The stakes will be high when the Kansas City Chiefs welcome Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to Arrowhead in the AFC Championship Game of the 2025 NFL playoffs, with the winner sealing a place in Super Bowl LIX. Andy Reid, therefore, has already let his players know what will be the key to win the game.
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Speaking to reporters via Zoom on Monday, the Chiefs head coach stressed the importance of a strong defensive performance against one of the best offenses in the NFL. Reid knows it will be key to stop Allen and company, which is why he gave a firm order to his defense: get stops on third downs.
“One of the things we’ll keep working on is you’ve got to be able to get off the field on third downs. We keep stressing that. Steve (Spagnuolo) does. So we’ve got to, you know, you’ve got to be able to take care of those third downs,” Reid said. “Especially when you’ve worked so hard and put yourself in a good position. Bills do a heck of a job with that. They’re a really good football team offensively.”
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The Chiefs know very well Reid is right. Not long ago, the Bills’ ability to get third down conversions proved costly for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, who suffered their first loss in the 2024 NFL season when they visited Buffalo.
Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on during the second half of the game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.
In the Week 11 matchup in November, the Bills went nine-of-15 on third downs (60%). That strength to keep drives alive played a big role in the final score, which saw the hosts claim a 30-21 win at Highmark Stadium.
Allen and company ranked seventh in third down conversion during the 2024 NFL regular season, whereas the Chiefs sat 26th in third down stops. In case anyone questions Reid’s vision, the Divisional Round seems to prove the coach right.
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This situation continued to be a problem for the Chiefs last time out, as the Texans had a 59% success rate on third down, going 10-for-17 at Arrowhead. Meanwhile, the Bills’ third down conversation against the Baltimore Ravens was 59%, with Allen‘s unit going 5-for-11.
We’ll have to wait and see whether the Chiefs step up the way Reid expects. At the end of the day, the coach knows that this will be the ultimate test to their Super Bowl aspirations: “It’s a high level of football. You’ve got to handle it that way. You’ve got to test yourself that way. Besides the Super Bowl, this is the highest level.”
