The Kansas City Chiefs produced a masterclass against the Buffalo Bills as they emerged victorious on a 42-36 victory in the AFC Divisional Round. Patrick Mahomes led the team's comeback bid as they pulled the rug and ran away with a narrow win over their conference rivals.
After winning on Sunday night, the Chiefs have now booked their fourth consecutive appearance in the AFC Championship Game. They are expected to have their hands full when they go head-to-head with the Cincinnati Bengals for the right to advance to Super Bowl LVI next weekend.
With that said, let's take a look at three takeaways from the Chiefs' impressive Divisional Round victory over the Bills:
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3. Kansas City's offensive attack was fluid all game long.
In search of a crucial playoff dub, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes showed out and made sure to efficiently orchestrate their offense from start to finish. He was able to lead the passing game as Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Byron Pringle all gained their touches and scored in the endzone.
The ground game was also in full swing as Clyde Edwards-Helaire notched 60 rushing yards after nursing a shoulder injury in recent weeks. WR Mecole Hardman also contributed in the rushing department with 31 yards on two carries and a TD of his own.
Surely enough, scoring 42 points in a Divisional Round game already speaks a lot about the Chiefs' high-octane offense. Andy Reid will aim to have his men play at a similar level when they match up against a gritty Bengals squad next week.
2. The Chiefs' defense missed the services of its key players against the Bills.
On the contrary, the team's defensive unit didn't get to perform at its best as they missed having safety Tyrann Mathieu and cornerback Rashad Fenton on the field. Josh Allen took advantage of their absences as he targeted his receiver in Gabriel Davis who compiled four total touchdowns in the game.
Several lapses, mismatches, and miscommunication on the Chiefs' end allowed the Bills to stay within striking distance all throughout the contest. After the Divisional Round, the team will hope to have Mathieu back from concussion protocol and Fenton recover from his back injury as soon as possible.
If they get to suit up in their upcoming game then the Chiefs should be in a good position to contain the dynamic combination of Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase next Sunday.
1. Patrick Mahomes showcased his greatness in the win.
Once again, Patrick Mahomes was front and center in the Chiefs' stunning win over the Bills. The 26-year-old was a dual-threat in the game as he led the team in rushing with 69 yards on seven attempts along with a scoring drive.
He also had a good outing under center as he threw for 378 yards on 33-of-44 attempts and three passing TDs on Sunday. Perhaps the main highlight of the night would be how Mahomes led the Chiefs' comeback with 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Accurate passing from the star QB allowed kicker Harrison Butker to be in a good position to fire a 49-yard game-tying field goal attempt for Kansas City. With the score knotted in a 36-all deadlock, the Chiefs then carried over their strong momentum in the overtime period to run away with a 42-36 victory.
Against the Bills, Mahomes exemplified his greatness as he rose to the occasion and stepped up for his team when they needed him the most. After his solid performance, he surely showed everyone that he is one of the best generational talents that the league has today.
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