Tag: Chiefs

Bills’ Josh Allen plays it cool after Chiefs: ‘It’s another Week 11 win’

Bills’ Josh Allen plays it cool after Chiefs: ‘It’s another Week 11 win’

Buffalo beat Kansas City in exciting fashion on Sunday.

The club topped the Chiefs 30-21 at home in Orchard Park in front of Bills Mafia on the same field where KC ended its postseason run last year.

Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen put his superhero cape on for the Bills offense when it mattered most, breaking tackles and shaking off defenders for a 26-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-2 with 2:17 left in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

After the game ended thanks to a win-sealing interception by Terrel Bernard on defense, Allen was asked about his scoring play by CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson.

“Yeah, appreciate Coach McDermott for trusting the offense going out there,” he said. “We had a man play, they dropped out to zone and they had something good for it. I was just trying to make a play and help our team win a football game. You know, some things we need to clean up, some throws I wish I had back, but we’re going into the bye week 9-2…we’ll take it.”

Allen was sacked zero times for the first time against Kansas City since the 2021 regular season, and the team put up their 30 points without key players on offense in receiver Keon Coleman, tight end Dalton Kincaid, and offensive tackle Spencer Brown.

He finished the day Sunday 27-for-40 with 262 yards, a touchdown, and an interception passing to go with another 55 ground yards with the TD.

The scoring rush was his latest in a career highlight reel of making little-to-no/probability plays.

In fact, per NFL Next Gen Stats, there was only a 1.2% chance of scoring a touchdown on the play once he tucked the ball to run.

The Bills hosted their AFC rivals for their fifth regular-season meeting with the QB under center.

The club is now 4-1 in those matchups, becoming the only team in the NFL to log four victories against Chiefs QB and State Farm insurance enthusiast, Patrick Mahomes.

The squad improves to 9-2 overall headed into their bye week. It’s the franchise’s first time at 9-2 since the 1992 NFL season.

The Bills have treated division games as “counting double” but had previously struggled to translate that in conference matchups that could have a bearing on No. 1 seeding and a first-round bye come playoff time.

But not this time.

The final points were roughly on average for what the two teams have put up throughout this season thus far, and it was the Chiefs’ first time giving up more than 28 points in 31 games and the first time allowing 30 points on offense since 2022.

And while Buffalo continues to have success against Kansas City during the regular season, Allen knows they need to beat them in the playoffs and spoke to that while answering whether it was just another Week 11 win for Buffalo.

“It is, it’s another Week 11 win,” he added. “Knowing how things usually play out we’ll probably see this team again at some point. We’ve got to get there first so like I said, we’ll enjoy this bye week and go into the next week after that and put together a good game plan and try to go 1-0.”

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes reacts to first loss of the season: ‘You can use it as fuel’

Kansas City #Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes reacts to first loss of the season: ‘You can use it as fuel’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are no longer undefeated, but that wasn’t the goal, says quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who addresses reporters during Sunday’s postgame press conference.

“You can use it as fuel. I mean, like I said, it’s a good football team, so nothing to hang your head out head on losing to them, but we feel like we can play better,” said Mahomes. “So we’ll get back to work and try to use this as a spark so that we can be a better football team in the end. The undefeated thing was cool, but that’s not our ultimate goal. So we’ll keep building towards that.”

Mahomes began the game with an interception but settled down to throw three consecutive touchdown passes. He threw his second on fourth down of the Chief’s last drive as he faced constant defensive coverage downfield. The loss was crushing but not nearly as bad as their last defeat on Christmas the previous season, according to the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

“No, not in a sense,” said Mahomes. “I mean, you hope you have the same result to end it, I’ll say that, but at the end of the day, that’s a really good football team. It’s gonna take your best football to beat great football teams. And we didn’t play our best football today, and they went out there and beat us. That’s how it rolls in the NFL, so I give them all the respect. That’s gonna be a good football team that we’ll probably see again.”

The Bills are only a half-game behind the Chiefs for the top seed in the AFC, adding more fuel to their reasons to finish the year strong and hold on to the coveted first-round bye in the postseason.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid reveals lesson learned from loss to Bills: ‘We’ve got to take care of business’

Kansas City #Chiefs head coach Andy Reid reveals lesson learned from loss to the Buffalo #Bills: ‘We’ve got to take care of business’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs won’t go undefeated this year as they suffered their first loss on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Head coach Andy Reid spoke with reporters after the game, describing the first loss as a learning experience.

