1. Tell it like it is
Many players and coaches on both teams will downplay the importance of this regular-season matchup. Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins is a little more blunt. “Yeah, I look at it like it's another game, but realistically, from having all the history that we've had, you go into these games just with that extra thought, we've been sparring and battling with these guys for years and years and years and just knowing that, but it doesn't change anything,” Dawkins said Thursday. “It doesn't change the overall anger or it doesn't get you off of your pivot. It just keeps you focused, extra focused, where it's like, alright, the Chiefs are here, cool, they're the real deal, alright. … This is not just a regular boxing match.”
Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes last met on the field in the AFC divisional playoffs in January.
Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
2. Stifle Spags
Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is one of the greats. Bills quarterback Josh Allen said the two try to check in after games due to their mutual respect. Bills head coach Sean McDermott echoed that respect. “Spags is a great coach,” McDermott said. “He makes it really hard. He tests your protections constantly, it seems like. There's some people who do it in certain situations. Spags does it all the time. And so our level of communication is the first step for us in order for us to execute. Because he does a really good job with moving (defensive tackle) Chris Jones around. He's a once-in-a-lifetime player, and so that draws a lot of attention from people.”3. Stay the course
Get ready for them to go for it. The Kansas City Chiefs are 14 of 17 on fourth down this season, which is the best eight-game start for any NFL team in the last 45 seasons. They’ve also gone for it on fourth down at the highest percentage of any team this season. The Bills' defense, depleted as it is, has to be ready for the extra play. “Certainly, we've got a big one on our hands coming up here this week,” defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said Monday. “A team we're familiar with, an opponent we're familiar with.” The Bills' defense needs to use that familiarity to their advantage and sniff out plays as quickly as they can.4. Meeting of the minds
McDermott’s familiarity with Kansas City coach Andy Reid has the Bills' coach ready once again for this meeting. Both know each other’s tendencies and will try to use that to their respective advantage, but that means getting creative with play calling. “I have great respect for Andy and learned a lot from him as you guys know, and we’ve gone up against each other a number of times now and there’s been great battles, and I think that’s one of the reasons you do this is the competition,” McDermott said. “You look forward to the competition, and no different this week. We know what’s in front of us. We know the challenge that’s in front of us.”– Katherine Fitzgerald, News Sports Reporter
