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The green grass in the Highmark Stadium was speckled with snow white. There were two moments in the game when the Ravens almost equalized the Bills. The first when the home team’s double-digit halftime lead was whittled down to 2 points near the end of the 3rd quarter. Derrick Henry scored a touchdown to make the score 19-21. Lamar Jackson attempted a 2-point conversion but Bills DE Javon Solomon flicked it. The second under the 2-minute warning in the 4th, in a similar situation with the Bills again ahead by two. TE Mark Andrews dropped the 2-point conversion catch, ending their season. If Andrews had held on while falling backward across the goal line, Sean McDermott might have been in a radically different situation.

He was a relieved man after the divisional win, even saying he would have a good sleep before thinking about the Chiefs. On Monday, January 20, the head coach talked to the reporters who were curious about the Bills’ failure to score TDs in the second half and putting only 6 points on board with 2 FGs. While crediting their rivals, Sean McDermott also made a clear demand to Josh Allen & co. and said, “I thought that, you know, the Ravens, give them credit. They played really good defense, stingy defense against us there, and you know, certainly didn’t produce enough points. We had a good driver, too, in the 4th quarter. But, at the end of the day, we got to score points, and that’s what we’re meant to do here.

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The Bills should be ready for an extreme challenge from the Chiefs’ defensive line. In the divisional win against the Texans, DE Geroge Karlaftis was on CJ Stroud’s tail on each drive. They sacked him 8 times. DT Chris Jones is a perennial threat. Pocket protection will matter the most. Though the Bills have only allowed 14 sacks on their QB in 17 regular season games and 3 in the 2 playoff games this year, Sean McDermott knows their greater challenge will be scoring points on a healthy and firing Kansas defense.

On the other hand, the Bills O-line has to step it up a level instead of relying on Josh Allen to be infallible at each point. The key is the first quarter. In 6 regular season games this year when they were limited to no score or a FG without a TD, they won 3 and lost 3. Moreover, Sean McDermott and Josh Allen have never won a playoff game against Patrick Mahomes & co. The HC-QB duo already has a 0-3 record post-season against the Chiefs.

The only silver lining is their win against the Chiefs in the week 11 matchup. Safety Taylor Rapp intercepted the Grim Reaper on the second drive of the game. But the question looms big. Will he play in the AFC Championship game?

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Can the Bills' offense overcome the Chiefs' defense, or will they crumble under pressure?

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Sean McDermott reveals Taylor Rapp injury update

There is sad news on the injury front too. At the 14:07 mark in the 2nd quarter, 3 Bills players tackled the Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. But during the collision, Rapp injured his hip. The medical team had to cart him out of the field, later declaring him out of the game because of the hip injury. While they are monitoring him on a day-to-day basis, the HC is already weighing his options.

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While talking about the alternatives, Sean McDermott named FS Cole Bishop as the starter over Micah Hyde. The 2nd round (60th overall) pick in the 2024 NFL draft played 16 games (4 starting) for the Bills, finishing the regular season with 40 tackles (25 solo). In 2 playoff games, he has 3 tackles (1 solo). Hyde hasn’t played a game in the 2024 season.

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Add it to CB Christian Benford’s concussion, the Bills’ defensive power is down a lot. Can they survive the Chiefs at the Arrowhead? It will take a genuine team effort to get that monkey off their back and enter the Super Bowl.

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Can the Bills' offense overcome the Chiefs' defense, or will they crumble under pressure?

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