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Tom Brady is in broadcasting, Bill Belichick is coaching in college, Mike Vrabel just landed another NFL head coaching gig, and Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman are studio analysts. Indeed, the Patriots' dynasty is long gone, but their impact is still being felt in the sport they ruled for nearly two full decades. Ironically, the team they tormented most has adapted their tried-and-true blueprint for success and are now trying to use it to topple the NFL's new dynasty. 

That is one of the main reasons why the Bills continue to remain a top Super Bowl contender in a league predicated on parody. Despite the demands of a salary cap, free agency and the ever-growing regular and postseason schedules, the Bills continue to circle the wagon while pursuing that elusive Vince Lombardi Trophy. 

Here's a look at how the Bills made it back it their first AFC Championship Game since 2020, and why this playoff game against the Chiefs may be different from the previous ones. 

Bills establish the 'Patriot Way'

That term means something different to everyone, both good and bad. My interpretation of the "Patriot Way" is the ability to beat teams with complete rosters rather than top-heavy ones, do the little things right, not beat yourself and capitalize on an opponent's mistakes. 

The Patriots didn't create this philosophy, but they had the most sustained success with it. The Bills aren't the only team that have adopted this philosophy. The Chiefs have, too, and that's one of the reasons why they went 15-2 during the regular season despite not having the most talented roster. The Bills are trying to beat the Chiefs at their own game. 

Like the Patriots, the Chiefs have proven that you can win with less-heralded players in today's NFL. The Chiefs won one Super Bowl with Tyreek Hill and two without him. Buffalo didn't win a championship with Stefon Diggs, but it might with its current collection of skill players. 

Diggs was significant as far as Josh Allen's development, but Allen has grown to the point where he no longer needs an elite receiver to lean on. In fact, Allen no longer feeling the pressure to feed Diggs has surely contributed to his massive dip in turnovers this season. Teams can no longer anticipate Allen throwing to a particular player, which has made Buffalo's offense less predictable and more efficient. 

Khalil Shakir, who went three rounds after the Steelers selected George Pickens in the 2022 NFL Draft, has turned out to be a terrific pick of Buffalo. Veteran wideout Mack Hollins has excelled in his complementary role, while tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox have served as key complementary pieces. Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman haven't produced as many expected, but their presence is still something teams need to respect. 

And that's the funny thing: as good as they've been, Buffalo's offense has considerable room for growth, especially in the passing game. If it can get more from Cooper and Coleman, it's hard to fathom anyone stopping this unit. 

As noted earlier, the Bills have rarely -- if ever -- beaten themeless this season, and a big reason for that has been Allen's ability to take better care of the ball. Allen threw just six interceptions in 2024, a year after throwing the second-most in the NFL (18). 

Instead of beating themselves, the Bills are letting other teams make the critical mistakes. You can argue that self-inflicted wounds are why Buffalo defeated Baltimore in the divisional round. As great as he is, Lamar Jackson committed two turnovers that the Bills turned into seven points. A fumble by Mark Andrews led to three more Buffalo points. Andrews then dropped what would have been a game-tying, two-point conversion catch with under two minutes left. 

Like the Chiefs and the old Patriots teams, the Bills aren't perfect. No team is, except maybe the undefeated 1972 Dolphins. But the Bills execute at an extremely high level, which has put them in position to once again challenge the Chiefs for AFC supremacy. 

Josh Allen playing at an MVP level 

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Allen is only 28 years old, but he has an old-school mindset when it comes to how quarterbacks should be evaluated: by winning football games. 

From a statistical standpoint, Allen's season was somewhere in between what Mahomes and Jackson/Joe Burrow did. While he wasn't as prolific as Jackson and Burrow, Allen's numbers were better than Mahomes. Allen also led the Bills to nearly as many wins as Mahomes. He's also the only quarterback who defeated a Mahomes-led Chiefs team during the regular season. 

Earlier in his career, it was popular to compare Allen to Ben Roethlisberger, but while Allen is indeed difficult to bring down, he uses his mobility differently than Big Ben did. Allen uses it in a variety of ways, especially as a red zone scoring threat and as a way to control the game. 

Allen has a good team around him, but he will still have to play at an MVP-caliber level if the Bills are going to beat the Chiefs. That means taking care of the ball, being effective with his legs and making critical throws when the situation calls for it. Every indication would suggest that Allen will deliver. 

Bills vs. Chiefs playoff history: Josh Allen hopes to avenge heartbreaking losses to Patrick Mahomes
Bryan DeArdo
Bills vs. Chiefs playoff history: Josh Allen hopes to avenge heartbreaking losses to Patrick Mahomes

James Cook's emergence 

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Once again, the month of January has reinforced the value of running backs. That's currently happening in Buffalo (among other places) with James Cook, who led the NFL in rushing touchdowns during the regular season. 

Cook ran for 120 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in Buffalo's wild-card round win over Denver, his first 100-yard rushing performance in the playoffs. He had 20 touches that included 17 carries during Buffalo's two-point win over Baltimore in the divisional round. Cook's productivity played a key role in both wins. 

Cook's emergence is one of the biggest reasons why the Bills are one game away from the Super Bowl. While only 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, Cook is a physical runner who has displayed impressive durability. His presence allows the Bills to move the ball without having to solely rely on Allen. 

Along with Cooks, rookie running back Ray Davis has also made an impact. He had several big games during the season and scored a key touchdown in Buffalo's playoff win over Baltimore. 

Joe Brady effect 

First-year offensive coordinator Joe Brady has done wonders for Buffalo's offense. Specifically, the Bills' offense is more well-rounded than in recent years, as there has been a rededication to the run. That was on full display against the Ravens, as Buffalo actually out-rushed Baltimore in the first half. That was Brady's plan going into the game, and it came to fruition. 

Look for Brady to take more chances Sunday and in the Super Bowl if the Bills get past the Chiefs. Brady, when asked about the Bills' decision to settle for a field goal after being stopped just short of a touchdown late in Sunday's win over Baltimore, said his goal will be for the Bills' offense to stay on the field if they are in a similar situation moving forward. 

Healthy defense 

Buffalo's worst performance of the 2024 season to date was their 35-10 defeat to the Ravens back in Week 4. A big reason why the Bills were blown out in that game was because they were playing without three of their top defenders: linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard and cornerback Taron Johnson. All three players were back and made their presences felt against Baltimore. 

Milano led the Bills in pressures and also batted down Jackson's two-point pass in the third quarter. Bernard forced and recovered the fumble of Andrews, while Johnson came up big in run support. 

The return of Milano and Bernard has allowed the Bills to employ more three linebacker lineups, which is big in obvious run situations. Bernard's ability to quarterback the defense is another skill that the three-year veteran brings to the table. 

"When it comes to the intangibles, Terrel is the total package," Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said recently. "Really liked him coming out of Baylor, and I knew a lot of what people wouldn't like him for, the things that, in my mind, don't matter as much in football. And we're lucky to have him."

The trio will try to help the Bills have more success on third down, as Buffalo's defense was just 29th in that department during the regular season. If Buffalo can get off the field on third down Sunday night, it will significantly increase its odds at getting back to the Super Bowl for the first time in 31 years.