Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas
City Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, MO (WIVB) - I can't believe I'm sitting here wondering how and if the Bills can beat the Chiefs. The Chiefs? The Chiefs!! I know the Bills are a better team than 1-9 Kansas City. But I don't know if Trent Edwards can shake out of his funk. I don't know if the Bills can get the ball to Lee Evans. I don't know if this still very young Bills team can forget about four straight losses and a nearly lost season.

I do know the Chiefs have some good players. They play in a Stadium that can be tough on opponents. I do know that they have players who are in a good place mentally. They know they're bad, they know their season is lost. They feel know pressure. They can just play. You can't say that about the Bills.

But ultimately, I know the Bills have better players and that has to count for something.

Bills Offense vs. Chiefs Defense

Finally, the Bills ran the ball. Marshawn Lynch was a monster on Monday night: a running, catching, tackle-breaking Beast Mode who nearly carried his team to a win. That has to count for something, especially against a KC team that's 31st in the NFL against the run. Offensive Coordinator Turk Schonert knew that running the ball was the way to get the Bills going against the coverage defenses that everyone was playing. Finally, they did it. They should be able to continue it against the Chiefs, and that should loosen up the pass defense for Edwards. See, I told you it was all about the running game.

KC is banged up and young on defense. Starting LB Donnie Edwards and Pat Thomas are out, along with starting DE Turk McBride. They start 2 rookies at cornerback. They've given up 30 points or more five times. But they do take the ball away. 21 takeaways (10 interceptions, 11 fumble recoveries) ranks in the NFL's top three. So Trent must be careful with the football.

Bills Defense vs. Chiefs Offense

Tyler Thigpen. Let the name roll off your tongue before you say "Who?" He is the Chiefs third starting QB of the season'and he maybe the best. The second year player from Coastal Carolina has settled into a groove: 8 TD, 1 INT, 97 passer rating in the the last 4 games. None of those were wins, and that means something. But the kid, now running more a spread offense, has shown he can throw and run the ball. That presents a challenge for a Bills defense that's banged up in the secondary. KC will spread it out with 2-3 receivers and 2 tight ends. The Bills could be down Donte Whitner, Jabari Greer and Bryan Scott, so that's a concern.

Larry Johnson is also back in the team's good graces, for now. He's been inactive and suspended for four of the last five games, but is expected to play Sunday. If his mind is in the right place, he's still one of the league's best. The Bills have done a good job against the run this season, ranked 16th.

If they can control Johnson, they can pressure Thigpen into more mistakes. That will help what could be a secondary relying on rookies Leodis McKelvin and Reggie Corner.
 

*Please join me and John Murphy for "The Ad Pro Sports Sunday Night Blitz" following News 4 at 11. We'll recap and analyze the game, get the inside account from our special Bills guest and give you postgame reaction from the Buffalo locker room.