The Kansas City Chiefs trailed for the entirety of the second half, unable to catch up with the Buffalo Bills as the Chiefs fell 28-21 on Sunday, Nov. 2 at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Despite having a chance to tie the game on the final drive, the Chiefs trailed the Bills in nearly every metric of the game. Patrick Mahomes had one of the least productive games of his career, completing just 15 of his 34 pass attempts for 250 yards and no touchdowns but one interception. By comparison, Josh Allen set a Bills franchise record for pass completions, going 23-for-26 for 273 yards and one touchdown, which he threw on the opening drive to Dalton Kincaid.
The Chiefs were able to tie the game after the Bills turned the ball over on downs, when KC went 53 yards in seven plays, capped by a direct snap to Rashee Rice, who ran it in from three yards out. A Harrison Butker field goal from 46 yards gave the Chiefs their only lead on the next drive. Buffalo would score on their next two possessions, starting with a three-yard run by Ty Johnson and then a Josh Allen keeper. The Chiefs were held to a second Butker field goal, this time from 19 yards, after the Bills defense stalled the drive just shy of the goal line.
The Chiefs and Bills exchanged punts for much of the third quarter, before the Bills made it a two-possession lead with another Allen keeper from the one. The Bills defense nearly had another crucial stop when the Chiefs went for it on fourth and long, but Mahomes still had a bit of magic in him, completing a 29-yard pass to Rice. The Chiefs ran the ball on the next four plays, culminating in a two-yard touchdown dash by Kareem Hunt on fourth and one.
The Chiefs had two drives to tie the game; the first ended with an interception by Maxwell Hairston. The Bills allowed the Chiefs to get the ball back with 22 seconds remaining after attempting a 52-yard field goal, which Matt Prater doinked off the right upright. Mahomes completed an 18-yard pass to Xavier Worthy on the first play of the drive, but threw three incompletions toward the end zone to run out the clock.
The Chiefs defense had few answers for tight end Dalton Kincaid, who led the Bills’ receivers with 101 yards on six catches, including his touchdown catch. James Cook the Third recorded 27 carries for 114 yards. The Chiefs were led in the air by Rashee Rice, who had four catches for 80 yards, while Kareem Hunt paced the running game with 49 yards on 11 carries.
The Chiefs enter the bye week with a 5-4 record, a half-game behind Jacksonville for the final wild card spot and third in the AFC West. After the bye week, the Chiefs travel to Denver to face the AFC West-leading Broncos, who have defeated the Chiefs at Mile High Stadium the past two seasons.