We'll see you in January
Certainly won't be the last time Allen and Mahomes square off.
Josh Allen certainly made his case to be the MVP of the league, orchestrating the play that pushed the Buffalo Bills past the Kansas City Chiefs from the ranks of the unbeaten. Allen's 26-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter sealed Buffalo's 30-21 victory over Kansas City.
On a fourth-and-2 with 2:17 left, the Bills held a 23-21 lead and decided to go for it from the Chiefs' 26-yard line. Instead of having a 44-yard field goal attempt by Tyler Bass to go up 26-21, coach Sean McDermott but the ball in Allen's hands and allowed him to win the game.
Allen didn't have his first nor second read open, so he took off himself. Not only did Allen get the first down, but scored to put the Bills up 30-21 to seal the game. Allen finished with 260 yards passing and a touchdown while rushing for 55 yards and a score. The Bills never trailed in the second half, snapping Kansas City's seven-game win streak when trailing at halftime.
Mahomes finished 23 of 33 for 196 yards and three touchdowns, but also had two interceptions. The final one was via Terrel Bernard on fourth-and-13 from the Chiefs' 38-yard line with 1:17 left. Mahomes attempted a deep pass to Travis Kelce, but Bernard jumped in front of the throw to end it.
Buffalo improved to 9-2 on the season with its sixth straight win. The Chiefs saw their 15-game win streak (dating to last Christmas) snapped. Kansas City still controls the top seed in the AFC, but the race for home-field advantage became tighter with Buffalo and the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) winning on Sunday.
Takeaways from the game are below, along with a quick synopsis of the action in the live blog!
Josh Allen will certainly get a ton of credit for the plays he made to lead Buffalo to victory, but the Bills also deserve the accolades for their two fourth-quarter drives that made sure they came away with the victory. Buffalo scored on both of its fourth-quarter possessions to maintain control of the game, with both drives going for 10+ plays and 60+ yards.
Not only did Allen throw and run for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, but he went 9 of 11 for 80 yards with a 127.3 passer rating on the final two drives while having seven carries for 41 yards and a score. When the Bills needed Allen, he delivered.
The Chiefs defense turned in an un-Chiefs like performance in Sunday's loss, allowing 30 points and 366 yards in the loss. Kansas City allowed 28+ points in a game for the first time in 38 regular-season games, dating back to the 2022 season. On the final two drives, the Chiefs defense couldn't get off the field as they allowed 22 plays for 131 yards (5.95 yards per play) as the Bills went 3 of 4 on third down and 1 of 1 on fourth down (Josh Allen's touchdown).
Patrick Mahomes never got a chance to steal the game, because the defense wasn't elite for one week.
The Bills faced a third-and-9 at the Chiefs' 44-yard line with 4:34 to go. Josh Allen threw a dart across the middle to Khalil Shakir for a 10-yard game to extend the drive and get to the Chiefs' 34 with just over four minutes left. This play was vital toward the Bills killing some more clock and Mahomes not getting the ball back in a one-score game.
Allen's touchdown run doesn't happen without this throw earlier in the drive. This was an underrated play in an impressive day for Allen.
Josh Allen's number being called on fourth-and-2 was the decision that saved Sean McDermott and the Bills coaching staff. McDermott trusted Allen to win the game for his team instead of kicking a field goal and taking a 26-21 lead -- and giving Mahomes the ball back with a chance to lead the Chiefs to the winning touchdown.
"OH THE PLAY OF THE YEAR IN THE NFL" - JIM NANTZ pic.twitter.com/mEj4A1nnHM
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 18, 2024
Allen made the 26-yard run that was dubbed the "play of the year." The touchdown was MVP-caliber, as Allen made the play that needed to be made -- which teams haven't done against the Chiefs this year.
"Just trying to make a play and help our team win a football game. It's another Week 11 win. Knowing how things play out, we'll probably see this team again at some point." -- Josh Allen to NFL on CBS' Tracy Wolfson on his touchdown run and beating the Chiefs.
"Just trying to make a play and help our team win a football game."
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 18, 2024
- Josh Allen on his INCREDIBLE TD run | @tracywolfson pic.twitter.com/q3n5ZWIET1
The Bills (9-2) head into their bye week with a four-game lead in the loss column in the AFC East while the Chiefs (9-1) face the Panthers (3-7) in Carolina next Sunday.
Certainly won't be the last time Allen and Mahomes square off.
The Bills will knock off the Chiefs from the ranks of the unbeaten. Patrick Mahomes was picked off by Terrel Bernard on 4th-and-13 to give the Bills their sixth straight win and hand the Chiefs their first loss. First loss for the Chiefs since Christmas.
On 4th-and-2, Josh Allen makes three defenders miss after his first and second reads were covered. Allen takes it himself for the 26-yard score. The Bills are up 30-21. The Bills are the first team to score 28+ points on the Chiefs in the last 30 games.
