Josh Allen expressed it earnestly.

“It’s just another game.”

“This is a Week 11 game, no different from the last ten games we’ve played,” the quarterback for the Buffalo Bills stated firmly during his mid-week press briefing. “I get what the media and fans think about this match, but for us, it’s just Week 11.”

Really? Not quite.

As the only undefeated team in the league (9-0), the Kansas City Chiefs are heading to Highmark Stadium, making this matchup the standout event of the NFL season—so significant that CBS will be broadcasting its “NFL Today” show from there.

If the Chiefs were to falter, a win for Buffalo could provide a crucial advantage for the playoffs, potentially allowing them to host the AFC Championship Game. This rivalry has intensified over recent years. The Bills have been eyeing a Super Bowl chance but have faced heart-wrenching playoff exits against the Chiefs in three of the last four seasons.

This makes Kansas City, the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions, a particular challenge for Allen and the team.

Tell yourself it’s just another game if you want, but it’s more than that.

“We discuss keeping every game equivalent,” said Bills tight end Dawson Knox, now in his sixth season. “We aim to consider each match equally. We shouldn’t get caught up in the playoff picture just yet. But they’re an outstanding team. Every year since I’ve been here, facing them has been a tough challenge.”

“Yet our main focus is on our performance,” Knox continued. “The key is to concentrate on ourselves, hone in on the little details during practice and avoid getting ahead of ourselves.”

The Bills (8-2) have a valid reason to take this approach. Despite the Chiefs’ dominance in the NFL during the Patrick Mahomes Era, Buffalo has remained a strong competitor under coach Sean McDermott and has consistently led the AFC East for the last several years. With Tom Brady retired, the Bills have clinched four consecutive division titles, knowing what it takes to maintain a high standard in football.

Interestingly, the Bills have triumphantly claimed victory in their last three regular-season encounters against the Chiefs, each time at Arrowhead Stadium.

But this match-up carries much more significance than just another Week 11 game.

For starters, the Bills could spoil the Chiefs’ hopes of extending their remarkable 15-game winning streak, which could even lead to an undefeated season. Achieving a perfect record is highly unlikely, but think of the psychological boost for Buffalo if they were the team to impede such an accomplishment.

Let’s not forget the psychological angle. The Bills faced the Chiefs in a playoff game for the first time in Buffalo back in January but suffered a loss due to a second-half collapse. In previous playoff encounters, the games were held in Kansas City, where the Bills were just 13 seconds away from the 2021 AFC Championship game until a drive by Mahomes set up a field goal that pushed the game into overtime. It was a nightmare at Arrowhead.

Thus, while this is a Week 11 game, a win could be quite significant for the Bills. Although a victory on Sunday won’t serve as complete payback, they may have that chance in January, during the playoffs when the Chiefs aim for an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl championship.

A win now would also serve as a valuable indicator of what lies ahead for a Bills team featuring 17 players who were not part of the roster in their last playoff game.

However, Knox made a pragmatic point about the importance of focusing on their own performance rather than fixating solely on the Chiefs. Even though the Bills have emerged victorious in their last five games, only one of those wins was against a team currently enjoying a winning record. They had to pull off a significant comeback to win against Arizona in the opener and were soundly beaten by Baltimore and Houston in back-to-back away games.

Now they have an opportunity to gauge their abilities against their most formidable opponent yet.

With all the attention surrounding the game, the players shouldn’t have a problem getting motivated.

“But sometimes, excessive excitement can be counterproductive,” warned Knox. “If you get too hyped up, it may lead to mental mistakes. Therefore, maintaining composure is essential, and we must rely on our preparations. We should not get overly excited too quickly. Nonetheless, it’s always more exhilarating when there’s the chance for a primetime game or a big match-up.”

Looking at the other side of the rivalry

After spending four years in Baltimore, Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen now finds himself on the rival side of one of the NFL’s most heated rivalries. As the Ravens (7-3) prepare to face the Steelers in Pittsburgh, a game that will decide first place in the AFC North, he’s adding some extra intrigue to the matchup.

