Josh Allen outduels Patrick Mahomes as Bills avenge 2024 AFC title game defeat to Chiefs

Buffalo survived with Kansas City being out of timeouts and unable to move the ball with 22 seconds remaining. 

Kansas City is out of timeouts with 22 seconds left to play.

Mahomes loaded up a deep ball all the way down the field to speedster Xavier Worthy after Bills edge rusher Joey Bosa applied a heavy dose of pressure, but this time his prayer wasn't answered. Rookie first-round pick cornerback Maxwell Hairston undercut the throw for his first career interception. Buffalo takes over at their own 33 up seven, 28-21, with 4:27 left to play.

Running back Kareem Hunt plunged into the end zone on fourth-and-two four plays after Patrick Mahomes miracle completion to wide receiver Rashee Rice. He then found tight end Travis Kelce in the middle of the end zone for a two-point conversion on the ensuing play to get the Chiefs back within seven, 28-21, with 11:32 left to play. We have a ball game. 

The Buffalo Bills lost Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice in their zone coverage, and Patrick Mahomes was able to just get the pass off to Rice for a remarkable gain of 29 yards down to the Buffalo 11 after facing fourth-and-17 at the Bills' 40. The fourth-and-17 conversion is the longest of Mahomes' career. 

Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen uncorked yet another deep ball just across the 50 to get the Bills down the goal line. Completions to tight end Dalton Kincaid and tight end Dawson Knox set up short goal line rushing touchdowns, and that's exactly what happened after Allen connected with wide receiver Elijah Moore for a 28-yard gain down to the Chiefs' 10. Three plays later, Allen was in the end zone with his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon from a yard out. The Bills lead 28-13 with 1:36 left to play in the third quarter. 

An intentional grounding penalty followed by a sack derailed the Chiefs' latest drive. Buffalo gets the football back at their own 26 up 12-13 with 5:31 left in the third quarter. 

Even though tight end Travis Kelce is 36-years-old, he and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes are still good for a throwback moment for two each week. They did so on this third-and-9 backed up at their own 12. Mahomes danced around before dropping the football just behind the Bills' secondary to Kelce for a 28-yard gain. Key play to prevent the Chiefs from having to punt out of their own end zone. 

Bishop broke up Patrick Mahomes' fourth down pass in the first half to force a turnover on downs, and he did the same on the Chiefs' third-and-7 on the opening drive of the second half. Kansas City punts for a three-and-out. Buffalo takes over up eight, 21-13, with 13:23 left in the third quarter. 

Following his one-yard rushing touchdown, Allen now has 47 career games with both a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown. That extends his all-time NFL record by two games over Cam Newton's 45 such games. 

Most Games with Pass TD & Rush TD
NFL History
Josh Allen       47 <<
Cam Newton  45
Steve Young  31
Aaron Rodgers  31
Jalen Hurts  28
>> Includes Week 9

Dalton Knox, the Bills' other tight end, broke free for a 30-yard gain down the right sideline to get the ball down to the Chiefs' 3. Bills quarterback Josh Allen powered his way into the end zone on a one-yard tush push score two plays later. Kansas City now trails 21-10 with 1:33 left in the first half. Fortunately for the visiting Chiefs, they have the chance to possess the ball now as well as on the opening drive of the third quarter. 

In almost an identical fashion to the Bills' failed fourth down conversion, Kansas City failed on a fourth-and-3 at the Buffalo 39. Patrick Mahomes attempted squeezing a throw into a tight window to wide receiver Rashee Rice, but Buffalo safety Cole Bishops knifed in at the last second to deflect the football away. 

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid continues to cook the Kansas City Chiefs' linebacking corps. On top of his opening drive touchdown, he snuck behind linebacker Drue Tranquill and defensive back Nohl Williams on a crossing route and found open field for days. Kincaid rumbled all the way down to the Chiefs' 8 for a gain of 47 on the play. Kincaid is already up to three catches for 75 yards and a touchdown on just three targets: he's absolutely dominating Kansas City. Two plays later, running back Ty Johnson powered his way into the end zone for a three-yard touchdown. Bills lead 14-10 with 6:42 left in the opening half. 

Kansas City's inefficient first down run for a loss of two by Clyde Edwards-Helaire doomed their final series of the drive. Harrison Butker locks in to bang through an early, 46-yard go-ahead field goal. Chiefs lead 10-7 with 9:31 before halftime

We have a tie game in Buffalo. Kansas City directly snapped the football to wide receiver Rashee Rice, and he waltzed into the end zone untouched for a three-yard touchdown. Running back Kareem Hunt helped spring him free with a strong block outside the tackles. We're tied at seven at the start of the second quarter between the Bills and the Chiefs. 

Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is known for bringing the blitz, but he dropped back into zone coverage on the Bills' fourth-and-2 just past midfield. Allen was unable to find his top wide receiver Khalil Shakir through the zone as the football got batted into the air and onto the ground by Chiefs defensive back Bryan Cook. 

