Against the Chiefs, the Bills Continue to Relive the Postseason Horror Film’s Sequel

The Buffalo Bills’ playoff history has been a tale of tantalizing near-misses and heart-wrenching defeats. Over the years, the franchise has endured a roller-coaster of emotions as it has clawed its way back to playoff relevance. The most recent chapter of this saga, however, has been dominated by one team: the Kansas City Chiefs. For the past few seasons, the Bills have found themselves locked in bitter postseason battles with the Chiefs, and each time, the result has been the same: heartbreak.

From the 2020 AFC Championship Game to the dramatic 2021 Divisional Round contest, the Bills have faced off against Patrick Mahomes and company in high-stakes, high-intensity games. Each encounter has felt like a sequel to a tragic film, where the plot of defeat replays with increasingly painful precision. As the Bills continue to meet the Chiefs in the postseason, the question remains: What is it about this matchup that turns the Bills’ hopes of glory into yet another frustrating chapter in the franchise’s history?

The Emergence of the Chiefs as a Dominant Force

To understand why the Bills have struggled so much against the Chiefs, it’s important to first acknowledge the rise of Kansas City as the NFL’s premier team in the last decade. After the Chiefs acquired Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, they quickly transformed into one of the most potent offenses the league has ever seen. With Mahomes under center, the Chiefs became an offensive juggernaut, capable of scoring at will and making any deficit feel insurmountable.

In 2019, the Chiefs won their first Super Bowl in 50 years, defeating the San Francisco 49ers in a thrilling comeback victory. This victory solidified the Chiefs’ status as a dynasty in the making. Led by head coach Andy Reid, Kansas City became known for its explosive offense, dynamic playmaking, and the ability to turn games around in a flash.

For the Buffalo Bills, who were starting to emerge as a contender of their own with quarterback Josh Allen at the helm, the rise of the Chiefs presented a new and daunting challenge. In the AFC, the Bills found themselves in the same division as the New England Patriots, who had dominated for nearly two decades under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. With Brady’s departure to Tampa Bay in 2020, the Bills began to take control of the AFC East, but standing in the way of their quest for an AFC Championship were the Chiefs, the clear favorites to represent the conference in the Super Bowl.

The 2020 AFC Championship Game: A Monumental Letdown

The first true taste of postseason heartbreak for the Bills came in the 2020 AFC Championship Game. After a remarkable season, where Josh Allen took a massive leap forward and the Bills made it to their first AFC Championship Game since 1993, the team found itself on the road at Arrowhead Stadium, facing the Chiefs for a shot at the Super Bowl.

What followed was a frustrating performance for Buffalo. Despite a strong start to the season and an offense that had been humming, the Bills were outclassed by Mahomes and the Chiefs. Kansas City jumped to a commanding lead early in the game, and despite a few flashes of life from the Bills offense, they were never really in the contest. The Chiefs’ offense, led by Mahomes’ arm and the brilliance of their playmakers like Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, simply overwhelmed the Bills’ defense.

On the other side of the ball, Josh Allen and the Bills offense were unable to sustain any meaningful drives. Allen was sacked four times, and his passes were often under duress from the Chiefs’ pass rush. The defense, which had performed admirably during the regular season, struggled to contain the Chiefs’ explosive weapons. The Chiefs won the game 38-24, sending the Bills home with their hopes dashed and their championship dreams deferred. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the franchise, as they realized just how far away they still were from competing with the Chiefs at the highest level.

2021 Divisional Round: A Game for the Ages, Yet Another Defeat

The following year, the Bills were back in the postseason, and this time they weren’t just aiming for a championship appearance—they were out for revenge against the Chiefs. The 2021 season had seen the Bills and Chiefs emerge as two of the top teams in the AFC, and once again, the postseason would be defined by this matchup.

The 2021 Divisional Round between the Bills and Chiefs became one of the most memorable games in NFL history. The two teams exchanged blows in what felt like an offensive shootout for the ages. The game was a back-and-forth thriller, with the lead changing hands multiple times in the final minutes of regulation. Josh Allen was playing the best football of his career, throwing dart after dart to his playmakers and leading the Bills offense to score touchdowns in seemingly impossible situations.

