The Buffalo Bills have taken off on their journey to Kansas City, carrying with them the weight of a franchise desperate to break its postseason curse against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
As they boarded their flight at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, the team was met with the cheers of devoted fans who gathered to send them off-fully aware of the stakes ahead.
This isn’t just another AFC Championship Game. It’s the fourth time in five seasons these two teams have clashed in the playoffs, and every time, Buffalo has walked away heartbroken.
Each loss has followed the same painful script: Mahomes outdueling Josh Allen, Travis Kelce torching the secondary, and costly Bills turnovers sealing their fate. But this time, Buffalo believes it’s different.
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Can Allen rewrite history?
The Bills have a chance to rewrite history. Back in the 1990s, it was Kansas City that could never get past Buffalo, falling to them twice in the postseason, including the 1993 AFC title game.
But unlike those Super Bowl-bound Bills teams, the Chiefs of the 2020s have finished the job, lifting two Lombardi Trophies under Mahomes.
Buffalo’s road to redemption won’t be easy. The defense will be shorthanded, with safety Taylor Rapp ruled out due to a hip injury and cornerback Christian Benford questionable. On the other side, Kansas City’s only new injury concern is backup wide receiver Mecole Hardman.
Patrick Mahomes seeks to make history
The Chiefs, aiming for their third straight Super Bowl appearance, are chasing history. Only three teams-the Miami Dolphins (1971-73), the Bills (1990-93), and the New England Patriots (2016-18)-have ever done it.
For Buffalo, it’s a shot at revenge, redemption, and rewriting a painful past. Will Josh Allen’s Bills finally break through, or will history repeat itself once more in Kansas City? The answer comes Sunday night.