Buffalo Bills (5-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-5)

“It’s tough to drive the length of the field each and every series”, head coach Andy Reid said.

Buffalo blitzed Patriots QB Tom Brady heavily last week, but coach Rex Ryan prefers to sit back and let his front four do the bulk of the pass rushing.

Kansas City is now 4-1 both SU and ATS since losing running back Jamaal Charles for the season to injury, after stuffing San Diego last week 33-3. They played their hearts out. He was going to be back and better than ever. The victor of that game will have six wins, thus be in the driver’s seat.

The Bills are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games against the Chiefs. Their four-game winning streak came against the Pittsburgh Steelers without Ben Roethlisberger, the Lions, the Broncos with an injured Peyton Manning and a Chargers team that’s racked by injuries.

But that 1970 Cincinnati team is famous for another reason: Of the 158 teams from 1970 to 2014 that started an National Football League season with a 1-5 record, it is the only one to make the playoffs. None won 10 games, but the Chiefs have a chance to be the first. Watkins often draws the opponent’s top cover man. Whether the Chiefs employ that strategy remains to be seen. Colquitt punted five times for 203 yards, with four of those punts pinning the Chargers inside their 20-yard line. We have to make those guys play us. Kansas City should be able to shut down the outside game, something that Buffalo can only open up with some nice runs and subsequent play action.

“You know, 5-5 obviously is not the goal, ” safety Eric Berry said, “but we have our goals set and we know what mission we’re on, so we’re going to keep striving for that”. The Bills are 4-3 so far, but the Chiefs have won the last two games in the matchup.

I’m not saying that Kansas City is a bad team, not by any stretch of the imagination.

The Chiefs will pit one of their strength positions against one of Buffalo’s best groups, led by McCoy. Down the field throws are few and far between for quarterback Alex Smith, and once past veteran receiver Jeremy Maclin, the talent pool of catches is shallow for the Chiefs. The K.C. group of Tamba Hali and Justin Houston outside and Derrick Johnson and Josh Mauga inside, have been playing at a high level for the last six weeks.