Josh Allen's 26-yard run seals Bills' 30-21 win over KC and ends Chiefs' bid for a perfect season

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — After watching quarterback Josh Allen bounce off two Kansas City Chiefs defenders before crossing the goal line on a 26-yard run, Bills receiver Khalil Shakir joined the rest of the packed Buffalo stadium by screaming at the top of his lungs.

Allen's touchdown on fourth-and-2 with 2:16 left sealed Buffalo’s 30-21 win, kept the Bills (9-2) in contention for the AFC’s top seed and spoiled the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs' bid for a perfect season.

“When Josh takes off, I find myself just watching, like, ‘Wow, he’s different,’” Shakir said. “When he took off today, I just started yelling. I couldn’t stop yelling. I was blanking in the head.”

Bills fans chimed in by chanting “MVP!” while watching the replay of their quarterback bursting up the middle to secure a victory in the latest matchup against the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs (9-1), who ended Buffalo’s playoff runs in three of the past four seasons.

Allen evened his record to 4-4 (including playoffs) against the Chiefs. He said he knew what was on the line when coach Sean McDermott elected to go for it on fourth down rather than settle for a field goal.

“I appreciated coach for trusting us,” said Allen, who took off up the right hash mark, shrugged off being shouldered by linebacker Nick Bolton and had enough momentum to reach the end zone while wrapped up by safety Bryan Cook.

“Any time you give the ball back to Pat (Mahomes), that offense, down six with the game on the line, I like their odds in that situation,” Allen added. “So wanting six or seven (points) to try to make it a two-score game.”

Buffalo’s defense ended Kansas City’s desperate final drive when linebacker Terrel Bernard intercepted Mahomes.

James Cook rushed for two first-half touchdowns and Allen threw a 12-yard TD pass to Curtis Samuel early in the third quarter. The Bills never relinquished the lead after going ahead 16-14 on Tyler Bass’ 33-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.

The Chiefs were the NFL’s last undefeated team and finally ran out ways to eke out one-score victories and overcome second-half deficits. The Chiefs had won 15 straight, including playoffs, since they fell 20-14 to the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 17, 2023.

“The undefeated thing was cool. But that’s not our ultimate goal. So we’ll keep building toward that,” Mahomes said.

“That’s a good football team. Nothing to hang your head on losing to them,” he added. “We feel like we can play better. So we’ll get back to work and try to use this as a spark so we can be a better football team in the end.”

There's a chance these teams will meet again in the playoffs, where the Chiefs have dominated the rivalry. Though Buffalo has won four straight regular-season meetings dating to 2021, the Chiefs have won three straight playoff matchups, including a 27-24 win at Buffalo in the divisional round in January.

“It’s a great game to learn from for some of our young guys. Two good teams play each other, the margin between winning and losing is small,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “We can all learn from it and take something out of it to make us better down the road there. And we’ll do that.”

Mahomes finished 23 of 33 for 196 yards with three touchdown passes — two to tight end Noah Gray and another to Xavier Worthy — and two interceptions.

The Chiefs had shown resolve in winning their first nine games by a combined 58 points, with four decided on the final play. That included a 16-14 win over Denver last week in which Leo Chenal blocked Wil Lutz’s 35-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

This time, there were no late dramatics from a Chiefs offense that finished with a season-low 259 yards.

The Bills have won six straight and moved closer to their fifth straight AFC East title. Buffalo is 9-2 or better through 11 games for the sixth time in team history and first since 1992.

“No statement,” McDermott said of the win’s significance. “This is not the finish line.”

The Bills have a chance to rest and heal up entering their bye week. Amari Cooper made two catches for 58 yards while playing with a sore left wrist, and wide receiver Keon Coleman (right wrist) and tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) were sidelined by injuries.

Allen played through a sore throwing hand, which was examined on the sideline during the game. He finished 27 of 40 for 262 yards with the TDs passing and rushing and an interception.

The rushing touchdown was the 58th of Allen’s career, moving him into second on the Bills list, one ahead of O.J. Simpson and seven behind Thurman Thomas. Allen’s two-touchdown outing also increased his total to 244, tying Jim Kelly for first in team history.

Chiefs: At Carolina next Sunday.

Bills: After a bye, host San Francisco on Dec. 1.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) celebrates after scoring during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is lifted by teammate Connor McGovern (66) after scoring during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws over Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson (7) and defensive tackle Ed Oliver (91) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Chamarri Conner (27) intercepts a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is pressured by Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller, left, during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) celebrates after scoring on a 6-yard run as teammate O'Cyrus Torrence (64) watches during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) leaps over Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, right, during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates after scoring during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas (31) reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) slips past Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Nazeeh Johnson to score on a 26-yard run during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel scores past Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook (6) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) scrambles away from Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (97) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is congratulated by teammate Dawson Knox (88) after scoring on a 26-yard run during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) slips past Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Nazeeh Johnson (13) to score on a 26-yard run during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Donald Trump Jr. said Sunday that any pushback from the Washington establishment around his father's unconventional choices for Cabinet proves they are just the kind of disruptors that voters are demanding.

The younger Trump insisted the team now around the president-elect knows how to build out an administration, unlike when his father first took office.

“The reality this time is, we actually know what we’re doing. We actually know who the good guys and the bad guys are,” he told Fox News Channel’s "Sunday Morning Futures. “And it’s about surrounding my father with people who are both competent and loyal. They will deliver on his promises. They will deliver on his message. They are not people who think they know better, as unelected bureaucrats.”

After Donald Trump was elected in 2016, he stocked his early administration with choices from traditional Republican and business circles, tapping figures such as former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, who was his first as secretary of state.

Today, Trump is valuing personal allegiance above political experience.

That has translated into selections such as former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who faced a House ethics investigation, as attorney general, anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of the Department of Health and Human Services and Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic lawmaker who has in the past publicly expressed sympathy to Russian causes, as director of U.S. intelligence services.

On Sunday, Trump continued to round out his team, naming Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman.

Carr said recently the commission’s priorities should be “reining in Big Tech," and drafted the FCC chapter of Project 2025, an agenda that the conservative Heritage Foundation sketched out for a second Trump term. Trump has claimed he doesn't know anything about the effort, but some of its themes have aligned with his statements.

The five-person commission has a 3-2 Democratic majority until next year, when Trump gets to appoint a new member.

Some of his picks might face difficulties getting confirmed by the Senate, even with Republicans holding a majority in January.

Donald Trump Jr. suggested that was precisely the idea.

“A lot of them are going to face pushback” but ”they are going to be actual disrupters," he said. "That’s what the American people want.”

He said there are “backup plans” if Senate confirmation is problematic in some cases, but “we’re obviously going with the strongest candidates first."

Trump Jr. also looked back to eight years ago, when his businessman father was new to Washington and its ways. "A big part of that process is just something that we didn’t understand in 2016, where he came to Washington, D.C., he had no experience,” he said.

Now, his son said, Trump knows what to expect.

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said the president-elect has “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver that change, to take on permanent Washington, return the power back to the people."

“You have to have people you trust to go into these agencies and have a real reform agenda," Schmitt told “Sunday Morning Futures.” He said he sees "real momentum to get these nominations confirmed to actually deliver what President Trump promised on the campaign trail.”

On the same show, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said, "We don’t need any Democrats to help us. We have got the numbers." But, he added, Trump needs “a team around him that’s going to help him. He can’t do it by himself.”

Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate tapped by Trump along with businessman Elon Musk to lead a new effort on government efficiency, also predicted pushback from traditional Washington to promised steep federal cuts that he said showed the need to "score quick wins through executive action.”

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, looks at his son Donald Trump Jr. at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)