Bills suffer devastating injury in thrilling win against the Chiefs, plus other key takeaways
An exciting win dampened by some brutal news for the Buffalo Bills.
The Buffalo Bills had about a 40 percent chance of winning, according to ESPN, ahead of the game. Some recent concerns with the passing game had Bills Mafia more than a little uneasy heading into the matchup. Nevertheless, quarterback Josh Allen put on his Superman cape and led the team to victory, alongside another big game from running back James Cook and tight end Dalton Kincaid.
It wasn’t all good news from the victory, and it could extend well into the season, perhaps even changing the team’s trade strategy heading into the deadline. Defensive end Michael Hoecht suffered a non-contact injury and was ruled out. He was pure class, waving off the cart and sticking with his teammates on the bench through it all.
After the game ended, head coach Sean McDermott confirmed that Hoecht had torn his Achilles, a devastating blow for the defense after just losing defensive tackle Ed Oliver.
Kicker Matt Prater missed a 50-plus-yard field goal, giving quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs one more chance, but ultimately Buffalo came up with a stop and sealed the game.
Young guys played well, and some veterans showed up in a big way
Some of us owe safety Cole Bishop an apology. This was one of his best games as a professional, and if he keeps it up, Buffalo has landed a stud in the defensive backfield. He was all over the field, breaking up passes and even laying the wood on tight end Travis Kelce toward the end of the first half.
Another young player who made a huge impact in the contest was rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston. He had an interception off Mahomes, one that he had envisioned just days before. Not too bad getting your first interception on one of the best quarterbacks in the entire league.
And veteran defensive end Joey Bosa, while he had a miscue on that fourth-and-forever play, showed up big in the performance with a sack and five quarterback hits. Cornerback Christian Benford also registered a sack with Hoecht, and defensive end Greg Rousseau earned a half sack each in the contest. An all-around dominant game from the front four, and exactly what fans were hoping to see.
Josh Allen was elite in the victory
The reigning MVP finished his day going 23-for-26 (88.5%, a career high) with 273 yards and one touchdown passing while adding six carries for 19 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. With one of his rushing touchdowns, he surpassed quarterback Cam Newton for the most touchdowns by a quarterback in NFL history.
There were rumblings about the offense being broken and Allen taking a step back, to which I pushed back that No. 17 always saves his best performances against the Chiefs, and that’s exactly what he did. He was a true difference-maker and should give fans hope for the future. Nevertheless, the team still needs to bring in some help at receiver, even after the victory.
James Cook was cooking, Dalton Kincaid was that dude
Cook, once again, rushed for more than 100 yards, and it was the first time this season the Chiefs allowed a 100-yard rusher. In fact, he was the first player to gain 100 yards against the Chiefs’ defense since Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson did so in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. Cook finished his day with 27 carries for 114 yards while adding one catch for 11 yards, which was a crucial one late in the contest.
For Kincaid, he had over 100 yards in the game, sending the league a message that he’s one of the top options in one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL. It wasn’t all pretty, but Kincaid was reliable throughout. The tight end finished the day with six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, averaging over 16 yards per catch.
It was a statement win in every sense of the word. Buffalo’s stars delivered, the young guys stepped up, and the team reminded the rest of the NFL that they’re still a contender in the AFC. If this version of Allen sticks around, nobody’s going to want to see the Bills in January.
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