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The Buffalo Bills’ upcoming matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs instantly became one of the season’s most highly anticipated games when the schedule was released in May, and the hype has only grown exponentially since.
Amid the debate who is the league’s best quarterback, the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes sent a strong message to his rival on the Bills, Josh Allen.
“When you go up against the other great quarterbacks in the league you want to win, you want to compete,” Mahomes said on October 12. “Josh is a great guy. He’s a great quarterback. Physically talented, he can run, he can throw, he can really do it all. He’s a great dude, too.
“Obviously, when we’re on the football field, we’re competing against each other, and we want to beat each other’s teams. But I have a ton of respect for him and the person he is.”
Allen is fresh off an explosive performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in which he threw for four touchdowns while completing 20-of-31 passes for 424 yards, earning him the honor as the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Week. As for Mahomes, he led a comeback win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football, going 29-of-43 with four touchdown passes and 292 yards.
Allen (+200) and Mahomes (+450) are the top two favorites to win this year’s MVP title, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, fueling the constant comparisons between the two stars.
Fans and analysts heatedly debate whether Mahomes or Allen is the most elite quarterback, and the Bills’ 42-36 overtime loss to the Chiefs in last year’s AFC Divisional Round fueled the rivalry between the two AFC teams. Mahomes and Allen get along off the field and the Chiefs quarterback holds his opponent in high regard.
Allen Said He ‘Loves Watching’ Mahomes Play
During his press conference on October 12, Allen shared his respect for Mahomes as both a person and player. “As a football fan myself… I love watching him play,” the Wyoming alum said. “He’s a fantastic player. He can do everything you want. His teammates love him. I know he’s got a good grasp on the locker room over there — how he carries himself, the things he does off the field for his charity.
“He’s a special football player and a special guy. Anytime he’s playing I think people are watching. … So, us being able over there to play them. … All that aside, we’re just trying to go out there and win.”
Allen also attempted to downplay the hype for this rematch. “I know everybody in the media is going to make a big deal of it but as players, it really is just our next game on our schedule. It’s the biggest one we’re playing because it’s the next one,” Allen added.
“Nothing we did last year carries over to this year. So, we just gotta go out there again in a hostile environment. We know how their crowd is. It’s a fantastic place to play in. … it’s one of the special places you can play in the league. We’re looking forward to the challenge and it’s a really good team we’re about to play.”
Mahomes Is an Underdog at Home for the First Time in His Career
Heading into Week 6, having home-field advantage isn’t shifting the odds for the Chiefs. Mahomes, who was drafted 10th overall by Kansas City in 2017, and made his debut as the team’s starting quarter in Week 17 of that year, has never been deemed the underdog while playing at Arrowhead — until now.
Oddsmakers have the Bills as 2.5 to 3-point favorites to win on the road in Week 6, and according to Front Office Sports, it’s the first time the Chiefs star hasn’t been the betting favorite at home.
Overall, Mahomes is 3-1 against the Bills, including 2-0 in playoff games, and has a QBR rating of 84.2 against Buffalo, per ESPN. While Allen is 1-3 against the Chiefs, the win/loss stat doesn’t do his offensive performance justice. During those three games, the 6-5, 237-pound quarterback threw 11 passing touchdowns and scored one rushing with just two interceptions.
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