Queen, who joined the Steelers with a three-year, $41 million deal, claimed he felt unappreciated when the Ravens chose not to retain him as a free agent. This statement comes despite Baltimore being in a tough spot financially due to their commitments to players like Lamar Jackson, Roquan Smith, and Nnamdi Madubuike.

Regardless, this personal subplot adds an intriguing layer to the upcoming conflict.

“I wasn’t wanted back,” Queen stated to reporters in Pittsburgh this week. “I didn’t receive an offer. It was definitely upsetting to spend four years there and develop strong bonds with the team. In the initial months, those feelings were certainly challenging.”

What could this signify on Sunday?

“I will definitely have mixed emotions,” Queen stated. “Anyone in my role would feel this way this week.”

In nine games played, Queen has contributed significantly to helping Pittsburgh (7-2) secure the division lead. With a total of 62 tackles, he is just behind another former Raven, safety DeShaun Elliott (64), who leads the team. Queen plays a crucial role in team communication, wearing the green dot which indicates he is the designated player receiving real-time play calls from coordinator Teryl Austin. Moreover, as the Steelers have won three consecutive games and seven out of the last eight against their rivals, it’s clear they gained an advantage by acquiring a key player from a Ravens defense that allowed the fewest points in the NFL last season.

On the other hand, Baltimore has added a former Steeler to their roster, wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who is also noteworthy—despite Steelers coach Mike Tomlin downplaying Johnson’s significance, noting he tied for the team lead last season with five touchdowns.

When asked about Johnson this week, Tomlin made it clear he wasn’t particularly focused on him.

“Honestly, I haven’t spent much time considering him,” Tomlin replied candidly, suggesting he was more focused on other vital contributors. “They have more significant players with larger roles that have my attention right now.”

Ouch. Let the rivalry continue.

Mafia moves

With an extensive career spanning 17 years and starts at quarterback for nine different teams, Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t exaggerating when he claims his best bond with fans was during his four-year tenure with the Buffalo Bills that began in 2009.

This connection was evident when Fitzpatrick, now a rising analyst for Amazon’s Thursday Night Football, went out of his way to match the $12,000 fine imposed on Spencer Brown for defending Josh Allen, promising to contribute that amount to a charity chosen by the Buffalo guard. That’s pretty admirable, Fitz.

The Bills Mafia is known for supporting charitable causes, often highlighting players, even those on opposing teams, during important moments.

Brown received a fine for his altercation with Nick Cross after the Colts defensive back took things too far following a short touchdown run by the Bills quarterback last week.

Fitzpatrick’s tweet about Brown included some thoughtful commentary.

“Thank you for demonstrating what it means to be a true lineman,” Fitzpatrick shared on X.

Charity contributions, a message sent, and yet another instance of FitzMagic.

Quick slants

– In hindsight, Kliff Kingsbury seems to have been overlooked. The Bears recently dismissed offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and replaced him with Thomas Brown amid struggles with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. This decision came a week after the Raiders parted ways with their OC, Luke Getsy, who held the role last year in Chicago. Both teams had previously considered hiring Kingsbury but ultimately chose not to. A questionable choice. In fact, the Raiders’ decision was influenced by Kingsbury’s demand for a three-year contract, which exceeded their one-year offer. Meanwhile, Kingsbury has successfully helped develop an emerging Commanders offense while managing star quarterback Jayden Daniels, a top contender for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

– Falcons safety Justin Simmons maintains close ties with several former Broncos teammates, enough that he remains in a group chat with them. However, as they prepare for their matchup, competition will be far fiercer than friendly practice sessions during his eight years in Denver. Perceiving the intensity, Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton told reporters about his playful advice to Simmons: “I humorously mentioned, ‘Hey, bro, if you see me coming across the middle, keep in mind we’re friends.’”