Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR 550) - It was another gut-wrenching, heartbreaking sports loss for Buffalo, as the Bills fell to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, 27-24, in the AFC Divisional Round at Highmark Stadium.
Here’s the final Arrow Up/Arrow Down column of the season, unfortunately starting Down:
Timothy T. Ludwig - Getty Images
ARROW DOWN:
Tyler Bass
The Bills' kicker missed a 44-yard field goal with just 1:47 remaining in the game. At home, a stadium he is familiar with, even with a decent breeze, it’s a kick he should have made.
Dropped passes by Trent Sherfield and Stefon Diggs
Both Sherfield and Diggs had balls go right through their hands on long pass plays down the field in the fourth quarter. Both could have been game-changing catches.
Run defense
The Bills were gashed all night by the Chiefs in the run game. They ran 24 times for 146 yards, averaging 6.1 yards per-carry.
Defensive line
The Bills' defensive line got almost no pressure on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He was barely disrupted in the pocket.
Buffalo didn’t have a sack, and were credited with just two quarterback hurries. Only one defensive lineman, Von Miller, had more than one total tackle (he had two).
Fake punt play call
I liked that the Bills tried something aggressive with the fake punt, but asking Damar Hamlin, a backup safety, to get a full five yards is tough.
There could have been a better call to try and get it.
Sam Martin
Understanding Martin had a severe hamstring injury coming into the game, he had two opportunities and neither went more than 40 yards.
The Chiefs' starting field position after those two punts were their own 35-yard line and their own 43-yard line.
Second half running game
The Bills ran for 124 yards and 5.63 yards a carry in the first half. Then they ran for just 58 yards and 3.41 yards per-carry in the second half.
Timothy T. Ludwig - Getty Images
ARROW UP:
Josh Allen
Allen wasn't perfect, but he, once again, did everything he could to put the Bills' offense on his back.
The sixth-year quarterback completed 26-of-39 passes (66.7%) for 186 yards and a touchdown, and also ran 12 times for 72 yards (6.0 average) and two touchdowns, totaling 258 yards and three touchdowns.
And, of course, he made some incredible “wow” plays, as he usually does.
Offensive line
Just like the Chiefs and Mahomes, Allen was not sacked at all, and Kansas City was credit with just two quarterback hurries.
Khalil Shakir
Skakir was good again, collecting seven catches for 44 yards and a touchdown.
First half running game
The Bills ran 22 times for 124 yards and a 5.6 yards per-carry average in the first half. They were dominating the line of scrimmage.
Jordan Poyer
Poyer was the Bills' best defender all night, making eight total tackles and punching the ball out of Mecole Hardman’s hand at the goal line to force a touchback.
Third down offense and defense
The Bills were 7-for-14 on third down (50%), and held the Chiefs to just one conversion on five tries (20%) for the game.
Red zone offense and defense
Kansas City was just 2-for-4 (50%) in the Bills' red zone. The Bills were 3-for-4 (75%).
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