Patrick Mahomes did something on Sunday that he had never done before in his NFL career: play in a playoff game on the road. The No. 3-seeded Chiefs went to Highmark Stadium to face the No. 2-seeded Buffalo Bills in the divisional round, but for Mahomes it doesn't matter what obstacles he faces, history shows he is going to make it to the AFC Championship Game.
Mahomes and Kansas City defeated the Bills 27–24, advancing No. 15 to his sixth AFC title game in his six years as a starter.
Not only was the the first time Mahomes had to play a postseason game in enemy territory (not counting Super Bowls), it was the first time he would play in Buffalo with fans in the stands. The only other time he had played there was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
In the week before the game, Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins sarcastically wished the Chiefs luck in their first experience playing in front of Bills Mafia.
"[Mahomes has] only been here once. So he's never been here. Simple as that," Dawkins said, per ESPN. "Pat has never been to the Bills stadium in full… The environment will be different and not to say it's in our favor, but stadium is our favor. Stadium is us. That helps us … So good luck."
The Bills just can't seem to beat Mahomes in the playoffs, losing to him and the Chiefs in the AFC title game in 2020, and again in the divisional round in 2021. This finally seemed like the year Buffalo could do it, with the benefit of home field and the momentum of winning their last six games going in. The defending Super Bowl champions had other plans, however.
After the win, Mahomes referenced all the doubters, who thought he and the Chiefs would finally fall to Josh Allen and the Bills in the playoffs.
"They asked for it and they got what they asked for," Mahomes said (via NFL Films). "But [Travis Kelce] said it. This s— ain't done. We come back next week ready to go!"
You're going to want to hear @PatrickMahomes victory speech. 👀@insidetheNFL | @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/j8ZupeScZd
— NFL (@NFL) January 22, 2024
Dawkins' message was clearly used as bulletin board material and Mahomes threw the tackle's well wishes back in his face with a celebratory Instagram captioned, "Good luck."
Playing in front of Buffalo's enthusiastic fans was on Mahomes' NFL bucket list and has noted that he was looking forward to the challenge.
"I mean obviously I was glad that I got to hit them during the COVID year and the fans weren't in the stands," Mahomes said (via the Kansas City Star), referencing the Chiefs win there in 2020," but I want to see what it's like to be in that type of environment. I mean I know it'll be hostile and it'll be tough for us, but it'd be cool for new experiences."
Mahomes will now play his second playoff road game, this time heading to Baltimore to take on the No. 1 Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson.
