Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws under pressure from Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna (51) during the first half on Sunday in Kansas City, Missouri.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sean McDermott thought for a moment that a tough week for him and the Buffalo Bills would end with one final punch, a bold pass by the Kansas City Chiefs with just over a minute remaining to steal the win on Sunday.
Then the Bills coach saw the yellow flag on the field.
The pass from Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce, which was then passed across the field to Kadarius Toney, was called for a 49-yard score offside penalty on Toney himself.
And when the Bills set out to catch the Chiefs, they escaped Arrowhead Stadium with a stunning, stunning 20-17 victory.
“As the play unfolded, Kelce got wide open,” McDermott said. Playing after he got the ball, I’ve never seen a play like that in the NFL. But I saw the referees pointing in that direction. I didn’t know if it was a choice or what. “It turned out to be an infiltration.”
An attacking player is rarely called offside. But replays showed Toney’s foot was clearly across the line of scrimmage.
But that didn’t make the call any better for Mahomes, who hounded three different officials for an explanation. Or with Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who was still angry after walking out of the locker room afterward.
“It’s a little embarrassing for the National Football League to have that happen,” Reid said.
This was the second straight week the Chiefs (8-5) dealt with questionable officiating. Last week in Green Bay, they wondered why pass interference wasn’t called on a pass intended for Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the final minutes of that game.
“At a loss for words, man,” Mahomes said. He added: “Ending another game while we are talking about the referees is bad for the NFL.”
It was good for the Bills (7-6), and they definitely needed something positive to happen.
Their week began with questions about rusher Von Miller, who turned himself in to police during their farewell and faces a felony charge of third-degree assault on a pregnant woman. The week ended with criticism directed at McDermott, who in 2019 used the hijackers from September 11, 2001, at a team meeting to stress the importance of communication, leaving him to apologize again — just as he did after realizing how wrong he was. Four years ago.
“Just so grateful. So many people that have reached out to me,” McDermott said. Andy Reid, and several of their staff after the game. I know quite a few coaches on their staff. They are a class act. And i appreciate that.”
The Bills’ Josh Allen threw for 233 yards with both runs and punts, though he also threw an interception for the ninth straight game. James Cook had 58 yards rushing and caught five passes for 83 yards and a score.
The Bills are 2-6 in games decided by six or fewer points, and they have given up leads in the final two minutes in three losses.
“It wasn’t the prettiest of wins. We all know that,” Allen said. “But the defense played great.”
Mahomes finished with 271 yards passing and a touchdown with an interception, and Rushie Rice had seven catches for 72 yards and a score. But that was not enough to prevent the Chiefs from losing for the fourth time in six matches.
“It’s a gut check,” Chiefs guard Trey Smith said. “You have to dig deep. We still have games to play.”
The Chiefs continued their recent record of poor starts on Sunday. Mahomes was intercepted by AJ Epenesa on their first series, punted on each of the next three, and it wasn’t until the final minutes of the first half that Kansas City was able to sustain the drive that ended with a Jerick McKinnon touchdown.
By that point, the Bills had already reached the end zone twice.
The first touchdown came when Cook came out of the backfield undeterred, picked off a snap from Allen and raced 25 yards for the score. The second came at the end of a 73-yard drive, when Allen kept the ball over the right sideline and made a stand at the Kansas City 4, only for the entire Bills offense to rally behind him and rush into the end zone.
If the Eagles had the “power push,” the Bills offered their “team stomp.”
Buffalo added a field goal late in the first half, but the momentum quickly swayed Kansas City’s way. Mahomes led a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a Rice catch for a touchdown, then forced their defense to punt back-to-back punts, before another drive ended with Butker’s field goal with 11 1/2 minutes left.
The Bills had one last scoring drive in them, which ended with Tyler Bass’ go-ahead field goal with 1:54 left in the game.
The Chiefs thought they did, too, until they saw a penalty flag on the field.
“I played seven years in the NFL and I never had an offside attack,” a still angry Mahomes said in his postgame news conference. “Do you want to have a minute left to make a call like this?”
Injuries
Buffalo lost Epenesa in the first quarter, shortly after he caught a pass in the air and blocked it. … FS Micah Hyde left late in the first half with a stinging hit. He was replaced by Taylor Rapp in the second half.
Kansas City RB Isiah Pacheco (shoulder), LT Donovan Smith (neck) and LB Drue Tranquill (concussion) were inactive.
the next
Buffalo will play Dallas next Sunday.
Kansas City visits New England next Sunday.
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