Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs Match Player Stats (Jan 26, 2025)
Harrison Butker’s 35-yard field goal sailed through with 3:33 left, and Arrowhead Stadium’s 73,487 fans knew what was coming. Buffalo had one more chance, but Kansas City had been here before. The Chiefs won 32-29 on January 26, 2025, earning their third straight Super Bowl trip and their fourth playoff victory over Josh Allen’s Bills since 2021.
Table of Contents
Mahomes vs Allen: The Numbers
Patrick Mahomes finished 18 of 26 for 245 yards and a touchdown through the air. More importantly, he ran for 43 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries when Buffalo’s defense forced him out of the pocket. His playoff record improved to 17-3, second only to Tom Brady’s 35 wins all-time.
| Player | Comp-Att | Yards | Pass TD | INT | Rating | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Mahomes | 18-26 | 245 | 1 | 0 | 111.9 | 11 | 43 | 2 |
| Josh Allen | 22-34 | 237 | 2 | 0 | 104.7 | 11 | 39 | 0 |
Buffalo’s defensive coordinator Sean McDermott threw everything at Mahomes. The Bills played man coverage on 47.1% of his dropbacks, their highest rate ever against him in nine meetings. Mahomes completed 12 of 15 passes for 169 yards against that coverage, posting a +19.3 EPA. His scramble rate hit 17.4%, a season high, as he consistently escaped pressure.
Allen played clean football, avoiding turnovers while throwing for two scores. But his 39 rushing yards on 11 attempts included several crucial third-down runs that came up short.
Running Backs Set the Tone
James Cook carried Buffalo’s offense with 85 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 carries. His 33-yard run in the second quarter included a punishing stiff-arm that sent Chiefs safety Bryan Cook flying. Cook added three catches for 49 yards, totaling 134 yards from scrimmage.
| Player | Carries | Yards | Avg | TD | Long | Rec | Rec Yds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cook (BUF) | 13 | 85 | 6.5 | 2 | 33 | 3 | 49 |
| Kareem Hunt (KC) | 17 | 64 | 3.8 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 6 |
| Ty Johnson (BUF) | 6 | 19 | 3.2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Isiah Pacheco (KC) | 5 | 12 | 2.4 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 12 |
Kareem Hunt grinded out 64 yards on 17 carries for Kansas City, finding the end zone once. The Chiefs’ ground game succeeded in short-yardage situations where Buffalo’s couldn’t, particularly on Mahomes’ two rushing touchdowns.
The QB Sneak That Failed
Buffalo’s “Snow Plow” quarterback sneak had worked 20 times in 21 attempts during the regular season. Against Kansas City, it worked just twice in five tries.
The biggest failure came with Buffalo leading 22-21 on fourth-and-short at Kansas City’s 41-yard line. Chris Jones and Mike Pennel Jr. met Allen at the line of scrimmage, stopping him cold. Kansas City took over and drove 59 yards in seven plays, with Mahomes scoring on a one-yard run to reclaim the lead.
According to Next Gen Stats, those three stuffs were the most against any QB sneak in a single game since tracking began in 2016. Allen acknowledged postgame: “They got big guys in there and they played it well.”
Pass Catchers Made Their Mark
Xavier Worthy led all receivers with 85 yards on six catches, including an 11-yard touchdown. The rookie has 112 yards after catch in Kansas City’s playoff run, adding speed to their offense.
| Player | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier Worthy | 6 | 85 | 14.2 | 1 | 7 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | 2 | 60 | 30.0 | 0 | 3 |
| Hollywood Brown | 3 | 35 | 11.7 | 0 | 5 |
| Travis Kelce | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 0 | 4 |
| Samaje Perine | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 0 | 1 |
| Isiah Pacheco | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 0 | 2 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 2 |
The game’s biggest catch came from Samaje Perine. Third-and-9, 2:02 left, Chiefs up three. Perine caught a 17-yard pass over the middle, allowing Kansas City to run out the clock.
| Player | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mack Hollins | 3 | 73 | 24.3 | 1 | 4 |
| James Cook | 3 | 49 | 16.3 | 0 | 3 |
| Khalil Shakir | 6 | 46 | 7.7 | 0 | 7 |
| Amari Cooper | 4 | 33 | 8.3 | 0 | 4 |
| Dalton Kincaid | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 | 4 |
| Keon Coleman | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 0 | 4 |
| Dawson Knox | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 1 |
| Curtis Samuel | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 1 | 3 |
Mack Hollins made a spectacular 34-yard touchdown catch with Trent McDuffie all over him. Next Gen Stats measured just 0.5 yards of separation on the play. Curtis Samuel caught a fourth-down touchdown to tie the game at 29 with 6:15 left.
