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Alaina GetzenbergESPN
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills are headed back to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, where the team’s hopes of a consecutive AFC Championship Game appearance fell just short last season in one of the most action-packed playoff games of all time. But for the latest installment of Bills-Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), Buffalo is getting healthy at just the right time with several starters returning to the lineup after missing last week’s 38-3 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On the defensive side, safety Jordan Poyer (ribs), linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (hamstring) and rookie cornerback Christian Benford (hand) are all listed without injury designations. Poyer practiced fully on Friday for the first time since Week 2. He suffered the rib injury while catching his second of two fourth-quarter interceptions in the Bills’ 23-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4.
Edmunds missed just last week’s game vs. the Steelers, while Benford is returning after breaking a hand, an injury that required surgery, in Week 3 vs. the Dolphins. Fellow rookie cornerback Kaiir Elam has started in his place. The two had been rotating in the corner spot opposite Dane Jackson when all three were healthy. This game will be a real test for the Bills’ young corners against quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who leads the league in passing touchdowns (15).
“I’m really happy that [Elam’s] been able to get some exposure, get some work that we can coach off from a coaching standpoint,” defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. “Getting some tape that we can look at, see where we need to grow at, especially this time of year in October. This is good for him, it’s good for us as well just to see the things we need to do just to continue to bring him along.”
The Bills also opened 2019 All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White‘s 21-day practice window on Wednesday, but he remains on the reserve/physically unable to perform list while recovering from a torn ACL. Coach Sean McDermott ruled White out vs. the Chiefs earlier in the week.
The only Bills players with injury designations are wide receiver Jake Kumerow, who is ruled out because of a high ankle injury, and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who is questionable with a hamstring injury.
Despite Kumerow’s absence, quarterback Josh Allen will have some of his receiving options back with tight end Dawson Knox (foot/hamstring) and starting slot receiver Isaiah McKenzie (concussion) returning to the lineup after both missing last week’s game. Knox had a big game against the Chiefs in the Bills’ regular-season win last year, catching three passes for 117 yards and a score.
Wide receiver Gabe Davis, who caught four touchdown passes in the postseason matchup in January, has dealt with an ankle injury for multiple weeks but is coming back to full health. He put up a historic performance against the Steelers, finishing with 171 yards and two touchdowns on three receptions.
“I know [Davis had] been dealing with a little bit of an ankle and missed a game, but the more we can get him involved in the offense, and the ability that he has, it’s second to none to blow the top off a defense,” Allen said. “But again, you see him in the run game, you see him getting dirty, you seen him blocking for his receivers on the edge. He just does everything you ask him to do, and he continues to make plays. So, I love what he brings to our offense. I love the person that he is and how he carries himself, how hard he works. He’s a special cat.”
Expectations are high with the Bills favored by 2.5 over the Chiefs, per Caesars Sportsbook, which would end Mahomes’ 41-game streak, including playoffs, of being favored in home games as a starter, the longest streak as a home favorite to begin a career in the Super Bowl era.
Source: www.espn.com