The Chiefs Suffer Tough Loss To Buffalo Bills
Kansas City put together a mediocre performance against the Bills on Sunday and were still in a close game down to the final minute in the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs made too many errors against a good team and left too many points on the field. Patrick Mahomes threw two interceptions. Both of them had big impacts on the game.
The first interception happened on the goal line after the Chiefs defense got a turnover of their own. The ball was thrown in the corner of the end zone after Mahomes was forced out of the pocket due to a pass rush. While the ball was put into tight coverage, Mahomes has completed plenty of those passes in his career. In the end it still removed potential points off the board and a chance for the Chiefs to take the lead early.
The second interception occurred in the fourth quarter. After the Bills drove down the field and scored a touchdown to put them up by four. The Chiefs got the ball back with 1:04 left on the clock.
The Chiefs would get the ball back around the 30 yard line and gain some yards against the Bills and start driving the ball down the field. The drive was stopped by Von Miller getting pressure on Mahomes. He got pushed out of the pocket; he then threw the ball into tight coverage. That led to the second interception.
He was baited into throwing the second interception. The second interception was simply a great play by the defender. This sealed the game, as the Bills then were able to run out the clock.
Once again the offensive line is partly to blame for the loss. Head Coach Andy Reid addressed the struggle they have faced by saying they have faced some tough competition this year.
“We have been fortunate to play some good lines and that helps us get better. You will lose every once in a while but that helps us get better,” Reid said.
When he was specifically asked about the run game he mentioned they are not playing up to their potential.
“In the run game we have to clean some things up there,” Reid said.
The Chiefs have some positive notes despite the loss. Harrison Butker broke the record for longest made field goal in Arrowhead history. The previous record was just set on Monday night football by replacement kicker Matthew Wright. Before the second half ended the Chiefs drove down the field in 14 seconds, setting it up for a 62 yard Butker field goal.
The defense played very well especially when the injuries are taken into consideration. The Chiefs were missing their top cornerbacks in Rashad Fenton and Trent McDuffie.
Keeping the Bills, a top offense in the league, to only 24 points says a lot about the defense. They also managed to put pressure on Josh Allen throughout the game.
While there is no such thing as a moral victory, the Chiefs defense continues to play high quality football, with a young core. The Chiefs will play the San Francisco 49ers next week. Willie Gay will be back from his suspension and Trent McDuffie may also return.
