These are the rivalry games we wait for, and it’s about way more than the way more than the teams and the laundry. Chiefs fans know this, and so do their Bills counterparts.
When the Kansas City Chiefs take the field tomorrow for their road game against the Buffalo Bills, the most important game-within-a-game will be what happens next in the MVP race between quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, who are currently running first and second in that battle. Mahomes is the current favorite at +125, while Allen isn’t far behind at +350.
It’s history that makes rivalries compelling, and these two have it. Allen is the reigning MVP, having won the award for the first time last year, while Mahomes has two of these awards in his trophy case, having won in 2018 and 2022.
As painful as it might be for Bills fans to admit it, Mahomes is the more compelling player in this race. He may drop out of the MVP conversation from time to time, but he’s dominated both the AFC and the league in general since he came into the league. Mahome always finds a way to win, especially in the postseason.
That’s where the rivalry numbers here get especially interesting. Tomorrow’s tilt will be the 10th time Mahomes and Allen have faced each other, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, and Allen has led the Bills to a 4-1 record in the regular season.
But Mahomes and the Chiefs are 4-0 in the postseason, and that’s what this rivalry is really about. Both teams are currently trailing their respective division leaders, and the Chiefs and Bills both this game to get to their respective spots atop the AFC pecking order.
The division race is only part of the battle, however. Conference record is important, too, with the Bills leading there at 3-1, while the Chiefs are a surprisingly stodgy 2-2. A Chiefs win would restore order in Kansas City, with both teams chasing the surprising Indianapolis Colts, who are 6-0 so far in the AFC.
Head-to-head is the final factor in both the MVP race and the battle between the two teams. It’s not important yet team-wise, but we all know it will be, and part of what makes this particular MVP race is the contrast in quarterbacking styles. Mahomes and Allen both like to run, but the Chiefs quarterback is more of a finesse runner, while Allen seems to delight in using brute force when necessary.
It all adds up to a great watch, and one of the fun factors is seeing how it will alter the odds in the MVP race.