‘Teams already have gone for it on fourth down eight times versus each of the Chiefs’ and the Bills’ defenses. That’s a lot, because every team averaged 20 fourth-down attempts last season. The overall rate of go-for-it calls is up only a fraction over last year, keeping with a year-over-year trend. But it seems opposing coaches are thinking they need to be aggressive to keep up with Mahomes and Josh Allen.’
Archives for October 10, 2021
Bills lock up slot corner Taron Johnson with extension through 2024
‘Johnson has developed over the past several years into a significant asset in the Bills’ defensive backfield. He made one of the biggest plays of the 2020 regular season when he returned an interception against Pittsburgh 51 yards for a touchdown. He made one of the biggest plays in Bills playoff history when he returned an interception of a Lamar Jackson pass 101 yards for a touchdown in the 17-3 divisional round playoff victory over Baltimore in January.’
Scouting report: Josh Allen balancing out ‘turnover-worthy’ plays with big-time throws
‘Prediction: Chiefs 31, Bills 27.’
Bills Mailbag: How Star Lotulelei’s return has lit a fire under the defense
‘“Just that whole attitude shift that he brings along with his play. He’s just a physical presence, big, powerful man who is a very intelligent football player, as well. He has a quiet demeanor, but when you’re around him and you get to know him a little bit, you see his other qualities, his leadership, the way he practices, the way he prepares. He’s helped us tremendously up front and as a defense, just bringing a presence about him, that we were missing. I’ll be frank with you – we missed that. It’s great to have him back.”’
Alan Pergament: Bills-Chiefs may get huge ‘SNF’ rating locally a week after high numbers for Bucs-Pats game
‘For the third time in four Sunday afternoon games, a Bills game hit a 45.9 rating or higher despite being a blowout.’
How do Buffalo Niagara’s small-market realities impact negotiations over the Bills stadium?
‘The median age in the Buffalo market is 40.8 years old. Most other NFL markets are in the 30s. The slightly older Buffalo population isn’t problematic, but when contrasted against the average age of Bills season ticket holders – approximately 51, according to a team official – it illuminates an important gap for the Bills: “Attracting younger fans is a key goal in the sustainability of the franchise in Buffalo,” said Ron Raccuia, executive vice president of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, the management company that oversees the holdings of team owners Terry and Kim Pegula.’
Bills getting lots of league-wide love, but Chiefs are still kings of the AFC, for now
‘I just think this is going to be a tough one on the road in perhaps the most hostile environment in the league going against an electrifying offense that seems impossible to stop. Until the Bills prove they can beat the Chiefs, I have to pick against them in this spot.’
Buffalo Bills agree to 3-year extension with Taron Johnson
‘Johnson is reportedly receiving $24 million over three seasons with $14 million guaranteed, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The deal will keep him in Buffalo through the 2024 season.’
Buffalo Bills must be aggressive to win against Chiefs on SNF (5 things to watch)
‘Buffalo needs to be just as aggressive as Baltimore and Los Angeles on Sunday Night Football if they hope to hand Kansas City their third loss of the season.’
Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs 2021 preview with odds, predictions for Week 5
‘Buffalo faces a Chiefs defense that is a bottom-three unit. Despite the weather, I see this game being a shootout with both offenses moving the ball up and down the field and scoring their fair share of touchdowns. I think the Bills can pull off the upset, but until I see it happen, I’m going with the team that has been the class of the AFC for the past few seasons in a nail-biter.’
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs NFL Week 5: (TV channel, time, live stream information)
‘Allen must utilize this team’s weakness defensively and generate as much offense as possible. It is important that they keep Mahomes and his offense off the field for as long as possible.’
‘He’s Mr. Buffalo’: Ravens pick-6 made Taron Johnson a Bills hero, but he’s not done yet
‘“I’ve been like that since Pop Warner,” he said. “It’s just hard for me to eat in the morning – just thinking about the game. I have to drink carbs just to get my energy.”’
3 stats that show Bills & Chiefs have been class of AFC, neck-and-neck over past 20-plus games
‘The Chiefs-Bills rivalry is still in its infancy, but with two great quarterbacks and plenty of stars on both rosters there is plenty of reason to believe that these two teams will be duking it out for years to come.’
Five takes: Bills must pressure Mahomes if they hope to beat Chiefs at rainy Arrowhead
‘Last season, in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mahomes was pressured on 52% of his drop backs which led to a long night for the former MVP. The Bills must apply the same level of pressure tonight if they hope to walk away victorious.’
Sunday’s Kansas City Coverage
KC Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes throws few NFL interceptions (Kansas City Star)
Here are the Kansas City Chiefs’ keys to victory in highly anticipated AFC showdown vs. Buffalo Bills (Kansas City Star)
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Bills: Who has the edge on offense, defense in Sunday showdown? (Kansas City Star)
KC Chiefs-Bills starts with Mahomes vs. Allen, but these players could factor in, too (Kansas City Star)
KC Chiefs-Bills prediction: If it comes down to defense, home team could be in trouble (Kansas City Star)
Chiefs LB Willie Gay Says Mental Health Is A Struggle (AP)
Chiefs vs Bills: Mutual respect between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen (KSHB-TV)
Chiefs make flurry of roster moves Saturday (KSHB-TV)
How to Watch and Listen | Week 5: Chiefs vs. Bills (Chiefs.com)
Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen could be the NFL’s next great QB rivalry
‘“Everybody wants to make this big deal about the AFC championship rematch, and I get that’s what it is,” Allen said. “But it’s a new year, and this team’s different than last year, and their team’s different than last year. But they’re the gold standard, what you would want to be as an AFC team. Being to the AFC championship the last three years and competing for Super Bowls is what they’ve been doing. So that’s what every team wants to be, and until somebody knocks them off in the playoffs, that won’t change.”’
