Laddie Morse
We now know that if the Kansas City Chiefs can take care of business today, they will host the AFC Championship game next weekend. That’s because the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Tennessee Titans on their own home field in Nashville yesterday afternoon, on a last second field goal, 19-to-16.
Chiefs Roster Move
The only roster move the Chiefs have made for this game against the Bills was to elevate Daurice Fountain to the active roster on Saturday. Fountain showed promise early in the year and preseason. Charles Goldman at ChiefsWire said this of Daurice Fountain:
“While Fountain hasn’t had many contributions on offense this season, he proved he’s capable as a receiver during the preseason, where he was the team’s leading receiver. He also proved that he has good hands for the special teams hands team. He recovered an onside kick during the preseason as well, something that could come into play in a win-or-go-home postseason game.”
Also, DT Khalen Saunders and CB Chris Lammons were not moved off of the Injured Reserve list.
While the Chiefs come into this game as healthy as they’ve been all season, the Bills are in the same shape, lending to the idea that this will be a phenomenal game. The paring of Patrick Mahomes vs Josh Allen will be this decade’s ultimate match-up:
Josh Allne has had a very good season for the Buffalo Bills. Maybe not as good as Patrick Mahomes year, but very, very good:
The Chiefs defense will be at full strength and will need to do a much better job of limiting Josh Allen this time around. Last time, Allen had:
- 315 passing yards
- 59 rushing yards
- 4 total TDs
And the most important stat: a W.
With DT Chris Jones out last time they played, as well as CB Charvarius Ward, and not having traded for Melvin Ingram, the Chiefs defensive unit should now be in high gear.
We have an odd starting time of 5:30 PM CST, but that should not make a difference.
Expect Tyreek Hill to Go Off
Tyreek Hill was belatedly fined for his pom pom routine following his TD vs the Steelers last Sunday evening.
I expect him to have a good game as a result. In 2019, the Chiefs Super Bowl winning season… remember that year… Hill was fined for flashing the peace sign in a Broncos game. However, he followed that game up with 76 yards against the Packers and then 140 yards against the Vikings. If he’s upset about this fine, you may see him show us what a good wide receiver does in response. By the way, once again, no flag was thrown in the game. It’s hard to understand the NFL some times. Also in 2019, they featured a Tyreek Hill post TD celebration dance to highlight in a video… but they turned around and fined him for flashing the piece sign once he’d scored a TD? Danged if ya do… danged if ya don’t. All I really know is…
You don’t tug on superman’s cape
You don’t spit into the wind
You don’t pull the mask off that old lone ranger
And you don’t mess around with Jim… err, Tyreek!
–Jim Croce, 1972
Referee Crew Assignment
A Conspiracy Blowback Thriller?
Referee John Hussey’s crew has been assigned to work Chiefs-Bills game today. Interesting note, while Hussey is a 7-year ref-vet, this would have been the third time K.C. would have been assigned Hussey and crew this season, but he didn’t actually officiate the last time he was assigned, back in Week 17 vs the Cincinnati Bengals. Many of us wondered why he and his crew were pulled from that game at the last minute, leading many to speculate, leading to one conspiracy theory or another. Not a good look for the NFL. Let’s hope the same doesn’t happen this time… as the last time many blamed the Chiefs loss to Hussey and crew being replaced.
Weather: There Will Be January Weather
Late Game Report
On a last second field goal (again), the San Francisco 49ers beat Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, 13-to-10 in Green Bay on Lambeau Field. While the Packers lost the running game battle, 67 to 106, Aaron Rodgers threw for 225 yards to Jimmy Garoppolo’s 131. The Packers had many chances to win this game, but Rodgers threw zero TD passes and the 49ers blocked a punt, which they returned for a TD, and they also blocker a Field Goal try with :02 seconds left in the first half. Rick Gosselin ranked all NFL team’s Special Teams and the Packers were ranked #32 for the 2021 season. So, it should surprise no one that the Packer’s Special Teams lost them that game. Not to worry Chiefs fans, K.C. is the highest ranked team left in the playoffs at #4. BTW, the Bills are ranked #8, Cincinnati #12, the Rams #16 and the Bucs #29. Don’t let anyone tell you that Special Teams are not important.
I agree with AO Blogger, Priest-Maholmes, who said, “The Chiefs look better than all 4 teams that played today….”
I’d love to see the Chiefs host their 4th AFC Championship game in a row next weekend. It would take a number of Chiefs turnovers and for the Bills to play mistake free football for that not to happen. What do you think?
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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