NOV 21, 2024 | SPORTS | By Lily Ljiljanich
The NFL hosted a captivating week eleven, featuring division rivalries, upsets, blowouts and one of the most highly anticipated games of the year: Kansas City Chiefs at the Buffalo Bills. The reigning Super Bowl champions and AFC West league terrors headed north to Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Nov. 17, looking to extend their undefeated season against last year’s AFC East champions, the 8-2 Bills.
According to SportsPro Media, the game drew 31.2 million viewers, the largest television audience of the season and the most watched regular season non-holiday game in over 15 years. Fans across the country swapped out their usual team’s merch for blue and red to temporarily unite behind the Buffalo Bills to take down a common enemy.
Before the Nov. 17 matchup at Highmark Stadium, the Chiefs, led by head coach Andry Reid and two-time league MVP Patrick Mahomes, had won 15 straight games, including nine this fall. Hope was dimming across the league. For fans, Super Bowl dreams felt further out of reach with each adding Chiefs’ victory.
The Chiefs ended Buffalo’s 2023-2024 season last year, knocking the Bulls from a Super Bowl run and the AFC division champion title. Kansas City hadn’t lost since Dec. 25, 2023, marking an almost unprecedented undefeated reign in the NFL.
While deemed the “most overrated quarterback” by surveyed NFL players in an ESPN report, Bills fans turned to Josh Allen to lead the team past Mahomes and the Chiefs. Allen, a zero-star commit out of high school, took the field on Sunday afternoon amidst the roar of the Bills Mafia.
The Chief’s opening drive ended with an abrupt interception off a mid-tackle toss, opening the Bills’ play on an energetic wave through the first quarter. Buffalo capitalized on the takeaway, sending running back James Cook powering into the Bills’ endzone for the game’s first touchdown.
The Chiefs responded with a diving effort to take a 7-6 lead, but Cook couldn’t be stopped. He helped Buffalo regain an edge and hold possession with his second rushing touchdown of the game. Kansas City regained possession on Allen’s only interception of the game, and Mahomes maneuvered the offense into a second touchdown off a quick throw to Noah Gray just inside the endzone on third and goal. At the end of the first half, Bills kicker Tyler Bass secured a slight lead, bringing the Bills to 16-14.
The scoreless third quarter ended swiftly. Allen and Mahomes struggled to convert on third downs, forcing continual punts.
If there is one thing a Buffalo fan can’t forget, it’s that Mahomes only needs 13 seconds to flip a game on its nose and send a playoff team packing. The teams entered the fourth quarter 16-14, but the game wouldn’t end until the final whistle.
Buffalo opened scoring in the fourth quarter. On the 13-yard line, Allen avoided pressure and passed to open Curtis Samuel, who stumbled for a moment before regaining balance and driving into the endzone untouched. Kansas City’s offense responded minutes later by barreling down the field off a 17-yard run into Bills territory by Kareem Hunt, brought down by the last line of Buffalo’s defense. A miscommunication in the Bills’ defense resulted in Gray’s second touchdown reception. The Chiefs closed in on Buffalo’s lead, bringing the score to a nail-biting 23-21. It was anyone’s game.
With under three minutes to play, Buffalo was at a crossroads. After failing to convert on the third down, Allen and his offense stood at fourth and two just under 25 yards. Sending on the kicking unit would only yield a five-point lead, leaving Mahomes two minutes to even the score. Going for a touchdown on a fourth down was bold, but the Bills couldn’t just squeeze their way to victory. They needed to secure it.
Allen needed to put on his superhero cape and secure a much-needed touchdown. Fans were on the edge of their seat. Hearts were racing, palms were perspiring. But Buffalo didn’t need a miracle, just Allen’s athleticism.
The ball was snapped, Allen dropped back, and defensive pressure came quickly. He abandoned the opportunity to pass and lurched forward, dodging an attempted tackle and splitting two more defenders to take the first down.
Allen didn’t stop there. He sped past another airborne Kansas tackle and barreled through the last line of defense into the endzone.
With 2:17 remaining in the game, the Buffalo Bills were up 30-21, ending the Chiefs’ 338-day winning streak. Highmark Stadium erupted in celebration, and NFL fans cheered. Down went the Chiefs.