The Buffalo Bills lead the Kansas City Chiefs 16-14 at halftime in a game where points were scarce. Things couldn’t have started better for Buffalo, which after winning the coin toss saw safety Taylor Rapp steal a possession back thanks to an errant early pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes. It was exactly the play the Bills needed to find in hopes of building momentum the right way.

Quarterback Josh Allen and company took over from there, marching down the field to strike first, thanks in large part to a nice one-handed catch by wide receiver Amari Cooper, but kicker Tyler Bass made an error on his extra point attempt. Still ahead, Buffalo ate the clock while implementing a nervy defense that left Mahomes struggling to establish himself quickly.

But Mahomes eventually found his groove, which was helped by a surprisingly productive first quarter from rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who finished the first 15 minutes with four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown.

After a first quarter in which the Bills dominated in most phases, things started to level off. The Bills could have had more, had it not been for Allen’s terrible decision, coupled with a head-scratching choice from Dawson Knox, who let him down, allowing the football to go back to KC. Another methodical drive by the Chiefs led them to a 14-13 lead that they held until just before halftime, when kicker Tyler Bass made a 33-yard field goal after a two-minute drive by Allen and the offense.

There have already been four lead changes, just as you would expect in a Bills-Chiefs game. The return of Amari Cooper played a key role in Buffalo getting on the field in the first half. Cooper has two catches on three targets for 55 yards and his wrist appears to be holding up well. While rushing yards are hard to come by, running back James Cook (seven carries, 17 yards) has a much more important 12 points.

Despite Allen’s interception, he is 15 of 23 for 167 yards at the break. I predicted Allen would be a much more active runner this afternoon, so I’ll be looking for an offensive coordinator to get Allen more touches there in the second half.

Overall, Kansas City has once again operated from an offense that was much more interesting and explosive before the snap, but it’s working well for them. The Bills would benefit from upping the intensity on offense a bit to emphasize the Chiefs’ ability to burn the clock and reduce scoring opportunities. Here’s how things started for Buffalo, and how they should end up if they hope to improve to 9-2.

Here’s your second half thread for the rest of today’s match. As always, be kind to one another, and in all things… Go Bills!