Winners and losers: 5 takeaways from Bills' big win over Chiefs in Week 11

For the fourth time in four years, the Buffalo Bills defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in a regular-season matchup, earning a 30-21 victory over the two-time defending Super Bowl champs on Sunday in Orchard Park.

But there was something different about this victory.

For starters, of course, there's the fact that the Bills wrecked the Chiefs' undefeated campaign and ended their 15-game winning streak that dated back to Week 17 of last season. Then there's the matter of getting this win at home, as the previous three regular-season matchups between these two AFC powerhouses were contested at Arrowhead Stadium.

Then there's the simple matter of how Buffalo won this game. Instead of taking their foot off the gas and giving Patrick Mahomes a chance to create yet another magical moment, the Bills played to win instead of not to lose.

Sean McDermott's call to put the ball in Josh Allen's hands on that critical 4th & 2 instead of kicking a field goal was as bold as any he's made during his tenure. And it obviously paid off, as Allen put on a cape and played the Superman role, not only picking up a first down but running 26 yards to the end zone in what Jim Nantz called the "play of the year" for this 2024 NFL season.

This win will mean nothing, of course, if Buffalo can't duplicate this win come January, as these two teams seemed destined to meet for a second time. Nevertheless, this was an impressive performance on both sides of the ball and could very well earn the Bills the No. 1 seed in the AFC if they can catch the Chiefs in the overall conference standings.

But let's not jump too far ahead. For now, let's take a look at the winners from the Bills' big win over the Chiefs in Week 11. And we are going with only winners for this one, as Buffalo really didn't have any losers in this victory.

Winner: Josh Allen

lf the NFL MVP vote took place tomorrow, it would be difficult not to give it to Josh Allen, especially with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens taking a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Despite being without two of his top weapons in Dalton Kincaid and Keon Coleman, Allen completed 27 of 40 (67.5%) passes for 262 yards and a touchdown against a strong Kansas City defense. He also led the Bills in rushing, running for 55 yards on a dozen carries, none bigger, of course, than his touchdown run that put the game out of reach.

Sure, Allen did throw an interception for the fourth straight game. And it could have proved quite costly, as the Chiefs turned it into a touchdown on the ensuing possession.

But the positives far outweighed the negatives here, and Allen is undoubtedly in a great position to take MVP honors come February. He's also now the only quarterback to have beaten Mahomes four times, which is an honor in itself.

Winner: Curtis Samuel

Bills Mafia has been waiting for Curtis Samuel to make any sort of significant impact in a Buffalo uniform since he signed a three-year, $24 million contract this offseason. And they finally got their wish on Sunday.

Coming into this game, the former Panther and Commander had recorded just 16 catches for 127 yards with zero touchdowns in his first nine appearances.

Against the Chiefs, however, Samuel was targeted six times, tied for the second-most on the team, and caught five passes for 58 yards, none more significant than his 12-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter.

Winner: Khalil Shakir

While Khalir Shakir didn't score on Sunday, he still deserves his flowers for consistently being the Bills' best wideout, both in this win and for the season as a whole.

Already Buffalo's leading receiver for the season, Shakir added 70 yards to his total on eight receptions against the Chiefs. And just as crucial as Samuel's touchdown was the catch Shakir made on 3rd & 9 to keep the drive that ended with Allen's touchdown run alive.

He doesn't get the recognition that some of the more high-profile names on this team get, but he's easily been one of the most valuable pieces of this Buffalo offense.

Winner: Bills defense as a whole

While the Buffalo offense will get a lot of the credit for this win for putting up 30 points for the fifth straight game and the eighth time this season, the defense deserves its props as well.

For one, the Bills completely shut down the Chiefs' rushing attack, allowing just 78 yards on the ground.

And while Mahomes tossed three touchdown passes, Buffalo only allowed him to pass for 196 yards, his lowest total in nearly a month and his third-lowest total the entire season.

Overall, the Bills allowed just 259 total yards, their third-best outing of the year in that regard. They also recorded a pair of sacks and a pair of interceptions, one of each coming from our final entry.

Winner: Terrel Bernard

Several Bills defenders made big plays in Sunday's victory.

Taylor Rapp's interception of Mahomes on the Chiefs' second play from scrimmage set the tone for the day. Von Miller picked up his first sack since returning from suspension. A.J. Epenesa, Cam Lewis, and Christian Benford each recorded a pass defended. The list goes on.

But linebacker Terrel Bernard did it all for Buffalo, leading the team in total tackles with eight, notching his first sack of the season, and securing the interception late in the fourth quarter that truly sealed the deal. Just a phenomenal all-around effort here.

The Bills will now head into their bye week and return to action to put their six-game winning streak on the line in Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers.