There have been several major quarterback rivalries in NFL history, the latest being between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. There is officially a new one.
Posted at 8:44 p.m.
When Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen share the floor, it’s a real treat for football fans. A five-course meal washed down with all your favorite wines.
Sunday’s game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs may not have been as spectacular as the one they played in the second round of the playoffs in January, but like last winter’s , he kept us in suspense until the very end.
In the end, Allen was superior to Mahomes and that’s what gave the visitors victory at Arrowhead Stadium. Mahomes threw an interception in the Bills’ end zone on the Chiefs’ first possession, then in the final minute as they trailed 24-20, the final score. Allen’s game, on the other hand, was virtually flawless – as usual.
This is a result that could weigh heavily in the final ranking of the American. Not only do the Bills (5-1) now have a better record than the Chiefs (4-2), they will hold the tiebreaker between the two teams by virtue of this victory.
Home-field advantage will be a big factor in January, especially if the Bills’ opponents have to face them at Orchard Park, in the cold and in front of the Bills Mafia.
The Von Miller Impact
The Bills’ defense had already been solid for a few years, but it lacked a player capable of making the “big” plays in the decisive moments. The absence of a leading watch fighter was detrimental to the whole unit.
Von Miller fixed both issues. The Bills’ $20 million mega-deal has raised eyebrows, but so far it’s paying off. Miller had two sacks, including one that ended a Chiefs streak at 4e quarter when they were already leading 20-17. He was also the one who forced Mahomes to undo a ball a bit quicker than he would have liked on his late-game interception.
PHOTO CHARLIE RIEDEL, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Von Miller and Patrick Mahomes
The Bills defense hadn’t allowed a touchdown in 20 straight series before JuJu Smith-Schuster scored his first in a Chiefs uniform. That’s a remarkable stat considering the many absentees the Bills have had on that side of the ball over the past month. It’s hard enough to stop Allen and company, if the defense continues to excel…
The game was close for 60 minutes but would have been tighter if the Bills hadn’t squandered a few good chances near the Chiefs’ end zone in the first half. Allen finished his day with 327 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Stefon Diggs caught one of the touchdown passes and 10 passes for 148 total yards.
Allen and Diggs are a pair, but probably the NFL’s most effective combination is Mahomes and Travis Kelce. The tight end caught 8 passes for 108 yards and his presence has never been more important for Mahomes and the Chiefs, who continue to adjust to life without Tyreek Hill and his home runs…
Gone are the days when the Chiefs would often score two or three 40-plus-yard touchdowns in the same game.
Mahomes usually has to make 10 or 15 play streaks to reach the end zone. In that sense, Kelce and Smith-Schuster, who led with 113 yards and played his best game with the Chiefs, should be Mahomes’ top two targets through January.
Allen, he looks like Robocop on the ground. Passes as powerful as they are precise. Races that require the presence of three or four rivals to end it. The clubs facing him surely feel there’s nothing they can do to stop him, and they’re probably right. A nasty headache for defensive coordinators…
There are several good quarterbacks in the NFL, especially on the American side. The list is long. On Sunday, the top two gave us another good show. A match that proved those who believe that it is now Allen who is at the top of the hierarchy. We’ve written about it before, but this player’s improvement over the past few years has been mind-blowing. Never seen.