The biggest game of the NFL season will take place at Orchard Park on Sunday, when the Kansas City Chiefs head to Highmark Stadium to take on the Buffalo Bills (4:25 p.m. ET on CBS) in a battle between the two best teams in the NFL. the AFC. This game is a continuation of one of the best rivalries in football and one of the best quarterback matchups, as Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen meet for the seventh time (including playoffs).
Both Kansas City (9-0) and Buffalo (8-2) have a combined record of 17-2 entering the game, the seventh-best combined record between two teams entering the game since the 1970 merger. Mahomes and Allen are the second pairing of quarterbacks from different divisions to face each other eight times in a five-season span since 1970 (Peyton Manning and Tom Brady faced each other eight times between 2003 and 2007).
In one of the biggest regular season matchups in years, CBS Mornings and NFL TODAY Analyst Nate Burleson provided some insight into what to expect on Sunday.
*THE NFL TODAY will broadcast live from Buffalo on Sunday. Fans can join the team in Lot 6 at Highmark Stadium starting at noon ET on November 17.
Is the Bills’ lack of outside threats at wide receiver stopping them from winning a championship this year?
Burleson: “That’s why they loaded up and traded for Amari Cooper. And listen, you can say Khalil Shakir isn’t the traditional top-tier wide receiver, but if you look at his production in numbers, he’s up there with the best in the game as far as to reliability. I think it’s like a 90% catch rate with his QB, so he’s working on the inside of the field and that moves the chains like big downfield throws do.
“With Keon Coleman banged up, that’s tough. I’d love to see him play in this one. At the same time, you’ve got guys like Dalton Kincaid, who can also move the chains. I feel like they’ve stocked up and are better at this position than they’ve been. It’s different when you have a Stefon Diggs, a true No. 1 who is a dominant force on his own, and then you have a group of guys who can do it all collectively. when the boys are healthy.”
Do you think that has forced Josh Allen, I don’t want to say forced, but Allen is a better quarterback when he distributes the ball more than when he’s trying to force feed Stefon Diggs?
Burleson: “I just think you have to adapt as a quarterback when you have a group of guys, and now they added Amari Cooper, they have a wide range of older veterans and young rookies. You’re trying to keep everyone happy and on top of that, really you can work from the inside out when you have a guy like Khalil Shakir and you have tight ends and running backs who can catch out of the backfield.
“It allows you to follow your progressions. I think he’s doing a great job of distributing the ball, making sure everyone’s happy and at the same time taking care of (the ball). Josh Allen is tremendously talented. And when he has money and he takes care of the rock, It’s very difficult to beat.”
Too many people have criticized the Chiefs for their 9-0 start. 9-0 is 9-0. Do you personally think they will be able to maintain this level of play throughout the year?
Burleson: “Why not? You can’t argue with wins. It’s a matter of results, wins and losses. And they’re winning. I was told as a rookie that you never apologize for a win, so it doesn’t matter how you get it.” I think they are picking up the pace at the right time. At the beginning of the season, almost everyone was in a magazine, filming a commercial, in a movie, filming a game show, and that’s not a. Call them. I would be doing the same. Shoot, I was doing it and I didn’t make the playoffs for a couple of years.
“But imagine winning a Super Bowl and suddenly the world opens up to you. It’s hard to start the season with the same kind of consistency. When you have success at the top like the Chiefs are and you don’t have that training camp traditional old school and you don’t play much in the preseason, you will start slow.
“Now they’re figuring it out, now they’re moving like they’re used to. Travis Kelce is getting back to dominant ways. I feel like that’s scary for the rest of the league. While the rest of the league is trying to maintain success, these guys are now picking up the pace and are undefeated.
Is this Andy Reid’s best coaching job?
Burleson: “I think Andy Reid can win coach of the year every season. Everyone is trying to take down the kings on the throne. Age is coach versus age. How can you coach your guy differently as he gets older?” “The quarterbacks, the linemen, the tight ends and defensive players. Then you add this young group of hungry superstars that add an element to this offense to be undefeated right now, a lot of credit goes to Andy.”
Chiefs-Bills, the best rivalry in football?
Burleson: “I don’t know, man. I love it. Don’t get me wrong. He’s the best one to watch because we’ve seen the Bills have success in the regular season and we know what happens in the postseason. Patrick Mahomes, when he’s in the zone, can throw for 50 touchdowns and be our MVP. When Josh Allen is in your pocket, I don’t think anyone has the skills that he has: a big, fast, strong, crazy arm.
“As a fan, it’s great to see. I still like the Vikings and the Packers. I still like Pittsburgh against almost everyone, especially in the AFC North. I like this one, but there are some pretty interesting rivalries out there.”
