Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton, right, breaks up a pass intended for Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid during the first half of the AFC Championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)AP
Kansas City, Mo. — Dalton Kincaid’s eyes started to water in front of his locker stall on Sunday night as he rehashed the dropped pass that ended the Buffalo Bills‘ season.
The play seemed doomed on the snap of the ball as Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sent cornerback Trent McDuffie and safety Justin Reid on a blitz. The Bills didn’t recognize the pre-snap disguise, and Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen had no choice but to retreat. As he started running backward, the only option quickly became a desperation heave downfield.
Allen launched the ball and somehow found Kincaid, who had a chance to make a memorable play in what had turned into another playoff classic against the Chiefs.
But the ball hit off his right arm and fell incomplete. The Bills turned the ball over on downs, and the Chiefs locked up a 32-29 win over the rival Bills. It’s the fourth time in five seasons that the Chiefs have eliminated Buffalo in the playoffs.
“Josh got the ball off. He was pressured, and it was hanging up there and I just wasn’t able to catch it,” Kincaid said. “Right now it obviously hurts a lot, and it’s going to linger for a while, but eventually you’ve got to move on. And hopefully you grow from this, and I believe that will be the case, but for the time being, it’s going to hurt a lot.”
Bills tight end Dawson Knox described his view of the play from the sidelines. Kincaid ran full speed down the field and turned back toward Allen when he realized the quarterback was lobbing it up in the air.
“It would have been an absolutely incredible play if it happened but there’s not a single person in (our locker room) that’s gonna put the blame on him,” Knox said.
Kincaid admitted it’s a catch that has to be made but Knox is determined to make sure the second-year tight end doesn’t let the weight of the loss rest solely on his shoulders.
“I mean, we wouldn’t be in this game if it weren’t for Dalton,” Knox said. “The work he puts in, what he brings to this offense, it’s invaluable. I’m gonna try to make sure he doesn’t tell himself any lies or believe anything that’s just not true because he expects himself to make that play. It would’ve been incredible if he did but you just can’t let him get down in the dumps because of it.”
Kincaid’s dropped pass ended one of two Bills’ second-half drives where an aggressive Sean McDermott was looking to extend the drive. Earlier in the game, Allen tried a quarterback sneak but was stopped short of the line. The replay appeared to show Allen getting just enough yards for a first down but the call was upheld after replay.
Bills center Connor McGovern said that there were about 70 plays in the game (the Bills finished with 68 offensive plays), and Kincaid’s one drop wasn’t the only reason Buffalo fell short again versus the Chiefs.
“Everyone had mistakes. I had bad plays,” McGovern said. “We went on two on that play. I should have checked out of that. They had a great disguise on that play. They knew how we were sliding that, and I should have changed the protection; we had a five-man (pass protection). Should have probably cut back, something. They brought too many guys for us, and that’s not really on him; that’s on us.”
Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard said that the game comes down to critical moments.
“It’s never one play here or there,” he said. “Dalton has been incredible for us all year: a leader on the team, a guy that other people look towards, made plays all year – so, I think it’s unfair, honestly, to even say that and put him in that situation. There’s so many plays that it comes down to throughout a game, and we just didn’t make enough of ‘em.”
The Bills defense gave up points to the Chiefs on five of their eight drives (not counting the end of the first half and final possession to run out the clock). Kansas City converted five of nine third-down attempts and racked up 28 first downs. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes finished with three touchdowns, 288 yards of total offense, and a 111.9 passer rating.
McDermott said after the game that he was proud of his guys, who battled hard and gave everything they had against a great football team.
Kincaid finished with two catches for 13 yards on four targets in the game. Bills coach Sean McDermott said he remains confident in his young tight end.
“He gave it everything he had,” McDermott said. “I love Dalton Kincaid. Sometimes those work out. He makes more of those than he doesn’t, and he’ll make the next one.”
