Pat Mahomes is defending his Super Bowl crown, and he will be doing it away from the friendly confines of Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium. And one integral part of the Bills offensive line wants him to know exactly how unfriendly it will be.
The Chiefs will play the Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Sunday in what promises to be an epic clash between AFC rivals with two of the best, young quarterbacks in the game.
The intense reputation of Bills fans, commonly known as the “Bills Mafia,” is well-known. And Bills tackle Dion Dawkins is warning Mahomes about the environment he’s about to walk into.
“(Mahomes has) only been here once. So, he’s never been here. Simple as that,” Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins said, according to ESPN. “Pat has never been to the Bills stadium in full. … The environment will be different, and not to say it’s in our favor, but stadium is our favor. Stadium is us. That helps us. I don’t care what nobody says.
“This is the most dopest feeling I’ve ever had. We’re having two back-to-back playoff games home. Come on now, like we get to leave and go eat wings. It’s cool. So good luck.”
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It is true during the three Super Bowl runs the Chiefs have made and the AFC Championship appearance they had and lost to the Bengals in 2021, nearly all of their playoff games have been at home.
There were also no fans at Highmark Stadium when the Chiefs beat the Bills there during the 2020 Covid lockout season.
Still, this is Pat Mahomes we’re talking about.
He has been to three Super Bowls and has another deep playoff run. He is arguably the best quarterback in the game. Not to mention the fact, the Mahomes and the Chiefs have beaten the Bills in their previous two playoff matchups in 2021 and 2022. Why poke the bear? Why give a great quarterback added motivation?
Dion Dawkins #73 of the Buffalo Bills watches the end of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Bills Stadium on November 29, 2020 in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills defeated the Chargers 27-17. (Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
Oddsmakers don’t see the Chiefs coming in as road warriors as being too much of a disadvantage. The Bills are currently 2.5-point favorites. This is not a huge vote of confidence for Buffalo when you consider that home teams automatically get a three-point curve in the oddsmaking process.
Should be a good game either way.
Fans will get a chance to see if Dawkins will regret his words on Sunday night at 6:30 PM on CBS.