The Buffalo Bills traveled to Kansas City and faced their old nemesis, the Chiefs. It was a must-win for the Bills, but get used to it Bills fans, this is going to be the same every week. If you wanted two months of playoffs, this is where we are as Bills fans. So far, so good. The Bills got a massive win this week defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 20 - 17. It wasn't pretty but they got it done in the end.
Say what you want about Coach McDermott but the Chiefs were averaging nearly 23 points a game and Buffalo held them to just 17 in this one. I get it, they had the late touchdown called back on the offensive offside call but it was one play. The Bills played a solid game defensively, and Mahomes and the Chiefs had three more shots at moving the ball after the offsides, and the defense held them, forcing a turnover on downs.
A handful of players made some big-time plays, such as James Cook, of course, Josh Allen and there was even a Deonte Harty sighting on a 25-yard reception. On the defensive side, A.J. Epenesa turned in a huge play and Ed Oliver was a monster. Who made Pro Football Focus' (PFF) top five Bills on the offensive and defensive side in this game? Let's get into that but before I do, let's set the rules. For a player to make this list, they had to play at least 20 of the snaps on offense and 15 on defense, which is roughly 25%. OK, here are the numbers.
Bills top-5 PFF offensive grades for week 14
1. James Cook - 73,2
James Cook was incredible against the Chiefs and should be more of a focal point in the Bills' offense. He totaled 58 yards on ten carries, for a 5.8 yards per carry average. He was masterful in the passing game too, leading the team with 83 yards with five receptions, on five targets. Joe Brady needs to get Cook more involved, I'd love to see him with 20-plus touches.
2. Dawson Knox - 70.6
Not bad for a player just returning from a month-long injury. Knox was targeted three times, and he turned all three into receptions and he totaled 36 yards. Of the offensive snaps, he was in on 36 snaps on offense and the Bills ran 12-personnel on 35 percent of the plays. It will be interesting to see how Knox and Kincaid are used going forward. For the record, Kincaid played on 60 of the snaps.
3. Josh Allen - 68.5
The Chiefs were allowing only 183 yards through the air against opposing teams but Josh Allen managed to put up 233 yards and one touchdown. He also added another 32 yards rushing and a touchdown. His pass downfield as he was falling out of bounds was next level. Allen continues to perform at an MVP level and this team will always have a chance with him behind center.
4. Dion Dawkins - 67.0
It didn't always look pretty from the offensive line perspective, but the Bills' line struggles came mostly from the middle of the line, particularly Connor McGovern and rookie O'Cyrus Torrence, scoring 53.7 and 51.2 PFF grades respectively. Let's also keep in mind that a PFF grade of 67 isn't all that special but we'll take it against an excellent Chiefs defense.
5. Spencer Brown - 62.7
Here's another of the Bills' offensive linemen and both the tackles performed "okay" against a great pass rush and one of the top defenses in the NFL. Brown was one of the biggest question marks at the start of the season but he's answered those questions and solidified the right tackle position.
Bills top-5 PFF defensive grades for week 14
1. Tim Settle - 82.4
Tim Settle was in on 19 snaps and was outstanding. If Setle can follow up on this performance and build on it, that would be a huge plus for the Bills front four. There is talk that DaQuan Jones just might be able to return at some point this season and if Settle can help fill the void until he returns, it would go a long way toward the Bills trying to make this late playoff push.
2. Greg Rousseau - 79.3
Rousseau is proving week in and week out that he's one of the best run defenders on the Bills roster, as he consistently puts up solid numbers against the run. In the fight with the Chiefs, he recorded two total tackles, half a sack, a pass defense, and two quarterback hits. A solid performance from Rousseau all around.
3. Tyrel Dodson - 74.7
Tyrel Dodson continues to elevate his game and prove he belongs with the starting unit. He's helped big-time fill in for Matt Milano. His PFF grade for the season is an incredible 90 and tops among linebackers in the league. He recorded an impressive eight solo tackles, including a tackle for a loss.
4. Rasul Douglas - 67.7
I can't say this enough but the mid-season addition of Rasul Douglas might be one of the biggest moves from Brandon Beane, maybe in his career with the Bills. Douglas had three tackles and a pass defense and is the Bills' top corner and will be a huge asset down the stretch.
5. Taron Johnson - 66.3
Is there a better slot corner in the NFL? Let me answer that for you, no. He led the team in tackles with nine and while it normally isn't a good sign that a corner is your leader in tackles, that's not the case with Johnson. With the way the Bills use Johnson, he's often expected to get dirty and make tackles, like a third linebacker. If this defense can just stay healthy and not lose more players, and get DaQuan Jones back, this defense could be a problem for the opposition in the playoffs. Just have to get there.