“Things you can learn, the main thing is that they’re a good team and, if you have a few mistakes in there, they can capitalize on them, but you keep battling, and normally good things will happen,” said Reid. “They did a nice job on that last drive, so we’ve got to take care of business on those.”

Reid pointed out another miscue on the sidelines from Xavier Worthy, which eliminated a big play from the stat sheet.

“Yeah, he’ll (Worthy) get better at those,” said Reid. “Then we’ll give the ball a little quicker as we go, so I’ve got to see it and look at it on tape and see exactly if, if he was able to drag his foot, if that was possible, if that’s the case, then he can learn from.”

Worthy was the team’s leading receiver on Sunday, so there were positives; however, Reid believes he still should have called more running plays.

“I probably could call some more runs; when it was all said and done, we had opportunities,” said Reid. “We did a pretty nice job with it, with the exception of the short yardage.”

Leading rusher Kareem Hunt had 60 yards on 14 carries, a far less workload than he’s become used to since signing with the team.

Inactives for Chiefs vs. Bills, Week 11

Here are the players who will be inactive during the #Bills vs. #Chiefs Week 11 game | From @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills released their list of inactive players before their Week 11 matchup.

Here are the inactive players for the Chiefs:

  • OT CJ Hanson
  • OL Kingsley Suamataia
  • DT Marlon Tuipulotu
  • RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
  • DE Cameron Thomas

Here is the inactive list for the Bills:

  • WR Keon Coleman
  • CB Kaiir Elam
  • LB Edefuan Ulofoshio
  • OL Will Clapp
  • OL Spencer Brown
  • TE Dalton Kincaid

Chiefs GM Brett Veach believes Kansas City is a top destination for players

#Chiefs general manager Brett Veach believes Kansas City is a top destination for players | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are pursuing the unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title this year and have gotten off to a blazing start. The addition of several players throughout the year has raised the team’s profile and chances of accomplishing the feat, thanks mainly to the front office.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach appeared on the Pat McAfee Show last week. He discussed the growing number of players around the league choosing Kansas City during the current run of success.

“Typically, when you get to different points of this season, whether that be in the offseason or at the trade deadline, I think we do hear a lot of, ‘If everything is equal, he would love to play in Kansas City.'” said Veach. “Listen, I think that playing for Coach Reid and playing with Pat Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones would certainly be a destination for any player that had a chance to potentially move on and go somewhere else.”

The Chiefs added veteran players JuJu Smith-Schuster and Samaje Perine in free agency shortly before the season while trading for DeAndre Hopkins and Joshua Uche. Player injuries and juggling roster spots allowed Veach and his staff to make these additions. The front office has typically made splashes in the draft with homegrown talent but will try to recruit veterans who can financially fit in the budget.

Chiefs scouting report: Oregon Ducks DE Jordan Burch

Oregon #Ducks defensive end Jordan Burch could be on the Kansas City #Chiefs’ radar in the 2025 NFL draft.

Pass rushers who win with both power and finesse succeed in the NFL. Burch brings those elements to the table and offers the Kansas City Chiefs the depth they desperately need along the defensive front. The Oregon product projects as a top 100 selection in the 2025 NFL draft.

According to Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy, Oregon Ducks defensive end Jordan Burch’s verified height and weight are 6’4 3/8″, 294 lbs. He doesn’t have great arm length, but that’s the only knock against his physical profile. Burch is a densely built, high motor player with freakish power and explosiveness.

According to Bruce Feldman for The Athletic, Burch squats and sumo deadlifts 685 lbs. and reaches a top speed of 20.75 miles per hour. Those traits show up on tape. It’s not every day you see a defensive end cutback to make a tackler miss on a 36-yard fake punt run.

Burch’s power rush moves include long-arms, humps, forklifts and converting speed to power. He unlocks the power to walk offensive tackles into the pocket or blow the B-gap open by knocking the lineman off balance.

Burch’s pass rush plan also includes swims, inside spins, chops, rips and a developmental ghost move. He doesn’t have elite bend but still turns the corner well for a defender his size. Burch sets up his pass rush moves with tempo, footwork and feints. His closing burst helps him finish plays once he gets past the offensive lineman.