Bills, Chiefs entering anticipated rematch in very different places
‘This game, while it remains a possible AFC Championship preview, is very much about the star quarterbacks — Allen for the Bills and Patrick Mahomes for the Chiefs.’
Bills ink CB Taron Johnson to 3-year extension
‘The 25-year-old Johnson has played a valuable role as Buffalo’s nickel cornerback alongside starters Tre’Davious White and Levi Wallace. He had a sack, a forced fumble and two passes defended against Miami in Week 2, becoming the fifth Bills player since 1999 to accomplish the feat.’
Buffalo Bills sign Taron Johnson to three-year extension
‘Johnson was set to become a free agent when his rookie contract ended after this year.’
Bills agree to 3-year extension with Taron Johnson: fourth-year CB in midst of career year in Buffalo
‘Johnson agreed to a three-year extension with the Bills on Saturday, keeping the slot cornerback in the fold until the 2024 season. Johnson is having a career year with the Bills with 15 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in three games played. Opposing quarterbacks targeting Johnson have just a 57.8 passer rating and are completing only 43.8% of their passes. Johnson has the ninth-lowest pass rating allowed among players who have more than 100 coverage snaps this season, per Pro Football Focus.’
Chiefs vs. Bills what to watch: Can Buffalo’s revitalized pass rush get enough pressure on Patrick Mahomes?
‘When considering Sunday’s matchup, it’s also important to note that at the moment, no quarterback in the NFL is doing a better job of neutralizing the pass rush by getting rid of the ball quickly than Mahomes. He’s released the ball within 2.5 seconds of the snap on 53.5% of his dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus, the eighth-highest rate in the league. His numbers on those throws are, in a word, otherworldly. I swear to you, these are not fake: 75 of 83 (90.4%) for 675 yards (8.1 per attempt), 10 touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 140.1 passer rating.’
Bills sign cornerback Taron Johnson to three-year contract extension
‘Johnson is currently playing on the final year of his rookie contract after being a fourth round pick (121st overall) of the Bills in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Weber State. In three games played this season, Johnson has already registered 15 total tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.’
Opinion: Capaccio: Bills at Chiefs: Keys, notes, and stats
‘The Bills averaged 31.3 points per game last season, but in the two games they played against the Chiefs, including the AFC Championshp, they scored 17 and 24 points. Things need to be different Sunday night, especially since the Chiefs are currently giving up the second most points in the NFL at 31.3 per game. If the Bills can’t get their high-powered offense into the end zone more often in this one, we’ll be wondering when – and if – they will ever be able to.’
Buffalo Bills re-sign cornerback Taron Johnson to three-year contract
‘Johnson has played 42 games with the Bills over the course of four seasons, including all 16 in the 2020 season.’
WKBW sports staff predicts Bills @ Chiefs week 5 matchup
‘This is the Bills toughest test yet, but I think they’ll be up for the challenge.’
Carucci Take2: Bills have opportunity to show far they’ve come against ‘gold standard’
‘The Chiefs are in a separate category from every other team on the Bills’ schedule. Their Super Bowl appearances the past two seasons make that so. Their regular-season and playoff wins against the Bills last year and in January make that so.’
Bills hype builds among Buffalo Police, pizza shops, and downtown businesses
‘”We are opening this week at 6 p.m. a couple of hours before kick-off again, encouraging people to come down here. We have live music great food and drink specials from our sponsors… we’re expecting just under 1500 people for this game so almost double what we had,” said Ring.’
Thad’s Three Things: Bills at Chiefs
‘The Bills have spoken glowingly of Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo this week and rightly so. Spagnuolo was a respected and successful defensive mind before he even arrived in Kansas City. Whether it was rotating coverages or disguising blitzes, whatever Spags did flummoxed Josh Allen last season. Allen never looked as confused as he did during that AFC championship.’
Bills sign CB Taron Johnson to a three-year contract extension
‘”Love that dude,” said defensive captain Micah Hyde. “Man, he just does everything for our defense. You’ve got to have a nickel that’s a dog, and that’s him. He’s been showing it the last couple years. Just a great kid, a great guy, who has come a long ways. His growth mentally, on the football field, and even off, just becoming a man. It’s so cool to see a young guy like that coming along. He’s been making a lot of plays in this league for a long time.”‘
NFL greats assess the magnitude of Sunday’s Bills-Chiefs matchup
‘”You just realize, there’s not that much difference,” Dungy said. “You don’t have to elevate your game to another level. You don’t have to do something special. The conclusion we came to was, we just had to play our game and be able to do the things we could do in the big moments.”‘
NFL analysts | Bills at Chiefs game predictions | Week 5
‘The Bills are currently the best team in the NFL, but they’re getting the Chiefs at a very bad time in a very bad place. They’ll cover, but the find-a-way Chiefs find a way to win.’
Bills at Chiefs | How to watch, stream, and listen | Week 5
‘Play-by-Play: Al Michaels. Analysis: Cris Collinsworth.