How Von Miller helped clinch Bills’ victory over Mahomes, Chiefs
Bills quarterback Josh Allen connected with tight end Dawson Knox to score a go-ahead touchdown and cornerback Taron Johnson nabbed a last-minute interception to seal Buffalo’s 24-20 win at Kansas City on Sunday.
Trailing 20-17, Allen led the Bills on a 12-play, 76-yard drive that end with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Knox to give Buffalo the lead with 1:04 to play.
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The score was Allen’s third of the game. He connected with receiver Gabe Davis in the second quarter and Stefon Diggs in the third.
On the ensuing Kansas City drive, quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempted to connect with receiver Sky Moore but the pass was intercepted by Johnson with 56 seconds to play. Mahomes was pressured by Von Miller on the play, who registered a game-high two sacks.
The pick was Mahomes’ second of the game. Buffalo cornerback Kaiir Elam snagged an earlier interception in the first quarter.
With the win, the Bills improved to 5-1 on the season. The Chiefs are 4-2 after the loss.
Why did the Chiefs lose?
Nate Taylor, Chiefs writer: When it mattered, one of the Chiefs’ strengths, their offensive line, was not better than one of the Bills’ new strengths: their defensive line. Miller, the future Hall of Fame pass rusher, was one of the most impactful players in the fourth quarter, as he generated the pressure that led to Mahomes throwing a game-ending interception. Miller ended the game with two sacks and he chased Mahomes out of the pocket throughout the second half, including a diving tackle on third down that forced the Chiefs to kick a field goal, their final points of the game. Whether he was going against star left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. or right tackle Andrew Wylie, Miller was the better player, a large reason the Chiefs suffered their second loss of the season.
Where do the Chiefs go from here?
Taylor: The Chiefs defense will get healthier later this season, perhaps as soon as next week, when the team faces the 49ers on the road. But against the Bills, the Chiefs were without linebacker Willie Gay (suspended) starting cornerbacks Rashad Fenton (strained hamstring) and Trent McDuffie (still on injured reserve with strained left hamstring) and rookie safety Bryan Cook (league’s concussion protocol). Such circumstances meant rookie cornerback Joshua Williams, a fourth-round pick, was likely to be in one-on-one matchups against Diggs and Davis. The Bills scored two touchdowns, one each for Diggs and Davis, with Williams in man coverage. If the two teams have a rematch in the postseason, the Chiefs will hope that their defense will be more intact than Sunday’s game.
GO DEEPER
In a battle of elite offenses, Chiefs’ failure to close out Bills late proves costly
How the Bills overcame multiple challenges
Joe Buscaglia, Bills writer: The Bills battled through little mini-tests as the game went on. First, it was a lack of finishing touch on their offensive drives that yielded touchdowns. With only three points to show for most of their first half, the Bills finally broke through for their first touchdown with only 16 seconds to play in the first 30 minutes. They also had to battle through multiple injuries — one to their starting right tackle, two others to two cornerbacks, yet they still kept going even with weaker players. They entered the fourth quarter ceding yards quite easily, but closed the door on two straight drives to help set up the Bills offense to take the lead.
And then, finally, even when conventional Mahomes wisdom said that they had scored with too much time remaining and 1:04 on the clock, the Bills closed the door in two plays and forced their newfound rivals into their second loss.
What’s next for Buffalo?
Tim Graham, Buffalo senior writer: What strange days they were, checking the point spread of Bills at Chiefs and seeing Mahomes getting points Sunday in Arrowhead Stadium, the first time that’s happened after 41 straight games as the home favorite. The Bills validated the abnormality by not only winning but also covering the spread. Furthermore, their 5-1 record and manageable remaining schedule put the AFC in their control.
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Buffalo has much to sharpen up, but conveniently is entering the bye week. “Room to improve” must be a scary concept for the rest of the NFL. Missed tackles, untidy coverages and untimely defensive penalties abounded, but the Bills didn’t flinch. They still were too good to lose.
(Photo: Jay Biggerstaff / USA Today)
