allen went 27/37 with 397 total yards four touchdowns and no interceptions.

In fact, between the Bills’ Wild-Card round win over New England and their Division-round game in Kansas City, the 25-year-old threw nine combined TDs with no INTs.

It marked the first time in NFL playoff history that a player had four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions in back-to-back games.

“He’s The Best Quarterback In The NFL,” said Gabriel Davis of Allen via video conference. Davis caught all four of Allen’s TD passes, setting a single-game playoff record for receiving scores in a playoff contest.

Two of those four scoring throws came within the final 2 minutes of regulation, including one with only 13 seconds left on the clock.

The Bills defense, who had been the top unit in the NFL this season, was unsuccessful in stopping the Chiefs. Kansas City went 44 yards on two throws setting up a Harrison Butker game-tying kick to go to overtime.

Despite the QB’s legendary performance in a game many called “the Super Bowl before the Super Bowl”, Allen’s only chance to take the field again would be for the OT coin toss.

While the NFL extra time rules could rightfully be reviewed and rectified as needed, Allen took the high road after the game instead of voicing his frustrations. Choosing to be gracious in defeat, humbly demonstrating leadership and personal responsibility instead.

He also made it clear during a video conference with the press on Monday what he and the Bills focus truly is.

“It’s Super Bowl or bust around here,” Allen said. “We have to find a way to get through that barrier and bring one home to Buffalo.”

Bills’ Josh Allen on NFL overtime: ‘The rules are what they are’

#Bills’ Josh Allen on NFL overtime: ‘The rules are what they are’

Josh Allen had perhaps more right than anybody to voice his frustrations as he took the podium for his postgame press conference on Sunday.

The Bills QB had just delivered two what-would-be game-winning drives only to have those efforts dashed when the Bills defense was unable to get a stop.

They instead would allow two offensive drives by the Chiefs that would send the game to overtime, where Kansas City would win the coin toss and again go on an unstopped scoring drive. With the tap of a toe in the endzone, TE Jason Kelce would end the Bills season at Arrowhead for a second consecutive year.

And all Allen could do was watch from the sideline.

Current NFL overtime rules do not allow an opponent to respond once a touchdown is scored.

“The rules are what they are, and I can’t complain about that ’cause if it was the other way around, we’d be celebrating too,” Allen said while addressing the media. “So, it is what it is at this point. We didn’t make enough plays tonight.”

While the Bills defense and special teams may have put them in a position they should not have been in, to begin with, Buffalo would never get the ball back in OT, exposing the NFL’s overtime rules’ lack of parity in what was perhaps the highly visible example to date.

“It was tough to be in that moment,” Allen added. “Again, I have a lot of respect for Pat, he throws the winning touchdown, and he comes straight over and finds me. To be in that situation and to do that, that was pretty cool of him to do that. Obviously, it sucks the way it happened. We wanted to win that game. We had our opportunities. (I was) taking it all in and holding on to the feeling and making sure that we don’t feel like this again, like I said back-to-back years in the same spot. It’s tough to take in, but it’s part of the game.”

The two teams traded scores as Allen and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes delivered a memorable QB shootout, combining for 25 points in the final two minutes of regulation. Allen would finish 27/37 with 329 yards and four touchdowns while leading the Bills with 68 rushing yards on the ground.

After Allen found Gabriel Davis for impressive back-to-back touchdowns, the game appeared to be won. The Bills then elected to kick the ball into the endzone instead of going for a squib kick to run time off the clock. Their defense gave up 44 yards in 13 seconds allowing the Chiefs to kick a field goal to tie the score at the end of regulation and send the game to go to overtime. There they would again cease to stop Kansas City who, upon winning the coin toss, scored the touchdown that would seal the win.

In one sense, the Bills lost the game due to the flip of a coin.

Though the defense’s inability to stop the Chiefs, coaching decision not to squib kick and lack of OT rule parity were collectively things that each ultimately proved costly to Buffalo’s chance to find out which team would truly have come out on top and who the winner of the game’s quarterback shootout would have been. Not to mention a shot at an AFC Championship and Super Bowl.

OT Dion Dawkins spoke out on Monday about how the 50/50 coin toss carries too much weight. The offensive tackle went on to emphasize that the team needed to strive to keep it in their hands; That when it’s in their hands, their hand wins.

“We should never let a football game be determined by a coin. I think that’s the craziest rule in sports,” Dawkins said while addressing the press. “This ain’t Vegas,” he added, “we’re not at a casino table.”

