Rapid reaction as Allen, Bishop power Buffalo Bills to Week 9 win over Chiefs

Facing immense scrutiny over the past several weeks, the Buffalo Bills have silenced the doubters with a two-game winning streak, with the latest victory coming over the rival Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9.

The Bills were propelled to a 28-21 win by the efforts of their MVP quarterback, Josh Allen, who recorded a monstrous effort to help Buffalo improve to 6-2 on the year. In sending the Chiefs to 5-4 on the season, Cole Bishop put forth a coming-of-age performance for the Bills’ defense, which limited Kansas City’s Super-Bowl-winning QB to a modest offensive display in defeat.

With the win, the Bills keep pace with the first-place New England Patriots (7-2), while the Chiefs fall even fourth behind top dog, the Denver Broncos (7-2), in the AFC West.

Let’s dive into how Buffalo’s big win over Kansas City came to be with a Rapid Reaction to Sunday’s contest:

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs with the ball in the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Allen announces he’s back

After absorbing an early-season lull, the Bills' quarterback returned to form against the Chiefs, finishing an explosive first half 15 of 17 passing for 176 yards and two total touchdowns (one passing, one rushing). Allen did not record a single incompletion on Buffalo’s three first-half touchdown drives, finishing those three possessions a perfect 12 of 12 passing.

He made history in more ways than one during Sunday’s game, including recording his 78th and 79th career rushing touchdowns, which surpassed former Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton (77) for the most all-time by a quarterback.

Allen was masterful throughout the rivalry matchup, finishing 22 of 36 passing for 273 yards and a touchdown, while adding two rushing touchdowns. He shut up plenty of critics, myself included, and proved once again why he is one of the best in the league.

MORE: Buffalo Bills starting CB will not play in Week 9 vs. Kansas City Chiefs, other inactives

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) catches a pass during the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Everybody Eats

The Chiefs have tried to steal the Bills’ ‘Everybody Eats’ offensive philosophy in recent weeks. But on Sunday, Buffalo showed Kansas City how it's done.

During Allen’s torrid first-half performance, he completed passes to eight different pass catchers: tight end Dalton Kincaid, TE Dawson Knox, TE Jackson Hawes, wide receiver Khalil Shakir, WR Tyrell Shavers, WR Curtis Samuel, WR Keon Coleman and running back Ty Johnson.

The Bills' quarterback was dicing up the Kansas City secondary and could do no wrong in this game. Allen finished the game connecting with a total of 10 different pass catchers, with Shakir leading the way with seven receptions.

National Tight Ends Day

All three Bills' tight ends came away with a reception during the first half, while fullback/TE Reggie Gilliam aided Allen’s touchdown run, which came on a tush push with Gilliam shoving Allen in from behind.

Kincaid finished the game as the Bills’ leading receivier, totaling six receptions for 101 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown catch and a long reception of 47 yards. Knox added a 30-yard reception, and Hawes caught a pass for 18 yards. The trio was at the forefront of the Bills’ downfield passing game, which saw a significant resurgence against Kansas City.

Kincaid is having a remarkable season, as he is up to 27 receptions for 411 yards and four touchdowns on the season after Sunday’s performance. He is as critical as any player to the Bills’ success offensively. Buffalo must keep him healthy moving forward.

MORE: Bills safety Cole Bishop's vicious hit sends Chiefs TE Travis Kelce to locker room

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Joey Bosa (97) pressures Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) in the second half at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Defense wins

As well as Allen played on Sunday, the defense complemented its quarterback with a heroic effort of its own.

Buffalo held the Chiefs to 1 for 5 on third down and 0 for 1 on fourth down during the first half and carried its momentum into a solid second-half effort. The Bills sacked quarterback Patrick Mahomes three times en route to the conference victory. Mahomes finished the first half 7 of 15 passing, which was the first time since the 2020 season he finished the first half with under a sub-50% completion rate. His 44% completion rate for the game was the worst of any performance of his career and the first time he finished a game completing less than half of his passes.

The Bills’ pass rush got home, the secondary held its own, and Buffalo got the performance it was looking for against the previously scorching Chiefs’ offense.

Coming-of-age effort

Second-year safety Cole Bishop has been much maligned since he was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He has struggled with injuries and underperformed at times early in his career. But when the Bills needed him most, he came through with a signature performance.

Bishop made a massive impact from pillar to post against the Chiefs, finishing the game with a team-high seven tackles, including one tackle for loss, and four passes defensed. And it wasn’t just his stats that left an impression in Sunday’s game, as Bishop made a number of plays that helped shift the game in Buffalo’s favor.

The second-year safety had an early pass breakup on fourth down, helped force an incompletion on a third-down play before halftime, leading to a field goal, and made two plays on Kansas City’s first second-half possession that helped lead to a punt. He then batted a ball down on third down on the Chiefs' final drive.

Bishop was all over the field and in big spots, helping guide the Bills to a resounding win.

Free Hairston

The Bills’ first-round rookie cornerback proved himself in a big spot on Sunday, lining up in man coverage against the Chiefs’ speedy second-year wide receiver Xavier Worthy on more than one occasion in press man coverage and holding his own before coming up with a game-clinching interception, the first of his career, late in the fourth quarter.

The snap-count numbers will come out on Monday, but the rookie was again in a rotation with veteran Tre’Davious White, with his first action coming on the Chiefs’ second offensive drive.

Crushing blow

First-year Bills pass rusher Michael Hoecht was lost for the season during the Week 9 win, sustaining an Achilles injury that forced him to the sideline for much of the fourth quarter.

Hoecht had come on strong since returning from a six-game suspension, recording a couple of sacks and four tackles in his first two games with the team.

Aside from the bad news regarding Hoecht’s injury, the Bills’ pass rush put on quite a show against the Chiefs, downing Mahomes for three sacks.

— Sign up for OnSI’s Free Buffalo Bills Newsletter —

More Buffalo Bills News:

'Internal NFL cap report' reveals serious obstacle for Bills on trade market

Depleted Bills have reasons to be serious buyers heading toward NFL trade deadline

How two Bills' free-agent DL additions came off suspension and to the rescue

Toronto Blue Jays' World Series return creates good Super Bowl omen for Buffalo Bills