Burch doesn’t play to his size consistently in the run game. His lack of arm length pops up in this part of the game, and his base suffers from some failures when anchoring at the point of attack.

Oregon goes on the road to play the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CST before finishing their season at home against the Washington Huskies on Nov. 30. Wisconsin’s offensive tackles, Riley Mahlman and Jack Nelson, struggled earlier this year but are playing better now. Both possess NFL tools and talent as Day 3 prospects.

Chiefs scouting report: Boston College Eagles OLB Donovan Ezeiruaku

The Kansas City #Chiefs could target Boston College outside linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs built one of the NFL’s premier defensive units but still struggle to generate pressure outside of contributions from Chris Jones and George Karlaftis. General manager Brett Veach should consider selecting a pass rusher with a top 100 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Boston College linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku is a bendy, fluid and versatile pass rusher with an undersized frame. He’s not densely put together but possesses the long arms to meet the NFL’s thresholds. Ezeiruaku is an explosive and sudden athlete with excellent bend to tighten his rush angles to the quarterback. He plays low enough to the ground to slip under the offensive tackle’s hands and avoid taking on unnecessary contact.

Ezeiruaku needs to add counters to his pass rush plan but already knows a good variety of moves. He primarily wins with cross-chops, ghosts, inside swims, rips, spins and two-handed swipes. Ezeiruaku takes advantage of offensive tackles oversetting by firing through the B-gap for quick pressures.

Ezeiruaku lacks the raw power to stack and shed blockers who are pushing vertically but uses his agility and burst to evade offensive linemen and quickly close on ball carriers. He moves like an off-ball linebacker in space with his ability to redirect and mirror running backs. Offensive players can’t shake Ezeiruaku in space, and he uses his speed and excellent pursuit range to chase down players.

Ezeiruaku should ace the speed and agility tests in the pre-draft process, but evaluators could drop him down draft boards because of size concerns. His draft range begins in the second round and extends to the top of the third round.

Three games remain on Boston College’s schedule. The Eagles travel to Dallas to face the 8-1 SMU Mustangs on Saturday at 2:30 p.m CST.

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht talks Chiefs tight end legends Tony Gonzalez, Travis Kelce 

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht talks #Chiefs tight end legends Tony Gonzalez and Travis Kelce w/ @EdEastonJr

This week, Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Super Bowl XLI champion Ben Utecht.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Utecht discussed his collaboration with his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, on developing the Shower Sock and his thoughts on Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce revolutionizing the tight end position. 

“I grew up in Minnesota and chose to stay home and play for the Gophers,” Utecht explained. “I had a great career there, built many relationships, and was not just in the athletic department. When I came up with this idea, my first instinct was to return to the Bakken Medical Device Center at the University of Minnesota. The University of Minnesota Medical Center is one of the top four in the country, and I knew they would be able to direct and guide me through this process. They were just absolutely amazing.”

Utecht partnered with global med-tech executives Mario Nozzarella and Heinrich Von Solms to develop the product further. They secured US and international patents and trademarks and developed the manufacturing and chemical application process for what has now become the Shower Sockᵀᴹ.

The former First-team All-Big Ten tight end has appreciated the position’s growth since retiring in 2009. He acknowledged the greatness of two Chiefs legends at the position and how it’s evolved over the years. 

“When you think about the progression over the last 15 years, when I came out, Tony Gonzalez was the pinnacle,” Utecht said. “He was, at his all-time greatest, not an overly fast tight end but an amazing position receiver, somebody who was knowledgeable about the game and could incorporate that to put himself in positions on the field where he knew the gaps in the defense.

“Then, we progressed to Jeremy Shockey, and then we progressed to Rob Gronkowski. And now you’ve got this combination of players who have speed, know how to put themselves in the right positions, and have the courage to put their bodies into the block on the line of scrimmage. I think (Travis) Kelce is an excellent example of all the above.”

Utecht also credits the coaches’ game plans, including Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, with affecting today’s tight ends. 

“Something that goes a little undervalued or doesn’t get discussed is the coaching side; You must have an offensive staff and philosophy built toward the tight end,” Utecht explained. “You have to have a scheme that allows somebody with Travis Kelce’s talent to know how to take advantage of it, and they do that very well. The 49ers did that very well, and the Patriots, with Rob Gronkowski, did that very well. The Colts, with Dallas Clark and myself, did that very well.

