KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Everyone seems to keep waiting for the problems that have plagued the Kansas City Chiefs all season to be their downfall.
The dropped passes. The turnovers. The penalties.
But one thing has yet to fail them: their defense. It showed up again in Sunday night's 27-24 victory in Buffalo, which sent the Chiefs to their sixth consecutive AFC championship game. It kept the Bills out of the end zone in the closing minutes and, when Tyler Bass missed a potential tying field goal wide right, Kansas City was on to the next round in Baltimore.
"The defense really picked it up that second half, and really put it down, even to the last drive where they had to kick that field goal," Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said Monday. "I thought that was big. They said: 'Enough is enough. We can't let them score.' "
The defense has said that a lot this season.
The Chiefs have held their opponent to 24 points or fewer in 18 of 19 games, the best defensive run since the famed "Legion of Boom" in Seattle during the 2013 season. That group, led by Bobby Wagner, Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman, led the league in points, yards and just about every other relevant defensive statistic, and proceeded to stuff the Broncos in the Super Bowl.
"For three quarters offensively, we were moving the ball up and down the field, but we got shut down in the fourth quarter," said Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has never lost in the divisional round. "I went over to the defense and told them: 'Y'all shut it down and we'll win this football game. We'll get to the AFC Championship Game.' "
The Chiefs still had issues Sunday night -- Mecole Hardman fumbled a ball out of the end zone for a late touchback, which could have cost dearly. But with their defense playing so well, and just two wins away from another Super Bowl ring, perhaps the Chiefs simply can overcome the problems that have followed them throughout the season.
"Nothing comes easy, man," defensive tackle Chris Jones said. "It took a lot of commitment from a lot of guys in order to be successful."
WHAT'S WORKING
Harrison Butker has been as automatic as kickers can be this season. He's made 14 straight field goals, going 6 for 6 in two playoff games. Butker's value was underscored Saturday night, when the Packers missed a tying field goal in the final minutes of their loss to San Francisco, and again Sunday, when the Bills missed one that would have tied their game.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
The Chiefs have been among the NFL's best against the pass all season, but they have been susceptible to the run. The Bills ran for 182 yards on 39 carries Sunday night, helping them dictate the tempo of the game. And given that quarterback Josh Allen ran for 72 yards and two scores, that doesn't bode well with the Ravens' Lamar Jackson on deck.
STOCK UP
Isiah Pacheco touched the ball only 16 times but turned that into 111 yards and a go-ahead touchdown. He also had a battering run on first down in the final minute that allowed the Chiefs to run out the clock on the win. Pacheco dealt with a shoulder injury midway through the season but has been at his best down the stretch and into the playoffs.
STOCK DOWN
One week after his effort was questioned in the Chiefs' wild-card win over the Dolphins, Hardman fumbled through the end zone, which could have come back to bite them. Can the Chiefs trust him to play mistake-free going forward?
INJURY REPORT
The Chiefs played most of the way without safety Mike Edwards (concussion) and linebacker Willie Gay Jr. (neck), while left guard Joe Thuney was expected to have an MRI on Monday for a pectoral injury. Rookie safety Chamarri Conner played well when Edwards went down, and Nick Allegretti did a fine job as a fill-in guard. But the Chiefs planned to use Gay to spy on Allen, who gouged them with his feet, and will likely have him in the same role against Jackson this week.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) scores a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter of an NFL AFC division playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid answers questions during a news conference after defeating the Buffalo Bills in an NFL AFC division playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Taylor Swift, right, and Brittany Mahomes react during the third quarter of an NFL AFC division playoff football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson (26) is tackled by the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter of an NFL AFC division playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the fourth quarter of an NFL AFC division playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates with tight end Blake Bell (81) after scoring a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter of an NFL AFC division playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter of an NFL AFC division playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (25) carries the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter of an NFL AFC division playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) rolls out of the pocket against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter of an NFL AFC division playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)