Bills at Chiefs
THE STORY: The Kansas City Chiefs will try to begin validating their rise to the top of the AFC West when they host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The Chiefs last season won their first division title since 2003 and are expected to again battle the San Diego Chargers for West supremacy. The Bills have a lot of room for improvement – especially on defense – if they want to compete in the rugged AFC East. They allowed an NFL-worst 169.6 rushing yards per game in 2010, but have taken a big step to improve their run defense. Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel said he will play with injured ribs.
TV: CBS, 1 p.m. ET. LINE: Kansas City -5.5, O/U 39.5
ABOUT THE CHIEFS (2010: 10-6, 1st, AFC West): Kansas City made a six-game improvement – largest in team history – from its 4-12 finish in 2009. The biggest reason was its running game, which was first in the NFL with 164.2 yards per game in 2010 as the Chiefs nearly had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Jamaal Charles (1,467) and Thomas Jones (896). Cassel’s plus-20 touchdown-interception ratio (27-7) last season was the best in franchise history. Kansas City’s defense ranked 11th in points allowed (20.4) in 2010.
ABOUT THE BILLS (2010: 4-12, 4th, AFC East): Buffalo hopes linebacker Shawne Merriman can return to his Pro Bowl form of 2005-07, when he registered 39.5 sacks during that span with San Diego. Injuries have limited Merriman to 18 games in the past three seasons. The key, though, could be Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, who was drafted No. 3 overall in April to help improve the run defense. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick posted career highs in passing yards (3,000) and touchdown passes (23) last season. Buffalo’s defense allowed 26.6 points per game – 28th in the NFL – in 2010.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson ranked second in the NFL last season with 30 catches on third down (Atlanta’s Roddy White, 36).
2. Kansas City defeated visiting Buffalo 13-10 last season when Ryan Succop kicked a 35-yard field goal on the final play of overtime.
3. The Chiefs were 7-1 at home in 2010. They lost their finale 31-10 to the Oakland Raiders after they had already clinched the West title.