For nearly two decades, the New England Patriots made life difficult for the Buffalo Bills. But that changed when Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay in 2020. Since then, the Bills have taken control of the AFC East, capturing four consecutive division titles and currently on track for a fifth.
The next goal for Buffalo is a deep playoff run. Despite their success, they’ve only made it to the AFC championship game once, getting eliminated in the divisional round the past three years. In three of the last four years, they’ve been stopped by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs have proven to be a tough obstacle for the Bills, and the challenge just intensified. Kansas City remains the only undefeated team, even while missing some of their top receivers this season. Their defense has been their strength, and the Patriots recently made it even stronger.
Patriots make Bills’ path to Super Bowl much harder
On Monday, the Patriots traded edge rusher Josh Uche to the Chiefs in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, as reported by Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. Uche, who was held out as a healthy scratch against the New York Jets last week, had been expected to be moved soon, making the Patriots’ timing sensible.
It's a 6th rounder in 2026 going to the Patriots. https://t.co/eseVDmCE8G
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 28, 2024
Earlier in the week, the Chiefs had already bolstered their offense by adding wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans. Now, they’ve strengthened their already top-tier defense by acquiring additional edge support. Although Uche has had a slower start to the season, he was a valuable player for the Patriots.
With Uche now fitting into Kansas City’s defensive scheme, the Chiefs become even more challenging for their AFC rivals. It seems the Patriots, unable to compete with the Bills directly, have indirectly helped the Chiefs — the reigning Super Bowl champions — reinforce their roster.
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