Patrick Mahomes vs Josh Allen’s duel, two players from the same generation, is shaping up to become a rivalry similar to the one Tom Brady and Peyton Manning had for 15 years also in the American Conference. For the fourth time in five years, their teams, the Chiefs and Bills, will face each other in the NFL playoffs. The duel next Sunday will determine the AFC champion and the tickets to the Super Bowl.
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Kansas City is going for their third consecutive conference title and is looking to become the first team in history to win the Super Bowl three times in a row.
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Buffalo, meanwhile, seeks to defeat the Chiefs in the playoffs for the first time since Mahomes became the starting quarterback and thus return to the NFL final for the first time since 1993.
How did the Bills qualify for the AFC final?
The Chiefs, with a bit more difficulty than expected, defeated the Texans 23-14 on Saturday and qualified for the AFC final for the seventh consecutive time.
The Bills had a much more complicated game against the Ravens. Even though the match was being played in Buffalo, the odds were slightly in favor of Baltimore due to the presence of quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry.
But the victory remained in the hands of the Bills with a score of 27-25 thanks to a solid performance by Josh Allen, who scored two rushing touchdowns, and Buffalo's defense, which forced three turnovers (one of them being a fumble by Jackson).
Another loose ball was the responsibility of Mark Andrews, the veteran tight end and standout for the Ravens, who also, when completely unmarked, dropped a two-point conversion pass with 1:33 remaining that would have tied the game at 28-28.
The Bills closed their season with a perfect 10-0 record at home. This included a 30-21 victory in the regular season over the Chiefs, who were undefeated until week 11.
Who will be the MVP?
The Bills vs Ravens game also caught attention because it marked the matchup between the top candidates for the MVP of the season: Josh Allen vs Lamar Jackson.
Jackson completed 18 out of 25 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. Allen completed 16 out of 22 passes for 127 yards, and his one-yard rush with 8:49 remaining in the second quarter put the Bills definitively ahead by 14-7.
At the end of the game, both players greeted each other with great respect and friendship.
The votes were submitted after the end of the regular season, and the winner of the MVP will be announced at the "NFL Honors" ceremony, which will take place on Thursday, February 6 at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans, three days before the Super Bowl.