By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
The status of Patrick Mahomes has been at the forefront of every Chiefs' fan's mind this past week.
Mahomes confirmed Friday that's he's out of protocol, clearing the way for him to safely return.
While many fans have thought about Mahomes, the Chiefs themselves primarily thought about the Bills. And for good reason.
Buffalo (15-3), playing in their first AFC Championship since 1994, is perhaps the hottest team in the NFL, winners of eight straight games and 11 of their last 12.
The Chiefs won at Buffalo in Week 6, 26-17, but the Bills have since gotten healthier and more lethal on offense.
Buffalo averaged more than 34 points per contest over the final 10 weeks of the regular season compared to 26 through the first six games. Plus, quarterback Josh Allen has passed for 530 yards (3 TD - 0 INT) this postseason, trailing only Tom Brady's 580.
"Their quarterback is playing outstanding," defensive tackle Chris Jones said. "He's playing at an MVP-caliber level. They're steamrolling right now, man. They're firing on all cylinders."
Allen finished the regular season with 4,544 passing yards (5th in NFL), 37 touchdowns (5th) and 10 interceptions. It also helps that Allen has one of the best targets in the league to throw to.
Stefon Diggs led the NFL with 1,535 receiving yards in the regular season and is the leader in the clubhouse with 234 receiving yards in the postseason.
"He's probably the most targeted receiver in the NFL," safety Tyrann Mathieu said. "So, whoever is in front of (Diggs) has tough duty."
The Bills’ two top receivers, Diggs and Cole Beasley, were both full participants in Friday’s practice after being limited earlier in the week.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo called this Bills matchup 'the most difficult task of the season.'
"We certainly expect the level of their play to certainly go way up," Spagnuolo said. "Big quarterback, wideouts all over the place and an offensive line that's functioning well together."
On defense, Buffalo has steadily improved. They ranked in the middle of the pack in the regular season and have given up 400 yards per game in the postseason.
Yet, they rank No. 1 this postseason with 13.5 points per game allowed. The 17-3 win over the Ravens in the divisional round skews that number, but their linebacking core has gotten healthier with the return of Matt Milano, who was out with injury against the Chiefs in Week 6.
Cornerback Tre'Davious White and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds are also Pro Bowl selections.
"They're very aggressive," Chad Henne said of the Bills defense. "I mean, they have a veteran group in the secondary. Linebackers are very, very mobile and can run around and the defensive line is active. I think they're flying around, and obviously with this being the AFC Championship, the ante just goes up. So, we anticipate their best shot."
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The Chiefs and Bills kick off on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium at 5:40 p.m. The game will be carried on KFEQ (680 AM, 95.3 FM) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.