The Kansas City Chiefs may be able to use the three-headed hydra of Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and Steve Spagnuolo to pulverize most of their AFC opponents, but Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills have proven to be a different beast, at least in the regular season.
The Bills beat Kansas City 28-21 in a game that was not as close as that scoreline would indicate. Allen faced minimal resistance from the Chiefs, as he completed 23 of his 26 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown while also chipping in two more scores with his legs.
Even though this Chiefs dynasty has had a period of uncommon dominance and longevity at the top of the AFC, Buffalo has remained the biggest thorn in this team's side. The fewer times this team has to deal with Allen rumbling all over the field, the better.
Spagnuolo, speaking for every Chiefs fan out there, jokingly told Allen that he hopes he retires soon. Spagnuolo is getting tired of having to construct defensive gameplans that can slow the reigning MVP down, especially when he seems more capable of beating those plans in recent years.
Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo begs Josh Allen to retire after Week 9 loss
In six regular-season games against Kansas City, Allen has come out on top in five of them. Allen has thrown for 11 touchdowns against just three interceptions in those games while running for five more scores, all while often facing elite Chiefs defenses with subpar wide receiver talent.
With Kansas City's subpar defensive line being unable to crack through against an improved Bills offensive line, the old Chiefs formula of getting to Allen in the hopes that he might do something stupid when under pressure doesn't seem to be working. His personal improvements have been clear and obvious for Chiefs fans to see.
The one mental edge that Kansas City holds over the Bills is their tremendous performance in the postseason, as four of Allen's last five playoff runs have come to an end because Mahomes, Spagnuolo, and Reid manage to consistently hit their apex when the chips are down.
While the Mahomes-Allen rivalry isn't as one-sided as it used to be, and the two should combine to make more sparks fly over the next few years, Spagnuolo, like every Chiefs fan with a pulse out there, will be popping champagne when this team no longer has to prepare for No. 17.