Mahomes, however, was playing just as well. The Chiefs’ offense was relentless, and despite some critical mistakes, they were able to keep pace with the Bills’ high-octane attack. With the game tied at 36-36 late in regulation, it appeared as though both teams had done everything they could to seize the win. But in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, Mahomes managed to orchestrate a quick drive, setting up Harrison Butker for a game-winning field goal as time expired.

The Bills’ heart-breaking defeat was made all the more painful by the fact that they had held the lead in the final moments. The fact that the game came down to a coin flip in overtime, with Mahomes and the Chiefs receiving the ball first, only added to the sense of injustice. In overtime, Mahomes engineered a game-winning touchdown drive, and just like that, the Bills were once again eliminated from playoff contention.

The game was a classic—a testament to the brilliance of both quarterbacks and the explosive nature of both offenses—but it was also a bitter reminder of the gulf that still existed between the Bills and the Chiefs. Despite playing one of the most extraordinary games of his career, Josh Allen still walked away empty-handed, while Mahomes continued to solidify his status as a postseason giant.

Why Do the Bills Struggle Against the Chiefs?

The question remains: Why do the Bills continue to fall short against the Chiefs in the postseason? Several factors contribute to this ongoing narrative of postseason failure.

1. The Mahomes Factor: Patrick Mahomes is an otherworldly talent, and his ability to make plays in critical moments is unparalleled. His poise, arm strength, and improvisational skills make him nearly impossible to stop in high-pressure situations. The Bills’ defense, despite being talented, simply doesn’t have the tools to consistently contain Mahomes. In both the 2020 and 2021 postseason games, Mahomes was the difference-maker—his ability to make pinpoint throws under duress and lead his team to victory was the defining factor in both matchups.
2. The Chiefs’ Offensive System: Andy Reid’s offense is one of the most innovative in the NFL, and it’s built around Mahomes’ unique skill set. The Chiefs excel at spreading the field and using motion, speed, and misdirection to create mismatches. The Bills’ defense, while solid, hasn’t yet found a formula to slow down the Chiefs’ high-powered attack. The Chiefs’ deep-ball threats like Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce have consistently been able to exploit the Bills’ secondary, and the Bills’ pass rush hasn’t been able to generate enough pressure on Mahomes to disrupt his rhythm.
3. Playoff Experience and Poise: The Chiefs have a wealth of playoff experience, having reached the Super Bowl in two of the last three seasons and regularly competing in high-pressure situations. In contrast, the Bills, while they have gained valuable postseason experience in recent years, still lack the depth of playoff runs that Kansas City possesses. In games where every possession matters, the Bills have sometimes been undone by mistakes, missed opportunities, and a general sense of being outmuscled in key moments.
4. The Coin Toss Conundrum: In both the 2020 and 2021 postseason games, the Bills found themselves on the wrong side of the overtime coin toss. With the NFL’s overtime rules heavily favoring the team that wins the toss, the Bills were forced to watch as the Chiefs received the ball first in both games and drove down the field for game-winning scores. This has left many Bills fans lamenting the unfairness of the system, particularly in the wake of such high-stakes games where both teams had shown the ability to score at will.

Looking Ahead: Can the Bills Break Through?

As the Bills prepare for future postseason runs, they will undoubtedly keep their eyes on the Chiefs. Kansas City remains the standard bearer in the AFC, and until Buffalo can find a way to consistently defeat them in the postseason, the Bills’ championship aspirations will always be tinged with the specter of their recent playoff failures.

The key for Buffalo moving forward lies in a few areas. First, they will need to continue developing a defense capable of slowing down Mahomes and his dynamic playmakers. Second, Josh Allen must continue to evolve as a quarterback, refining his decision-making and maintaining his high level of play. Finally, the Bills will need to find a way to close the gap in terms of playoff experience, learning how to win the big games and rise to the occasion when it matters most.

Until then, it’s likely that the Bills will continue to relive the postseason horror film’s sequel, hoping that one day, they can rewrite the ending and finally take down the Chiefs when it matters most.