Stephen A. Smith has predicted that the Chiefs will lose for the first time this season when they face the Bills this weekend.
The two-time defending champions are off to a 9-0 start as they kept their undefeated record intact last weekend with a blocked field goal against the Broncos as time expired.
But Smith thinks that streak will end on Sunday against Josh Allen and the 8-2 Bills.
“I’m not going to predict anybody’s going to go 16-0,” Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take.” “And of course, I think you can say this is the toughest game left on the Kansas City Chiefs’ schedule.
The game will be played away from home in Buffalo, and Smith believes the Bills will be motivated to earn bragging rights over their AFC rivals.
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are off to a 9-0 start this NFL season
But Stephen A. Smith predicted that Kansas City will suffer its first loss of the season against the Bills
“You look at what this game could do in terms of increasing the confidence that the Buffalo Bills would need to feel to legitimately compete for a Super Bowl title this year. I think that goes a long way,” Smith said.
Despite the Chiefs’ superior record, the Bills have arguably been the most dominant team this season.
They have an AFC-best point differential of +97 (compared to +58 for the Chiefs) and are scoring 29 points per game – the third-best mark in the league.
Kansas City, meanwhile, is just 11th at 24.3 points per game, as their usually explosive offense has reached 30 points just once.
Seven of the Chiefs’ nine wins have also been one-possession games.
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are 8-2 and currently on a five-game winning streak
“They still make you think they’re available,” Smith said of the Chiefs, who he still projected would go 16-1 this season.
“There’s no reason a team can’t have confidence going up against the Kansas City Chiefs if you’re a quality football team.”
The Bills have won their last five games and will look to make it six against the Chiefs.