The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, representing the AFC East and AFC West divisions, will play in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, Jan. 26, at 6:30 p.m. EST. 

It's the fourth time in the past five seasons that these two teams will have met in the postseason and the second time they will have met this year. Last time they faced off in Week 11, the Bills sent the Chiefs home from Highmark Stadium with their only true loss of the 2024 NFL season. The last time they faced off in the postseason, Kansas City had punched their ticket to face the Baltimore Ravens in last year's AFC title game.

With all the history between these two teams, it's sure to be an instant classic.

Our A to Z Sports writing staff has submitted their predictions for the final AFC showdown of the 2024 NFL season. Below, you can view those predictions.

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Charles Goldman's prediction

Chiefs 28, Bills 22

A legacy-defining game for both the Bills and the Chiefs should give fans one heck of a show. Two of the best quarterbacks in the league are meeting in the playoffs for the fourth time with a trip to Super Bowl LIX on the line. As much as I’d like to put this game in the hands of Patrick Mahomes and the offense, I think that Steve Spagnuolo is where this game is won or lost for Kansas City.

Most defensive coordinators find defending against Josh Allen a nightmare. A key will be finding ways to win on early downs and get off the field on third and long. I’m expecting exotic blitz packages, with delayed blitzes, looping defenders, and even a spy on high-percentage scramble downs. The Chiefs need to be better at defending out of their nickel and base personnel than they were in Week 11, which should prove easier with Jaylen Watson and Charles Omenihu back in the fold.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Chiefs have nearly all the pieces to have a crazy explosive offense predicated on the deep ball. Their current weakness is a patchwork offensive line with an All-Pro left guard playing left tackle. That’s to say, I think a big focus will be not getting out over their skis with a game plan that doesn’t lead to success. Most importantly, they need to take care of the football better than they did in Week 11. Lean on the quick game as they have in recent weeks. Don’t forget to run the ball when the opportunity is there. If they do those things, they should be able to control this one from start to finish.

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Jon Helmkamp's prediction

Bills 34, Chiefs 31

Last week, I was the only A to Z writer to trust Josh Allen and the Bills to get past the Ravens, and I was rewarded with a great performance from the Buffalo Williams. I expect more of the same this week, and for Buffalo to finally get past Kansas City and reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994. Why? Because the offensive line has proven to be able to hand the best pass rush (DEN) and the best run defense (BAL) in back-to-back weeks, and the defense has shown the ability to adjust their game plan to account for whatever an offense can throw at them. Add in Allen's ability to take over when needed, and this is a composed and controlled Buffalo team with confidence and a killer instinct that they haven't had in the past, and I believe their run continues.

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Mauricio Rodriguez's prediction

Chiefs 27, Bills 24

Everyone knows about Mahomes vs Allen, so I'll change it up: I'm taking the Chiefs because, quite honestly, I trust defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo in these spots. Josh Allen has been sacked once in two playoff games despite going up against the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens. But against Spags? His bag of tricks is too deep, and he usually reaches into the darkest corners of it when the stakes are this high. I trust him to scheme up some exotic pressures to make Allen hold on to that football a split second longer. The Bills have been in this stage before. The Chiefs live here.

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Destin Adams' prediction

Bills 34, Chiefs 31

It doesn't get much better than Josh Allen vs Patrick Mahomes with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line. I think the real winners here will be NFL fans who get to watch the latest installment of this incredible playoff rivalry. The modern-day Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. Mahomes and the Chiefs have gotten the best of Allen and the Bills in their previous playoff matchups, but this year feels different. I think Allen finally gets it done by throwing for more yards and touchdowns than Mahomes in the process to punch the Bills' ticket to Super Bowl LIX. 

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Sophie Weller's prediction

Chiefs 34, Bills 27

Josh Allen vs. Patrick Mahomes is the rivalry that everyone loves, and it is sure to deliver on Sunday. Both quarterbacks are playing at a high level, but with the talent around Mahomes, I think the Chiefs have the better team and the ability to come out of this one victorious. Plus, when it comes to playoff matchups between the Chiefs and the Bills, it's been Kansas City that prevails. So, this will be a game for the ages, but this is very similar to Tom Brady and the Patriots where I just can't bet against the Chiefs. 

