Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Week 11 open thread in the second half

Buffalo Bills manager Kansas City Chiefs 16-14 at the break in a game where points have been at a premium. Things couldn’t have started better for Buffalo, who, after winning the coin toss, saw safety Taylor Rapp steal a possession back thanks to an errant early pass by quarterback Patrick Mahomes. It was the exact play the Bills needed to find in hopes of properly establishing momentum.

Quarterback Josh Allen and company took over from there, marching down the field for the first down, thanks in large part to a beautiful one-handed catch by wide receiver Amari Cooper, but kicker Tyler Bass fumbled on his extra point attempt. Still ahead, Buffalo ate up clock while implementing a confusing brand of defense that saw Mahomes struggle to settle quickly.

But Mahomes eventually found his groove, aided by a surprisingly productive first quarter by rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who finished the first 15 minutes catching four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown.

After a first quarter in which the Bills dominated in most phases, things started to flatten out. The Bills could have gotten more if not for a terrible decision by Allen met by a head-scratching pick by tight end Dawson Knox to stop in his tracks so the football could go back to KC. Another methodical drive by the Chiefs led them to a 14-13 lead they held until just before halftime, when kicker Tyler Bass made a 33-yard field goal after a two-minute drive by Allen and the offense.

There have already been four lead changes, just like you would expect a Bills-Chiefs game to play out. The return of Amari Cooper has played a key role in Buffalo getting down the field in the first half. Cooper has two catches on three targets for 55 yards and his wrist seems to be holding up well. While rushing yards are hard to come by, running back James Cook (seven carries, 17 yards) has a far more important number of 12 points.

Despite Allen’s interception, he is 15-of-23 for 167 yards at the break. I predicted Allen to be a much more active runner this afternoon, so I’m looking for an offensive coordinator to get Allen more touches there in the second half.

By and large, Kansas City has once again operated out of an offense that is far more interesting and explosive before the snap — but it’s working well for them. The Bills would benefit from upping the intensity a bit on offense to emphasize the Chiefs’ ability to burn the clock and reduce scoring chances. That’s how things started for Buffalo, and that’s how they should end if they hope to improve to 9-2.

Here’s your second half thread for the rest of today’s game. As always, be kind to one another and in all things… Go Bills!