The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills are set to clash in the AFC Championship Game, with a trip to Super Bowl LIX on the line. While the Chiefs boast a potent offense led by Patrick Mahomes, their success on Sunday will likely hinge on the defense’s ability to contain Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Capable of carving up opposing defenses with both his strong arm and physical running ability, Allen presents a difficult challenge for Kansas City. However, Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie is confident that the team will be ready to rise to the occasion.
“I think everybody here knows the player that’s coming in to play,” McDuffie said about the matchup against Allen. “He has a really strong arm. He can really just do it all, can make all the throws, and can run the ball very well. This year, you can see his confidence. He’s making smarter decisions, not turning the ball over as much, and he really has that offense rolling. So, we know it’s going to be a big challenge, but we played him a few years, so we know what he’s about.”
Despite slightly lower passing numbers this season, Allen remains one of the league’s best quarterbacks. He finished the regular season with 3,731 passing yards and 23 touchdowns, and his six interceptions marked the lowest total of his career — a testament to his improved decision-making.
Allen also contributed 531 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground, an area of his game that McDuffie emphasized as a major factor in his growth this season.
“It just comes down to his scrambling,” McDuffie observed. ”When you look back in the past, he’s one of those guys that’s obviously going to get out of the pocket, is going to use his feet really well, and buy time for his receivers. In the past, he may take a few deep shots or just throw the ball out there and have his guy make a play. This year he’s either tucking it and running it, or if you don’t see it, throwing it away. For me, that just shows growth.”
The Chiefs know all too well how dangerous Allen can be running the ball after witnessing it firsthand during their 30-21 loss to the Bills in Week 11. Allen led the Bills in rushing with 55 yards on 12 carries, including the game-sealing touchdown run on fourth-and-2 late in the fourth quarter.
With that in mind, McDuffie understands the importance of his role in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme, which emphasizes contributions from the secondary in stopping the run. Allen has a larger physical profile than most quarterbacks, so taking him down will demand a collective effort from the Chiefs’ defense.
“This defense and (defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s) philosophy is about the DBs and corners setting edges coming into the run game,” McDuffie explained. “I think this week is another one of those games where everybody is needed. When he’s scrambling, DBs got to plaster on the back end to make sure your receiver is not running down the field. When he does tuck it and run, you have to come up and make a tackle in the open space.
“Doing things that coach Spags would call ‘My job plus.’ Doing your job while also making sure that if somebody else messes up or if there’s an opportunity for you to do your job and make a play, to do those things because this is the moment for it.”
