After a 25-day break, the Kansas City Chiefs' starters will be back in action on Saturday against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium in a duel for a place in the AFC Championship Game.
Because the Chiefs haven’t lost a fumble in that run, the run of games without a turnover stands at eight. Ball security is high on the list of why the Chiefs went 15-2 during the regular season, won a playoff game for the seventh straight year and are meeting the Buffalo Bills in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.
The NFL divisional round is complete, and the playoffs will end with Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9 in New Orleans. Here's the full schedule and bracket.
Obviously, the usual suspects -- quarterbacks Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, among others -- will have a big say in which will go on to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. But each team also has an X factor who will also loom large in Sunday's outcome. Let's take a look at each team's X factor, starting with the two-time defending champs.
Bills cornerback Christian Benford cleared the concussion protocol and was active for Sunday's AFC championship game where he was expected to play a big role in helping to slow Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs' passing game.
We analyze Bills vs. Chiefs best bets, player props, and anytime TD scorers for today's AFC Championship Game, with picks on Josh Allen, Khalil Shakir, Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce.
Benford was chasing Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy near the Bills sideline when he clashed helmets with Hamlin, who wears a Guardian Cap on his own. Benford was shaky while standing up and tried to return to the field, but Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas stopped him in his tracks and made sure Buffalo trainers checked on him.