Chiefs and Bills Face Off in the High-Stakes Game: DeAndre Hopkins Might Be the Decider in Super Bowl Bid
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are riding a streak of eight consecutive playoff wins, which ranks third in the history of the NFL. However, to extend this streak to nine, Mahomes must face off against a familiar foe in the form of the Buffalo Bills.
“Two really good football teams going up against each other. They have great players at every level on both sides of the ball, and they’re well-coached,” Mahomes said of the Bills. “We’ve beaten them in the playoffs, and they’ve beaten us in the regular season. Every game is close, usually coming down to a single play that makes the difference.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is 4-1 against the Chiefs in the regular season, including a key 26-yard touchdown run on fourth down that gave Kansas City a loss in Week 11.
In the postseason, though, Mahomes has been unstoppable. Mahomes is now 3-0 against Allen and the Bills, including one of the all-time greats in the divisional round from 2021, when Kansas City tied it on a 13-second drive late in the fourth quarter and then forced overtime.
Mahomes’ playoff résumé is already the stuff of legend. He is tied for the second-most wins by a starting quarterback with 16 postseason victories. The three-time Super Bowl winner ranks fifth in playoff touchdown passes with 42 and is eighth in postseason passing yards at 5,312. Against Buffalo in three playoff games, Mahomes has accumulated 918 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
“You have to play your best football,” Mahomes said. “Josh [Allen] will come out and play great, especially in big moments. It’s about limiting turnovers, changing field position, and finding ways to win against a great quarterback. It takes your best effort.”
A key piece of Kansas City’s offense will be wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was traded to the Chiefs from the Tennessee Titans in October. Hopkins is a five-time Pro Bowler who has seen 41 catches, 437 yards, and four touchdowns in 10 regular-season games with Kansas City.
The veteran wideout has found a difficult time to step up in key situations this season. He had only three catches for 29 yards in the Week 11 loss to Buffalo and was not thrown to in the Chiefs’ divisional-round win over Houston. Rookie Xavier Worthy was the only Kansas City wide receiver to catch a pass in that game.
For Hopkins, it’s the biggest game of his 12-year NFL career. “Playing for a chance to reach the Super Bowl is a childhood dream,” Hopkins said. “I grew up playing Madden and always aimed for the Super Bowl. This is a lifelong goal.”
While Hopkins is in pursuit of his first AFC championship appearance, head coach Andy Reid and Mahomes are no strangers to the pressure. The Chiefs have reached the AFC championship game for seven consecutive seasons. Securing a third straight Super Bowl berth, however, requires another stellar performance against a team that knows them well.
As Mahomes and Allen are set to renew their rivalry, the focus will be on whether Hopkins can deliver when it matters most. The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown that could determine the path to the Super Bowl.
