The concluding match of championship Sunday will showcase the Buffalo Bills taking on the Kansas City Chiefs.

During the regular season, Josh Allen and the Bills outperformed the Chiefs. Notably, Allen has a 4-1 record against Kansas City in regular season matchups. Conversely, Patrick Mahomes boasts a perfect 3-0 playoff record against Allen and the Bills.

Heading into the AFC title game, the Chiefs are on an impressive eight-game winning streak in the playoffs.

Will the Bills achieve their first Super Bowl appearance since the 1993 season, or will Mahomes and the Chiefs secure a third consecutive Super Bowl trip? YSL News Sports highlights three essential factors for victory in Sunday’s AFC championship game.

Which team can capitalize on secondary receivers?

Kansas City’s primary pass catcher is tight end Travis Kelce, while Buffalo’s leading receiver is wide receiver Khalil Shakir. Both teams will require additional playmakers to emerge on Sunday. For the Chiefs, it’s vital that DeAndre Hopkins and their other wideouts find a way to break free and energize their inconsistent passing game. In the divisional matchup, Mahomes only threw for 177 yards, with Kelce excelling but just one catch registered by rookie Xavier Worthy among the receivers—an insufficient performance against Buffalo.

Buffalo must prioritize involving tight end Dalton Kincaid and wide receiver Amari Cooper in their plays. Kincaid managed only a single catch, and Cooper went catchless during last week’s victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Chiefs’ standout cornerback Trent McDuffie will likely be checking Shakir closely, making it crucial for Kincaid and Cooper to shine. This season, Buffalo has remained undefeated when Kincaid exceeds 50 receiving yards, while Allen only accumulated 127 passing yards in last week’s win.

Establishing the running game

Isiah Pacheco recorded a remarkable 313 rushing yards this postseason, playing a significant role in Kansas City’s push toward Super Bowl 58.

With injuries impacting Pacheco this season, he now seems healthy but has yet to reclaim his prior explosiveness. Can he return to his previous form, or might Kareem Hunt become the pivotal player in the backfield? Last week, the Chiefs managed only 50 rushing yards, averaging just 2.3 yards per carry. However, Kansas City earned the seventh-best run block win rate during the regular season according to ESPN. A thriving ground game will open up options for their passing attack.

For the Bills, Allen’s crucial 26-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-goal in the fourth quarter was a defining moment during their Week 11 win against Kansas City. The Bills achieved a league-high 32 rushing touchdowns this year and possess a top-10 rushing offense.

In their recent divisional playoff match, the Bills demonstrated strong ball control, keeping possession for nearly 32 minutes with 36 runs for 147 yards and three touchdowns. Expect a similar approach against the Chiefs, who had the NFL’s eighth-best run defense while the Bills ranked 12^th in run defense during the regular season.

Winning the turnover battle

This season, the Bills lead the NFL with 35 takeaways and have only eight turnovers, the lowest in the league (including postseason). Allen and his teammates have gone four playoff games without a turnover, a first in NFL history.

In contrast, the Chiefs have also avoided turnovers in their last eight games, with their last being against the Bills in Week 11, in a game they lost.

The two takeaways by the Bills were crucial in their Week 11 victory, and three takeaways played a significant role in their divisional round success.

These two teams have shown a knack for holding onto the ball. Any turnover on Sunday could have a dramatic effect on the game’s momentum.

Stay updated with YSL News Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.