The Buffalo Expenses and the Kansas Town Chiefs will meet within the postseason for the 3rd time in 4 years on Sunday. It’s the first time within the Patrick Mahomes-Josh Allen generation that the playoff recreation isn’t at Arrowhead, which might end up to make all of the distinction.
A short lived historical past
Total, the Chiefs lead of their playoff matchup towards the Expenses, 3-2. Their first postseason matchup was once in 1966 for the AFL identify. Kansas Town gained and went directly to the Tremendous Bowl to play Inexperienced Bay, the place the Packers in the long run gained, 35-10.
The Nineteen Nineties have been tough in the event you have been a Expenses fan. They went to the Tremendous Bowl 4 years in a row (‘90, ‘91, ‘92 and ‘93) and met the Chiefs two times alongside the best way.
Within the ‘91, the Expenses gained the AFC Divisional recreation, 37-14. After successful, they went on to overcome the Broncos and pass to the Tremendous Bowl, however misplaced to Washington. In 1993, Buffalo beat Kansas Town once more within the AFC Championship Recreation, however misplaced to the Cowboys within the Tremendous Bowl.
Right through this period, each groups had a large number of long run Corridor of Famers on their rosters, together with Buffalo QB Jim Kelly, RB Thurman Thomas and Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas and QB Joe Montana.
After some long-standing playoff droughts for each groups, they in the end met once more virtually 30 years later. The 2020 AFC Championship Recreation was once the primary time Allen and Mahomes met within the postseason, and was once Allen’s first playoff loss. The Chiefs went to the Tremendous Bowl, most effective to be trounced by way of a then spry 43-year-old Tom Brady. The next season, Mahomes beat Allen and the Expenses within the AFC Divisional recreation in additional time, however misplaced within the AFC championship to Cincinnati.
This 12 months’s matchup
The Expenses and the Chiefs shall be enjoying at Buffalo, Mahomes’ first away playoff recreation. The Expenses are the No. 2 seed and the Chiefs are No. 3. Whilst each groups gained their opening-round video games with relative ease, this recreation may not be that. It’s by no means a very simple win when those groups play every different. Going to Buffalo is more or less like going to the Thunderdome if it was once lined in two toes of snow, affected by damaged tailgating tables from other people leaping via them and had the scent of Bud Lite putting within the air.
It’s Josh Allen (and the Expenses) time
Out of all of the quarterbacks within the playoffs, Allen has essentially the most to end up. The one solution to beat your demons is to head via them, and his greatest demon is Mahomes and the Kansas Town Chiefs.
Buffalo gained its final six video games of the common season, together with a win over the Chiefs. The Expenses offense has been scorching whilst the Chiefs’ offense struggles to catch the ball, makes dumb errors and has pointless turnovers.
Allen additionally performs like a freak, (in a great way). Take a look at his 52-yard run to the tip zone final recreation if you want to double test his skills, which was once the 2d longest dashing TD by way of a QB in a playoff recreation.
Mahomes is 38-11 at the highway in his profession, and 1-0 in Buffalo. However that was once in an empty stadium all the way through the pandemic. He has mentioned how when stadiums get loud and his teammates can’t pay attention him, and the way he adjusts to that downside, and everyone knows the Expenses Mafia can get rowdy.
Offensively, the Expenses can outplay the Chiefs. Defensively is a special tale. The Chiefs overall protection is 2d within the league. They all the time appear to have a learn on Allen, whether or not they pass with a blitz and power him or give him a while and house to move or run, they don’t let him ever get relaxed. Nonetheless, it’s imaginable for Allen and the Expenses to will their method into the AFC Championship Recreation, and doubtlessly to their first Tremendous Bowl victory.
They only must take down the Chiefs. Mahomes has had his second, it may well be time for Allen and the folks of Buffalo to have theirs.