Ironically, the Chiefs organization proposed a rule change to allow both teams to get possession in OT at the 2019 NFL owners meeting. They experienced the losing side themselves in the 2017 AFC championship.

It is tough when one of your three phases of football turns in a historical effort the way the Bills offense did, only to have the other two phases and a rule that lacks parity affect a game outcome.

And none of that was lost on head coach Sean McDermott.

“Chiefs are a good football team,” McDermott said while addressing the media. “And we knew it was going to take a heckuva effort coming out here. And I thought the guys gave us that effort. Starting with Josh and all the way down the line. Obviously, we got to do some things we gotta do better. Those guys, they’re hurt, they’re disappointed. We’re all disappointed, we’re all hurt, sick to our stomach. So, you move on and try to get yourself to learn from it, but it stings. It stings. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. It stings.”

[lawrence-related id=95968,95964,95840]

Bills WR Gabriel Davis makes history in loss to Chiefs

#Bills WR Gabriel Davis makes history in loss to #Chiefs:

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=qlOetgiB7R-1750596-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw1j59gmjw5gdj player_id=none image=https://billswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The Buffalo Bills turned in a memorable offensive performance during Sunday’s divisional-round playoff matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

And Bills WR Gabriel Davis made NFL history in the process.

He became the first player ever to have four touchdown receptions in a single game. As the Kansas City defense was focused on Stefon Diggs, it opened up opportunities for the second-year receiver out of UCF.

Davis and QB Josh Allen were electrifying.

Each of the 22-year old wideout’s touchdowns came from at least 18 yards out and he accounted for eight catches with 201 of Allen’s 329 passing yards as well as all four of his TD tosses.

The tandem connected for Davis’s first score of the day on an 18-yarder with under a minute to play in the first half, tying the game at 14-points apiece.

Then in the third quarter, Allen found Davis again for a 75-yard rocket that was the Bills’ longest play from scrimmage this season and one that tied the QB’s career-long for a pass.

The third scoring catch of the day was a 27-yard toss that came just under the two-minute mark giving Buffalo the lead.

Then, with only 17 seconds left in the game, Allen would hit Davis for 19 yards and another TD to take the lead, breaking the NFL mark for TDs in a playoff game.

With that fourth scoring catch, the wideout broke what had previously been an 18-way tie for the league record of three TDs in a playoff game. The old record holder group included the likes of Jerry Rice, Larry Fitzgerald, Western New York’s own Rob Gronkowski.

The Bills defense would give up 44 yards in the final 13 seconds of regulation, allowing the Chiefs to kick a field goal to tie the score and send the game to go to overtime. There they would again cease to stop Kansas City who, upon winning the coin toss, scored a touchdown on an offensive drive ending the game.

While the loss is a difficult one for the Bills, the young core of talent they have in players like Davis and Allen, performing at the elite level they did, projects favorably in the team’s ability to compete for years to come.

[lawrence-related id=95854,95838,95808]

Power rankings: Despite skid, Bills hang onto top-10 status

Buffalo Bills heading into Week 7 after Week 6 power rankings in NFL.

[jwplayer cpboXlrv-ThvAeFxT]

The Buffalo Bills are facing one of their biggest challenge of the 20202 NFL season to date. The team has lost back-to-back games against AFC playoff contenders in the Titans and Chiefs, respectively, after starting the year with four-straight wins. 

Considering the Bills’ quick rise among power ranking polls with their wining streak, the team and its leaders recognize the need to improve now. But as mentioned, the Bills did, in fact, lose to two pretty promising squads. Because of that, the most recent rankings actually aren’t too harsh to the Bills. Even with consecutive losses, it appears the national media, like the team’s players, aren’t going to panic just yet. Buffalo remained in many top-10s across the NFL landscape.

With that, here’s a look at where the Bills sit among national power rankings polls following Week 6: 

USA TODAY

10. Bills (11)

Welp, apparently not ready for prime time. But that’s OK. They remain atop AFC East – although barely – and aren’t scheduled for their next showcase under the lights until December.

Touchdown Wire

9. Buffalo Bills (4-2. Last week: 8)

The Buffalo Bills and their fans were riding high coming into Week 5 of the NFL season. Josh Allen was playing like an MVP, and the offense was doing its part to allow a defense that many expected to be good again in 2020 to work out some inconsistencies on that side of the football.

The past two weeks have certainly changed the script.

