Roundtable: Chiefs vs. Bills Preview and Predictions
On Sunday night, the Kansas City Chiefs are at home as they take on the Buffalo Bills in a Week 5 matchup. This is a rematch of last season's AFC Championship Game between two of the NFL's best teams. Despite their bumpy start, the Chiefs have the chance to make a statement with a key win over a premier opponent. The same can be said for Sean McDermott's Bills, too. How will this contest unfold? The Arrowhead Report crew makes their predictions.
Joshua Brisco: This game is shaping up to be an offensive shootout, and I have no doubt that the Chiefs' offense will hold up their end of the bargain, even against the Bills' good-but-untested revamped defense. With significant playoff seeding implications, this is a game the Chiefs need — and also a game where the Bills can prove they're for real. I think the Chiefs' much-maligned defense does just enough to give Patrick Mahomes room to work and Kansas City squeaks out a close one.
Prediction: Chiefs 34, Bills 31
Jordan Foote: This week’s game is shaping up to be one of the best of the entire season. Weather may alter that but with the Chiefs' new-look offensive line paving the way for Clyde Edwards-Helaire, running the ball and following last year’s regular season plan is on the table. I'm still going to roll with a shootout prediction here, and I believe the Chiefs' defense will do just enough to help the offense in the end. It may not be pretty but all things considered, a win is a win against a quality opponent like the Bills.
Prediction: Chiefs 38, Bills 31
Marlow Ferguson Jr.: I’m thinking the Bills have had this game circled on their calendars as a litmus test for how elite they truly are, and the Chiefs know it too. Expect Kansas City to play urgently and finally end their drought of starting games off slowly as both teams put up points early and often. Clyde Edwards-Helaire probably won’t see those same light boxes to the degree that he did a season ago, but there will be enough room for him to keep his rhythm. Pair that with a bounce-back game from Travis Kelce, a big play or two from Hardman and just enough of those bend-but-don’t-break plays from the Chiefs’ defense to prove victorious.
Prediction: Chiefs 37, Bills 33
Conner Christopherson: This is the lynchpin game of the 2021 season for the Chiefs. A loss to the Bills would make the first seed a near-impossibility, but a win would right the ship and let the NFL know the Chiefs are still a top dog. If the Chiefs are going to pull this off, the defense will need to force a few stops or turnovers. If it does, and the offense is its usual self, the Chiefs can pull this off at home under the Sunday Night lights.
Prediction: Chiefs 34, Bills 31
Mark Van Sickle: The Chiefs bounced back on the road against the Eagles and now one of the best teams in the AFC is coming to Kansas City in what should be a fantastic prime time matchup! Both offenses should have a good game, but I think the Chiefs' defense will finally come up with a couple of big turnovers to give the offense enough breathing room to flourish and get the W.
Prediction: Chiefs 41, Bills 34
Taylor Witt: Just when you think you've got this Chiefs team figured out, they throw you a curveball. This matchup screams shootout, as most Chiefs matchups this year will, but I have a feeling the rain will play a factor on both offenses and I've got this one way under Vegas's 56.5 total.
Prediction: Chiefs 24, Bills 21
Sam Hays: As previously mentioned, this is a rematch of last season's AFC Championship Game, and it is very possible that it will be a preview of this season's AFC Championship Game too. The Bills' incredible defensive production to this point and the pure talent of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs makes this team one of the best in all of football, but the Bills' schedule to this point puts pause to believing their defense is actually the best in the NFL.
Plus, Allen and Diggs have had a slow start to the season, making this matchup much easier to expect a Chiefs victory from. I expect a two- or three-touchdown game for Mahomes with Travis Kelce being dominant and Tyreek Hill putting up a couple of the biggest plays of the game. The Bills ought to be competitive and they will likely have plenty of highlights on both offense and defense, but I am not going to go against Mahomes when he is playing as well as any quarterback this season. You could argue Allen hasn't even been a top-20 quarterback so far this year.
Prediction: Chiefs 31, Bills 27
Jacob Harris: I'm going to this game for the first time since 2003 and spent a stupid amount of money to sit in the nosebleeds and, apparently, now also the rain. If the Chiefs don't win, you may never hear from me again.
Prediction: Chiefs 38, Bills 31
