Buffalo N.Y. (WGR 550) - After one of the craziest playoff games in NFL history last year in the AFC Divisional Round, the rematch is finally here.
For the fifth time in three years, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are preparing to face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. For the fourth time, the game will be taking place in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium.
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Heading into Sunday's Week 6 matchup, the injury report looks a lot cleaner, compared to the last few weeks with injuries on both sides of the ball.
During his weekly appearance on the "Extra Point Show" on Friday, Bills head coach Sean McDermott gave a much cleaner bill of health with his team, only listing wide receiver Jake Kumerow as out of the game with an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, the only other player even listed with an injury designation for Sunday is defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who's dealing with a hamstring injury he re-aggravated this past Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That means players like safety Jordan Poyer, tight end Dawson Knox and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds are all slated to return on Sunday after missing Buffalo's Week 5 win.
The Bills also received good news earlier this week with the return of cornerback Tre’Davious White to the practice field. The All-Pro cornerback has been on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list since the start of the season after tearing his ACL on Thanksgiving night last season against the New Orleans Saints.
While McDermott confirmed that White will not be activated to the 53-man roster for Sunday’s game, he says his presence has been felt through the locker room.
“That’s always good to see. He’s been a big part of what we’ve started here in 2017, and the way it’s been built,” said McDermott with Sal Capaccio and Joe DiBiase. “His leadership, his energy is infectious, and we can’t wait to get him back.”
The Bills have, arguably, their biggest test of the 2022 season this week against the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL. It will be a tough matchup for Buffalo's rookie cornerbacks on Sunday against Kansas City's weapons, but McDermott has liked what he has seen from his secondary.
“Great to watch young players develop, give the credit to the coaching staff and to who they are, and the types of players that Brandon [Beane] have brought in here, in terms of their ability to learn and their growth mindset." McDermott said. "All of those things lead to some of the results we’ve been getting, through the adversity we’ve been getting through the injuries.”
In the last matchup between the Bills and Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round, the Bills took a three-point lead with 13 seconds remaining in regulation, only to give up the game-tying field goal as time expired and eventually losing in overtime. McDermott feels that what happened in that game will not affect his team heading into Sunday's contest.
“There are moments you can use to learn from, not only as you move forward against this team, but against every team," McDermott said. "You try to continue to grow and improve yourself, and your team."
Although Mahomes is more widely known for his incredible ability to extend plays and make all-world throws, he also has the ability to take off and gain a few extra yards with his feet. McDermott knows his team will have to do what they can to contain Mahomes as best as humanly possible.
“They’re very creative in finding ways to get their playmakers the football, and continue to sustain the success they’ve had,” McDermott said.
Hear more of McDermott's conversation during the "Extra Point Show" in the player below:
