How Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes likely forced another AFC team to spend a lot of cash this week
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes may have made a big financial impact on an opposing AFC team this week. On Wednesday, the Buffalo Bills signed edge rusher Von Miller to a six-year deal worth $120 million. That's a hefty deal for an edge rusher who turns 33 next week. But the Bills likely felt […]
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes may have made a big financial impact on an opposing AFC team this week.
On Wednesday, the Buffalo Bills signed edge rusher Von Miller to a six-year deal worth $120 million.
That's a hefty deal for an edge rusher who turns 33 next week.
But the Bills likely felt like they needed a difference-maker at edge rusher — specifically to get past Mahomes and the Chiefs. And Miller, who had four sacks in the playoffs this past year, still has something left in the tank.
Buffalo lost to Kansas City in the playoffs this past season for several reasons (whacky overtime rules didn't help). One of those reasons was that they weren't able to get to Mahomes often enough.
The Bills sacked Mahomes twice in their divisional-round loss to the Chiefs. The very next week, though, the Cincinnati Bengals beat Kansas City while sacking Mahomes four times.
That might not sound like a huge difference, but two sacks could've ended two Chiefs drives and preserved a win for the Bills.
It feels like Buffalo made this move specifically with stopping Mahomes in the playoffs in mind. Miller is still a good player year-round, but he does his best work under the bright lights.
Will it be enough to get past the Chiefs in 2023? It's certainly way too early to tell.
But I think it's telling that Buffalo seems to be making moves with beating the Chiefs in mind.
That should tell you that despite the Bengals' Super Bowl run, teams in the AFC still view Kansas City as the franchise to beat come playoff time.
Featured image via USA TODAY Sports
