ESPN drops early Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs prediction

The Buffalo Bills are set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game.

Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) greets Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) following the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills were able to pull off a hard-fought 27-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens yesterday evening. However, they now face an even tougher test. They will hit the road for a matchup against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game.

These two teams have met quite a few teams in the playoffs in recent years. Things have not gone well for the Bills when they take on the Chiefs.

Hopefully, this year will be different and Buffalo will be able to punch its ticket into the Super Bowl.

With that being said, ESPN's matchup predictor has released its early prediction for the game.

In that matchup predictor, ESPN gives the Bills a 54.6 percent chance of pulling off the win as opposted to Kansas City's 45.4 percent chance.

Obviously, these predictions don't mean much when it comes to the actual game. However, it's always intriguing to see which team is favored.

The Bills defensive line were a major factor in keeping the Baltimore Ravens from scoring during the Buffalo Bills divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 19, 2025. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Buffalo fans are going to love this current outlook for the upcoming showdown. However, the fact of the matter is that beating the Chiefs in the playoffs, especially at Arrowhead Stadium, is a very difficult thing to do. Few teams have been able to do so.

To knock off Kansas City and eliminate their chances of a three-peat, the Bills are going to have to play a nearly perfect game.

First and foremost, Buffalo will need to put pressure on Mahomes and keep him contained in the pocket. They can't afford to let him work his magic outside of the pocket. The defense will also need to limit big chunk plays down the field.

Offensively, Allen and company will need to move the football and take care of it. They cannot afford to have turnovers throughout the game.

As they showed against the Ravens, the Bills are more than capable of playing at an elite level. Next week, they simply have to keep doing so and they need to want the win more.

Hopefully, they are able to come out and start the game strong. Buffalo defeated the Chiefs earlier this season and they simply need to replicate the way they did so on Sunday.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen runs with the ball trying to avoid the reach of Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike during first half action during the Buffalo Bills divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 19, 2025. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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