Consecutive incompletions following a three-yard run on first down doomed Kansas City's opening drive

Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid broke Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill's ankle on his 23-yard touchdown catch. He set Tranquill up like he was going to run a post over the middle before breaking outside for a touchdown in the back right corner of the end zone. 7-0 Bills with eight minutes left in the first quarter. 

James Cook entered Sunday leading the league in rushing yards per game (107.6) and yards per carry (6.0). It's easy to see why on that 17-yard run. Buffalo sealed the edge well, and then Cook blew past the Chiefs corner and safety to get down the right sideline. 

Sure Chiefs three-time Super Bowl champion kicker Harrison Butker's 88.2% career field goal percentage is the fifth-best in NFL history. However, Butker hasn't played his typical level of football through eight games this season. He's the only kicker in the NFL with three missed field goals (12 for 15 on field goals) and three missed extra points (22 for 25 on extra points) this season. 

His Bills counterpart in Matt Prater may not have the same kick power as he once did at the age of 41-years-old, but he does have the most made field goals of 50 yards or deeper in NFL history with 82. Prater has also been more accurate than Butker this year, drilling 12 of his 13 field goals in 2025. Give the old man the advantage at this moment in time. 

Bills quarterback Josh Allen has 24 total touchdowns and only 5 turnovers against the Chiefs while averaging 255.6 passing yards per game and 54.1 rushing yards per game in his career against Kansas City. That makes Allen the only quarterback in NFL history to average 250-plus passing yards per game and 50-plus rushing yards per game in his career vs. one team, minimum five games started, per CBS Sports Research. 

Josh Allen Career vs Chiefs

           W-L    4-5

Total TD/TO   4/5

Pass YPG      255.6 <<

Rush YPG      54.1 <<

>> Only QB all-time with 250 & 50 averages vs 1 team (min. 5 starts)

Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice's 2025 NFL season began in Week 7 after he served a six-game suspension for his role in a hit-and-run incident that occurred in Dallas in March of 2024. Since returning to action, Rice has made up for lost time by racking up 135 yards receiving and three receiving touchdowns on 16 catches the last two weeks. Only reigning 2024 receiving triple crown winner Ja'Marr Chase, with 28 catches, has more catches than Rice since his season debut in Week 7. Rice's three receiving touchdowns are also tied for the most in the NFL in the last two weeks.

Rashee Rice This Season

                             NFL Rank Since Week 7

Rec        16           T-2nd

Targets   19          T-6th

YAC        87           6th

Rec TD 3              T-1st

Bills quarterback Josh Allen is averaging the shortest average pass length in the NFL when targeting wide receivers this season, 9.1 yards. Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman erupted with 95 yards receiving in the fourth quarter of Week 1, but he only has 172 yards receiving the rest of 2025. Buffalo wide receiver Khalil Shakir has compiled the second-most yards after catch (819) among wide receivers across the last two seasons behind only Ja'Marr Chase's 1,143. However, the depth behind Shakir just isn't there at the moment.

Buffalo Bills running James Cook is fresh off producing 216 yards on the ground in a Week 8 win against the Carolina Panthers, which ranks as the most rushing yards by any player in a game this season. What's remarkable about that figure is he didn't play in the fourth quarter, making his 216-yard effort the best by any player in a game without a fourth quarter carry in the last 35 seasons, per CBS Sports Research. Cook also leads the NFL in rushing yards per game (107.6) and yards per carry (6.0) this season. Cook's 753 yards rushing in 2025 are the second-most in the NFL behind only Jonathan Taylor's 850.   

Where Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is separating himself from Allen and every other quarterback in the NFL this season is his work while scrambling outside of the pocket. The two-time league MVP leads the NFL with 51 total first downs (33 passing and 18 rushing) outside the pocket, which are 18 more than the next closest quarterback. Mahomes is also averaging 84.0 passing yards per game outside the pocket this season, the highest rate by any quarterback in a season since he entered the league in 2017. Mahomes' magic is back. 

* Highest rate by any QB in a season since Mahomes entered the NFL in 2017

** 18 more than second-best QB (Justin Herbert)

Bills quarterback Josh Allen (2.36 total touchdowns per game) and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (2.33 total touchdowns per game)  is a battle between the NFL's all-time leaders in total touchdowns per game. 

Most Total TD Per Game, NFL History 

Josh Allen            2.36

Patrick Mahomes 2.33

Aaron Rodgers     2.17

Joe Burrow           2.17

The Chiefs (95) and the Bills (82) rank first and second in regular season wins since 2018 when Patrick Mahomes became Kansas City's starting quarterback and Josh Allen was drafted seventh overall. 

Most Wins Since 2018 

                 SB App

Chiefs  95   5

Bills      82   0

Ravens 80   0