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Justin Churchill's prediction

Chiefs 29, Bills 27

We have seen this movie before, a few times, actually, on repeat. Sure, the Bills handle their business against the Chiefs in the regular season, almost every year. But, in the playoffs, it has always been a different story. Seeing that the Chiefs have the refs on their side, I am kidding; of course, I have the Chiefs winning. Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, Travis Kelce, Trent McDuffie, and George Karlaftis are all of the names you need to know. Josh Allen will get his, but the end result won't go his way.

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Nick Roesch's prediction

Chiefs 31, Bills 20

Here we go again. This will be the fourth matchup between these two teams in the last five postseasons, and the Bills are looking for their first win of this particular series. In my opinion, the key to this game is the Chiefs’ pass rush versus the Bills’ offensive line. Getting pressure on the quarterback is crucial to the success of Kansas City’s defense. 

It was able to limit the Houston Texans’ offense to 12 points last week, thanks largely to a whopping eight sacks recorded on the day. However, Buffalo’s offensive line surrendered just 14 sacks during the regular season, by far the fewest in the league. Part of that can be attributed to quarterback Josh Allen’s running ability. During the Chiefs and Bills Week 11 matchup back in November, Allen was not sacked, and he rushed for 55 yards and one touchdown – which was the deciding score of the game.

This time around, I expect Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to make some big adjustments. Having cornerback Jaylen Watson back should allow Spagnuolo to blitz more, and Charles Omenihu’s return has bolstered Kansas City’s defensive line. I think the Chiefs get enough pressure on Allen to limit Buffalo’s offense, which was only able to rack up 273 yards against the Baltimore Ravens last week despite being gifted three turnovers.

The Chiefs’ offense is a very different unit than what the Bills saw in Week 11. Wide receiver Hollywood Brown and running back Isiah Pacheco have returned from injury, and Joe Thuney is now at left tackle. QB Patrick Mahomes should be able to spread the ball around against a leaky Buffalo secondary. Two costly interceptions against the Bills in Week 11 are likely fresh in his mind, so I expect him to take care of the ball in this game. I think K.C. has its best output of the year offensively and contains Allen better than it did earlier in the season.

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John Sheeran's prediction

Chiefs 27, Bills 26

I think the Bills have everything that it takes to do what the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals managed to do and beat the Chiefs in both the regular season and playoffs. Josh Allen is the most enjoyable unicorn I've had the pleasure of being wrong about. The team certainly believes it can not only win this game, but win the whole damn thing in New Orleans. They will fight like Hell to make it happen.

The Chiefs will match that—and then some—to get their revenge with the league's best home-field advantage at their backs. They will pull all the levers to continue the quest for the three-peat. I would also say something about *timely* officiating here, but out of respect for Mr. Goldman, I will restrain from that. 

Betting against this team feels like a fool's errand. Simple as that.

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Rob Gregson's prediction

Chiefs 30, Bills 22

It took three turnovers and the worst drop of Mark Andrews' career last week for the Buffalo Bills to narrowly escape the Baltimore Ravens, at home and in their elements. The same thing won't happen this week at Arrowhead. The Chiefs proved against the Houston Texans that they turn it up a notch when the postseason comes around. Which is saying a lot for a team that finished the regular season 15-2, even if one of those losses was to Buffalo. 

Expect a motivated Patrick Mahomes to put a hurting on Buffalo in a game that may not be all that close when the final whistle blows. 

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Tyler Forness' prediction

Bills 27, Chiefs 23

It isn't easy to pick against Patrick Mahomes. He's on track to be one of the best quarterbacks to ever play in the National Football League. He's made seven consecutive AFC Championship Games with a 4-2 record, and one of his losses came against Tom Brady.

Whenever an obstacle is put in front of Mahomes, he conquers it. He's taken the Brady throne in that he's the one that everyone needs to beat to be the man. It's a hill that Josh Allen has yet to overcome, but this might be the year. They beat the Chiefs 30-21 earlier in the season with their most balanced team yet, while the Chiefs might have their worst offense in the Mahomes era.

Peyton Manning eventually toppled Brady, and this feels like Allen's time to finally conquer the beast in Arrowhead.

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Kansas City Chiefs appear significantly healthier than Buffalo Bills in first injury report ahead of AFC Championship Game

The first injury report of the week for the KC Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.