High 3 issues we discovered from Payments at Chiefs | AFC Championship Recreation 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 sport.
Listed below are the highest three issues we discovered from Payments-Chiefs.
On an evening stuffed with fixed momentum swings, 4 lead modifications and 742 whole 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 night time, discovered themselves in a spot the place they managed their very own destiny. Josh Allen with the ball in his arms underneath 4 minutes remaining in a sport with an opportunity to take the lead and doubtlessly 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 pair 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 correct facet, which caught Allen abruptly, as he believed Kansas Metropolis’s preliminary look was a blitz from the left facet.
‘They gave look and did not see something in my first cadence. We have 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 path and alter, 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 identical 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 may both get it completed or you possibly can’t and we did not get it completed,” Allen stated. “They’ve ended a whole lot of groups’ seasons too. It is a good squad, that they had plan tonight, and once more they made yet another play than we did.”
Considered one 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 have been 20 for 21 on quick yardage QB sneaks. Sunday, they have been simply 2 of 5.
In accordance with Subsequent Gen Stats, the three stops have been essentially the most run stuffs by a protection in opposition to QB sneaks in a sport within the NGS period (since 2016).
“They acquired large guys in there and so they performed it properly,” Allen stated.
Probably the most important 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 sport, as an alternative the Chiefs acquired 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 — acquired the road to achieve.
“I believed he had it. Simply wanting the road was really 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 acquired to it, that is all I can say,” he stated.
McDermott added that Buffalo felt assured going into the sport that they’d have the ability to convert these quick yardage alternatives, however was upset they have been unable to take action.
“(Chiefs) have been doing job. I believed total, possibly we might have disguised it, possibly not, however on the finish of the day, we’ve confidence in Josh and our offensive line to get these. We would been getting all of them 12 months,” McDermott stated.
On the opposite facet of the ball, the Chiefs put up 32 factors – essentially the most they’ve scored in a sport this season. Buffalo switched issues up defensively, going with a close to 50-50 break up of man and zone protection.
In accordance with Subsequent Gen Stats, the Payments performed man protection on almost half of Mahomes’ dropbacks (47.1%), the protection’s highest fee throughout 9 profession matchups in opposition to Mahomes. The Chiefs QB was almost flawless on these performs, going 12 of 15 for 169 yards & TD.
Mahomes additionally made an influence on the bottom, dashing 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 important moments of the sport, we gotta step up and make performs, and we did not try this sufficient.”
The Payments exchanged back-and-forth blows with the Chiefs for 60 minutes and acquired essential contributions from a handful of gamers on offense and the sport’s solely turnover from one among their greatest defensive gamers.
DT Ed Oliver pounced on a unfastened ball after a failed learn possibility alternate by Mahomes and RB Isiah Pacheco within the first quarter. The takeaway got here at an essential a part of the sooner portion of the sport because the Chiefs have been driving with an opportunity to go up 14-3.
As a substitute, the Payments acquired the ball and drove down the sphere for a 10-play, 72-yard drive that led to 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 sport get downhill and made an unbelievable effort on a fourth down run on the aim line to achieve over the white stripe.
Prepare dinner ended the sport with 85 dashing yards, two dashing touchdowns and 49 yards receiving.
WRs Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins every scored as properly at large spots within the sport.
Hollins made an unbelievable 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 aim on the following drive.
Payments protection punches again, trusting the bottom sport and enjoying 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 dashing efficiency, protection forces a trio of takeaways & extra from Sunday’s 24-21 win
Payments’ historic numbers on offense continues, Stopping Lions’ run sport and Buffalo’s three-headed RB assault
Unraveling the ultimate minutes, Allen’s enormous sport and Buffalo’s protection unable to resolve the Rams
Payments sprint within the snow with floor sport, 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 high playmakers and greatest staff begin since 1993
 The Payments enhance to 7-2 on the 12 months and have gained 4 video games in a row.
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