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The Payments’ 38-20 beatdown of the Chiefs on Sunday night time in Week 5 was a stunning consequence to many who comply with the NFL. The Blils? They’re, by far, in the least shocked.
Buffalo has been constructing towards beating Kansas Metropolis because it misplaced by the same rating, 38-24, in final season’s AFC championship sport. The Payments simply wanted the prospect to execute their rematch sport plan with improved personnel and for Josh Allen to ship higher quarterback play than Patrick Mahomes.
The Payments could not have dreamed up a greater option to show they had been the higher staff for this season. At 4-1, they’re two video games and a head-to-head tiebreaker up on the 2-3 Chiefs for the highest AFC playoff seed, which comes with the lone bye and home-field benefit.
BILLS-CHIEFS: Live scoring updates, highlights
Ought to the groups meet once more within the postseason, there is a good probability the subsequent rematch will likely be at Buffalo. Heck, it could already be between the Payments and one other staff for No. 1, with the red-hot Chargers main the AFC West at 4-1 and the Ravens on the point of matching that mark from the AFC North.
That is how large the Payments defeating the Chiefs of their third strive with Allen vs. Mahomes was. The query is, how did they do it? Here is breaking down Buffalo’s breakthrough:
No blitzing of Mahomes, all entrance 4
Payments coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier know that sending further stress on Mahomes and creating favorable one-on-one matchups is a recipe for catastrophe, because it facilitates the massive cross performs the Chiefs wish to hit. It is an ages-old blueprint to need to stress the quarterback with solely 4 rushers whereas persistently dropping seven males into protection. However few groups can pull it off towards a QB of Mahomes’ caliber.
The Buccaneers did in Tremendous Bowl 55 vs. Mahomes, profiting from the Chiefs lacking each beginning offensive tackles. That they had the disruptive rushers to get to Mahomes in and out, plus the rangy linebackers and defensive backs to comprise brief and intermediate performs. The Payments proved they’ve the personnel to achieve success copycats.
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Since 2019, the Payments have been loading up on the line of defense. Over three drafts, they invested excessive picks in deal with Ed Oliver and ends A.J. Epenesa, Greg Rousseau and Boogie Basham. They joined with longtime stalwart Jerry Hughes and two former Panthers who’re acquainted to McDermott, deal with Star Lotulelei and finish Mario Addison.
Rookies Rousseau (first spherical) and Basham (second spherical) did not waste time in turning into game-changers vs. the Chiefs; they mixed for 1.5 sacks (Hughes had the opposite half). Rousseau, who has change into an instantaneous influence starter, additionally made an athletic interception of Mahomes off a rush to squash a possible TD drive.
The Chiefs rebuilt their offensive line effectively. The main focus was on the inside with guards Joe Thuney and Trey Smith and heart Creed Humphrey, the latter two being rookies. However the Payments stored their rotation our bodies contemporary, permitting them to have the power to push after Mahomes and stuff the run all sport. Additionally they took benefit of Kansas Metropolis nonetheless being weaker on the perimeters.
The Payments had their entrance 4 working at a disruptive degree, however in actuality, it was a “entrance eight” making Mahomes see double. The consequence was impatience and inaccuracy.
No large performs allowed, all deep zone
These cross rushers and line controllers had been simply half the equation. The Payments had been with out cowl exterior linebacker Matt Milano, however that did not matter as a result of Tremaine Edmunds and A.J. Klein made up for it on the second degree and safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde cleaned up.
The Payments’ strong cornerbacks had been crushed a fair proportion on shorter routes, each exterior within the slot, however the again seven collectively stored tight finish Travis Kelce and vast receiver Tyreek Hill from connecting on house runs with Mahomes. When Mecole Hardman is the Cheifs’ main receiver, it is an incredible night time for a protection.
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The Payments did not make any offseason additions there; Edmunds has developed into a greater all-around playmaker and Poyer and Hyde have change into in lockstep with one another in zone. The Payments schemed higher to place themselves in comfy spots. Hyde was in the correct spot when Mahomes and Hill could not join, and he turned his INT right into a pick-six earlier than Rousseau obtained his decide.
The Chiefs performed into the palms of the Payments’ deep zone by not operating the ball with somebody apart from Mahomes sufficient early within the sport. Mahomes pressured passes that weren’t there, and the mix of stress and protection led to lots of misfires beneath.
The Payments broke their tendencies towards Mahomes and the Chiefs did not deploy the required countermeasures. That made Mahomes really feel like he was again in Tampa in Feburary.
Nobody receiver, all of them
The Payments knew that Chiefs high cornerback Charvarius Ward was out for the sport. That meant much more Allen passes to vast receiver Stefon Diggs, his BFF and dominant go-to man, proper? Diggs did catch a 61-yard strike, however he had just one different catch within the sport on simply 5 targets. Allen determined to carve up the Chiefs with two new downfield toys, breakout third-year tight finish Dawson Knox (three catches, 117 yards, one TD) and savvy new No. 2 wideout Emmanuel Sanders (three catches, 54 yards, two TDs).
Lengthy scoring bombs early to Sanders and Knox set the tone: The Payments can be the versatile aggressors within the passing sport, very similar to Mahomes is in throwing downfield to HIll and Kelce. The Payments did not want way more from their different receivers with that trio going off, however they nonetheless managed to get chunk positive aspects throwing to breakout second-year operating again Zack Moss.
The Chiefs had been dazed and confused in protection as a extra mature Allen distributed the ball at the next degree. Their weaknesses at linebacker — which typically trickle all the way down to security — imply they battle to cowl tight ends and backs. As a lot because the Payments like spreading the sphere with vast receivers, credit score offensive coordinator Brian Daboll for diversifying how Allen obtained his large cross performs, one thing the Chiefs did not do sufficient with Mahomes.
No restrict, all Allen
Allen is robust athlete with terrific speeding abilities, however that a part of his sport had been reined in a bit earlier than Week 5, given how effectively had been passing to extra targets. Daboll and Allen did not maintain again towards the Chiefs, understanding how a lot they’d hassle with big-armed, cell QBs in earlier video games — see the losses to Lamar Jackson’s Ravens and Justin Herbert’s Chargers.
They got here out operating with Allen in key spots and did not cease till the ultimate scoring drive. Via his 11 carries for 59 yards and the sport’s first TD, Allen made it clear he would take over this sport along with his legs, arm and improvisation, not Mahomes. He gave an overwhelmed Chiefs protection one other ingredient about which to fret.
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Allen nonetheless has moments of wildness the place it appears as if he is operating with reckless abandon or trying an excessive amount of for the massive play, which results in brief possessions. However he was quick, livid and centered Sunday, to the purpose he would do something he wanted to win the sport and understanding he had the inexperienced gentle from Daboll and McDermott.
It takes a gifted protection that is deep in every single place to comprise Mahomes. It additionally takes a quarterback who’s able to taking part in at Mahomes’ standard lofty degree towards the Chiefs’ protection. The Bucs had each within the Tremendous Bowl, the latter simply occurring to be the GOAT, Tom Brady.
The Payments’ protection did every little thing it needed to do towards Mahomes. Allen made positive he took care of the remaining as Buffalo screamed to everybody that it is the new AFC championship favourite.
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