Chiefs v Bills: It’s Like a Mudslide Hot Chocolate Playoff
It is the divisional playoffs, and not only do we get the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills, but there is also the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Detroit Lions playing on the Sunday slate. Tell me it doesn’t feel like it’s time to sip on a Mudslide Hot Chocolate before, during, and after the games.
Mudslide Hot Chocolate Playoff Drink for Playoff Weekend
This recipe is courtesy of delish, and yes, that it is. And where it calls for whole milk and cocoa powder, you can most definitely substitute non-diary powdered hot chocolate if that’s your thing.
And if you are vegan forego the whole milk for a milk substitute of your choice. The Bailey’s is also diary-based, so you would have to skip that ingredient.
But for everyone else…let’s go!
Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces chocolate chips
¼ cup Baileys
¼ cup Vodka
¼ cup Kahlua
Add Whipped Cream, chocolate sauce, and crushed Oreos to serve on the top. (And it seems like a lot of work, but it isn’t, and it’s delicious)!
Directions
Make the hot chocolate in whatever way that makes you happy.
Make sure it is lump-free.
Stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted. Turn off the heat.
Add the Baileys, Vodka, and Kahlua and stir slowly.
Add whipped cream, crushed Oreos, and chocolate sauce on top.
Game Time!
Kansas City Chiefs v Buffalo Bills, Bills -3.0, 45.5 o/u, Playoff Time
This is the last game of the divisional weekend and the first game on everyone’s mind. It is Patrick Mahomes versus Josh Allen. It is the pretender versus the contender. It is the first time Mahomes will play a playoff game on the road.
It is hot chocolate mixed with a delicious concoction of vodka, Kahlua, Baileys, whipped cream, and OREOS!
This game is a rematch of the Week 14 Kadarius Toney offsides game. The Bills won this game at Arrowhead 20–17. Bills’ running back James Cook cooked the Chiefs’ defense. Cook averaged 5.8 yards per rushing attempt. He added five receptions on five targets for 83 yards and a touchdown.
For the Chiefs, Travis Kelce played “All Too Well” (had to do it) with six receptions and 83 yards on 10 targets. Wide receiver Rashee Rice also had 10 targets. Rice added one touchdown on 72 yards and seven receptions.
This game is a different animal. The Bills have won six consecutive games since beating the Chiefs in Week 14. The Bills are 5–1 at home in the playoffs under head coach Sean McDermott, and as you will hear more than a thousand times, this is the first time Mahomes will play a playoff game on the road.
Players to Watch
Isiah Pacheco, Running Back, Kansas City
Pacheco did not play in the Week 14 matchup. Last week, in the wildcard matchup against the Miami Dolphins, Pacheco carried the ball 24 times. He averaged 3.9 yards per carry with 89 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Pacheco has averaged 4.6 yards per carry for the season and is seventh in red zone touches (50).
The Bills have only surrendered 14 rushing touchdowns all season. They have, however, allowed running backs to average 4.6 rushing yards per game.
Pacheco has volume on his side.
Josh Allen, Quarterback, Buffalo Bills
First, here is the not-so-great news: the Chiefs’ pass rush has the second most sacks (57) and is second in quarterback hit rate (90.1). In the Week 14 meeting, Allen was 23 of 42 for 233 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, and was sacked three times.
Now for the better news: in that meeting, Allen also rushed for 32 yards with one rushing touchdown. For the season, Allen leads the league with 44 touchdowns. He has 29 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns. Yeah, he also has a career-high 18 interceptions.
Last week, Allen averaged 9.3 yards per carry with a rushing touchdown on eight rushing attempts.
Allen’s dual-threat ability is only limited by his propensity to turn the ball over. Allen is worth a double hot chocolate mudslide if he keeps that in check.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Detroit Lions, Lions -6.5, 49.5 o/u, Mudslide Hot Chocolate Playoff
Nothing quite says Mudslide like Baker Mayfield in the playoffs under center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Mudslide is a messy yet oh-so-delicious drink. I cannot think of a more comparable concoction, and the beauty of it is this game is indoors, so go ahead and switch out the hot chocolate for some vanilla ice cream (traditional Mudslide) and enjoy.
Expect this game to be pass heavy affair. The Buccaneers defense has not allowed a rushing score since Week 15. The Lions’ defense has only allowed two running backs to score more than 11.1 fantasy points when defending Ford Field. The Lions’ defense at home has not allowed a running back to rush for more than 70 yards.
Players to Watch
Mike Evans, Wide Receiver, Buccaneers
Unlike last week, the expectation is that the Buccaneers will be in a neutral to negative game script. Last week, in a positive game script, Evans was second on the team in targets with seven. It only resulted in three receptions and 48 yards.
Evans has a 24.5% target share for the season and a 27% red zone target share. Evans leads the league in air yards at 112.1 per game and in deep targets (36) with 2.1 per game.
In their wildcard home game last week, the Lions allowed rookie Puka Nacua 181 receiving yards and a touchdown on 10 targets and nine receptions.
Jared Goff, Quarterback, Lions
Goff has had the reputation of being a much better quarterback at home than he is away. Last year, it bore out. Goff had 23 touchdowns at home last year compared to six touchdowns away.
This year, the splits aren’t as glaring but are still apparent. Goff has a 70.1% completion percentage at home versus 64.8% away. He is averaging 8.1 yards per attempt at home versus 7.1 away. And he has 19–11 touchdowns home versus away and six interceptions for both.
Last week at Ford Field, he was steady. He finished with 277 passing yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions. Considering the stakes and the bruhaha surrounding the matchup last week, his stats are completely understandable.
Look for Goff to hit 300+ yards passing and multiple touchdowns in the game with the second-highest predictive total for the divisional round.
Speaking of Messy:
https://youtu.be/s2WUU9gib6Y?si=smLRJeczVTsJa9g2
Good Luck!
