Remember those original Marvel movies? The ones leading up to Avengers: Endgame and, of course, the grand culmination itself? Every year, Marvel fans circled a new film's release date on their calendar, declared they would be there on opening night, and planned their nights out weeks in advance. That's the feeling NFL fans experience when the schedule comes out with regard to the seemingly annual Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs bout. It's one of the year's biggest games, and these two teams never disappoint. It's filled with drama, intrigue, and edge-of-your-seat excitement.
Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season will offer the latest iteration of the showdown between the two best quarterbacks in today's NFL. It's Josh Allen versus Patrick Mahomes and Sean McDermott versus his former mentor in Andy Reid. This week's edition of bold predictions had to be fitting for such a showdown, and I captured the true meaning of bold this week.
Josh Allen surpasses Jim Kelly for most touchdowns in Bills history
If you didn't watch Jim Kelly play in the 1980s and 1990s, you should take a moment to watch some of those Bills games on YouTube, as he helped usher in an entire generation of Buffalo fans. However, Josh Allen is only two touchdowns away from tying (and three from breaking) Kelly's franchise record of 244 career touchdowns in Bills history. Allen often puts on the Superman cape when he faces the Chiefs, and this week will be no different. Allen will break Kelly's record on Sunday afternoon, scoring three-plus times as he becomes Buffalo's all-time leader in touchdowns.
Bills intercept Patrick Mahomes twice, including one by a DL
The Bills have 11 interceptions on the year (ranking fifth in the league), with defensive tackle Austin Johnson (surprisingly) tying for the team lead with two. Add to that the fact that Patrick Mahomes has thrown nine interceptions through nine games (tied for fourth most in the league), and you can see why this is a natural prediction. Buffalo also leads the league in turnover ratio at +13.
Khalil Shakir tops 100 receiving yards
The last time the Bills faced the Chiefs, the ever-reliable Khalil Shakir had seven receptions and a touchdown, but only 44 yards. That changes this week with his best performance of the year to date, catching another seven passes for 120 yards and a score. With Amari Cooper banged up and both Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid out, Allen and the Bills will lean on Shakir and Dawson Knox in the passing game. Speaking of Knox, see the next bold prediction.
Dawson Knox is second on team five receptions, 65 yards, and one touchdown
Kincaid being out provides Knox with the opportunity to again shine as Buffalo's primary tight end. The Chiefs are one of the worst teams in the league against tight ends, and Knox has found success against Kansas City in the past, catching 18 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns in six career games against the Chiefs (including playoffs). Knox has been a go-to target of Allen's against Kansas City in the past, and given the circumstances, this figures to be the case yet again this weekend.
This article first appeared on Buffalo Bills on SI and was syndicated with permission.