“So when you have the suitable scheme and the right coaching strategy on top of the physical ability to do every aspect of the tight end position, which is second to the quarterback, has the greatest responsibility because you have to be in the backfield, you have to be in the slot, you have to be out wide, you’ve got to be on the line of scrimmage, you’ve got to pass protect, you’ve got to run block. So there’s nothing that the tight end doesn’t do, and so, yeah, hats off to what the Chiefs have done with his career, and he’s a great talent, and it’s no surprise that he’s going to go down in history as one of the greatest tight ends to play the game.”

For more information on the Shower Sock, log on to ShowerSock.com & follow on X, Instagram and Facebook

Chiefs scouting report: Ohio State Buckeyes RB Quinshon Judkins

The Kansas City #Chiefs could add Ohio State #Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins in the 2025 NFL draft.

The injury to Isiah Pacheco revealed that the Kansas City Chiefs lack multiple explosive playmakers in their backfield. The team should address this issue in the 2025 NFL draft by investing in at least one new running back.

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins is a young prospect with the speed to gash defenses. He’s fast enough to turn the corner on off-tackle runs before stressing pursuit angles with his acceleration. Judkins’ quick feet string together sharp cuts that make defenders miss in one-on-one situations.

Judkins patiently presses close to the offensive line while in the backfield before exploding through the hole. His vision helps him locate openings and prevents him from running into dogpiles. His contact balance is average, which prevents him from creating between the tackles at a high level.

Judkins isn’t known for his power, but he drops his shoulder going into contact when he finds himself isolated with cornerbacks on the perimeter. His stiff arm is one of the best in the 2025 class. Judkins also deploys a spin move to shake defenders. Unfortunately, he’s not twitchy, and his elusiveness falls short of elite.

Judkins’ value on third down remains murky. He has the speed to stack linebackers as a route runner, but neither Ole Miss nor Ohio State asked him to catch passes. Judkins makes passable blocks in pass protection but lacks the power and enthusiasm to succeed as a blocker consistently.

Judkins receives plenty of praise from evaluators but could fall as far as the third or fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft.

The Buckeyes play three Big Ten games to end their regular season, starting with a matchup against the Northwestern Wildcats.

Chiefs scouting report: Ohio State Buckeyes RB TreVeyon Henderson

Ohio State #Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson could be a 2025 NFL draft target for the Kansas City #Chiefs.

Several running backs on the Kansas City Chiefs enter free agency after the 2024 season. The team must replace its depth in the backfield and add some more explosive options who can shoulder the load if Isiah Pacheco suffers another injury in 2025 or beyond.

Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson faces an uphill battle as a prospect because of his size and injury history. He missed significant time in 2022 and 2023. According to Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy, Henderson’s verified height and weight are 5’9 7/8″, 206 lbs., which rank on the smaller and lighter side for an NFL running back.

Henderson’s play often overcomes his measurables. He possesses true track speed that, even on a very fast Ohio State offense, puts him in a class of his own. Henderson is an explosive athlete who demolishes pursuit angles and runs so fast that he naturally breezes through some arm tackles.

Henderson’s footwork pops on tape. His light feet easily spring through sudden cuts and help him cover significant ground horizontally on jump cuts. He weaves through tight spaces with natural footwork but lacks the power to create between the offensive tackles.

Henderson doesn’t break tackles with power. He makes subtle but sharp adjustments to make defenders miss in space but lacks a deep bag of jukes. Henderson is a one-cut running back with light footwork and impressive explosiveness but limited twitch.

Henderson offers plenty of value on third down. Ohio State doesn’t use him as a pass catcher much, but he knows how to stem routes and manipulate leverage. Linebackers don’t have the speed to keep pace with Henderson, making him a mismatch creator in space.

He’s an enthusiastic pass protector who quickly identifies threats and seeks out contact. Henderson’s surprising proficiency as a blocker and untapped potential as a pass catcher make him a three-down option for teams at the next level.

Ohio State is currently facing off with the Northwestern Wildcats. A few weeks ago, the Wildcats surrendered three rushing touchdowns to Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson. This could be a great confidence-building game for a Buckeyes team that hasn’t run the ball well this year.