Fansided

2 reasons to believe in every underdog in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs

The NFL playoff field is down to eight teams, and while the temptation may be to go with the chalk, history tells us to expect the unexpected.

By Terrence Jordan

NFC Wild Card Playoffs - Green Bay Packers v Dallas Cowboys
NFC Wild Card Playoffs - Green Bay Packers v Dallas Cowboys / Perry Knotts/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next

Reason No. 1 why the Chiefs can beat the Bills: Rest advantage

The weather that forced the Bills-Steelers game to be postponed until Monday was unfortunate, not only for the difficulties it presented for those attending the game, but for the disadvantage it presented to the winner in the next round.

As a result of the delay, the Bills wrapped up their win over the Steelers nearly two full days after the Chiefs sent the Dolphins back to South Beach. This is huge, especially after the aches and pains that are sure to come from both teams playing in such cold weather.

Travis Kelce faded down the stretch this season, but he looked more like his old self against the Dolphins. The veteran tight end reeled in seven balls for 71 yards, his highest reception total since Week 11 against the Eagles. After resting in Week 18, I don't think that's a coincidence.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid is masterful when given extra time to prepare for a game, as his 28-3 record following byes can attest to. He doesn't quite have an extra week to scheme up a game plan for the Bills, but those two extra days he has over Sean McDermott have to count for something.

Reason No. 2 why the Chiefs can beat the Bills: Buffalo has owned the regular season, but the Chiefs have owned the playoffs

I'm going to keep this one simple: until the Bills prove they can actually beat the Chiefs in the playoffs, I'm not buying it. Josh Allen is 3-1 against Patrick Mahomes in the regular season, including a win this year in the infamous "Kadarius Toney game", but with a 2-0 postseason record, Mahomes has won when it mattered most.

Bills fans will be haunted forever by triskaidekaphobia after Mahomes needed only 13 seconds to tie the game in the 2022 Divisional Round playoffs. This occurred just one year after Kansas City handled Buffalo in much less dramatic fashion in the AFC title game, 38-24.

One area of hope for the Bills is that this game will take place in Orchard Park instead of the house of horrors that is Arrowhead Stadium, and it will somehow be the first road playoff game of Patrick Mahomes' career. Will that be enough to exorcise Buffalo's demons? I'll believe it when I see it.

Home/NFL Playoffs