The game ended on an incomplete pass intended for Dalton Kincaid. Fourth-and-5, season on the line. Allen scrambled right under pressure from a Steve Spagnuolo blitz. He launched the ball deep toward Kincaid, who had gotten open. The pass hit Kincaid’s hands but fell incomplete.
Defensive Performances
Buffalo’s defense created opportunities but couldn’t finish. Ed Oliver recovered a fumbled exchange between Mahomes and Pacheco. Jordan Phillips sacked Mahomes on first-and-goal late in the fourth quarter, forcing Kansas City to kick the go-ahead field goal.
| Player | Team | Total | Solo | Sacks | TFL | QB Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cole Bishop | BUF | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Milano | BUF | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Chamarri Conner | KC | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Drue Tranquill | KC | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rasul Douglas | BUF | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Bolton | KC | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Buffalo played without starting cornerback Christian Benford, who left with a first-quarter concussion. Safety Taylor Rapp missed the game with hip and back injuries. The depleted secondary struggled against Kansas City’s passing attack in man coverage.
No Buffalo pass rusher generated more than two pressures on Mahomes. The lack of consistent pressure forced McDermott into the aggressive coverage schemes that Mahomes exploited.
Special Teams Impact
Field position mattered in a three-point game. Nikko Remigio returned a punt 41 yards to set up a Kansas City touchdown drive. Ray Davis managed just a 28-yard return on Buffalo’s lone kickoff opportunity.
| Special Teams | Bills | Chiefs |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | Tyler Bass: 1/1 (53 yards) | Harrison Butker: 1/1 (35 yards) |
| Extra Points | Bass: 2/2 | Butker: 3/3 |
| Punting Average | Sam Martin: 50.5 yards | Matt Araiza: 46.5 yards |
| Punt Returns | Khalil Shakir: 1 for 6 yards | Nikko Remigio: 1 for 41 yards |
| Kickoff Returns | Ray Davis: 1 for 28 yards | Nikko Remigio: 4 for 107 yards |
Sam Martin boomed two punts for a 50.5-yard average, including a 56-yarder. But Kansas City’s return game, led by Remigio’s 26.8-yard kickoff return average, consistently gave Mahomes better starting field position.
Game Statistics
The teams combined for 742 yards of offense. Buffalo actually outgained Kansas City 374-368, but the Chiefs converted opportunities into points.
| Team Statistic | Bills | Chiefs |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 374 | 368 |
| First Downs | 22 | 28 |
| Third Down Conversions | 5/14 (35.7%) | 5/9 (55.6%) |
| Fourth Down Conversions | 4/6 (66.7%) | 1/1 (100%) |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 3/3 (100%) | 4/6 (66.7%) |
| Time of Possession | 30:32 | 29:28 |
| Penalties | 6 for 48 yards | 5 for 21 yards |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
Kansas City’s 17th consecutive one-score victory set an NFL record. They’ve won four straight playoff games against Buffalo, including both AFC Championship meetings at Arrowhead.
Critical Moments Decided Everything
Three plays changed the game:
- Fourth-and-short stop – With Buffalo up 22-21, the Chiefs stuffed Allen’s QB sneak at the KC 41. Seven plays later, Mahomes scored to give Kansas City the lead.
- Perine’s third-down catch – His 17-yard reception on 3rd-and-9 with 2:02 left let Kansas City run out the clock after Butker’s go-ahead field goal.
- Final fourth down – Steve Spagnuolo’s perfectly-timed blitz forced Allen into a desperation throw that Kincaid couldn’t complete.
Looking Forward
The Chiefs advance to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, seeking an unprecedented third straight championship. They became the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls and return for a third consecutive appearance.
Buffalo faces another offseason of questions. Their inability to generate consistent pass rush without blitzing continues to haunt them against Mahomes. When games come down to crucial plays, Kansas City executes and Buffalo doesn’t.
Josh Allen finished as the 2024 NFL MVP but couldn’t overcome his playoff nemesis. The Bills have lost four playoff games to Kansas City in five years, including this 32-29 heartbreaker.
Full Game Coverage
Read more at ESPN’s complete recap, NFL.com’s analysis, and the Chiefs’ victory breakdown. Check out our coverage of the Ravens vs Bills playoff matchup and Chiefs vs Eagles Super Bowl preview.
The Bills vs Chiefs player stats from this AFC Championship game show why Kansas City keeps winning when it counts. Great teams find ways to win close games. The Chiefs have mastered that art, while Buffalo continues searching for answers.
