Buffalo Bills' Sean McDermott Credits Coaching For Improved Kansas City Chiefs Defense

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott praised his mentor, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, for developing the Kansas City Chiefs' defense ahead of Week 14.

The AFC rivalry between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs has unsurprisingly been home to the fireworks, excitement, and intensity that comes with a shootout.

When quarterbacks Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes go toe-to-toe, points seem inevitable. There has been an average of 57 points scored in the five contests between the two in the Allen-Mahomes era.

Week 14 in Kansas City, however, may take a different shape.

Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones pursues Bills quarterback Josh Allen / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Chiefs are operating with what looks to be the best defense of Mahomes' career. They currently rank 10th in expected points added, fifth in success rate, and second in percentage of drives that end in a score.

That defensive success has kept Kansas City afloat while the offense struggles to find consistency at receiver, and could diminish the gaudy point totals fans have been used to in this matchup.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott spoke on Wednesday about this new challenge.

“Coach Spags [Steve Spagnuolo] does a really good job,” McDermott said. “I worked with him for a number of years, kind of came up under him in terms of the defensive backs for some time in Philadelphia. He’s a great coach, he’s got a great staff with him.

“They’ve got great players that make big-time plays, starting with Chris Jones. He’s a big-time difference maker.”

Jones has 7.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss in 11 games this season. Buffalo’s interior has held up well, but there’s little argument against Jones being their toughest task of the season.

The continuity of Kansas City’s defense has certainly played a role in the unit’s development. Despite performing like a revamped unit, it isn’t a new-look defense. The vast majority of the Chiefs' defense was there last year when the Bills won 24-20. Unequivocally, Kansas City went on to win the Super Bowl.

Sunday’s contest is still the game of the week, at least in the AFC, but neither squad is firing on all cylinders. Buffalo hopes its bye week afforded them enough time to make fruitful adjustments, while Kansas City is forced to pick up the pieces of two losses in the last three weeks.

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Yet, just because these teams aren’t the juggernauts of years past doesn’t mean they won’t live up to the billing. Spagnuolo’s exotic blitzes against Allen’s attempts to will the Bills to the playoffs should be packed with as much intensity as previous matchups, even if it looks a little different.

As much as it's felt like the two are constantly on a crash course, a loss on Sunday could prove fatal. The Bills (6-6) cannot rely on seeing the Chiefs in January if they don’t get there themselves.