High 3 issues we discovered from Payments at Chiefs | AFC Championship Sport 2024 – BuffaloBills.com

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The Buffalo Payments had their memorable 2024 season come to a screeching halt in Kansas Metropolis because the Chiefs defeated the Payments 32-29 in a back-and-forth, drama-filled AFC Championship recreation.
Listed below are the highest three issues we discovered from Payments-Chiefs.
On an evening crammed with fixed momentum swings, 4 lead adjustments and 742 complete yards of offense, it was Chiefs fourth quarter execution on a handful performs late within the fourth quarter that proved why they’re back-to-back Tremendous Bowl champions.
“To be the champs you gotta beat the champs and we did not do it tonight,” stated a somber Josh Allen postgame.
The Payments, who had clawed again from deficits of 21-10 and 29-22 earlier within the evening, discovered themselves in a spot the place they managed their very own destiny. Josh Allen with the ball in his arms beneath 4 minutes remaining in a recreation with an opportunity to take the lead and probably win the sport.
Allen stated after the sport he felt “good and relaxed” earlier than the ultimate drive.
Trailing 32-29 and three:33 on the clock, the Payments rapidly gained a primary down because of a 13-yard scramble. They gained simply 5 yards on their subsequent two performs, citing a 4th and 5 from their very own 47.
On Allen’s 4th and a couple of landing run earlier within the season, Kansas Metropolis confirmed strain however solely rushed 4, permitting Allen free entry to go away the pocket for his 26-yard TD run. This time, the Chiefs introduced security Justin Reid and nook Trent McDuffie on a blitz from the best aspect, which caught Allen without warning, as he believed Kansas Metropolis’s preliminary look was a blitz from the left aspect.
‘They gave a very good look and did not see something in my first cadence. We had been sliding (O-line safety) left, nook got here, and yeah,” a somber Allen stated postgame.
Allen needed to bail from the pocket and throw up a prayer to TE Dalton Kincaid who needed to change course and regulate, however the ball went by means of the arms of the 2023 first spherical choose.
“The alternatives are to catch it and it needs to be a catch,” Kincaid admitted.
And similar to that, the chance to punch a ticket to the Tremendous Bowl slipped by means of Buffalo’s grasp once more. Sunday marked the fourth time within the final 5 seasons that the Chiefs have ended the Payments postseason run.
“You possibly can both get it finished or you’ll be able to’t and we did not get it finished,” Allen stated. “They’ve ended a number of groups’ seasons too. It is a good squad, that they had a very good plan tonight, and once more they made yet another play than we did.”
One in every of Buffalo’s most profitable performs this season had been their QB sneak aka the ‘Snow Plow’ with Allen and a operating again or receiver pushing him ahead. Previous to the AFC Championship, the Payments had been 20 for 21 on quick yardage QB sneaks. Sunday, they had been simply 2 of 5.
In response to Subsequent Gen Stats, the three stops had been probably the most run stuffs by a protection in opposition to QB sneaks in a recreation within the NGS period (since 2016).
“They obtained massive guys in there and so they performed it properly,” Allen stated.
Essentially the most vital unsuccessful QB sneak got here on a drive within the fourth quarter the place the Payments turned the ball over on the KC 41-yard line whereas holding a 22-21 lead. A landing might’ve made it a two possession recreation, as a substitute the Chiefs obtained the ball and responded with a 59-yard TD drive to take the lead — and a profitable two-point conversion to make it 29-22.
Head coach Sean McDermott admitted that the replay angles muddied the view on replay, however nonetheless believed that Josh’s physique — and the soccer — obtained the road to achieve.
“I assumed he had it. Simply wanting the road was truly the primary down, what it seemed prefer to me when it was sitting subsequent to me with the marker. Simply inside that white stripe was the primary down. And it seemed like he obtained to it, that is all I can say,” he stated.
McDermott added that Buffalo felt assured going into the sport that they’d be capable to convert these quick yardage alternatives, however was upset they had been unable to take action.
“(Chiefs) had been doing a very good job. I assumed total, perhaps we might have disguised it, perhaps not, however on the finish of the day, we have now confidence in Josh and our offensive line to get these. We would been getting all of them 12 months,” McDermott stated.
On the opposite aspect of the ball, the Chiefs put up 32 factors – probably the most they’ve scored in a recreation this season. Buffalo switched issues up defensively, going with a close to 50-50 break up of man and zone protection.
In response to Subsequent Gen Stats, the Payments performed man protection on practically half of Mahomes’ dropbacks (47.1%), the protection’s highest charge throughout 9 profession matchups in opposition to Mahomes. The Chiefs QB was practically flawless on these performs, going 12 of 15 for 169 yards & TD.
Mahomes additionally made an impression on the bottom, speeding for 2 touchdowns, together with the go-ahead TD within the fourth quarter.
“We simply did not make sufficient performs, myself included – beginning with myself,” stated LB Terrel Bernard. “Third downs, we did not get off the sphere sufficient. We did not take the ball away sufficient. After which within the vital moments of the sport, we gotta step up and make performs, and we did not do this sufficient.”
The Payments exchanged back-and-forth blows with the Chiefs for 60 minutes and obtained essential contributions from a handful of gamers on offense and the sport’s solely turnover from one in every of their greatest defensive gamers.
DT Ed Oliver pounced on a unfastened ball after a failed learn choice trade by Mahomes and RB Isiah Pacheco within the first quarter. The takeaway got here at an necessary a part of the sooner portion of the sport because the Chiefs had been driving with an opportunity to go up 14-3.
As an alternative, the Payments obtained the ball and drove down the sphere for a 10-play, 72-yard drive that resulted in a James Prepare dinner landing run to take the lead.
The Chiefs rattled off two touchdowns thereafter to go up 21-10, however Prepare dinner helped spark Buffalo’s comeback particularly within the second half. The Payments leaned on their third-round RB who helped the bottom recreation get downhill and made an unimaginable effort on a fourth down run on the objective line to achieve over the white stripe.
Prepare dinner ended the sport with 85 speeding yards, two speeding touchdowns and 49 yards receiving.
WRs Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins every scored as properly at massive spots within the recreation.
Hollins made an unimaginable 34-yard landing seize ultimately zone earlier than halftime to chop the deficit to 21-16, needing simply 0.5 yards of separation in opposition to All-Professional CB Trent McDuffie.
Samuels’ fourth down landing at 6:20 within the fourth quarter tied the sport up at 29-29, earlier than Kansas Metropolis kicked the go-ahead area objective on the following drive.
Payments protection punches again, trusting the bottom recreation and taking part in turnover-free soccer
The Buffalo Payments took down the Denver Broncos 31-7 within the Wild Card spherical of the 2024 NFL Playoffs
Rookies have a giant day, information damaged & incentives met 
The Payments have scored 40+ factors in three of their final 4 video games and set the franchise report for many factors scored in a season (509). 
Prepare dinner delivers one other 100-yard speeding efficiency, protection forces a trio of takeaways & extra from Sunday’s 24-21 win
Payments’ historic numbers on offense continues, Stopping Lions’ run recreation and Buffalo’s three-headed RB assault
Unraveling the ultimate minutes, Allen’s enormous recreation and Buffalo’s protection unable to resolve the Rams
Payments sprint within the snow with floor recreation, Allen-Cooper’s insane lateral TD and extra 
Josh Allen meets the second, Payments protection forces takeaways & benefit in key metrics
Protection flusters Joe Flacco, Josh Allen makes it work with out prime playmakers and greatest group begin since 1993
 The Payments enhance to 7-2 on the 12 months and have received 4 video games in a row.
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