After suffering a blowout loss at the hands of the Tennessee Titans last Tuesday night, the Bills lost to another top AFC team, falling to the Kansas City Chiefs by a final score of 26-17. Allen was not at his best for the second-straight week, completing 14 of 27 passes for just 122 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and an interception. Weather might have played a role, as it was rainy and raw in Buffalo on Monday night.

But more concerning than the weather is the defense. The Bills struggled against Patrick Mahomes – as teams tend to do – but they also struggled to stop the run. Rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire ripped off 161 yards rushing on just 26 carries, keeping the Bills defense on the field for over 37 minutes of game time.

That unit, the Bills defense, has become a true concern for Buffalo. They entered Week 6 giving up an average of 28.4 points per game, 12th most in the league. Worse still is what they have done in terms of Total Defense DVOA, as the Bills entered Week 6 ranked just 27th. Continued play like that is going to force Josh Allen to be perfect for the Bills to win games, and when he is not like he was not against Kansas City, they are going to struggle.

Sports Illustrated

8. Buffalo Bills (4-2)

Last Week: Loss vs. Kansas City Chiefs 26-17

Next week: at New York Jets

That’s two straight losses for the Bills now, but I wouldn’t say it’s knocked their season off course. They are the best team in their division but seem to be a cut below the top-tier teams in the conference. They are dangerous enough to beat anyone on any given day, but come January they’ll likely have to do it on the road.

NFL.com

8. Buffalo Bills (4-2)

Previous rank: No. 7

“There’s no panic, but there is a sense of urgency.” Josh Allen said the right things after Monday night’s 26-17 loss to the Chiefs in Orchard Park, but there’s cause for concern after a pair of losses to elite AFC teams in the past seven days. Playing in rainy conditions, Allen never looked comfortable in another outing that recalled memories of his bumpy rookie year. Meanwhile, the defense is now officially A Problem. Andy Reid surprised all by unleashing a relentless run-based attack that bowled over the Buffalo defense for 245 yards on a whopping 46 attempts. With one last shot at redemption in the final minutes, the Bills’ defense was unable to get off the field, leading to a clinching Chiefs field goal. Just a disappointing night all the way around.

Sporting News

8. Buffalo Bills 4-2 (5)

The Bills’ defense got exposed badly because of injuries in Week 5 at the Titans. That requires Josh Allen to keep leading with clean offensive play even if the running continues to sputter. He won’t be curbed in trying to show off his bigger arm on the other side of Mahomes.

Yahoo! Sports

8. Buffalo Bills (4-2, LW: 7)

I’ve been high on the Bills, and I’m not bailing on them now. But that was ugly. The Chiefs were miles ahead of Buffalo in a big spot for the Bills. The offense flailed around in the rain, and the defense continued a very unimpressive start to the season. They’ll get it fixed. I think.

CBS Sports

9. Bills (-1)

They have lost two straight games and the offense has sputtered. They have to get back on track, and the Jets are the perfect team to make that happen this week.

Bleacher Report

8. Buffalo Bills (4-2)

High: 7

Low: 12

Last Week: 8

Week 6 Result: Lost 26-17 vs. Kansas City

The shine is coming off Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.

Over the first month of the 2020 season, Allen completed over 70 percent of his passes as the Bills peeled off four straight wins. But over the last two weeks, he has looked a lot more like the erratic passer who couldn’t hit 60 percent his first two seasons in the league.

The numbers against the Kansas City Chiefs were ugly: 14-of-27 passing for 122 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The Bills allowed more yards to Kansas City on the ground than Buffalo gained as a team.

It wasn’t just Allen, either. Buffalo’s run game continued to struggle with Devin Singletary and Zack Moss combining for 42 yards on 15 carries. Rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire peeled off 161 yards on 26 carries against a Bills run defense that had no answers all night long.

That’s two straight games against postseason teams from last season—two straight opportunities to measure just how good these Bills really are.

And two straight times, they came up short.

Pro Football Talk

10. Bills (No. 8; 4-2)

When the Chiefs decide to run all day long, you know you have a really bad run defense.

ESPN

8. Buffalo Bills (4-2)

Week 6 ranking: 5

Most impactful injury: LB Matt Milano

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and cornerback Tre’Davious White have each missed a game to injury, but Milano has already been lost for three games in the first six weeks. When Milano doesn’t play, the middle of the Bills’ defense is exposed, especially in the passing game. Now in a contract year, Milano presents a conundrum for Buffalo’s front office: He is too valuable to let walk in free agency, but his injury history might put a cap on what type of salary he can command.

[lawrence-related id=71786,71783,71764,71729]