Buffalo secured a 28-21 victory over Kansas City on Sunday, with the offense starting strong from the first drive. The previous week against Carolina, Buffalo relied heavily on its running game, led by James Cook’s career-best performance. In contrast, Sunday’s game saw the passing attack take center stage.
Quarterback Josh Allen played a pivotal role in the win. Tight end Dawson Knox commented on Allen’s focus before the game: “One hundred percent,” Knox said regarding how he can sense when Allen is on a different level heading into game day. “But the funny thing is, he’s got the same routine every week … you can tell early when he’s just dialed in going Superman mode. It’s pretty awesome.”
Allen completed 23 of 26 passes for 273 yards and threw only three incompletions. His completion rate of 88.5 percent set a new franchise record for games with at least 15 passing attempts. He accounted for three touchdowns—two rushing and one passing.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid led all receivers with six catches for 101 yards, becoming the first tight end in team history to record three games of more than 100 receiving yards in his career. Two of those performances occurred this season, placing him alongside Paul Costa as only the second player in franchise history to achieve that milestone twice in one year.
On defense, Michael Hoecht made an impact before leaving the game in the fourth quarter due to an Achilles injury that will sideline him for the rest of the season. Head coach Sean McDermott addressed Hoecht’s absence: “It’s a big loss,” McDermott said of the defensive end. “I thought he gave us a certain level of toughness, smarts, knowing how to play the game. We’ve got to find somebody else that is going to step up. It’s kind of one of those years … You can never replace one player, that said, it’s about the team.”
Despite his injury, Hoecht remained on the sidelines assisting coaches and teammates rather than being taken off field immediately.
Rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston continued to impress in his second NFL appearance by intercepting Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes late in the fourth quarter as Buffalo protected its seven-point lead. Safety Cole Bishop praised Hairston’s attitude: “He was on his way out smiling ear to ear. He’s got a bright smile. He brings a lot of energy,” Bishop said of Hairston. “… Positive energy goes a long way.”
The Bills’ defense limited Kansas City’s final scoring chances and preserved their lead as time expired.
