Bills Playoff Win Reveals Key To Beat Chiefs

Buffalo must win on the ground on Sunday, and it showcased the ability to do that against Baltimore.

The Bills managed 0.18 expected points added per play on the ground, compared to just 0.0 expected points added through the air. Running back James Cook turned 17 rushes into 67 yards, and each of his counterparts in the backfield were incredibly efficient.

Running back Ty Johnson found five rushes for 31 yards; Ray Davis ran four times for 29 yards and a score. Allen was much more effective on the ground than through the air – even with just 20 yards, given his two touchdowns – especially after the passing offense stalled out in the third quarter.

Limiting Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes feels impossible in the playoffs. But if the stable of backs can stay ahead of the chains, and Allen’s physicality can win on third-down and goal-to-go situations, the offense would feel much more inevitable.

Kansas City is set in its ways. It is now a defense-led team that happens to have one of the best quarterbacks to ever walk the face of the Earth complementing the unit. Buffalo will be dragged into the mud, and if it asks Allen to play Superman for the entire evening, the Chiefs will bank on their defense forcing a crucial mistake and asking Mahomes to take advantage.

If Allen and the ground game can stay ahead of the sticks, the Bills will be better positioned to dictate terms against the Chiefs defense. Throw in the benefits of clock management and the tush-push-level assistance Allen can provide on late downs, and there’s a path to Buffalo winning the game on the ground, rather than through the air.

Remaining multi-dimensional weaponizes Allen, even if it means asking him to throw the ball fewer times against the league’s best quarterback.