Getty Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Bills quarterback Josh Allen on October 16, 2022.
Patrick Mahomes is about to enter uncharted territory against the Buffalo Bills, and he’s prepared to enter a hostile atmosphere to do it.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback will be playing a true road playoff game for the first time in his career, playing a divisional-round game in Buffalo against a surging Bills team. Though the Chiefs knocked the Bills out of the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, both games were played at Arrowhead Stadium and Mahomes said traveling to Buffalo will be a new challenge for his team.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play a lot of games at home at Arrowhead Stadium,” Mahomes said, via NBC Sports. “But now we have a great opportunity to go on the road, play in a hostile environment, one where I haven’t been able to play with fans in the stands. Even though I know it’s going to be hostile and there are going to be people talking trash, I’m excited for it because it’s one of the best environments in football, and you want to do that when you grow up watching these games, play in the best environment and see what it’s like.”
Patrick Mahomes on ‘Mindset’ Against Bills
Even though this will be the first time Mahomes has played outside of Kansas City in the playoffs — aside from his three neutral-site Super Bowl appearances — the former league MVP said the team is preparing the same as every other week.
“I go into every game with the same mindset, and that’s to go out there and win. We understand it’s going to be a great challenge, we understand it’s going to be a hostile environment, and we’re playing a great football team,” Mahomes said.
The Chiefs face another challenge in playing a Bills team that has reeled off six straight wins since falling to 6-6. The Bills were able to erase the Miami Dolphins’ three-game division lead with five games left to play, clinching their fourth straight division title with a Week 18 win in Miami.
“We know it’s going to be a great challenge for us but our mindset is we’re going to prepare ourselves this week to go out there to win the football game, and that never changes,” Mahomes said.
Josh Allen Happy to ‘Finally’ Have a Home Game Against Mahomes
The Bills have found plenty of regular-season success against Mahomes, winning each of the last three meetings between the teams, but lost twice in heartbreaking fashion in the playoffs. The Bills fell flat against the 2021 AFC Championship game, and lost the infamous “13 seconds” game the following year when they failed to hold a lead in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter.
Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen has quickly become the best QB rivalry in the league and it’s not hard to see why.
The two are 3-3 head-to-head and about to meet in the postseason for the third time in the last four years. (THREAD)
Bills quarterback Josh Allen said he’s glad to finally be bringing the rivalry back to Buffalo for the latest meeting between the AFC powerhouses.
“They’ve gotten the best of us in the playoffs the last few years,” Allen said, via NBC Sports. “We finally got a home game, and we’ve got to go out there and put our best foot forward and play as best as we can play.”
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Patrick Mahomes Gets Honest About ‘Hostile’ Trip to Face Bills