BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bills have a shot to dethrone the kings of the AFC with a win on Sunday night over the Kansas City Chiefs. There are plenty of storylines heading into this game.
Here are five things to look out for on Sunday.
Josh Allen doing Josh Allen things.
I really don't think Josh Allen could've played any better last Saturday in the Bills' wild card win over New England.
When you have a franchise quarterback who has developed and progressed that much, it gives you complete confidence in the offense to put up big numbers. When you look at how good Buffalo's defense is, as well, if Allen can have another big-time performance, the Bills should not only advance to the AFC championship game, but be favored to make it to the Super Bowl.
A lot riding on Allen to lead this offense once again, which we all know he is more than capable of. Plus, the Bills are at full health and have all of their offensive weapons ready to roll.
So much on the line.
Win or go home. AFC championship game or nothing. You can bet these two teams are going to put on a show on Sunday. I'm interested to see how Buffalo will come out of the gate, especially already experiencing the feeling of a season-ending loss in Arrowhead Stadium a year before.
Allen commented on the team making sure they're ready to play on Sunday, so that they don't have a repeat emotional experience to last year's AFC championship game.
"We don't want to have that feeling we had there last year. We know our season ended there last year. Now we have to put our foot forward and make sure it doesn't happen this year," Allen said.
So, how does Buffalo come out for this one? Do they look fired up, energetic, and hungry to get things right this time around? Or do the Chiefs play to their crowd's energy and show the confidence of a team that has been there and won before on that stage?
Bills defense vs. high-power Chiefs offense.
This is one of the best matchups of the season. We all know what the Chiefs' offense is capable of, plus Clyde Edwards-Helaire returned to practice this week for Kansas City. The starting running back has missed a few games for the Chiefs.
Even without him, Patrick Mahomes has been dishing it out to Jerick McKinnon, who saw 78 percent of snaps in their wild card blowout win vs. Pittsburgh. Not to mention they have the best tight end in Travis Kelce and one of the top wideouts in the NFL in Tyreek Hill.
If the Bills defense can come as advertised, a No. 1 defense, I could see this game coming down to a Bills turnover, or Mahomes touchdown pass to seal the game.
Bills continue to be two-dimensional.
I don't know what Devin Singletary has been eating the last five weeks, but he has looked night-and-day different from the first 13 games of the season. Singletary has eight touchdowns in the last five games. Buffalo has found its ground game, and the offensive line has been incredible, opening up holes for Singletary and Allen to move the chains with their legs.
If Buffalo can continue to be more two-dimensional and not force the ball downfield, it can catch the Chiefs by surprise and keep them guessing the entire night. When the Bills lose, they're one-dimensional, which makes them predictable on offense. When they win, it just seems like nothing can stop them from moving the ball downfield. The Chiefs' defense is good, but not great.
Bills coordinators blocking out the noise.
It's been a busy week for Bills offensive and defensive coordinators Brian Daboll and Leslie Frazier. Both have been linked to head coaching jobs all around the league, and with former Bills assistant general manager Joe Schoen being named the general manager of the New York Giants, many begin to link them both to New York as the Giants next head coach.
Pretty much, it's been noisy at One Bills Drive. I'm not sure it will impact the game plan for Sunday, but with both coordinators having to prep for interviews and having the possibility of not being back in Buffalo next season in the back of their minds, it makes you wonder if that could serve as a disadvantage for Buffalo.
I would guess not, but at the end of the day, it's worth mentioning to see the coaching battle that will take place between two teams that each have one of the best staffs in the entire NFL.