How the Kansas City Chiefs were buffaloed by Josh Allen & the Bills: Report card

Quarterback Josh Allen’s 26-yard touchdown run with 2:17 remaining clinched the Buffalo Bills’ 30-21 victory over the Chiefs on Sunday, ending Kansas City’s winning streak at 15 games.

The Chiefs, who’d been the last undefeated team of the 2024 NFL season, fell to 9-1..

KC STAR OF THE GAME

Chiefs tight end Noah Gray entered the game with four career touchdowns and none this season. That changed Sunday.

Gray was on the receiving end of two Patrick Mahomes scoring strikes. The second included some nice ad-libbing on the part of both players, with Gray securing the ball in the back of the end zone.

Next: The Chiefs finish the NFC portion of their schedule when they visit the Carolina Panthers next weekend. Kickoff is noon (Central Time) and the game will be broadcast on CBS (Channel 5 in Kansas City)..

The Panthers are 3-7 but have won two straight and are coming off their bye week.

REPORT CARD

Passing offense: C

Mahomes’ interception on the game’s second play came on a ball that shouldn’t have been thrown, but the pocket collapsed quickly and he wanted to make something happen.

Mahomes bounced back with a solid outing, throwing three touchdown passes in a game for the second time this season. He threw one more pick at the end of the game, ending KC’s last drive.

Rookie wideout Xavier Worthy was an early-game favorite, with four receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown in the first half. As well as he played, though, he missed out on a deep connection again. In the second quarter, he broke free from coverage and Mahomes hit him near the sideline with a deep ball.

But Worthy couldn’t drag the foot that would have ensured the completion.

Rushing offense: C

After getting stuffed by the Denver Broncos last week, the Chiefs and Kareem Hunt had more success between the tackles. KC also looked to get around the corner via the speed of Worthy and Mecole Hardman.

Hunt rumbled for a 17-yard run in the fourth quarter and finished with 60 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry.

In the third quarter, a holding penalty on Wanya Morris wiped out a first-down run by Mahomes at midfield. The Chiefs wound up punting.

Passing defense: D

The Chiefs needed to come up with a stop and not let Allen and the Bills bleed the clock as the final minutes were ticking down in the fourth quarter.

But the Bills, mostly with a short passing attack, nicked the Chiefs on a 12-play, 70-yard drive that killed nearly six minutes and ended with Allen’s touchdown run.

Allen isn’t having a big season in terms of passing stats, but he sure burned the Chiefs on a 12-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Samuel. The Chiefs brought heat, Samuel found space and Allen found Samuel, giving Buffalo a two-score lead.

Chamarri Conner’s 29-yard interception return on Allen’s ill-advised fourth-down pass set up the Chiefs’ second touchdown.

The Bills were operating without rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid, but veteran Amari Cooper burned the Chiefs for a couple of long receptions early..

Rushing defense: F

The Chiefs had done a nice job of containing Allen’s running game ... until it mattered most.

Facing a fourth-and-2 from the KC 26 and protecting a two-point lead, Bills coach Sean McDermott decided to go for it. Allen made him look like a genius with a tackle-breaking touchdown run.

Entering this game, Allen had averaged 58 rushing yards against the Chiefs in seven contests. And he would’ve been held well below that Sunday were it not for that 26-yard TD run. He finished with 55.

The Chiefs otherwise did a nice job with the Bills’ running backs, but Allen’s big moment sinks their grade here.

Special teams: B

Hat’s off to the newest Chiefs player, kicker Spencer Shrader, who ably handled the placekicking chores in place of injured Harrison Butker.

Shrader, an undrafted rookie playing in his third NFL game, made all three extra points and put most of his kickoffs in the end zone.