The Kansas City Chiefs are set to host the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
Sunday night’s meeting between the Chiefs-Bills will be the fourth postseason meeting between the teams since 2020. Kansas City has won all three of the previous matchups, including a 27-24 thriller at Highmark Stadium in 2023.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills have another big game
Since 2020, the Bills have gone 4-4 against the Chiefs, with all four wins coming the regular season, including a decisive 30-21 over Kansas City in the 2024 regular season.
Unfortunately for the Bills, the team will be without one of their key defenders on Sunday night.
Per the Bills website, head coach Sean McDermott told WGR550 that safety Taylor Rapp was ruled out against Kansas City due to a hip injury he suffered in Buffalo’s 27-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round.
Taylor Rapp is out
The Bills will ask rookie Cole Bishop to start in Rapp’s place.
Via the Bills’ website:
“During his weekly Friday appearance on WGR550, Bills head coach Sean McDermott gave updates on the team’s injury report heading into the AFC Championship game against the Chiefs.
McDermott shared that S Taylor Rapp (hip) will be OUT for Sunday’s game. Rapp hasn’t practiced all week after leaving the Divisional Round game with the hip injury. Rapp’s absence puts rookie safety Cole Bishop in line to start.”
Coach McDermott has ruled Taylor Rapp out for the AFC Championship game.#BUFvsKC injury report: https://t.co/wXjRtz6VZN pic.twitter.com/6uwjaXxHzF
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 24, 2025
Cole Bishop has not at a great rookie season
The Bills selected Bishop in the second round of the 2024 draft. At 22, Bishop has appeared in 16 games and started in four. He recorded 40 tackles, two passes defensed, one forced fumble and one tackle for loss in the regular season.
Bishop will have a tall order going against the Chiefs’ explosive offense. The Bills’ secondary will be asked to cover Marquise Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, Xavier Worthy and Travis Kelce.
Per Pro Football Focus, Bishop earned a 49.6 overall grade for his play in 2024. He’s struggled in anything but being a pass rusher, earning a 57.7 grade for run defense and 45.7 in coverage. Bishop is ranked 150 out of 170 safeties.
Those players would have been hard to cover with a healthy secondary.
Per ESPN BET, the Chiefs enter the contest as 1.5-point favorites over Buffalo.
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