NFL play-offs: Buffalo Bills host defending champions Kansas City Chiefs in divisional round

Sport 20 January, 2024 13:00

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It was one of the best finishes to a play-off game in NFL history.

Two years ago, the Kansas City Chiefs had a narrow lead in their divisional round game at home to the Buffalo Bills. Then Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen produced a quarterback masterclass.

In the final two minutes, the lead changed hands three times before the Chiefs kicked a field goal to force overtime, in which they clinched a 42-36 win on the first possession.

For Mahomes and Allen, the two young stars, it was a match to suggest the beginnings of a classic rivalry.

Mahomes hinted as much afterwards, when he said: "We're going to play this team [the Bills] a lot in games like this. With that quarterback [Allen], that coaching staff and those players, there are going to be a lot of battles."

The next such battle takes place this Sunday, again in the divisional round, with Buffalo hosting the defending champions for the latest chapter in a quarterback contest that could come to rank among the all-time greats.

And there is plenty more drama in store this weekend as the top seeds join the play-off party having earned a first-round bye, with three in-form underdogs aiming to pull off an upset.

Mahomes' first meeting with Allen was in 2020 and their paths have continued to cross regularly, with this their third play-off meeting in four years.

Overall, they have a 3-3 record against each other but Mahomes has won both previous play-off games, in 2021 and 2022.

With Kansas City and Buffalo still among the best teams in the AFC Conference, they are set to keep colliding on the road to the Super Bowl, just like legendary quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning did between 2001 and 2016.

Brady had an 11-6 record, although Manning was 3-2 in the play-offs. Between them, they won nine Super Bowls and were named the season's Most Valuable Player eight times.

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"I grew up watching those games and remember how many memories I have from that," said Mahomes this week. "Hopefully we can play in these great games as well and give memories to the kids that come up behind us. I'm excited for the challenge."

Mahomes has the lead on Allen when it comes to major honours. The 28-year-old has two Super Bowl wins and two MVPs, while Allen has yet to win either. Last season, Mahomes became the first player since 1999 to win the season MVP, the Super Bowl and the Super Bowl MVP in the same season.

The pair have become friends, admitting this week that they play golf together in the off-season, but Allen, 27, knows the Bills must beat the Chiefs in the play-offs for it to become a true rivalry.

"They've been at the top of the mountain, they know what it takes to get there - we've yet to do that," he said. "As a competitor, as a player, to be in a situation like this is something that you dream about."

Buffalo again set for sub-zero match-up

Kansas City have reached three of the past four Super Bowls, winning the NFL title in 2020 and 2023. They have had home advantage throughout those play-off runs so, remarkably, Mahomes' 16th play-off game will be his first on the road.

Buffalo's home game with Pittsburgh last week was moved from Sunday to Monday because of heavy snow, and the temperature was -7C as the Bills beat the Steelers 31-17. More snow fell this week and sub-zero temperatures have again been forecast for Sunday's game.

Playing in the frigid conditions of upstate New York in winter normally gives Buffalo a huge advantage, but Kansas City are more used to the cold than, say, Miami. It was -20C for the Chiefs' 26-7 win over the Dolphins last week, making it the fourth-coldest NFL game on record.

In a strong finish to the regular season, Buffalo snatched the AFC's number two seed from Miami and the 'Bills Mafia' is eager to get back to the Super Bowl, having lost four straight from 1991 to 1994.

Both Buffalo and Kansas City had an 11-6 record, with the Chiefs' defence one of the NFL's best. Their offence led the league in dropped passes but with Buffalo having a host of injury doubts in their defence, Mahomes will look to take advantage.

"He's been the best quarterback in football over the last half-decade," two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora told BBC Sport.

"It'll be a fascinating match because he'll be playing for the first time in Buffalo in a game like this so we'll see how the Chiefs cope with being away from Arrowhead Stadium."