The Bills and Chiefs are becoming quite a budding rivalry.
It’s been fast-tracked by the frequency the two have played one another.
They’ve met in the regular season each of the past two years and now will square-off in the playoffs for a 2nd-straight time.
“This team, it’s like a division game,” offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said.
Familiarity is what division opponents have with one another and that’s what has developed no with the Bills and Chiefs.
While that certainly has its benefits, there are some ways it can go the other way.
“You don’t want that to breed contempt,” defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. “You really want to strategize with the fact in mind, yes, they know us pretty well. They’ve seen us a few times in a short period of time. We think we know them fairly well. So you don’t want to just overdo it when it comes to strategizing and putting together a game plan. You want to make sure you’re doing the things that you do well and that you’re able to go out and execute.”
A belief among some fans is that teams might keep some things out of the playbook against frequent opponents in hopes of using it when they meet again down the line.
While there are slight exceptions such as the back end of a blowout or games within weeks or each other, that theory laid to bed.
“You don’t hold things back if it’s going to help you win,” Daboll said. “I’ve never gone into a game and said ‘hey, let’s hold this.’ These games are hard to win, as you guys have seen each and every week. You need your best, so if that play’s going to help you win or you think it’s going to help you win then you go ahead and use it.”
One thing that has been made clear this week by everyone we’ve heard from is that both teams are not the same as they were when the Bills beat the Chiefs 38-20 week 5.
Offensively, Kansas City was somewhat out of sync at that point in the season. Patrick Mahomes was turning the ball over more than he had at any point of his career.
Since throwing 10 interceptions in the first 8 games, Mahomes has only four over the last 10.
“They’re not
“I think they’re a little more patient with their offense,” safety Jordan Poyer said. “I think early on in the season, for whatever reason, maybe some of the checkdowns they weren’t hitting early on. Pat, seems like he’s being a little more patient with the ball in his hands. He’s not forcing huge throws down the field if it’s not there.”
Defensively, KC was arguably the worst unit in football early in the season. They allowed an average of 437.4 yards of total offense per game over the first five weeks, including the loss to the Bills. Since, they’ve dropped that number down to 334 total yards of offense allowed.
That’s one heck of a turnaround.
“They’re throwing so many looks at opposing quarterbacks right now,” quarterback Josh Allen said. “Bringing pressure from every side imaginable.”
Allen specifically mentioned Chris Jones, who missed the meeting between these two teams earlier in the season. The Chiefs experimented earlier in the year with having him play outside as well as in, but have shifted him back to the interior as the season rolled along and his disruption has been a driving force to KC’s defensive turnaround.
“He’s really good,” Daboll said with a smile. “I mean, he’s really good. He stands out. We’re up there preparing right now and he’s just a dynamic player… He’s a problem.”
“He’s extremely active,” left tackle Dion Dawkins said. “Fast, strong, knows ball. Knows how to turn it on. Knows how to temper it to his game speed. He’s been doing it for a while now and he has the respect of us and he has the respect of the NFL. Anybody that has that type of aura, it’s just a different deal.”
“He’s an immense challenge,” center Mitch Morse added, who was teammates with Jones in KC for three seasons. “I think a player who’s just gotten better and better over the years. Not only physically is he gifted, he understands the game, understands his opponent, and brings a competitive fire and edge to a game that you want on your team.”
There’s also the addition of Melvin Ingram, who the Bills faced in Week 1 when he was on the Steelers.
The Bills have also had their own changes.
The running game has added a dimension to the offense that was absent in Week 5. Defensively, even without Tre’Davious White, the secondary has held strong.
