Sometimes, teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, who've won it all, have something called a "Super Bowl Hangover." That's a season-long slog of a repeat bid where no one turns on high gear until the postseason, if they get that far, given the malaise.
The Buffalo Bills had their version of that as a title-less franchise on Sunday, being so hung up about getting over the Chiefs' hump in Week 9 with a 28-21 win at Highmark Stadium, that they lost their focus and lost to an unfathomable foe in Week 10.
Facing a previously 2-7 Miami Dolphins, the Bills were lit up by star running back De’Von Achane (174 rushing yards, 51 receiving yards, two touchdowns) at Hard Rock Stadium in a 30-13 loss that could've allowed Buffalo to keep pace with the New England Patriots in the AFC East had it gone the other way.
Nope. Bills QB Josh Allen had two turnovers — an interception and a critical fourth-quarter fumble that killed any momentum for a comeback. The Bills converted on just five of 15 third-down tries, and even lost the penalty battle, all while allowing Allen to be hit in the backfield three times.
There was no focus. No discipline. They left it all in Buffalo last week after the biggest win of their season.
Chiefs Win the Bye Week With Bills' Big Loss
Say what you will about Kansas City, but the Chiefs haven't had bad losses like the Bills just had all year. In fact, every Chiefs loss was to a team with a winning record. The 5-4 Jacksonville Jaguars are the worst team that beat them. Otherwise, no one is calling the outcomes against Buffalo, the Philadelphia Eagles, or the Los Angeles Chargers a bad loss.
The Chiefs are quietly finding their identity on both sides of the ball, with the defense still a work-in-progress. But until they take a loss as bad as the Bills just did, there are no worries about this team still having a hangover from three straight Super Bowl appearances. If anything, Sunday's outlook showed just how much Kansas City's experience from the last decade of winning separates it from a Buffalo team that is often included in the contendership conversation.
The Bills' obsession with beating the Chiefs doesn't only hurt them in the present, as it could also have some long-term implications. Kansas City is still Buffalo's kryptonite in the postseason, and if head coach Sean McDermott keeps dropping the ball against bottom-feeders like Miami, Reid & Co.'s outlook will be as promising as it's ever been.
There are levels to this, and the Bills clearly aren't on the Chiefs'.