3 crucial matchups that will decide Bills' Week 11 clash vs. Chiefs

Here are three key matchups to watch in the Buffalo Bills' Week 11 clash with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ronnie Eastham | 3 Hours Ago

Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

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The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs don't share a division, yet they seem to play each other twice per year. This has been the case in three of the last four seasons, with their last four bouts being decided by six or fewer points (with one going to overtime). Bills vs. Chiefs matchups can be likened to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in that it's the NFL's version of a blockbuster: everyone tunes in to see what kind of magic Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes will weave on the field. These two quarterbacks are the league's best, and no one wants to miss a moment of these head-to-head showdowns.

Mahomes isn't having the typical Mahomes-like season this year, yet the Chiefs are undefeated through Week 10. The Bills, for their part, are off to their best 10-game start since 1993. A Bills win this week puts the AFC's top playoff seed within reach while a Chiefs win puts distance between them and the rest of the conference. Make no mistake, this is a big game, but win or lose, the Bills need to focus on getting healthy, because the playoffs matter most. Regardless, there are three pivotal matchups that figure to determine the outcome of the Week 11 clash.

Josh Allen vs. Nick Bolton

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In Buffalo's seven matchups with Kansas City since 2020, Allen has 419 rushing yards, averaging nearly 60 yards a game. The Chiefs have been terrific against the run this season, but it's difficult to game plan for a quarterback who performs off-script at the elite level that Allen does. Kansas City defender Nick Bolton is the Chiefs' best linebacker and one of their top defensive players (topping the team in tackles this year with 62), and he and Allen will come face-to-face at some point. Who wins that battle? My money is on another Josh Allen hurdle.

Dorian Williams/Terrel Bernard vs. Travis Kelce

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The last encounter between the Bills and Chiefs occurred during the 2023 playoffs when the Bills were without starting linebackers Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano. Dorian Williams, presumably not yet prepared for a leading role as a rookie, left them dependent on Tyrel Dodson and AJ Klein. They had difficulty containing Kelce, who managed five receptions for 75 yards and two touchdowns from six targets. Kelce has been coming on strong as of late, and the Bills linebackers will need to keep him in check this time; thankfully, the team is better positioned at the linebacker position for this bout than they were in the last.

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Bills secondary

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In DeAndre Hopkins's last two games with the Kansas City Chiefs (he was acquired in late October), he has 12 receptions, on 14 targets, 142 yards, and two touchdowns. Given that many fans either wanted the Bills to trade for Hopkins or believed him to be washed, it would be a bad look if he lights up the Bills' secondary this week. While his doing so is by no means a given, Hopkins is still a good receiver, and Buffalo needs to keep him under wraps. Don't let Hopkins beat you and be a difference-maker.

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