Bills vs. Chiefs 2022: time, TV schedule, how to watch live online

The Game

The Divisional round of the NFL playoffs concludes on Sunday evening with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Arrowhead Time. The game will be carried on CBS — locally on KCTV/5.

After entering the 2021 postseason as the AFC’s second seed with a 12-5 record, the Chiefs now hold homefield advantage throughout the playoffs — thanks to the Cincinnati Bengals’ 19-16 victory over the first-seeded Tennessee Titans on Saturday afternoon. Should they defeat the Bills, they will host the Bengals in their fourth consecutive AFC championship game next Sunday at 3:05 p.m. Arrowhead Time.

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The Bills, however, will not be an easy out. Led by fourth-year quarterback Josh Allen, the team is fresh off a 47-17 drubbing of the New England Patriots in the Wild Card round. Buffalo scored a touchdown on every one of its seven possessions — while intercepting Patriots quarterback Mac Jones twice and keeping New England out of the end zone until halfway through the third quarter.

But the Chiefs come to this game following an overwhelming Wild Card victory of their own: a 42-21 beatdown of the Pittsburgh Steelers in which they scored touchdowns on six consecutive possessions and also kept their opponent out of the end zone until the third quarter; five of the Steelers’ first seven drives were three-and-outs — and just one gained more than eight yards.

When these two teams met in Week 5 of the regular season — a game that was then considered a preview of the AFC championship — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes turned in one of the worst performances of his career. The former NFL MVP was intercepted twice and threw for just 5.04 yards per attempt in the 38-20 loss. Still, the Chiefs were trailing just 17-10 with two minutes remaining in the first half when they failed to convert a fourth-and-5 play at the Buffalo 32-yard line. Two plays later, Bills tight end Dawson Knox got separation on Kansas City backup safety Daniel Sorensen, scoring on a 53-yard strike from Allen — and Buffalo never looked back.

One week later, Kansas City safety Juan Thornhill finally went back to his starting role. One week after that, then-defensive end Chris Jones and cornerback Charvarius Ward returned to the lineup. Two weeks after that, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach did something he had wanted to do eight months before: bring former Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram to the team — allowing defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to move Jones back to his ideal use: primarily as an interior defensive lineman. And after a crushing 27-3 loss to the Titans in Week 7, the Chiefs never looked back, either — going 9-1 to finish the regular season.

So on Sunday, we’ll finally get to see the rematch of the 2020 AFC Championship we expected almost four months ago. Once again, we think it will be a game to remember — and this time, it likely will be.

Nuts and bolts

• Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
• Playing surface: Natural grass
• Game time: 5:30 p.m. Arrowhead Time, Sunday, January 23, 2022
• Weather forecast: Clear and 35, winds SSW 2 mph
• Matchup history: Bills 25-21-1 (regular season)
• Odds: Chiefs -1.5, per DraftKings Sportsbook
• Officials: Referee John Hussey (35), umpire Alan Eck (76), down judge Mark Hittner (28), line judge Carl Johnson (101), field judge Rick Patterson (15), side judge Allen Baynes (56), back judge Todd Prukop (30), replay official Jamie Nicholson and replay assistant Denise Crudup.
• Pageantry: Colors: Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department. National Anthem: Judith Hill. Flyover: B-2 Stealth bomber from Whiteman Air Force base in Knob Noster, Missouri. Drum Deck Honoree: Neil Smith.
• Television broadcast: with Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson on KCTV (CBS/5-Kansas City), Chiefs Mobile App, WIBV (CBS/4-Buffalo) and CBS affiliates nationwide
• Online Stream: Paramount+
• Chiefs radio broadcast: with Mitch Holthus, Danan Hughes and Josh Klingler on WDAF (106.5 FM-Kansas City) and Chiefs Radio Network affiliates
• SiriusXM broadcast: Channel 227
• Chiefs Spanish radio broadcast: with Enrique Morales, Oscar Monterroso and Hannah Bassham on KPRS (103.3 FM-Kansas City)
• Bills radio broadcast: with John Murphy, Eric Wood and Sal Capaccio on WGR (550 AM- Buffalo) and Bills Radio Network affiliates.
• Enemy SB Nation site: Buffalo Rumblings
• Twitter: Arrowhead Pride
• Facebook: Please like us!

What you need to know in the stadium

• Parking lots open: 1 p.m.
• Stadium gates open: 3:30 p.m.
• COVID-19: With the expiration of the Kansas City, Missouri mask ordinance, masks are no longer required in indoor spaces. However, per Kansas City Health Department recommendations, masks are still encouraged.
• Masks are not required outdoors — but they are encouraged for guests who have not been fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated stadium staff — and all those working inside enclosed public areas — are directed to wear masks. A complete list of the stadium’s health and safety protocols is available at www.Chiefs.com.
• Parking passes: All parking passes must be purchased in advance at www.Chiefs.com; payments will not be accepted at the parking toll gates.
• Cashless Arrowhead: All concession stands and retail points of sale are completely cashless. Fixed points of sale offer traditional scan and chip reader options for credit/debit cards and mobile tap or scan payment options — including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. In-stadium hawkers and vendors accept credit cards only.
• Clear bags, permitted items: The NFL’s clear bag policy is in place for all Arrowhead Stadium events. Fans may visit www.Chiefs.com for important information on the clear bag policy and a complete list of permitted and prohibited items.