The Kansas City Chiefs marched into Orchard Park on January 21 to take on the Buffalo Bills for an AFC Divisional matchup in the 2023 NFL playoffs. Here are takeaways and highlights from the game.
Final Score: Kansas City Chiefs 27, Buffalo Bills 24
Fans at the game and worldwide were treated to another matchup between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. It is a shame that only one can win and go on. Both deserve to move on to play against the Baltimore Ravens, but in the end, there can be only one.
This game was the first actual road game in the playoffs (not including Super Bowl neutral sites); in the previous years, all AFC roads to the Super Bowl ran through Arrowhead. Buffalo was expected to have some light home-field advantage, but both teams were evenly matched up to the end.
Buffalo Kicked off the game by putting three on the board. Not long after that, the Chiefs were able to tie it up. In the second quarter, it was easy to see Kansas City was having difficulty stopping the run, which allowed Allen to take it into the endzone to put the Bills up 10-3. Buffalo was able to hold the Chiefs’ offense to three, making it 10-6 in favor of the Bills.
Travis Kelce would come through for his first TD of the night, giving the Chiefs the lead 13-10. He celebrated by making a heart gesture toward the suite Taylor Swift was in. Also, everyone was able to see his brother, Jason Kelce, celebrate shirtless as he held a can of beer. At the end of the 2nd, Buffalo would get into the endzone again on a two-yard Allen run, taking the lead back going into halftime.
Still A Shootout After Halftime
The Chiefs received the ball at the start of the third, and Buffalo held them to three. The Bills went on to roll down the field, taking time off the clock, and the drive ended with a 13-yard pass from Allen to Khalil Shakir, making the score 24-20 in favor of the Bills. Once the Chiefs got the ball back, they marched down the field, and Mahomes got the ball to Isiah Pacheco, who took it in for a touchdown. Kansas City was able to retake the lead 27-24.
Despite the Bills getting the ball back and a long drive down the field to eat up time on the clock, they could not get into the endzone. They attempted to tie the game, but Tyler Bass‘s field goal attempt went wide right, setting up the Chiefs to get the ball back and allowing them to run the clock out.
Which is precisely what they did.
Kansas City came out victorious 27-24 and gets the opportunity to face Baltimore to see who goes to the Super Bowl.
Highlights
KILLA TRAV. TOUCHDOWN. 🏹 pic.twitter.com/aDzXtT6ulm
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 22, 2024
Another one for @JoshAllenQB. 😤
📺: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/GsZE0FXKuQ
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 22, 2024
WHO ELSE BUT KELCE 🏹 pic.twitter.com/3EHjdGt6ys
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 22, 2024
NO. 1 HYPE MAN!!!!@JasonKelce x @newheightshow pic.twitter.com/S9k3shjOf5
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 22, 2024
WHAT A THROW. WHAT A CATCH.
📺: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/Gbozufh0bB
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 22, 2024
Looking Forward
Buffalo’s season has ended at home in the Divisional Round for the second straight year. The Bills will have to go back to the drawing board. It was a great season for them, and it felt like their time to shine for the AFC. Losing to the Cheifs yet again has to be brutal. Now that the offseason is here for them, they have a few things to look at, and if they can add more pieces to the puzzle, then next year, it will be even better for them.
No matter the outcome of next week’s game against the Ravens, the Chiefs know they have a budding star in Rashee Rice. It was also lovely to see Marquez Valdes-Scantling able to hold onto the ball. Now, if they can get Mecole Hardman not to fumble, that would be great. The Chiefs looked different from their regular season form, and if they want to defeat the Ravens and play for another Lombardi, they will need to play better than they did against the Bills.
