Ryan O'Halloran: The QBs, the coaches, the rivalry – Chiefs-Bills Week is finally here

Finally.

It is here.

Kansas City-Buffalo Week.

Patrick Mahomes-Josh Allen Week.

Andy Reid-Sean McDermott Week.

Heck yeah to all of it.

Since the NFL revealed its 2024 schedule on May 16, we have looked forward to another chapter in this saga, and it arrives at 4:25 p.m.

Sunday inside Highmark Stadium.

This is why we are obsessed with pro football.

Two superstar quarterbacks at the height of their powers, winning despite injuries to several of their skill-position teammates.

Future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Mahomes, coach Andy Reid, tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones for the Chiefs; Allen and defensive end Von Miller for the Bills will be on both sidelines.

The entire nation will be able to watch the game on CBS, rare for a non-prime-time game.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen meets Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes after the Chiefs playoff win in January.

The teams meet again Sunday.

Three questions on our mind after Sundays 30-20 Bills victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

But this matchup deserves rare treatment, even though the Chiefs and Bills have met with regularity; this will be the eighth meeting since October 2020.

The Bills are 3-1 in the regular season against Kansas City but 0-3 in the playoffs.

The scar tissue has built up over the years, the most recent a 27-24 loss in last seasons AFC divisional round.

Both teams are in the midst of rare streaks.

The 9-0 Chiefs who blocked a field goal attempt as time expired to beat Denver on Sunday have won 15 consecutive games dating to last year.

They are attempting to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win three consecutive titles.

The Bills are 14-3 in their last 17 games dating to last year, and they have started 8-2 for the first time since 1993, when they last reached the Super Bowl.

Kansas Citys undefeated record is a surprise, because were two months into the season and the Chiefs have won games by seven, one, five, seven, seven, six and two points.

Being consistently good in crunch time is an achievement.

The Bills winning eight of their first 10 games is a surprise.

Remember, this was a roster in transition during the offseason, and we expected bumps.

But in a nod to Allen, they have played only one stinker, a 35-10 loss at Baltimore in Week 4.

Are the stakes high? Certainly the Chiefs have a 112-game lead over the Bills for the AFCs top seed, which equals a first-round bye and home-field advantage.

Do the Bills need to win to send the Chiefs a message? No.

Here are Jay Skurski's grades for the Buffalo Bills in their 30-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Still, Allen must be fired up to face the Chiefs and use the game as a measuring stick for his team.

Itll be Week 11, Allen said in response to my question after Sundays 30-20 win over Indianapolis.

Were just going to try to put our best foot forward and have a good week of practice and try and win a good football game against a really good football team.

Its the biggest (game) because its the next (game).

Throughout his answer, Allen appeared to have a sly grin.

He knew what I wanted him to say: how Chiefs-Bills could be a playoff preview and how the Bills want to ruin the Chiefs perfect season, etc.

But he wasnt biting.

A similar vibe was in the Bills locker room.

With the ebbs and flows of the season, you have to take things game by game, second-year linebacker Dorian Williams said.

Obviously theyre a big opponent and its a game, but every game is big.

Internally, thats how the Bills will approach it.

Externally, for you and I, the fan and media member, this kind of game is why you watch on television from home, with friends and family over for viewing parties, versus spending hundreds or thousands of dollars for parking, tickets and concessions.

The players know youll be fired up, and they love it.

Without a doubt, Williams said.

Thats part of (the excitement).

We love that.

Said center Connor McGovern: It should be great from the fans perspective.

McGovern, Williams and left guard David Edwards got their first taste of Bills-Chiefs last year a Bills win in Kansas City in the regular season and the aforementioned playoff loss.

Before he joined the Bills, Edwards played for the Los Angeles Rams, who had a twice-annual grudge match against the San Francisco 49ers.

Those games were double-chinstrap specials.

When Rams-49ers Week would start, Edwards said, the locker room would totally have a heightened focus.

This will be his third Chiefs-Bills game but his first as a starter.

This is going to be another great game and opportunity for us, he said.

Chiefs-Bills Week is here.

Finally.

Heck yeah to all of it.

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