NFL Divisional Round Playoff - Kansas City at Buffalo

January 19, 2024 by Joseph Santoliquito, MaxwellFootballClub.org

Call it Allen-Mahomes VII.

Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, who have split six all-time meetings, face off again when Buffalo hosts Kansas City in another win-or-go-home encounter on Sunday (6:30 p.m., CBS, Paramount+). Both teams are 12-6.

Allen owns a 3-1 advantage in regular-season games, including a critical 20-17 victory earlier this season in Kansas City, while Mahomes has captured both postseason contests. Some called one of those postseason contests, their 2021 AFC Divisional clash, the best playoff game in league history.

In that meeting, Allen found Gabe Davis for a 19-yard touchdown with 13 seconds remaining in regulation, giving Buffalo a 36-33 lead. But Mahomes stunned everyone by completing passes to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce in just 10 seconds, setting up Harrison Butker’s 49-yard field goal as the fourth quarter ended. And after Kansas City won the toss and Mahomes orchestrated a game-winning touchdown drive on the Chiefs’ first overtime possession, the game served as a catalyst to change league rules. Months later, the NFL voted to require both teams the opportunity to possess the ball in overtime even if the first team scores a touchdown.

That game also marked the only NFL contest (regular season or playoffs) in the Super Bowl era in which each starting quarterback threw for 300 yards, three-or-more touchdown passes, did not throw an interception and rushed for at least 60 yards. Mahomes and Allen combined for seven touchdown passes and each led his team in rushing. The pair make for fascinating prop wagers.

Allen in last week’s win scored on a 52-yard run, the longest rush of his career and second-longest rushing touchdown by a quarterback in a postseason game behind Colin Kaepernick (56 yards vs. Green Bay in the 2012 Divisional Playoffs).

Mahomes makes his first postseason road start. He’s 12-3 overall in playoff games, 10-2 in Kansas City and 2-1 in Super Bowls.

Kansas City head coach Andy Reid hasn’t had to coach in a true road game during the playoffs since the 2015 Divisional Round.

Did You Know?

The Chiefs when allowing 17-or-fewer points, including the postseason, have won 45 consecutive games. When Kansas City (12-6) travels to Buffalo (12-6) on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET, CBS, Paramount+), the Chiefs will look to extend the fourth-longest stretch in league history. The teams with the longest winning streaks when allowing 17-or-fewer points, including the postseason, in NFL annals:

TEAM, WINS, YEARS

Chicago, 68, 1983-89
New England, 50, 2001-06
Indianapolis, 49, 2000-07
Kansas City*, 45, 2017-23
*active

Next Gen Stat Of The Week

On his 17-yard touchdown reception last week, Buffalo wide receiver Khalil Shakir had a 0.7-percent chance of scoring when he caught the ball. Shakir has now registered receptions on 16 consecutive targets dating back to Week 16.

Joseph Santoliquito can be followed on twitter @JSantoliquito.

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