Bills up 30-21 with 2:17 left.
JOSH ALLEN GETS THE TD!
Don't understand the Bills taking the ball out of Josh Allens' hands on 3rd-and-2. Let No. 17 run or throw for the first. The Bills have a decision to make. Kick it and go up five or go for it and extend the drive. Bills will go for it.
Money throw by Josh Allen. Money catch by Khalil Shakir. Cook absolutely leveled Shakir as soon as the ball was in his hands. On 3rd down no less. First down Bills. 4:19 left.
Tracy Wolfson is reporting Josh Allen went into the blue medical tent after that last TD pass to get his right hand checked out. Allen is back in the game and throws a first down pass on his first attempt.
Mahomes with an incredible throw to the back corner of the end zone, but Gray somehow got both feet in bounds. Mahomes threw it on a rollout where only Gray could have caught it. Sharder with the extra point to make it 23-21.
Two touchdown catches for Gray on the season, both in this game. Mahomes with 3 TD passes today. We got a game folks.
Chiefs deep in the red zone. Looking to keep this game within one score. They have a first-and-goal at the 1.
The Chiefs have won 7 straight when down at halftime.
They have won 9 straight by trailing by 7+ points.
The Bills are making this streak very difficult to extend.
The Chiefs had a five-man front and sent six. With the open field, Josh Allen found Curtis Samuel for the 12-yard TD. The Bills are up two scores for the first time in this one. 10-play, 83-yard drive for the Bills as they take a 23-14 lead with 12:51 left
The Bills are on the doorstep of scoring again. Allen finds Shakir for a 22-yard gain to end the third quarter. The Bills are at the Chiefs 27-yard line after a scoreless third quarter. They lead 16-14 going into the fourth.
They're gonna get Conner on a PI here. Allen wanted the flag and Conner pulled Curtis Samuel's arm as he wa strying to make a one-handed catch. 22-yard penalty for the Chiefs.
Bills rushed five on 3rd-and-14. Mahomes did a dump off to Kelce, but he gained little yards. Chiefs punt after getting to their own 41. The defenses have really adjusted. Still 16-14 Bills in the 3rd.
The Bills get a first down this drive, but get to midfield when the drive stalls. Defenses are adjusting to start the 2nd half. Still 16-14 Bills.
Hard to fall for that Andy Reid bluff on 4th-and-1 from his own 29. That's not what Reid does, and the Chiefs were wise not to go for it. 3-and-out for KC.
Bills got 3-and-out to start the 2nd half. Just like the Chiefs, no points on 1st possession to open half.
Second half has just begun. let's see if Bills can double dip on the scoring. They got a FG prior to the half. Can make it up to a 10 or 11 point swing if they score a TD.
Tyler Bass avenges the missed extra point to convert a 33-yard FG at half. Both Mahomes and Allen have an INT in the first half (that their teams have capitalized off of). It's 16-13 Bills at half. Have five lead changes in the first half.
This one has certainly lived up to the hype.
Bills in the red zone. Looking for at least a FG at halftime to take the lead, but a TD would be better. Remember they get the ball to start the 2nd half.
The missed face mask call as not affected Buffalo yet, but a huge 3rd-and-1 is on the way. The Chiefs have not given up a first half TD in the last two minutes of a game this year. Bills on the Chiefs' 34.
Patrick Mahomes finds a wide open Noah Gray for the TD. Mahomes got rid of that ball quick and Terrel Bernard was late getting to Gray. Shrader hits the extra point and the Chiefs take a 14-13 lead.
4th lead change of the first half
Still not sure what Josh Allen was doing here. Again, execution over decision to go for it.
The Bills go for it on 4th-and-3 from the Chiefs' 34 and Allen makes a very bad decision when he gets rid of the ball. Insteda of going up 2 scores, the Bills go for it and it leads to a Chamarri Conner interception -- which he takes back to Bills' 40.
A few head-scratching decisions by McDermott in this first half. This one is up for debate.
Von Miller is back! Miller sacks Patrick Mahomes on 3rd-and-10 and the Chiefs go 3-and-out. The Bills have another chance to extend their lead after Codrington got a 25-yard punt return.
Bills already in Chiefs territory.
Xavier Worthy HAS to drag that back foot. If he does, the Chiefs get that 40+ yard pass they were lacking. Big play taken away from the Chiefs.
James Cook has 3 games with 2+ TD -- all coming this year.
After a Chiefs challenge, catch stands. Bills have a 1st-and-goal from the 7 and James Cook scores. The Bills retake the lead.
Cook has 6 carries for just 16 yards, but 2 TD. Tyler Bass gets the XP this time. It's 13-7 Bills.
Amari Cooper has two 20+ yard catches for the Bills today -- if this 24-yard catch holds. Josh Allen put it right in the bucket, but did Cooper get that 2nd foot in?